Grades, Honors, and Standing

The integrity of scholarship is the cornerstone of the academic and social structure of the university. It is the expressed policy of the university that every aspect of undergraduate academic life, related in whatever fashion to the university, shall be conducted in an absolutely and uncompromisingly honest manner. Violations of academic honesty are grounds for a failing grade and may result in dismissal from the university. For more information, see the Student Handbook>Student Code of Conduct.

Good Standing

All students shall demonstrate an ability to do college-level work. The University requires that undergraduate students maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 to be considered in Good Standing. Some programs may also have higher GPA requirements to remain enrolled in that particular field of study.

Academic Discipline

Students who have not met the minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 shall be subject to academic discipline. For students enrolled in a post-baccalaureate program (i.e. an undergraduate program requiring a bachelor’s degree for admission) the program GPA, rather than the cumulative GPA, shall be evaluated for compliance as outlined below. 

Warning: Students shall be placed on Academic Warning the first fall or spring semester in which their cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. Students on Academic Warning shall be allowed to register for a maximum of 15 credits and must register for classes prior to the first day of the semester.

Probation: Students who are on Academic Warning and fail to raise their cumulative GPA to the minimum 2.0 in the following fall or spring semester shall be placed on Academic Probation. Students on probation shall be allowed to register for a maximum of 14 credits and must register prior to the first day of the semester.  Students on Academic Probation shall be allowed to continue at the University but shall remain on probation provided their semester GPA is at least 2.3. Once the cumulative GPA reaches 2.0, the student shall be removed from Academic Probation and shall be returned to Good Standing. Students shall have three (3) semesters to raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0. If the cumulative GPA is below 2.0 after the third semester of probation, the student shall be academically dismissed.

Dismissal: Students on Academic Probation shall be Academically Dismissed in the fall or spring semester if (1) their semester GPA is below a 2.3 and cumulative GPA is below a 2.0, or (2) their cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 after the third semester of probation. Students who are academically dismissed from Southern Connecticut State University are no longer matriculated at the University.

Dismissed students can appeal for reinstatement to regain matriculation status, they may do so during or subsequent to the semester in which they are non-matriculated. Reinstatement to the University does not guarantee acceptance or reacceptance to programs with GPA requirements higher than 2.0.  All appeals shall be made to the Academic Standing Committee. Once a student’s dismissal appeal has been granted, if a cumulative GPA 2.0 is not attained in the first semester back, the student will be dismissed. Students are ineligible to appeal if they are dismissed a second time.

Dismissed students may register part-time as non-matriculated students at Southern, but must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher prior to attempting 30 credits as a non-matriculated student, to return to good standing and apply for readmission to their last program of study.

Students must discuss the criteria for a successful audit and receive written approval from their instructor. While no final grade is issued for an audited course, students do have the right to take exams, write papers, and have them evaluated. The Audit Contract must be approved by the instructor prior to the start of the 4th week of the fall or spring semester, or prior to the start of the 2nd week for courses in a shorter term. Students who audit a course pay regular tuition and fees for the course, but the course is not eligible for financial aid, and it does not count towards a student's enrollment status of part-time or full-time. Once a student selects the audit option it will not be possible to revert to a graded option following the drop period for the course. 

The Dean's List and President’s List recognize students who have achieved outstanding academic success for the semester or year in their college or school. Courses are excluded from the calculation if taken under an audit, for pass-fail, or if they are incomplete at the time student transcripts are evaluated.  

Full-time undergraduate students enrolled in a degree program must earn at least 12 credits, and achieve a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher to be eligible for Dean’s List each semester, or achieve a semester GPA of 4.0 to be eligible for President’ List each semester. Full-time students are evaluated and awarded at the end of each fall and spring semester.

Part-time undergraduate students enrolled in a degree-program must earn at least 12 credits overall in the fall and spring semester, and achieve a GPA of 3.5 or higher in each semester to be eligible for Dean’s List, or achieve a semester GPA of 4.0 to be eligible for President’s List. Part-time students are only evaluated and awarded annually at the end of the spring semester. 

