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PPM 4-19, Grading Policies |
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Responsible Office: Registrar's Office |
1.0 PURPOSE
This policy outlines grading standards and policies at the University.
2.0 REFERENCES
2.1 PPM 4-1, Graduation Standards
2.2 PPM 4-17, Academic Rules, Regulations, and Standards
2.3 PPM 4-21a, Awarding of Transfer Credit and Credit by Examination or Petition
2.4 PPM 6-3, Registration Dates and Deadlines: Appointments, Add, Cancel, and Withdrawal
3.0 POLICY
3.1 GRADE POINT AVERAGE CALCULATION
3.1.1 The grade point average ("GPA") is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points (the number of credit hours per course taken multiplied by the numerical value shown below for the grade received in each course) by the total number of credit hours taken. Only letter grades (A through E and UW as defined in Section 3.2. below) are used in computing the grade point average. The institution maintains three GPA calculations: total institution GPA, total transfer GPA, and overall GPA.
3.1.1.1 A student's total institution GPA will be calculated based only on courses taken at the University and will be the GPA that appears on the transcript for that student. The total institution GPA is the official University GPA. The official University GPA determines academic standing and graduation honors but is not limited to these uses.
3.1.1.2 A student's total transfer GPA will be calculated based only on courses taken at another regionally accredited institution and does not consider University courses.
3.1.1.3 A student's overall GPA will be calculated based on both University and regionally accredited transfer courses. The overall GPA is not the official GPA but may be used for purposes deemed necessary for the departments, such as admissions criteria.
3.1.2 The responsibility for grading and evaluating the academic performance of students shall rest with the faculty. Grades are assigned as follows:
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Grade |
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Numerical Value |
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A |
Excellent |
4.0 |
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A- |
Excellent |
3.7 |
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B+ |
Good |
3.3 |
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B |
Good |
3.0 |
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B- |
Good |
2.7 |
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C+ |
Standard |
2.3 |
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C |
Standard |
2.0 |
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C- |
Standard |
1.7 |
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D+ |
Substandard |
1.3 |
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D |
Substandard |
1.0 |
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D- |
Substandard |
0.7 |
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E |
Failure |
0.0 |
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UW |
Unofficial Withdrawal |
0.0 |
3.1.3 Other symbols as shown below indicate the status of a student's progress in a course but are not used in calculating the GPA. These symbols and their use are as follows:
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Symbol |
Description |
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AU |
Audit: The student was allowed to attend a class without earning either a grade or credit for the class (See Section 3.3 regarding audited courses.) |
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CE |
Continuing Education: Students who enroll in a Continuing Education Unit through Continuing Education will receive a CE grade. It is not counted in the University GPA or Total Hours but can be listed on a transcript. |
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CR |
Credit: The student is given credit for a course after registering for the course on a pass/fail basis and earning at least a C-. (See Section I.D in this policy regarding CR/NC registration.) |
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I |
Incomplete: The student was unable to complete the course for a legitimate reason (such as an accident or illness) after having satisfactorily completed a significant portion of the required work. (See Section 3.5 regarding the incomplete grade.) |
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NC |
No Credit: The student registered for the course on a pass/fail basis and earned less than a C-. (See Section 3.4 regarding CR/NC registration.) |
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NG |
No Grade Reported: The instructor has not yet reported a grade for the course. This symbol is used for the semester report of grades only and does not appear on the student’s transcript. |
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RP |
Repeat Course: This symbol is used to indicate that a course has been repeated. (See Section 3.6 regarding the repeating of a course.) |
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SC |
Special Credit: The student has received credit through an examination, waiver, or substitution for which they are not eligible for a letter grade. These credits are counted toward the total number of credits required for graduation but are not used to calculate the cumulative grade point average. |
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T |
Temporary Status: This symbol is used for courses that will continue in the subsequent semester and a final letter grade will be issued when the course is completed. (See Section 3.7 regarding the T grade.) |
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W |
Withdrawal: The student withdrew from the course during the designated withdrawal period (See PPM 6-3). |
3.2 REPORTING AND CHANGING OF GRADES
3.2.1 Prior to the close of each semester, final grades shall be entered into the Electronic Grading System by instructors. Grades are to be entered online within three working days following the last scheduled examination of each semester. Upon request, the Office of the Registrar will supply the instructors with a copy of instructions for using the Electronic Grading System.
