Grade Information

Class Attendance

The instructor describes the computation of the grades and the relation between grades and attendance at the beginning of the semester. Where grades depend on classroom participation, absences may affect the student’s grade. However, if a student were absent and the instructor reduced the grade, the reduction would be due to lack of class participation, not the student’s absence. Except for final examinations, instructors have final authority in permitting students to submit assignments late or make up examinations.

Final Examinations

Instructors of undergraduate courses shall provide a clear form of assessment of student work that shall be consistent with and sufficient for the learning goals of the course.

During the semester or term, assessments shall be held only during regularly scheduled class periods. If instructors, due to exceptional circumstances, believe they need to hold assessments outside of regularly scheduled class periods, they must seek approval from the Vice-Provost for Academic Affairs prior to the start of registration. Sections of courses for which such exception has been granted shall carry a footnote to that effect in the published Schedule of Classes which clearly states the date and time of the assessment on the syllabus. In the event of student absences from assessments given during the semester, decisions regarding possible make-up assessments shall be the prerogative of the instructor.

Final in-class examinations may not be given during the last week of classes. Other types of assessments (for example, but not only, portfolios, performances, projects, presentations, etc.) may be due in the last week of classes, but should be clearly delineated on the syllabus from the first week of classes.

The format of assessments during finals week remains at the discretion of the instructor, including whether to assign a final assessment or not. In the event an instructor chooses not to schedule a final assessment, they must notify the Registrar to allow rescheduling of the classroom. During the final assessment period, instructors may have other types of assessments due, but only if they are clearly delineated on the syllabus from the first week of classes.

Instructors are required to administer final course assessments in the places and at the days and times scheduled by the Registrar; these will not necessarily be identical to those at which the class normally meets. Instructors seeking a final assessment period greater than two hours must seek approval from their department head and dean or designee prior to the start of registration; sections of courses for which such exception has been granted shall carry a footnote that specifies the time-extension for the final assessments in the published Schedule of Classes, and be clearly stated clearly states the date and time on the syllabus. For online final assessments, although faculty may choose to make assessments available for an extended period of time, students must be allowed the opportunity to take the assessments during the time scheduled by the University.

Each instructor shall determine for his or her own courses the weight to be assigned to the final assessment in computing the semester grade of a student. Each instructor in charge of a course will assume responsibility for proctoring in-class assessments, including those during finals week.

Absences from Final Examinations

A student who is prevented by extenuating circumstances from completing a scheduled final assessment must apply to the Dean of Students Office for validation that will authorize the student’s instructor to give a substitute assessment. A student whose absence is excused by the Dean of Students Office shall have an opportunity to complete a substitute assessment without penalty. A student whose absence from a scheduled final assessment is not excused in this way shall receive a failure for this assessment.

Rescheduling Final Examinations

A student whose final assessment schedule includes four assessments in two consecutive calendar days, three assessments in one calendar day, or three assessments in consecutive time blocks spanning parts of two consecutive days may request a note of permission from the Dean of Students Office to reschedule one exam. The Dean of Students Office will determine which of the bunched assessments may be rescheduled. The student must present the Dean of Students Office note of permission to reschedule the final assessment to the instructor of the course.

Grades, Grade Points, Credits, and Skills

Instructors grade undergraduate courses based on the following letter and point system. These grades are used to calculate students’ Grade Point Averages.

Grade Points Credits Skills
A 4 yes yes
A- 3.7 yes yes
B+ 3.3 yes yes
B 3 yes yes
B- 2.7 yes yes
C+ 2.3 yes yes
C 2 yes yes
C- 1.7 yes yes
D+ 1.3 yes yes
D 1 yes yes
D- 0.7 yes yes
F 0 no no
P@ N/A yes no
F@ N/A no no
S N/A yes no
U N/A no no
Au N/A no no
W N/A no no

Grade Point Formulas

Grade points for courses graded “A”-“F” are the product of the course credits and the points per credit for the grade earned. For example, given a “B-” for a 3-credit course, points earned for the course are 8.1 (2.7 x 3). For any period, the total grade points for the courses graded “A”-“F” divided by the total credits give the grade point average. The term GPA includes all courses graded “A”-“F” in a semester or summer session. The cumulative GPA averages all courses graded “A”-“F”.