Departmental Honors are available for students interested in the research, development, and proposal of a thesis to the University Honors Thesis Committee. 

Departmental Honors focuses on original research and is fostered by all departments. Students work independently in the library carrel, the science laboratory, or the experimental classroom pursuing the solutions to their research problems. The rigors of direct, unbiased observations, critical analysis, integration, and logical reasoning develop the disciplined thinker needed today.

Prerequisites for application for departmental honors research are a 3.0 GPA at the end of three years of collegiate study, and a 3.20 GPA in a major concentration. Decision to apply for departmental honors research should be made during the junior year when a thesis advisor should also be identified.

At that point, the student will submit a HON 494 application to the chair of the University Honors Thesis Committee. The student must submit a prospectus (HON 494) to the chair of the University Honors Thesis Committee; instructions and deadlines for the prospectus are sent each semester to all departments. Once the prospectus has been approved, the student becomes a candidate for departmental honors and is awarded three semester hours of credit.

Generally, the first semester of the senior year is spent completing the proposal and initial research. During the second semester the student writes a thesis (HON 495) for which, if accepted after an oral defense, the student is awarded three semester hours of credit and departmental honors. Upon request, detailed instructions are available from the chair of the University Honors Thesis Committee, or from chairpersons of academic departments.

Preliminary Information

In accordance with SCSU’s educational mission, this policy articulates the procedure and criteria for the appeal of a final course grade. This Grade Appeal Procedure is intended to be fair, equitable and transparent. Following discussion with the Instructor[1], the Grade Appeals Procedure consists of two parts:

• Level 1 Mediation with Department Chairperson/Program Director (hereafter referred to as ‘Chairperson’)
• Level 2 University Academic Standing Committee (UASC)

See Section V. below for detailed information about each part of the appeal process.

I. Grounds for Grade Appeals: Palpable Injustice

In the interest of clear communication to Students about University standards and procedures, the following definitions, and descriptions of the acceptable grounds for a grade appeal are presented.

The sole acceptable basis for a grade appeal is the demonstrable commission of a “palpable injustice” in the determination of a Student’s final grade by the Instructor. Students may use the appeals process when there is evidence to show that:

1. A mathematical or clerical error resulted in the entry of an incorrect grade; or
2. A final grade was determined by methods and criteria different from those used for determining the final grades of others in the same class; or
3. A final grade was assigned arbitrarily, capriciously, or on the basis of bias or prejudice, without reference to grading criteria as established (for instance) in the syllabus, assignment instructions, and/or University catalog.

The University Academic Standing Committee (UASC) shall make its determination in appeals brought before it solely upon the grounds listed above; a grade change is not warranted, for instance, when the Committee simply disagrees with the grade assigned by the Instructor, would have assessed the Student’s work differently, would have graded differently, would have rounded off to the next highest grade, or would have preferred a different evaluation procedure.

II. Assumptions

1. The determination of grades[2] is the responsibility of the Instructor of the course.
2. Grade appeal procedures apply only to the change of a grade under conditions specified in section 4.2.2.2 of the faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement. The appeal process may be initiated after a final grade has been submitted or after a request for a late withdrawal has been denied by the Instructor.
3. All parties work in good faith to arrive at a resolution during all stages of the process. 

