VI.15.1 Grades

A student’s academic achievement is recorded on the permanent academic record in terms of the following grades:

• A, A-: Excellent comprehension of the material and exceptional performance.
• B+, B, B-: Better than average comprehension and above average performance.
• C+, C, C-: Adequate comprehension of the material and acceptable performance.
• D+, D: Marginal comprehension of the material and below average performance.
• F: Inadequate comprehension and/or unacceptable performance. Counts as zero quality points in GPA calculation and no credit is earned.
• M: “Mastery.” Student has mastered the goals set forth in a course in which the instructor has opted to use mastery grading procedures. There is no GPA calculation for this grade.
• S: “Satisfactory.” Adequate comprehension of the material and acceptable performance. Used to denote C or higher in a course that has S/U grading. There is no GPA calculation for this grade.
• U: “Unsatisfactory.” Inadequate comprehension of the material and/or unacceptable performance. Used to denote C- or lower in a course that has S/U grading. Counts as zero quality points in GPA calculation and no credit is earned.

Additional Transcript Designations

While not grades per se, the following designations are used on academic records in lieu of grades in certain instances:

• I: Work incomplete. An incomplete is given at the discretion of the instructor when the quality of work is satisfactory, but the course requirements have not been completed for reasons of health or other circumstances beyond the student’s control, as determined by the instructor. An incomplete must be completed before graduation.

Each incomplete assigned must be accompanied by a contract statement agreed to by both the instructor and the student and must include the following:

• What work remains to be completed.
• How the work is to be evaluated.
• A deadline for completion of the work, which can be no later than the following: (a) April 15 for an incomplete given in a course taken the previous fall semester or January term, and (b) November 15 for an incomplete given in a course taken the previous spring semester or summer term.
• Each incomplete must be accompanied by a contingency grade, in the computation of which the instructor has assigned zero points to the work not completed. This contingency grade will be the grade finally recorded for the course if the Office of the Registrar does not receive another grade by the contract deadline.

• IP: In progress. An in-progress designation is used for thesis, research, independent study, internships, community service, and Athletic Training Professional Experience I, II, III, IV, V, VI, when a continuing project must be extended for legitimate reasons beyond the semester or term. The extension may not exceed an additional semester without approval of the relevant Curriculum Committee. If the work is not completed within the stipulated time, as noted by the instructor, the instructor may report a grade in lieu of the F that will otherwise automatically be assigned with failure to complete the course.
• AUD: Audit signals regular attendance and participation in the course. No credits are earned for auditing courses.
• CE: Credit earned by examination.
• W: Withdrawal. This designation is given when a student submits a request prior to the published deadline.    There is no GPA calculation for this grade.
• AW: Administrative withdrawal. This designation is entered on the record by the Office of the Registrar in the case of a student who is officially registered in a course but who has not attended the class and not requested to withdraw. There is no GPA calculation for this grade.

VI.15.2 Changing of Grades

While rare, once recorded on the academic record, a grade may be changed at the request of the faculty member or at the request of the Provost as a result of a formal grievance process. In order to correct a clerical error or update the transcript when  a course is repeated, the grade may be changed by the Office of the Registrar.

VI.15.3 Academic Grievances and Retaining Grading Documentation

Academic grievances concerning teaching and learning should be settled as close to the level of student-faculty contact as possible. If students believe they have been treated arbitrarily or capriciously by an instructor in a grade assigned or other ways, they should first talk to the instructor. If the matter remains unresolved, then they should communicate with the chair of the instructor’s department or, in the case of a nursing course, the appropriate coordinator. For nursing course grievances, unresolved grievances are next appealed to the Associate Dean. Department chairs or the appropriate coordinator will alert the OCE administrator when grievances are raised within OCE courses. If the matter is still unresolved, then the student should communicate to the dean of the school/college in which the course is taught (College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, or School of Nursing). Finally, if the matter has not been resolved by the above means, then students may appeal the matter with the Provost or designee.

All grievances concerning grades must be filed by the end of the next semester after the grade is posted. In the case that a student is studying abroad the next semester, the grievance must be filed by the end of the next semester after the student returns.

Because students have this right of appeal, it is important that faculty members retain all documentation supporting their assignment of grades for a period of at least one year from the conclusion of the course in question. At a minimum, then, faculty members should retain their grading records from a given fall, January Term, or spring semester until the conclusion of that same term a year later.