If a student repeats a course that may not be repeated for credit, the Registrar records the grades for both attempts. If the repeat occurred prior to Summer Session 2002, both attempts are included in the GPA calculations. If the repeat occurred after Spring 2002, only the second attempt is included in the GPA calculations although both grades appear on the transcript. The student should note that when a lower grade is earned on the second attempt, the lower grade is the one that is used in the calculations.

Students withdrawing from a full-year course at the close of the first semester will, if they have passed the first part of the course, receive credit for the work of the first semester, unless the course description states otherwise.

Dean’s List

At the end of each semester the Dean of each school and college names to the Dean’s List those students who (1) were registered for at least 12 credits calculable for grade points, (2) received no grade below “C”, including the actual letter grade awarded in any course under the Pass/Fail option, (3) earned at least 3.0 times as many grade points as the number of calculable credits recorded by the Registrar, and (4) were in at least the upper quartile of their school or college.

Undergraduate students whose disabilities warrant the adjustment of carrying less than a full-time course load per semester can be determined eligible for Dean’s List status. The Center for Students with Disabilities will notify the Registrar each semester regarding students who are eligible.

Annually, at the conclusion of the Spring semester, the deans of the various schools and colleges shall issue a list of those degree-seeking students who did not attain full-time status at any time during the previous 12 months, but who, during this 12 month period (including summer and intersession sessions) (a) were registered for a total of at least twelve calculable credits, (b) received no mark below “C” nor received a ‘U’ in any course, (c) earned at least a 3.0 grade point average, and (d) were in the upper quartile of their respective school or college based on the Spring data. These students will receive the distinction: “Dean’s List (Part-time).”

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

The S/U grade option is determined by the faculty; it is not a student-driven option. This course designation is available only for courses that have been approved as such by the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee. Instructors assign a grade of “S” to represent satisfactory work or “U” to represent unsatisfactory work. These courses may or may not award credit, but in neither case will grade points be awarded. No course used to fulfill the General Education Requirements may be assigned an S/U grade.

Pass/Fail Option

The University Senate, the schools, the colleges and some programs have restricted the credits placed on Pass/Fail in various ways. Thus, students planning to place a course on Pass/Fail should consider the consequences carefully. The advantage to the student is that the grade for a course placed on Pass/Fail does not affect their grade point average. However, they should discuss with their advisor the immediate, the long-term, the direct, and the indirect effects.

A student who is not on scholastic probation may elect a maximum of 12 credits (not including credits on P/F recorded in spring 2020) to be distributed over not more than one course per semester and three courses total, to be recorded as “P” for Pass or “F” for Fail on his or her permanent record. Students who are selecting a course for the Pass/Fail option or want to convert a Pass/Fail back to a graded basis must do so by the eleventh week of the semester. Students seeking to put a course on Pass/Fail after the eleventh week of the semester must get approval from the student’s advisor and by the Dean or designee of the school or college in which the student is enrolled. Approvals are given only for extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control; poor academic performance is not an extenuating circumstance. For courses taught outside of the fall and spring semesters, these deadlines will be adjusted in a pro-rated fashion by the Registrar.

During the semester, the student completes the course and is graded in the usual way by the instructor; and the instructor submits a letter grade. This letter grade is translated into a “P” (“D-” or above) or remains an “F”. In neither event will a course taken under the Pass/Fail option be included in the computation of the semester or cumulative grade point average, but a grade below “C” makes the student ineligible for the Dean’s List. The individual schools and colleges have the privilege of adopting the Pass/Fail option with or without supplementary restrictions. Students are referred to the detailed statements of the various schools in the Undergraduate Catalog for such restrictions.