III. General Guidelines

1. Grade appeals must be initiated on an individual basis by the Student claiming a palpable injustice.
2. A Student may submit a grade appeal within one of four timeframes:
   1. Appeals are reviewed in the fall or spring semester that follows the semester in which the grade was earned, hereafter referred to as Appeal Semester (see V. A-D). This applies to courses taken during summer, winter, or spring break sessions. For courses of an 8-week (or fewer) duration, the grade appeal may be made in either of the next two 8-week course periods directly following the semester in which the grade was earned, or during the summer if applicable. The deadlines for the 8-week courses appear in parentheses after the description of each level of the appeals process in section V of this document.
   2. If a grade earned during the spring semester or a summer term prevents a Student from continuing in the Student’s program or major, an appeal may be filed during the summer (see section VI.).
   3. If a Student is appealing an “F” grade for which the origin was an “Incomplete” grade that reverted to “F” after the expiration of the thirty-day period to complete coursework after the beginning of the following semester, the appeal timetable shall begin when the “F” grade becomes available to the Student and shall follow the normal academic-year appeal schedule, adjusted to allow for the same number of weeks.
   4. Graduating Students shall typically appeal the grade following the established Grade Appeal Procedure. If, however, a graduating Student is appealing a grade that prevents the Student from graduating, it is recognized that time of graduation may be affected if the established Grade Appeal Procedure is followed. In this case, the Instructor, Department Chairperson, and UASC shall expedite the Student's appeal with all due procedural promptness.
3. The week of Spring Break shall not be counted when determining how long the grade appeal has been in process.
4. If the Student’s graduation may be delayed due to the appeal process, permission may be given by a Department Chairperson for the Student to take subsequent or required courses within the Department.
5. All Grade Appeal forms and documents must be typed; no handwritten forms shall be accepted.
6. For purposes of record-keeping and administrative accounting to governmental regulatory authorities, a copy of the grade appeal form must be filed with the Dean of the Instructor’s school or college at each stage of the appeal process. The Chairperson is responsible for forwarding copies to the Dean’s office for Level 1 appeals, and UASC is responsible for forwarding copies to the Dean’s office for Level 2 appeals.
7. Students are strongly advised to keep their own copies of all grade appeal forms and supporting documents.

IV. Discussion with Instructor

1. Initiate Discussion Deadlines: end of week 1 of the Appeal Semester for Student to initiate discussion of disputed grade with the Instructor; end of week 2 to reach agreement. (8-week courses: same.) Student initiates discussion with the Instructor. The Student and Instructor attempt to settle the matter in good faith. If an agreement is reached to change the grade, the Instructor shall submit the grade change to the Registrar’s Office within one week. If an agreement has not been reached by the end of week 2, the Student may initiate a Level 1 appeal by submitting the Grade Appeal Form to the Instructor’s Chairperson by the end of week 3.
2. Absent Instructor: An Instructor shall be deemed absent when either of the following apply: 1) the Instructor is no longer employed by the university; 2) the Student, with the help of the Instructor’s Chairperson, has not succeeded in eliciting from the Instructor a response to his or her queries over a period of two (2) weeks.  In this case, the Student may initiate a Level 1 appeal by submitting the Grade Appeal Form to the Instructor’s Chairperson by the end of week 3.

V. Appeals 

1. Level 1 Deadlines: end of week 3 of the Appeal Semester for Student to submit Grade Appeal Form to Instructor’s Chairperson; end of week 5 to reach agreement. (8-week courses, end of week 3 to submit and end of week 4 to reach agreement).
   