3.2.2 Students petitioning for a grade change must initiate the process during the semester following the posting of the grade (excluding summer).
3.2.3 Changing grades that have already been assigned and recorded is the sole responsibility and prerogative of the faculty member who taught the particular class and student. Grade changes submitted by others, such as department administrative specialists, dean's administrative specialists, or work study employees will not be accepted by the Office of the Registrar.
3.2.3.1 Grade change requests are to be submitted via email by the faculty member who taught the course.
3.2.3.2 In the event that a faculty member is deceased, no longer employed at the University or not available by a reasonable means, grade changes will be accepted only from the appropriate department chair.
3.2.3.3 Upon request, the Office of the Registrar will provide a report of all grade changes to the faculty member who initiated the change and to the department chair.
3.2.3.4 Procedures for grade changes can be found in the University Catalog.
3.3 AUDIT
3.3.1 Students registering to audit a class will pay tuition and fees per the current tuition and fee schedule.
3.3.2 Students in regulated programs, i.e., Financial Aid and Athletics, (see PPM 4-17) will be subject to respective program guidelines for audit registration.
3.3.3 Because of space and facility limitations, some classes may not be open to audit.
3.3.4 Students who plan to audit a class may select that option at registration.
3.3.5 Students may change a course to audit through the first 60% of the semester. After the end of the first week, instructor approval is required.
3.3.6 Audit students failing to attend class may be issued a "W" grade at the discretion of the instructor any time during the term. This provision does not imply an obligation to take attendance.
3.3.7 The definition for audit on the back of the transcript will indicate: "No grading criteria, attendance not verified."
3.4 CREDIT/NO CREDIT
The basic objective of credit/no credit grading is to allow students the opportunity to enroll in classes outside their major or minor on a pass/fail basis without affecting their GPA.
3.4.1 Eligibility of Students for Credit/No Credit Grading
3.4.1.1 Freshmen students may take no more than one class per semester on a credit/no credit basis.
3.4.1.2 Students with 30 or more credit hours who have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above may register for no more than two classes per semester on credit/no credit basis.
3.4.1.3 Credit/no credit classes required by a student's program or degree are exempt from the limitations of Sections 2.4.1.1 and 2.4.1.2.
3.4.2 Criteria for Credit/No Credit
3.4.2.1 A maximum of 20 hours of credit/no credit in elective courses may be used for graduation.
3.4.2.2 Classes taken on a credit/no credit basis will not satisfy major, minor, general education, or specific course requirements with the exception of those courses or programs of study approved by the University Curriculum and General Education committee and those courses approved by academic departments for credit by special examination (see PPM 4-21a).
3.4.2.3 Grades on the credit/no credit system are not included in computing the semester or cumulative grade point average. A grade of credit is recorded only for letter grades of C- and above. Grades less than C-, including UW, will be recorded as no credit.
3.4.2.4 Students who change their Program of Study must submit the appropriate form to the Records Office and request the grade be changed to the letter grade issued by the instructor if a credit/no credit course applies to the new Program of Study.
3.4.2.5 If a student has previously taken a course for a letter grade, the same course may not be retaken for credit/no-credit.
3.4.2.6 Choice of credit/no credit registration should be made at the beginning of the semester, but a student may change classes to credit/no credit status during the first 60 percent of the term.
3.4.2.7 The instructor will not be notified if a student is taking a class for a credit/no credit grade and will give only letter grades on the Final Grade Report to the Office of the Registrar. The Office of the Registrar will convert the letter grades to credit or no credit.
3.4.3 Exceptions During Continuity of Operations Periods
During a time when the University is operating under Continuity of Operation Plans, classes taken on a credit/no credit basis may satisfy minor, major, and general education, or specific course requirements at the discretion of academic programs and departments. Time frames in Section 3.4.2.6 may be extended in the reasonable discretion of the Office of the Registrar.
