Grading and Status Policy (Policy 26)

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide a system for student grades and academic status in courses.

1. Midterm is the period during which between 46% and 60% of class meetings in a course have occurred (between Week 7 and Week 9 for a 15-week course). 
2. Incomplete is a temporary grade that may be given at the instructor’s discretion when illness, necessary absence, or other reasons beyond the control of the student prevent completion of course requirements and must be requested by the student. 
3. Continuing Registration (CO) is a status that is granted for specific graduate courses (i.e., capstones, practica, internships, or fieldwork, as well as for other types of projects as deemed appropriate by the program) when the coursework will continue into the subsequent term. CO indicates that student is in good standing and makes him or her eligible for registration in the subsequent term. 
4. Grade Point Average is determined by dividing the number of grade points earned by the number of term hours attempted.

1. Determination of Final Grades 
   1. At the completion of the work for a course, a letter grade will be determined by the instructor using the grading scale set forth in Section III(B)(3) of this Policy, including the mandatory use of plus/minus grades to distinguish between higher and lower performance within a letter grade. 
   2. Final grades shall be required for all courses. 
   3. The method(s) of evaluation shall be described in the course syllabus. 
   4. Final grades will appear on transcripts. 
   5. Final grades for each term and session must be submitted by the date posted in the academic calendar. 
2. Grading System for GPA Calculations 
   1. Prior to Fall 1979, no letter grades were assigned. 
      1. Credit hours were earned based on demonstrated achievement of specified competencies.
      2. Only courses in which credit was earned appear on the transcript. 
   2. From Fall 1979 to Summer 2020: With respect to calculating GPA, these course grades correspond to the following point values: 
      1. A = 4.0 Superior Performance 
      2. B = 3.0 Above Average Performance 
      3. C = 2.0 Average Performance 
      4. D = 1.0 Marginal Performance 
      5. F = 0.0 Failure 
      6. P = Pass
      7. NC = No credit earned in a course taken under the pass/no credit grading option.

   3. Starting Fall 2020: With respect to figuring GPA, these course grades correspond to the following point values: 

      1. A = 4.0 
      2. A- = 3.7 
      3. B+ = 3.3 d) B = 3.0 
      4. B- = 2.7 
      5. C+ = 2.3 
      6. C = 2.0 
      7. C- = 1.7 
      8. D+ = 1.3 
      9. D = 1.0 
      10. D- = 0.7 
      11. F= 0.0 

      Plus (+) grades add 0.3 grade points per hour and minus (-) grades subtract 0.3 grade points per hour. 