   1. Mediation with Instructor’s Chairperson: The Student completes the Grade Appeal Form for Level 1 and sends it to the Chairperson by the end of week 3 (8-week courses, end of week 3). The Chairperson shall assist in mediating between the Instructor and the Student in an attempt to settle the matter. Except in the case of an absent instructor (see below), the Chairperson has no adjudicatory role in the appeals process. If an agreement is reached to change the grade, the Instructor shall submit the grade change to the Registrar’s Office within one week of the agreement. The Chairperson shall confirm that the grade has been changed within two weeks of the agreement. The record of the appeal and of any agreement shall be filed by the Chairperson with the appropriate Dean. If these parties fail to reach an agreement by the end of week 5 (8-week courses, end of week 4), the Student may go to Level 2 of this grade appeal procedure by submitting the Grade Appeal Form to UASC by the end of week 6 (8-week courses, end of week 5). If the Instructor is the Chairperson, the Student may appeal the grade directly to UASC (Level 2).
   2. Absent Instructor: In the case of an absent Instructor (as defined in IV.B.), the Student completes the Grade Appeal Form for Level 1 and sends it to the Chairperson by the end of week 3 (8-week courses, end of week 3). The Chairperson shall have the authority to adjust or uphold the grade. If an agreement is reached to change the grade, the Chairperson shall submit the grade change to the Registrar’s Office within one week of the agreement. The record of the appeal and of any agreement shall be filed by the Chairperson with the appropriate Dean. If these parties fail to reach an agreement by the end of week 5 (8-week courses, end of week 4), the Student may go to Level 2 of this grade appeal procedure by submitting the Grade Appeal Form to UASC by the end of week 6 (8-week courses, end of week 5).
2. Level 2: University Academic Standing Committee (UASC)
   1. Deadlines: end of week 6 of the Appeal Semester for Student to submit grade appeal form to UASC, via the Faculty Senate President; end of week 9 for UASC to render decision. (8-week courses, end of week 5 to submit and end of week 7 to reach decision.)
   2. The Student completes the Grade Appeal Form for Level 2 and sends it, along with any additional explanation and documentation the Student chooses to include, to the President of the University Faculty Senate, who shall forward it to UASC by the end of week 6 (8-week courses, end of week 5). Upon receipt of the Grade Appeal Form, UASC shall forward notice of the appeal to the appropriate Dean.  The sole basis for UASC’s deliberations and decision concerning a Student’s grade appeal shall be the standard of “palpable injustice” as defined by Article I of this document. UASC shall render its decision by the end of week 9 (8-week courses, end of week 7), following a hearing to which Instructor, Student, and others deemed appropriate shall be invited. The Student shall have the right to be accompanied by an advisor or support person, who is a silent non-participant in the hearing. Delays shall not be allowed on the basis of an advisor or support person’s scheduling conflicts. The Student, Instructor, Chairperson, and relevant Dean shall be notified in writing of the Committee’s decision, which shall include a written rationale. UASC shall notify the Registrar within one week of the decision if a grade change is required. The decision of UASC shall be final.
   3. Method: If a grade change is required, the UASC shall determine the grade adjustment to the assignment(s) according to their knowledge of the assignment(s) as provided by the information in the Grade Appeal and the UASC’s assessment of the quality of the Student’s response(s) to the assignment(s). The UASC shall be allowed to request additional information from the Instructor and/or the Department Chairperson.
   4. In cases where the assignment(s) is/are too remote from UASC members’ disciplinary expertise to allow informed judgment, the UASC shall be allowed to ask for assistance from no more than two (2) faculty in appropriate fields of study but shall not confer with faculty in the Department that offered the course from which the Grade Appeal proceeded. Faculty asked to consult with the UASC shall be selected by the UASC from related department(s) or from a different college or university. No faculty asked to consult with the UASC shall be chosen who has prior knowledge of the grade appeal in progress. In making such queries, the UASC shall exercise due diligence to protect the anonymity of the Student and the Instructor.
   5. On the basis of all available information, the UASC shall assign a new course grade based on the grading proportions described in the course syllabus and shall be allowed to request additional information from the Instructor about such proportions and grade weighting.
   6. Should the UASC need additional assistance to reach a decision, the UASC shall be allowed to consult with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.
   7. The decision of the UASC shall be final.
3. Deadlines and deadline extensions
   1. “By the 2nd week” means 2 weeks (14 calendar days) into the semester, starting with the 1st day of classes. Other deadlines are to be interpreted similarly.
   2. A Dean of the appropriate school or college may extend any grade appeal deadline, only at the Student’s request, and only if the Student provides written evidence that significant extenuating circumstances led to the missed deadline. The request must be made, in writing, no later than the end of the first week of classes following the original grade appeal semester.
4. For purposes of record-keeping and administrative accounting to governmental regulatory authorities, a copy of the grade appeal form must be filed with the Dean of the Instructor’s school or college at each stage of the appeal process. The Chairperson is responsible for forwarding copies to the Dean’s office for a level 1 appeal; the President of the Faculty Senate is responsible for forwarding copies to the Dean’s office simultaneously with forwarding a Level 2 appeal to UASC; and UASC is responsible for forwarding copies to the Dean’s office after a Level 2 appeal has been completed.
5. Upon receipt of a written grade appeal form the Faculty Senate President will notify UASC Chair. UASC shall designate a grade appeal committee made up of two UASC committee members and UASC Chair. The members of the appeals committee select a Chair from the committee’s membership. The appeal committee Chair notifies all interested parties (Dean, Student, Faculty Member, Committee members) of possible dates and times to conduct the appeal. Once all committee members respond, the date of the appeal is set, the appeal is heard, and a determination is made in writing to all interested parties.
6. A grade appeal committee may not include a faculty member from the Student’s home department (major or minor) nor from the department that offered the course in which the grade is being appealed. Prospective members of a grade appeal committee must self-identify or be identified by UASC Chair if there is any other conflict of interest (for example, personal acquaintance with the Student; supervisory or professional connection to the Student through a Student organization, internship, employment; etc.) and they may not serve on the grade appeal committee.

