Grading Policies

Please review the following grading policies:

• Grading Policies
• Mid-term Grades
• Pass-No Credit Grading Scheme
• Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory Course Registration
• Incomplete Courses
• Audited Courses
• Grade Changes
• Course Grade Appeal Policy

aThe following qualitative letter grades are employed by faculty members to characterize the quality of a student’s work in a course:

In addition to the above qualitative letter grades, the following symbols are used to designate special enrollment provisions or course statuses and do not affect the student’s academic average:

Pass-No Credit Grading Scheme

cStudents may elect to register on a pass-no credit basis for a maximum of four unrestricted elective courses. A student may not change grading scheme from letter grade to pass-no credit or from pass-no credit to letter grade after the established deadline for adding a course.

A pass-no credit course cannot be presented in fulfillment of University Core Curriculum requirements, major programs, minor programs, or specifically designated courses (collateral requirements) of an established curriculum. A grade of P indicates that a student’s performance merits an evaluation of C- or better. NC indicates that a course has been failed, but that such failure is without prejudice to the student’s cumulative average. Although appropriate credits are granted to students when grades of P have been assigned, these credits are not qualitatively weighted and hence do not affect a student’s academic average. The entry NC will not keep an otherwise qualified student from dean’s list recognition. Students must request pass-no credit grading scheme for each course by the last date to add/drop.

Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory Course Registration

dCertain courses (e.g., practicum experiences, advanced seminars, and directed studies) may be graded as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. A grade of S indicates that a student’s performance merits an evaluation of C or better. U indicates a course evaluation of less than C. Although appropriate credits are granted to students when grades of S have been assigned, these credits are not qualitatively weighted and hence do not affect a student’s academic average. A grade of U indicates that attempted course credits have not been granted and is awarded without prejudice to a student’s cumulative average.

Incomplete Courses

eThe symbol INC (incomplete) is a temporary notation that is assigned for incomplete work in courses when a student’s performance justifies the expectation that they will obtain a passing grade upon completion, but the student has not completed a course requirement, such as a final exam or final project, for emergency reasons.

Eligibility for a grade of INC

The grade of INC may be considered only for students who have consistently attended class and completed assignments throughout the course. Further, students receiving an INC must have been present in class regularly through the first 60% of the course.

A student who has evidenced an unsatisfactory course record, who has not attended class regularly through the first 60% of the course, who has failed to complete a major portion of an instructor’s course requirements, or who fails to provide an instructor with a satisfactory reason for absence from a final examination or final course evaluation within the required period may not be assigned the letter symbol INC.

Process

A student has a 48-hour period from the time of the missed final exam or project due date to provide an acceptable explanation for their non-completion. If the student is not eligible for an INC either on the basis of the terms above or because they did not provide a satisfactory explanation in the required time frame, the faculty should calculate the grade according to the syllabus and submit the roster by the Registrar’s due date.

Responsibility for making arrangements with an instructor to complete all outstanding course work rests entirely with the student, who must complete all course work by the final week of classes in the following semester.

At the end of the official make-up period (or, in the event of a substantiated student emergency, at the end of an extended make-up period), the Office of the Registrar will convert the temporary notation of INC to the appropriate permanent symbol. This permanent notation will be one of the following: 

1. a letter grade which is filed by an instructor at the end of the make-up period to designate the final course standing of a student who has made up incomplete course requirements, 
2. course work not completed by the final week of classes for the succeeding semester will convert to a grade of F, or 
3. the letter symbol of X, which the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled as a degree candidate may authorize to designate that a student has withdrawn from the University after the end of the semester for documented personal emergency (cf. University Withdrawal After the End of the Semester), 
4. medical emergencies will need to complete the Request for Medical Withdrawal form.

Limited extensions of the make-up period may be granted to a student for serious medical reasons and for documented personal emergencies. Requests for such extensions are approved by the dean of the college in which student is enrolled as a degree candidate, and must be filed no later than one calendar week preceding the established deadline for instructors to submit final grades for incomplete courses.

Audited Courses

fA student may enroll in credit courses as an auditor with appropriate approval. Forms and instructions for registration as an auditor may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. No charge is levied on full-time “traditional day” students for audited courses. Auditing courses through the division of Graduate and Professional Studies will incur additional tuition and fees. No credit or grade will be recorded for an audited course, but the symbol AU will be listed on the permanent record. A change from audit to credit status, or from credit status to audit, may not be made after the deadline for adding a course (10th class day).

Students who have audited a course subsequently may not earn credit by repeating the same course, or through tests of the College Level Examination Program or through other authorized examination procedures for course challenge.

Grade Changes

gAt the end of each semester, grades are available to students via their self service account in SIS. All course grades become a part of the student’s official record upon instructor assignment and may not be changed except as specifically provided by University procedures. Corrections of grade-point averages automatically are authorized when grade reports are corrected by instructors and when specific courses are deleted from grade-point averages under provisions of University regulations governing repeated courses and course deletions.

Changes of grades other than the filing of grades for incomplete courses require the endorsement of the appropriate college dean. Grade changes may not be made on a student’s permanent record after the deadlines cited in the academic calendar unless such changes have been authorized by appropriate college deans.  

Course Grade Appeal Policy

hThe instructor of the class is the primary authority with respect to a student’s proficiency and final grade in that course. A student who believes that his or her final grade reflects an erroneous, capricious, arbitrary, or prejudiced academic evaluation may appeal the grade. The academic judgment used in determining the merits of the grade to be awarded shall not be reviewable. This process does not apply to cases of academic dishonesty, which are adjudicated through the “academic dishonesty process.”

1. The student may file an appeal of his or her complaint, in writing, to the instructor within 30 days after a final grade is posted to the student’s record. The instructor must respond within 14 days of receiving the appeal. 
2. If the student remains dissatisfied by the decision of the instructor under step (1), he or she may, within 14 days after formal receipt of the instructor's final decision, appeal, in writing, to the chairperson of the program (or the Dean of the College if the instructor is the chairperson) in which the course or other exercise or activity is offered. The chairperson must respond within 14 days of receiving the appeal. The decision may be: 
   • (a) that the appeal be dismissed; 
   • (b) if there is demonstrable evidence of an erroneous, arbitrary, capricious, or prejudiced academic evaluation, then the chairperson will recommend appropriate remedies that a grade be changed or the student be allowed an opportunity to retake an examination or other exercise; or 
   • (c) that another appropriate remedy be administered.  
3. If no satisfactory resolution is reached in step (2) then the student or the instructor may appeal, in writing, to the Dean of the College within 14 days after formal receipt of the chairperson's final decision. 
4. The Dean, after discussion with the appropriate parties, may resolve the grievance by agreement or render a decision within 21 days of receipt of the written appeal. The decision may be: 
   • (a) that the appeal be dismissed; 
   • (b) if the student provides demonstrable evidence of an erroneous, arbitrary, capricious, or prejudiced academic evaluation, then the Dean will recommend appropriate remedies that a grade be changed or the student be allowed an opportunity to retake an examination or other exercise; or 
   • (c) that another appropriate remedy be administered. 
5. The decision of the Dean is final and not subject to additional appeal by either student or instructor. The appeals process ends at this step 
6. Department chairs are responsible for keeping a record of the appeal on file in the department until the student is no longer a student.