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Grading Guidelines
*Graded System
The traditional graded system uses A, B, C, D, and F, as defined under "Grade Definitions." Degree or certificate requirements may designate certain courses as pass/no pass only.
Pass/No Pass System
To take a class on a pass/no pass basis, students must make arrangements with the instructor during the first 8 weeks of a standard length, full term class. A pass grade does not satisfy the prerequisite of C or better required for entry into some courses - the English Composition sequence, for example. Transfer students should be aware that four-year institutions limit the number of pass/no pass credits that may be applied to a degree. Degree or certificate requirements may prohibit taking certain courses on a pass/no pass basis.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all classes in which they are enrolled. Repeated absences will affect a student’s grade. Students must follow the published guidelines for dropping/withdrawing from class. If a student has excessive absences and fails to drop/withdraw from class by the published deadlines, a grade of "F" may be assigned. Faculty members are not required to drop students for non-attendance. In addition, students that do not attend or stop attending classes and fail to drop will be responsible for the associated tuition and fees. Faculty will be allowed to withdraw students that do not attend and/or stop attending, but they are not required to do so.
Grade Definitions
A Superior. Honor grade indicating excellence. Earned as a result of a combination of some or all of the following as outlined by the instructor in the course handout: superior examination scores, consistently accurate and prompt completion of assignments, ability to deal resourcefully with abstract ideas, superior mastery of pertinent skills, and excellent attendance. Probable success in a field relating to the subject or probable continued success in sequential courses.
B Above average. Honor grade indicating competence. Earned as a result of a combination of some or all of the following as outlined by the instructor in the course handout: high examination scores, accurate and prompt completion of assignments, ability to deal well with abstract ideas, commendable mastery of pertinent skills, and excellent attendance. Probable continued success in sequential courses.
C Average. Standard college grade indicating successful performance earned as a result of a combination of some or all of the following as outlined by the instructor in the course handout: satisfactory examination scores, generally accurate and prompt completion of assignments, ability to deal with abstract ideas, fair mastery of pertinent skills, and regular attendance. Sufficient evidence of ability to warrant entering sequential courses.
D Substandard but receiving credit. Substandard grade indicating the student has met only minimum requirements as outlined by the instructor in the course handout. Earned as a result of some or all of the following: low examination scores, generally inaccurate, incomplete or late assignments, inadequate grasp of abstract ideas, barely acceptable mastery of pertinent skills, irregular attendance, insufficient evidence of ability to make advisable the enrollment in sequential courses. Does not satisfy requirements for entry into courses where prerequisites are specified.
F Failure. Non-passing grade indicating failure to meet minimum requirements as defined by the instructor in the course handout earned as a result of some or all of the following: non-passing examination scores, inaccurate, incomplete or late assignments, failure to cope with abstract ideas, inadequate mastery of pertinent skills, repeated absence from class. Does not satisfy requirements for entry into courses where prerequisites are specified.
P Pass. Acceptable performance. A grade of P represents satisfactory achievement which would have been graded C or better on the regular grading scale, but is given instead of a letter grade. By the end of the eighth week of class (or equivalent) students shall choose the graded or pass option. If they don’t choose the pass option, the class will be letter graded. By the end of the eighth week of class (or equivalent), students may rescind an earlier request of the pass option. Instructors who deny a grading systems option request through the eighth week (or equivalent) must provide reasons for the denial in writing to their Dean.
NP No Pass. Unacceptable performance or does not satisfy requirements for entry into courses where prerequisites are specified. This grade may be used in situations where an instructor considers an "F" grade to be inappropriate. The NP mark is disregarded in the computation of the grade point average.
Mark Definitions
SC Satisfactory completion. Mark used when a student satisfactorily completes continuing education units (CEUs).
NSC Not satisfactory completion. Mark used when a student does not satisfactorily complete continuing education units (CEUs).