VI. Summer Grade Appeal

1. Assumptions/Conditions: If a Student earns a grade in a course in the spring semester that prevents the Student from continuing in a program or major, the Student is eligible to appeal the grade during the summer.
2. Required Procedures: Summer session grade appeals follow the procedures described in Section V, subsections A through D, above, except that the deadlines for each part of process shall be amended as follows:
   1. Discussion with Instructor: one week after course grades become available to Students.
   2. Level 1 Mediation with Instructor’s Chairperson: end of week 2 to submit and end of week 3 to complete mediation.
   3. Level 2 UASC: end of week 4 to submit and end of week 6 for UASC to render final decision.
   4. When the timeline established for the summer appeals process by this document would result in a delay of the Student’s progress towards degree completion, all parties shall expedite the Student’s appeal with all due procedural promptness. Instructors are strongly encouraged to participate in the Summer Grade Appeal Process either in person or remotely.
3. Faculty Compensation: Insofar as the Summer Grade Appeal would not take place during the Academic/Contract year, the Instructor, the members of UASC, and, if applicable, SCSU faculty asked to consult with the UASC for grade adjustment, shall be compensated for their participation according to the following formula unless they are employed under a full-year contract. The members of UASC shall receive 4 hours of non-teaching credit load for each appeal; the chair of the appeal hearing shall receive 6 hours of non-teaching credit load for each appeal; the Instructor shall receive 2 hours of non-teaching credit load for each appeal; SCSU faculty asked to consult with UASC for grade adjustment shall receive 1 hour of non-teaching credit for each appeal.[3] 

VII. Interpretation 

This section may not be invoked with respect to the interpretation of any item of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. If an issue develops concerning interpretation of this document, whether initiated by the Faculty Senate, a Faculty Member, or any member of the Administration, a binding decision on such an issue shall be made:

1. by agreement between the President of the University and a majority of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate or, failing to obtain agreement on an issue by this method;
2. by a committee consisting of one member selected by the Senate Executive Committee, one selected by the President of the University, and one selected by the first two committee members, who, by a two-thirds vote shall decide such an issue. 

VIII. Implementation and Amendment

 A. This document shall take effect upon approval by a two-thirds vote of the Faculty Senate with the concurrence of the President of the University.

 B. This document may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Faculty Senate with the concurrence of the University President.

Grade Appeal Process Timeline

• For academic-year appeals, all events are counted from the first week of the semester following the semester in which the disputed grade was earned (“the Appeal Semester”).
• For 8-week courses, all events are counted from the first week of either of the next two 8-week course periods following the semester in which the disputed grade was earned.
• For summer appeals, all events are counted from the time that course grades become available to Students. 
• For “F” grades, automatically assigned after expiration of an “I” grade, all events are counted from the time that the “F” grade becomes available to Students and the schedule is modified accordingly.