Restrictions on Pass/Fail Courses

Students who convert to a Pass/Fail and then revert the course back to a graded basis cannot again convert the course back to a Pass/Fail. Courses placed on Pass/Fail may only be used as electives; they may not be used to satisfy the General Education Requirement, the major or related requirements, the skill requirements, the minor requirements, or any school or college course requirement. Pass/Fail credits may not be acceptable when a student changes majors or schools within the University. Pass/Fail credits may not be transferable to another institution.

Students working on a degree at another institution need written approval from their dean, or other official, at the other institution to place a course on Pass/Fail.

The Registrar does not place a student on the Dean’s List if the instructor’s grade for a Pass/Fail course is less than “C”. Note that at least 12 credits must contribute to the semester grade point average placing a student on the Dean’s List. As the Pass/Fail marks have no grade points, the instructor’s grade does not contribute to the grade point averages. Note also that at least 54 credits must contribute to the grade point average for students to graduate cum laude or higher.

Restriction by School or College

Listed below are the Pass/Fail supplementary restrictions imposed by each school and college.

  • In the School of Business, students may not elect the Pass/Fail option for any of the departments of the School.
  • In the School of Education, students may not elect the Pass/Fail option for courses offered in the School of Education which are required for certification as a teacher.
  • In the College of Engineering, no course taken on Pass/Fail may be counted for credit toward graduation.
  • In the School of Pharmacy, no specifically required courses (all courses for which no alternate choice is given in the curricular listings) can be taken on Pass/Fail.
  • In the Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture students may only place one course on the Pass/Fail option.

Temporary Grades

Temporary grades signify that credit has not been earned in that course, and may subject the student to scholastic probation or dismissal. Temporary grades shall not prevent the calculation of either the semester or the cumulative grade point average.

Temporary Grades Related to Incomplete Work

An instructor may assign a temporary grade for a course when student work is not completed within the semester.

Temporary Grade Conditions for Assigning a Temporary Grade
N (No basis for grade) A student has completed few or no assessments and no make-up schedule has been agreed upon with the instructor; the instructor has no basis for a grade.
I (Incomplete grade) A student has not completed all of the assessments but work completed is of passing quality and a make-up schedule has been agreed upon with the instructor.
X (Final assessment absence) A student did not submit a final assessment and might by means of a satisfactory performance on the assessment complete the course with a passing grade. If in the opinion of the instructor such a student would fail the course regardless of the result of the assessment, the student shall be given a grade of “F.”

The student must complete all outstanding work on a schedule determined by the instructor and by the end of the third week of the following semester. Exceptions to this deadline are made by the Dean of Students or designee with the consent of the instructor.

Once the student submits the outstanding work or completes the final assessment, the instructor must submit a change of grade within 10 working days.

If the student does not submit outstanding work by the agreed upon deadline and has not been granted an exception, the instructor will calculate the student’s grade based on work completed for the course.

Passing grades will replace temporary grades on the transcript. For students who do not complete the missing work and therefore fail the course, the temporary grade will be retained on the transcript and followed by “F.”

Temporary Grades Related to Course Scheduling

An instructor should assign a temporary grade of “Y” to students enrolled in a course that extends beyond the standard semester schedule. The “Y” is intended as a placeholder until the course is complete, at which time the instructor will replace the “Y” grade with a permanent grade. If a student has work outstanding, the “Y” grade should be changed to a temporary grade that reflects the type of work outstanding.

Extensions for I and X Grades

In exceptional instances, after consulting the instructor, the Dean of Students or designee may extend the time for completing courses marked “I” or “X.”

Academic Assessment of Students

The authority to determine a student’s grade in a course lies with the instructor of record. In order to minimize student misunderstandings, course requirements must be stated in the syllabus for the course. Instructors shall provide, in writing on the first day of class, syllabi and schedules if not included in syllabi, to students in their courses, including internships and independent studies. Instructors shall specify what will be taught; when and how it will be taught; when and how learning will be assessed; if, when, and how missed assessments (for which medical documentation cannot be required) will be handled; how grades will be assigned, and (for distance education courses) how student identity will be authenticated.

