Grading Policies

The level of students' performance in class work and examinations is indicated by letters. A (excellent), B (good), C (average), and D (poor) indicate that the work has been passed. The foregoing grades may be accompanied by a plus (+) or minus (-) to indicate a relative position within the grade category. Z shows that a course was audited. S and U indicate satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance in non-academic courses or in a noncredit course. W indicates that the student withdrew from a course with a passing average. Marks indicating failure and included as such in the grade point average are F and V (failure because of excessive absences). The X indicates that the grade is not available from the instructor. The assignment of grades is the sole right and responsibility of the instructor. Grades of D are not assigned in graduate course work

I and Y mean that coursework has not been completed by the end of the term. The I, which provisionally counts as a failing grade, is given when the reasons for incomplete work are deemed unjustifiable by the instructor. The work is to be made up by the date the instructor specifies, but no later than 45 calendar days (grace period) from the last day of the term in which the I was given. If the work is not made up during the grace period, the I will be converted to F, and cannot be changed. The Y, which does not affect the grade point average, is given when the reasons for incomplete work are deemed justifiable (passing, but for medical or personal reasons the student is not able to complete the work) by the instructor, or at the end of the first term of a course that continues into a succeeding term. Y grades must be rectified by making up the incomplete work by the end of the succeeding term, unless special arrangements have been made with the instructor, or the instructor will assign an F. In the case of either an I or Y, once the make-up grade is received, it appears to the right of the make-up grade on the permanent record. In all cases, it is the student's responsibility to make arrangements for and progress toward the completion of an incomplete course.

Grades are deemed correct on the permanent record unless notification to the contrary is received by the University Registrar within three (3) months after the close of the term specified.

The assignment of grades is the sole right and responsibility of the instructor. It is recognized that each course and each student in a course has unique characteristics that the instructor alone is in the best position to evaluate; consequently, except in unusual circumstances, formal appeals to others concerning the evaluation on which a grade is based are not appropriate. Instructors establish grading criteria for their courses and prepare and submit the final course reports (using the grades defined under Grading Policies) to the University Registrar for recording.

If the student believes that an error has been made in the grade assigned, the following process will apply:

The student must first contact the instructor to discuss the matter.
If the issue is not resolved with the instructor, the student may contact the Program Chair to discuss the issue.
If the grade is not resolved at the Program Chair level, the student then contacts the Associate Dean for Academic & Student Affairs, who will determine if and what further action needs to be taken to decide the matter.

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Course Administration

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