	Spring / Fall	8-Week Course	Summer Appeal
Initiation of Discussion with Instructor	Week 1	Week 1	Week 1
Completion of Discussion with Instructor	Week 2	Week 2	Week 1
Level 1: Initiation of Mediation with Chairperson / Program Director (Grade Appeal Form—Level 1, Part 1)	Week 3	Week 3	Week 2
Level 1: Completion of Mediation with Chairperson / Program Director (Grade Appeal Form—Level 1, Part 2)	Week 5	Week 4	Week 3
Level 2: Appeal to University Academic Standing Committee (Grade Appeal Form—Level 2)	Week 6	Week 5	Week 4
Level 2: Grade Appeal Hearing with University Academic Standing Committee	ASAP	ASAP	ASAP
Level 2: Decision by University Academic Standing Committee	Week 9	Week 7	Week 6

[1] “Discussion” shall include written as well as oral forms of communication, including, for instance, email exchanges.

[2] By “grade” is meant any of the grades specified in the University Undergraduate or Graduate Catalogs.

[3] See CSU-AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement, article 10.12.1: Duties with No Load Credit. “Bargaining unit duties involving no load credit that are within the University but other than normal assignments may be offered to full-time members up to a total of 135 hours per semester (prorated for intersession or summer session as appropriate). Compensation for each 45 hours of work shall be one load credit at the compensation rates listed in Article 11.”

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor before pursuing a grade replacement. Grade replacement may be pursued once per course and only for a total of five courses. The first five courses repeated at Southern will be the ones for which the grade will be replaced, it is automatic. Both grades will appear on the student's transcript, but only the higher of the two course grades will be used to calculate the student's grade point average (GPA). The student shall receive credit for the course only once.

Students may retake a course for a different grade by registering for the course again in a subsequent term. If a student receives the same grade in both semesters, the new grade received will be used to calculate the current semester and overall GPA, the old grade in the older term will not be used for GPA calculations. Students may not utilize transfer courses, nor courses taken for pass/fail, for grade replacement because neither impact the student's GPA. 

If a writing-intensive ‘W’ course was originally passed, and the same course is retaken without the ‘W’ designation, the higher of the two course grades will be used to calculate the student's GPA, and the original 'W' may still be used to fulfill the ‘W’ requirement.

Once awarded a degree or certificate, a student may not go back and grade replace individual courses within that program. Please note that some programs at Southern may require that all grades be used to calculate the student's program GPA for admission or certification purposes.

The following grades are used on the academic records:

Letter Grade	Quality Points	Equivalent Relation to Performance
A+	4.0
A	4.0	Exceptional
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0	Superior
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0	Average
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D	1.0
D-	0.7
F	0.0
EP	N/A	Credit by Waiver Exam
I	N/A	Incomplete
I+	N/A	Incomplete Extension
N	N/A	Never Attended
P	N/A	Pass in a Pass/Fail course
Q	N/A	Dissertation Extension
R	N/A	Grade Not Reported
S	N/A	Pass with Pass/Fail contract
W	N/A	Withdrawn
Z	N/A	Audited

A student's grade point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total number of quality points received by the number of credits attempted where a standard letter grade "A" thru "F" has been received. Transfer courses are not included in the GPA calculation.

Fresh Start grades are denoted with "S" in front of the letter grade as follows: SA+, SA, SA-, SB+, SB, SB-, SC+, SC, SC-, SD+, SD, SD-, and SF. The student will receive credit for courses with a Fresh Start grade of "SC" or higher; however, the GPA of a Fresh Start is reset to exclude all prior grade points and attempted credits.

A temporary Incomplete (I) grade is recorded  by the instructor when approving a student’s request for an extension prior to the end of the semester. To be eligible for an Incomplete (I) grade, the student must have participated in at least 60% of the term. An Incomplete (I) grade may impact satisfactory academic progress for financial aid and future registration if the incomplete course is a prerequisite. 

