Welcome to the College Catalog
Grade definitions are:
Grades submitted to the Office of Registration and Records are considered official at the time submitted. Official grades can be changed only by successful appeal under the College’s Grade Appeal Policy or by an instructor’s petition to the Dean of Faculty to correct a documented grading error.
Grade appeals and evidence of grading errors must be submitted within 30 days of the date on which the grade was formally issued from the Office of Registration and Records. Exceptions to the 30-day time limit require formal
petition to and approval by the Academic Standing Committee.
A grade of Incomplete (I) may be obtained by making a formal request to the professor of the course in question. The student and the professor must sign a written agreement that specifies the nature and the quantity of work to be
completed and the projected date of completion. A grade of Incomplete is assigned for extenuating circumstances only. It is not simply given to allow additional time to complete required course work or to improve a course grade. In addition, a professor may use a grade of Incomplete in cases of suspected academic dishonesty.
All incomplete grades received in the fall semester must be removed by April 1. Those received in the spring semester or summer session must be removed by October 1. Failure to do so results in a grade of F.
A 4.00 quality point system is used. Quality points are assigned as follows:
Quality Points per Semester
Letter Grade Hour of Credit
A 4.00
A– 3.70
B+ 3.30
B 3.00
B– 2.70
C+ 2.30
C 2.00
C– 1.70
D+ 1.30
D 1.00
D– 0.70
F, WF 0.00
The grade point average is dependent upon the credits attempted and the quality points earned. To determine the quality points earned for a semester, multiply the credits for each course by the quality points for the grade earned in the course, sum the results, and divide by the total credits attempted in the semester. Courses in which a grade F or WF is received are included in the calculation. Courses in which a grade of W or I is recorded are excluded, as are Pass/No Pass and Audit courses.
The cumulative grade point average and the grade point average in majors and minors are calculated in the same manner as the semester grade point average. All courses that could fulfill a requirement for the majors or minors – whether in excess or not – are used for the grade point average calculation.
Pass/No Pass Grading
The Pass/No Pass grading option is intended to encourage students to explore areas of study beyond those of their major or minor. Courses registered on the Pass/No Pass basis earn credits (for grades of P) but are not included in the calculation of the grade point average. Students may select one course per semester to be graded in this manner under these conditions:
A student must currently have junior or senior standing (60 or more credits).
The student must have a cumulative average of 2.75 or higher.
The selected course may carry no more than four credits and must be a free elective. It may not satisfy a Core Program requirement (no Core courses can be taken Pass/No Pass) and may not be a course that could fulfill a requirement for the student’s major or minor. However, if major/minor requirements are already met (i.e., completed, not in progress), then an additional course in the major/minor Department can be taken Pass/No Pass.
No more than four courses in total (excluding Physical Education activity courses) may be taken under this grading option.
All students may elect to take Physical Education courses Pass/No Pass. Pass/No Pass registration must be completed during the first four weeks of the semester. Forms are available in the Office of Registration and Records. Once a course is registered under the Pass/No Pass option, it may not be changed. Grades of D- or higher are recorded Pass; grades of F are recorded No Pass. Students should be aware that courses taken Pass/No Pass may not be transferrable to other institutions.
Mid-term grade reports are not issued. However, an early warning system is used. Students carrying D or F grades in 100- or 200-level courses at the end of the fifth week of the semester are notified of their deficient performance. These students are encouraged to consult with their instructors and to make use of Learning Services resources in order to improve their performance.
All academic courses are expected to conclude with a final examination administered during the assigned time of the examination period. Within the last three meeting days for classes (not for any individual course) prior to final examinations, no unit tests or quizzes of any type may be administered. Due to the structure of courses involving laboratory examinations/practica, a laboratory examination/ practicum can be given during these final three days prior to final examinations. In addition, major papers and projects can be assigned due dates that fall within the last three meeting days for classes, providing the due dates are specified in the syllabus.
Depending upon the judgment of the instructor, the following may or may not have a final examination: a laboratory section; an advanced seminar, in which an assigned paper or project is the major activity; a performance class, in which a recital or similar artistic performance is required; an internship or a practicum. Any faculty member seeking an exception to the final examination rule for an academic course shall first secure the approval of the Department Chair and then the approval of the Provost.
Students as well as faculty members are expected to abide by the published examination schedule. However, students with three examinations in one day may request of a professor that one examination be rescheduled during the
examination period. There is no obligation on the part of the faculty member to reschedule the examination. All requests for rescheduling an examination must be made at least five class days before the start of the final examination period. Students with four examinations in one day may request that one or two of the examinations be rescheduled, following the same procedure. When a scheduling conflict cannot be resolved between the faculty member(s) and the student, the student may appeal to the Provost.
