Each instructor is responsible for determining final grades and for submitting them to the Registrar’s Office. These grades then become a part of the official records of the University. Grades which appear on the student’s grade report at the end of the semester are considered final unless the student identifies an error to the Registrar before six months elapse.
Grade reports will be distributed to all students by mail from the Registrar approximately four weeks after the end of the semester.
Grade Symbols
Every professor is required to submit a grade for each student registered in the course. The following grade symbols are used in reporting and recording a student’s proficiency in courses:
*NOTE: Plus and minus symbols are not used to calculate GPA.
Pass/Fail Grading
Certain courses are offered only on a pass/fail basis whereby the student will receive a grade of P or F, rather than a grade of ABCDF. A limited number of courses are offered on this P/F basis, and no courses are offered with an option of either P/F or A-F grading. Courses graded only on P/F are identified in the catalog. Policies and procedures governing pass/fail grading are:
1. The grade of P is not used in computing the grade point average; F grades are included in averages.
2. A Pass grade indicates work at a “C” or better level.
Conditional (E)
An instructor may grant a two-week extension to students to complete work after the semester end. If the work is successfully completed by the deadline, the E grade is changed to reflect completion of the course. If the work is not completed by the deadline, the E grade reverts to the grade the student had earned at the end of the semester.
Incomplete (I)
A student may petition the Academic Committee before the start of the final exams to receive a mark of I (Incomplete) if the student has satisfactorily completed at least three-fourths of the semester, but for reasons beyond the student’s control and acceptable to the instructor, cannot complete the last part of the course, and the instructor believes that the student can finish the course without repeating it. “Petition to Receive an Incomplete” forms are available for download or in the Administration Office.
A student who receives an I is responsible for making up whatever work was lacking at the end of the semester. The Incomplete must be made up before the end of the following semester. (An incomplete for spring semester must be made up before the end of summer semester.) If course requirements are not completed within the time indicated, a grade of F will be recorded and the GPA will be adjusted accordingly. Students making up an Incomplete do not register for the course, but make individual arrangements with the instructor who assigned the I grade.
To report the make-up, the instructor submits a Change of Grade form directly to the Registrar. When possible, make-up grades for currently registered students will be posted to the academic record before the semester’s grades are entered. Make-up grades received after the Registrar’s Office begins the final audit of credit summaries will be posted after the semester’s grades are entered.
Repeated Course (R)
Classes in which students receive a D+ or below may be repeated in order to improve their GPA or obtain credit for graduation. Credit will be counted only once for successful completion of the course, except for the courses designated in the catalog as allowable repeats. The original grade will remain on the student’s academic record with the notation “R,” but will not be included in the computation of the grade point average.
A student receiving a final grade of a D(+, -) or an F in a course can obtain credit by reregistering for the course, repeating the class work, and receiving a passing grade. A failed course cannot be challenged by examination.
Repetition of a course more than once requires the approval of the VPAA, and is granted only under extraordinary circumstances.
A failed course does not have to be repeated unless the course is required for graduation.
Withdrawal (W)
A student may drop classes in their schedule during the first week of instruction without penalty. A student may withdraw from a course after the late registration period, receiving a W grade, until the end of the tenth week of the semester. (See Drop or Withdraw from a Course, pg. 33)
Unofficial Withdrawal (U)
Students who fail to withdraw officially from class generally will be given an F for the class. Under certain circumstances, students may petition the Academic Committee to receive a U (Unofficial Withdrawal). A U grade does not affect the GPA but any refund is forfeited.