Mid-Semester and Semester Grade Reports

Instructors of 1000 and 2000-level courses must submit mid-semester grades for all enrolled students through the Student Administration System during the mid-semester grading period which spans the sixth through eighth week of the semester. The Registrar alerts the students, their advisors, and others, such as the First Year Programs Office, as appropriate, via the University’s e-mail system. They are designed to be of diagnostic aid to the student. If a student is doing unsatisfactory work, the full responsibility for improvement is left to the student. The student is strongly advised, however, to confer with his or her advisor, with the instructors concerned, and with others qualified to assist him or her in improving his or her standing in the University. The mid-semester report grade information is not part of the student’s permanent file.

Students have access to semester grade reports in the Student Administration System. These include all courses for which the student is registered, the credit value of each course, and the student’s grade in each course.

Changes of Course Grades

Grades are part of the student’s permanent record; they should never be changed for reasons unrelated to course requirements or quality of work. Once the grade in the course has been submitted, an instructor may neither accept additional work nor give additional examinations.

Instructors should change grades for the following reasons: a computational error, clerical error, and the discovery of overlooked components in a student’s body of work. In cases when the instructor concludes that a course grade ought to be changed, the instructor determines a corrected grade and initiates the grade change process. The head of the department or program offering the course and the dean of the school or college in which the course is taught will be notified of a grade change to ensure consistency.

Appeals of Assigned Course Grades

If a student believes that an assigned course grade is in error, the student has 10 working days from the posting of the grade or the last day grades are to be posted, whichever is later, to ask the instructor to review the grade. Allowable reasons for a grade change request comprise computational errors, clerical errors, and the discovery of overlooked components in a student’s body of work.

If the instructor does not respond to the student within five working days (or sooner if extenuating circumstances merit a more expedited review), the student should contact the department head in which the course is offered.

If the instructor agrees that a grade change is justified, the instructor will initiate the grade change using procedures described by the Registrar.

If the instructor notifies the student that the original grade is correct, the student has 10 working days to appeal the decision to the head of the department in which the course is offered. The department head will seek input from the instructor and the student to determine the merits of the grade appeal and provide a decision within 10 working days from date of the appeal.

If, after this review, the instructor and the department head agree that a grade change is justified, the instructor will initiate the grade change according to the procedures described by the registrar.

If the instructor and the department agree that a grade change is not justified, the department head shall notify the student in writing with a copy to the instructor. If the student is dissatisfied with the appeal decision, the student has 10 working days to request, through the dean of the school or college in which the course is taught, a review by the Faculty Grade Change Review Committee Panel (see below).

If the department head thinks that a grade change is justified but the instructor does not agree, the department head shall request, within 10 working days, through the dean of the school or college in which the course is taught, a review by the Faculty Grade Change Review Committee.

Faculty Grade Change Review Committee

Each school or college shall appoint a standing Faculty Grade Change Review Committee (FGCRC) composed of a minimum of three full-time faculty members or assign the responsibilities of grade appeals to a standing committee within the school or college. If, due to exigency, a grade appeal must be resolved and the standing committee is not available, the dean or the dean’s designee of the school or college will convene an ad hoc FGCRC of three full-time faculty members to hear the appeal.

The FGCRC should perform an administrative review to determine if there are sufficient grounds to proceed with an appeal hearing. If so, the FGCRC shall schedule a hearing within 10 working days of notification of a case. Both the student appealing the grade and the course instructor must be present, either in person or via electronic communication, at the hearing. The student will speak first and state the grounds for the grade appeal, followed by the instructor’s response. Both parties must present supporting evidence related to the grade appeal and may request testimony of others. The FGCRC may request input from the department head.

If the FGCRC agrees (by a majority vote) that a grade change is warranted, the FGCRC chair will send a grade change notification to the registrar. If, however, the FGCRC does not agree that a grade change is warranted, the instructor’s grade stands. The FGCRC’s decision shall be considered final. The FGCRC will send a written report of the decision to the instructor, the student, the department head, and the dean of the school or college offering the course within 10 days of the decision.