Grades and Quality Points
Grades are reported as A, B, C, D and F. Plus and minus distinctions are made. Designations of I, W, WF, P, NP and AUD are used in appropriate situations.Grade definitions are:
A Distinguished
B Above Average
C Average
D Poor
F Failure
I Work Incomplete
W Withdrawal from Course
WF Withdrawal Failing from Course
P Pass
NP No Pass (Failure)
AUD Audit
B Above Average
C Average
D Poor
F Failure
I Work Incomplete
W Withdrawal from Course
WF Withdrawal Failing from Course
P Pass
NP No Pass (Failure)
AUD Audit
Grades submitted to the Office of Registration and Records are considered official at the time submitted. Official grades can be changed only by successful appeal under the College’s Grade Appeal Policy or by an instructor’s petition to the Dean of Faculty to correct a documented grading error.
Grade appeals and evidence of grading errors must be submitted within 30 days of the date on which the grade was formally issued from the Office of Registration and Records. Exceptions to the 30-day time limit require formal
petition to and approval by the Academic Standing Committee.
Incomplete Grades
A grade of Incomplete (I) may be obtained by making a formal request to the professor of the course in question. The student and the professor must sign a written agreement that specifies the nature and the quantity of work to be
completed and the projected date of completion. A grade of Incomplete is assigned for extenuating circumstances only. It is not simply given to allow additional time to complete required course work or to improve a course grade. In addition, a professor may use a grade of Incomplete in cases of suspected academic dishonesty.
All incomplete grades received in the fall semester must be removed by April 1. Those received in the spring semester or summer session must be removed by October 1. Failure to do so results in a grade of F.
Quality Points
A 4.00 quality point system is used. Quality points are assigned as follows:
Quality Points per Semester
Letter Grade Hour of Credit
A 4.00
A– 3.70
B+ 3.30
B 3.00
B– 2.70
C+ 2.30
C 2.00
C– 1.70
D+ 1.30
D 1.00
D– 0.70
F, WF 0.00
Grade Point Average Calculation
The grade point average is dependent upon the credits attempted and the quality points earned. To determine the quality points earned for a semester, multiply the credits for each course by the quality points for the grade earned in the course, sum the results, and divide by the total credits attempted in the semester. Courses in which a grade F or WF is received are included in the calculation. Courses in which a grade of W or I is recorded are excluded, as are Pass/No Pass and Audit courses.
The cumulative grade point average and the grade point average in majors and minors are calculated in the same manner as the semester grade point average. All courses that could fulfill a requirement for the majors or minors – whether in excess or not – are used for the grade point average calculation.
Pass/No Pass Grading
The Pass/No Pass grading option is intended to encourage students to explore areas of study beyond those of their major or minor. Courses registered on the Pass/No Pass basis earn credits (for grades of P) but are not included in the calculation of the grade point average. Students may select one course per semester to be graded in this manner under these conditions:
A student must currently have junior or senior standing (60 or more credits).
The student must have a cumulative average of 2.75 or higher.
The selected course may carry no more than four credits and must be a free elective. It may not satisfy a Core Program requirement (no Core courses can be taken Pass/No Pass) and may not be a course that could fulfill a requirement for the student’s major or minor. However, if major/minor requirements are already met (i.e., completed, not in progress), then an additional course in the major/minor Department can be taken Pass/No Pass.
No more than four courses in total (excluding Physical Education activity courses) may be taken under this grading option.
All students may elect to take Physical Education courses Pass/No Pass. Pass/No Pass registration must be completed during the first four weeks of the semester. Forms are available in the Office of Registration and Records. Once a course is registered under the Pass/No Pass option, it may not be changed. Grades of D- or higher are recorded Pass; grades of F are recorded No Pass. Students should be aware that courses taken Pass/No Pass may not be transferrable to other institutions.
Early Warning System
Mid-term grade reports are not issued. However, an early warning system is used. Students carrying D or F grades in 100- or 200-level courses at the end of the fifth week of the semester are notified of their deficient performance. These students are encouraged to consult with their instructors and to make use of Learning Services resources in order to improve their performance.
Final Examination Policy
All academic courses are expected to conclude with a final examination administered during the assigned time of the examination period. Within the last three meeting days for classes (not for any individual course) prior to final examinations, no unit tests or quizzes of any type may be administered. Due to the structure of courses involving laboratory examinations/practica, a laboratory examination/ practicum can be given during these final three days prior to final examinations. In addition, major papers and projects can be assigned due dates that fall within the last three meeting days for classes, providing the due dates are specified in the syllabus.
Depending upon the judgment of the instructor, the following may or may not have a final examination: a laboratory section; an advanced seminar, in which an assigned paper or project is the major activity; a performance class, in which a recital or similar artistic performance is required; an internship or a practicum. Any faculty member seeking an exception to the final examination rule for an academic course shall first secure the approval of the Department Chair and then the approval of the Provost.
Students as well as faculty members are expected to abide by the published examination schedule. However, students with three examinations in one day may request of a professor that one examination be rescheduled during the
examination period. There is no obligation on the part of the faculty member to reschedule the examination. All requests for rescheduling an examination must be made at least five class days before the start of the final examination period. Students with four examinations in one day may request that one or two of the examinations be rescheduled, following the same procedure. When a scheduling conflict cannot be resolved between the faculty member(s) and the student, the student may appeal to the Provost.