The instructor must make all course materials available to the student for the duration of the incomplete period. The instructor must submit a copy of the signed Incomplete Grade Contract to the department chairperson for the course, which shall specify the following:

1. The remaining coursework and submission deadline.
2. The Incomplete Final Grade (i.e. the final grade earned if the remaining coursework is not completed).
3. The Extension Deadline (i.e. the date the Incomplete Final Grade will post to the transcript if a final grade is not submitted, the default is 30 days following the end of term). 

When submitting final grades in Banner, the instructor shall enter a grade of 'I' along with the Incomplete Final Grade and the Extension Deadline from the contract. If a student submits the remaining coursework, the instructor must enter a final grade using the Banner Faculty Grade Change form prior to the Extension Deadline. If a student does not submit the remaining coursework, the student will automatically receive the Incomplete Final Grade as their final grade, or the instructor may enter an 'I+' with a new Extension Deadline, prior to the original Extension Deadline.

 

 

Latin Honors

Latin honors will be awarded to degree-seeking students who earn at least 45 credits at Southern and attain a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (GPA) or higher upon program completion. Only grades earned at Southern are included in the cumulative GPA. Latin honors will be confirmed upon program completion and recorded on both the official transcript and diploma as follows:

3.50-3.69 GPA (Cum Laude)
3.70-3.89 GPA (Magna Cum Laude)
3.90-4.00 GPA (Summa Cum Laude)

Senior Honors Convocation

Just prior to the end of the spring semester, eligible students who are likely to graduate with Latin honors are accorded special recognition at the Senior Honors Convocation. Recognition of Latin honors at the Senior Honors Convocation and Undergraduate Commencement events is granted to seniors who have met the eligibility requirements above by April 1, including both earned and in-progress credits. 

Once final grades are reported, if the student's GPA or earned hours then falls below the required recognition level, this will be reflected in official documents produced after convocation or commencement. Likewise, if the student's final GPA or earned credits received after convocation or commencement deems them eligible for Latin honors, or a change in Latin honors, the appropriate recognition will be reflected on their diploma and transcripts.   

As part of the course evaluation process, instructors are required to issue a midterm grade in Banner during the eighth week of classes for full-semester courses; for shorter terms and specific midterm deadlines see the academic calendar. Students may view their midterm grade report in Banner Student; midterm grades do not appear on transcripts.

A student who has not received a midterm grade should confer with the instructor; if this meeting does not result in the student's receiving a midterm grade, the student should contact the chairperson of the department in which the course is offered. Any student who is doing unsatisfactory work ("D" or "F") at the time of midterm grade reporting is encouraged to initiate conferences with their instructor and academic advisor.

Final grades are made available to students in Banner Student self-service approximately one week following the end of each semester or intersession. Current students may log in to view final grades, unofficial transcripts, or request an official transcript.  

With the required consultation of an advisor, department chair, or an academic advising specialist in Academic Advising, matriculated students who have completed at least 45 credits are eligible to register for certain courses on a Pass-Fail basis. The Pass-Fail option is blind in that the instructor is not aware of the student's use of the Pass-Fail option until after the grades are submitted. The Pass-Fail option may only be used for a free elective or cognate course that is not applied or shared with the general education (LEP), major, or minor requirements. Students may take a total of five courses on a Pass-Fail option, with only one taken in any given semester.

The final grade will be reported as "S" if the final grade earned is "D-" or higher. This grade has no effect on the GPA, but does count as attempted credit. If the final grade earned is not passing, the final grade will be reported as "F". This grade will impact the GPA and does count as attempted credit.

Courses taken for Pass-Fail might not be accepted for transfer credit when attending another institution; are excluded from GPA calculations which may impact a student’s ability to meet certain GPA requirements needed for their major, graduation, or honors; and may not be satisfactory in meeting prerequisite requirements when applying to graduate programs. Consulting an advisor, as documented with the Pass-Fail Contract, serves as evidence that the student is aware of the potential impact of their decision.

Once a student selects the Pass-Fail option it will not be possible to revert to a graded option following the add/drop period for the course. The Pass-Fail contract must be endorsed by their advisor prior to the start of the 4th week of the fall or spring semester, or prior to the start of the 2nd week for courses in a shorter term.