To help students meet their educational goals during times when the University has implemented Continuity of Operations Plans, the policy should be implemented in such a way to strive for fairness and opportunity for all students. To that goal, departments and programs are encouraged to work with the Office of the Registrar to find workable solutions in accepting CR grades towards majors, minors, and general education, or specific course requirements.
Eligibility criteria from Sections 3.4.1.1 and 3.4.1.2 shall not apply.
The Exceptions during Continuity of Operations Periods policy will sunset and cease to be effective at the end of the 2020-21 academic year unless reauthorized by Faculty Senate after January 1, 2021.
3.5 GRADE OF INCOMPLETE
3.5.1 An Incomplete may be given by an instructor only when the instructor determines that the student:
3.5.1.1 has satisfactorily completed a significant portion of the required work (recommended approximately 80%);
3.5.1.2 is unable to complete the class work for a legitimate reason (such as illness or accident); and
3.5.1.3 could complete the required work without re-registering for the class.
3.5.2 When giving an Incomplete, in addition to the electronic submission the instructor must file
an Incomplete Grade Agreement ("Agreement") with the academic department, specifying in detail:
3.5.2.1 what work must be done in order to remove the Incomplete grade;
3.5.2.2 the time deadline for completing the work, which must not be longer than a 12-month period following the receipt of the Incomplete; and
3.5.2.3 the letter grade which is to replace the "I" if the work is not completed.
The student must sign the Agreement and be given a copy of the Agreement by the instructor at the time the Agreement is prepared.
3.5.3 An Incomplete, unless changed by the instructor before the deadlines described in Section 3.5.2 above, remains in the student information system until the date specified by the instructor (see Section 3.5.5 below). After that date, the "I" will be changed to the grade specified by the instructor or will be changed to the grade submitted through the grade change process established by the Office of the Registrar prior to that date. When the grade has been properly approved, the grade will appear in the student information system viewable by the student and the department.
3.5.4 While the course is being carried as an Incomplete on the student's record, it will not be used in calculating grade point average nor accepted for credit toward graduation.
3.5.5 Students must complete course work for any Incomplete grades prior to graduation in a time frame that will allow a grade change to be completed prior to issuing any diploma (see also PPM 4-1, IX). If the incomplete work is not completed, the graduate's transcript will have the grade recorded that was negotiated at the time of receiving the Incomplete grade. "I" grades cannot appear permanently on a graduate's transcript.
3.5.6 A student may petition the instructor for additional time to complete the work. Generally an extension of time will not be longer than one additional semester. If an extension is granted, a revised Incomplete Grade Agreement will be maintained by the academic department.
3.6 REPEAT COURSES
3.6.1 Each University course (unless specifically listed as repeatable for credit in the course description) may be used only once in total hours and GPA.
3.6.2 A course will appear on the transcript each time it is completed, but it will be counted only once in the total hours and only the most recent University letter grade will be used to calculate the GPA. CR (credit) is not considered a letter grade and will not cause a previous grade to be discounted.
3.6.3 Once a bachelor's degree has been posted to a student's permanent record, courses used for that degree may not be repeated to improve the GPA.
3.6.4 All courses which have been repeated will have the symbol "E" (connoting excluded) noted in the Repeat column of the transcript except for the last time the course is posted to the transcript.
3.7 TEMPORARY STATUS
3.7.1. Temporary status is indicated by a "T" and is given for those courses so structured as to require grading of students to be done in a term subsequent to that one in which the course begins. All
such courses must have the approval of the department offering the courses and the Curriculum and General Education Committee. A letter grade (A, B, C, D, E) or CR/NC must be given by the instructor at the time the required work is to be completed.
3.7.2 Temporary status is used by instructors in the following ways:
When a course is extended beyond the normal ending date of the term during which it begins, the instructor records a "T" into the Electronic Grading System. The instructor, who assigns final grades, will submit an authorization of grade change to the Office of the Registrar within three working days of completion of the work. The Records Office will then change the "T" to the grade designated as the final grade for each student registered for the course. The "T" will not be computed in the student's grade point average while on the transcript, nor will the credit(s) be counted toward the total hours completed until a grade is posted for the course.
Revision History
Creation Date: 4-20-77
Amended: 12-5-17, 4-27-20, 3-16-21, 4-22-21