I Incomplete. When the quality of the work is satisfactory, but some minor, yet essential, requirement of the course has not been completed, and for reasons acceptable to the instructor, a report of "I" may be made and additional time granted for the completion of the work. If the course is not completed within a year, the "I" will be administratively changed to an "NP" unless the instructor submits another grade. The conditions for completion of the work should be stated in writing, signed by the instructor and the student, and kept on file in the department or program office. An "I" may not be assigned as a withdrawal. An "I" does not entitle a student to repeat a course without paying tuition. It may be impossible to receive an "I" in some courses where, for example, equipment usage is required.
W Withdrawal. This mark is to be used only by the Student Records Office when the student or instructor has followed established school policies and procedures for properly withdrawing/dropping from class within the specified time limits.
CIPR Course in Progress, Re-Register. A mark used only for designated classes. To receive credit, students must re-register because equipment usage is required. This may include courses in modular or self-paced programs. This mark may also be used in a skills based course to indicate that the student has not attained the skills required to advance to the next level. If the course is not completed within a year, the "CIPR" changes to an "AUD" (Audit) on the transcript unless the course was repeated and a grade earned.
CIP Course in Progress. A mark used only for designated classes in modular or self-paced programs that do not conform to the normal academic calendar. If the course is not completed within a year, the "CIP" changes to a "NP" (No Pass) on the transcript unless the course was repeated and a grade earned. A student does not need to re-register for the course.
AUD Audit. Some courses may allow students to attend a course without receiving a grade or credit for the course. Tuition must be paid, and instructor permission must be obtained during the first three weeks of class. Instructors are expected to state on their course handouts any specific audit requirements. Does not satisfy requirements for entry into courses where prerequisites are specified.
Repeated Courses
Courses with grades of "D", "F", "NP", "I", "CIP", and "CIPR" may be repeated for a higher grade. All grades earned will appear on the transcript. However, when a course is repeated, the first grade will be flagged and no longer included in the GPA calculation or accumulated number of credits. The first earned grade of "C", "P", or better will count in the accumulated credit total. The first grade of "C" or better will be used for the GPA calculation.
Computing Grade Point Averages
Grade points are computed on the basis of four points for each credit of "A", three points for each credit of "B", two points for each credit of "C", one point for each credit of "D", and zero points for each credit of "F". Grades of "P" and "NP" and marks of "SC", "NSC", "I", "W", "X", "CIP", "CIPR", "R", and "AUD" are disregarded in the computation of the grade point average. The grade point average is the quotient of the total points divided by the total credits in which "A", "B", "C", "D", and "F" are received.
Grade Changes
If a student feels that there has been a mistake in a grade, the instructor should be contacted immediately. If a grade dispute cannot be resolved with the instructor, the student may follow the student grievance procedure within one year after receiving the grade. Requests for grade changes after one year following receipt of a grade will not be considered unless the instructor who issued the grade agrees to such consideration.
Withdrawal Policy
Responsibility for withdrawal from a class within the specified withdrawal timelines resides with the student. To have tuition charges removed, students must withdraw from the class within the first two weeks of the term (or equivalent*). If a student withdraws from a class in the first four weeks, the class will not appear on the transcript. A withdrawal in the fifth through the eighth week will show as a "W" on the transcript. Students must withdraw before the end of the eighth week, ora grade mark will be assigned by the instructor.
Faculty may deny registered students access to a class if they do not attend the first class session or stop attending class anytime through the end of the fourth week. Faculty denial of access will not remove student tuition charges. From the fifth week on, faculty may withdraw a student for lack of attendance.Faculty must indicate the last date of attendance to withdraw a student;that date must be within the first eight weeks of the term, although paperwork may be processed later. A faculty-initiated withdrawal does not result intuition charges being removed.
* Timelines stated here refer to an 11-12 week term-length class.
Equivalent deadlines must be substituted for classes offered in shorter formats.
Effective Date: Fall Term 2002