   4. These are the only course grades that will be used to compute the grade point average. 
3. Midterm Grading 
   1. The midterm grade reflects how the student is performing in the course at the time of the midterm. 
   2. Midterm grades are optional. 
   3. Faculty may report “P” (Pass) or “NC” (No Credit) for midterm grades. 
   4. Midterm grades will not appear on transcripts. 
4. Student Status in Courses 
   1. The following codes may be used to identify the status of a student in a course: 
      1. Withdraw Statuses – See Policy 6 
      2. I = Incomplete 
      3. E = Extended Incomplete 
      4. M = Grade missing at time of processing 
      5. R = Repeated course 
      6. CO = Continuing Registration 
      7. V = Audit 
5. Audit Status 
   1. A student may register to audit a course during the add/drop period upon paying the required fee.
   2. The registration will not appear on the transcript. 
   3. Registration requires instructor approval. 
   4. All attendance and work are determined by the instructor. 
   5. No credit can be earned for courses taken or completed under this status. 
6. Incomplete Status 
   1. Incomplete grades may be given only in the following circumstances: 
      1. a documented illness or other extenuating circumstance prevents completion of required work by the due date; and 
      2. with either one of the following criteria:
         1. the student’s work to date is passing,
         2. attendance has been satisfactory prior to the extenuating circumstances. 
   2. Incomplete status is not: 
      1. to be given as a substitute for a failing grade, 
      2. to be based solely on a student’s failure to complete work or as a means of raising her or his grade by doing additional work after the grade report time, 
      3. a substitute grade for students who have not attended the course. 
   3. Incomplete Status Records 
      1. The instructor and student discuss the terms for incomplete status in writing before the end of the semester. These terms, not to exceed two weeks before the end of the subsequent semester, are agreed upon and documented by the student and instructor, and the instructor gives the student a grade of incomplete (I). 
      2. After the deadline for submitting work has passed, unless an extension for incomplete status has been approved, outstanding assignments will receive no credit and the resulting course grade will be awarded. 
      3. To graduate, all incomplete statuses (I) must be removed. 
7. Extension of Incomplete Status: A student may petition the instructor for an extension of time beyond the period of time originally allotted for the completion of unfinished work. 
   1. An extension based on extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control and/or valid academic reasons may be contracted with the instructor. 
   2. The extension shall not exceed two weeks before the end of one additional subsequent term. 
   3. After the deadline for submitting work has passed, outstanding assignments will receive no credit and the resulting course grade will be awarded. 
   4. To graduate, all extension of incomplete statuses (E) must be removed. 
8. Continuing Registration Status 
   1. In the subsequent term(s), the original CO course will be continued under a separate numbered directed scholarship course in which the assignment expectations for the term are agreed upon by the student and instructor. 
   2. The course may be repeatable according to program policy. 
   3. At the end of the term for the separate directed scholarship course, a grade of “Pass” will be submitted if the agreed upon assignment is completed or if the student is given permission to register again in the directed scholarship course. 
   4. If, by the end of the term, all requirements have been completed for the original course to which the CO designation was given, the instructor will assign a letter grade to the original course and assign “Pass” for the directed scholarship course under which the original course was continued. 
   5. If the requirements related to CO designation are not satisfied at the end of the term and the student is not given permission to register again in the directed scholarship course, the instructor will assign a letter grade to the original course for which the CO designation was given and assign a “No Credit” grade for the directed scholarship course under which the original course was continued.
9. Change of Grades Recorded by Registrar 
   1. Once a grade has been verified in the student information system, additional work cannot be submitted to raise the grade. 
   2. Once a grade has been recorded by the Registrar, corrections may be made only as a result of either: 
      1. a formal grievance proceeding completed within the timelines set forth in Policy 5; or 
      2. a grade correction petition approved by instructor, division/department chairperson, and dean, and filed with the Registrar on or before the end of the term subsequent to the term in which the grade was initially given. 
10. Repeating a GSU Course: For Repeated courses, see Policy 47. 
11. Academic Standing: As outlined in Policy 14, Academic Standing shall be determined at the end of each term or summer session, after the deadlines for submission of grades. 
    1. Undergraduate: An undergraduate student must maintain a "C" (2.0) average to be in good standing. 
    2. Graduate: A graduate student must maintain a "B" (3.0) average to be in good standing. 
    3. Some programs may have specific standards for academic performance that exceed the criteria in this policy or Policy 14. 
12. Pass (“P”)/No Credit (“NC”) Grades 
    1. Degree programs may request to use the pass/no credit grading option for all students for a specific course. 
       1. The request must be approved by the Division/Department Chair and the Dean. 
       2. These courses will not be included in the grade point average computation. 
    2. Undergraduate 
       1. An undergraduate degree-seeking student may choose to take a graded course on a pass/no credit basis only if the course is an elective in the student's degree program. 
       2. The maximum number of elective hours that may be taken on the pass/no credit basis is twelve (12). 
    3. Graduate: A graduate student may not elect the pass/no credit grading option for regularly graded courses that are used to fulfill any degree requirements. 
    4. Any student wishing to change his/her grading option for (a) course(s) must do so by the end of the add/drop period for the term in which the course(s) is (are) offered. 

1. The authority to assign grades in a course rests with the faculty member(s) who is/are instructor of record.
2. Any change to an initial grade rests with the instructor of record. 
3. In exceptional circumstances when the instructor of record is unavailable to consider a change of grade (e.g., sabbatical, termination of employment), the Division/Department Chair that offered the course will refer the matter to the department faculty who will determine how to proceed. 
4. Whatever process is decided upon, the determination of the grade cannot be made solely by an individual holding an administrative title. 
5. Any change of grade done by an administrator would be done as a result of actions consistent with Policy 5.

Procedures

Procedures developed for this policy are the responsibility of the Provost or their designee.