GRADING POLICY AND SYSTEMS

It is the responsibility of the instructor to describe to each class the methods of evaluation. Students should feel free to ask for an explanation of the grading practices in any course.

Additional definitions which are applicable to special circumstances for graduate programs can be found in the Graduate Education section (consult Index for page reference).

Basic Definitions

A =	Performance of the student has been of the
	highest level, showing sustained excellence in
	meeting course responsibilities.
B =	Performance of the student has been good,
	though not of the highest level.
C =	Performance of the student has been adequate,
	satisfactorily meeting the course requirements.
D =	Performance of the student has been less than
	adequate.
F =	Performance of the student has been such that
	course requirements have not been met.
CR=	(Credit) Performance of the student in undergraduate level course has been equivalent to
	grades A through C-; performance of the student in graduate level courses has been equivalent to grades A through B-.
NC=	(No Credit) Performance of the student has
	been less than that of CR level.
I =	(Incomplete) Performance of the student has
	been incomplete due to circumstances beyond
	his/her control. Passing work was being accomplished at the time the incomplete was issued, and there is a possibility of earning credit
	if the course requirements are completed within the time allowed.
W =	(Withdrawal) Indicates that the student was
	permitted to drop the course after the 20th day
	(4th week) of instruction with the approval of
	the instructor and appropriate campus officials. It carries no connotation of quality of student performance and is not used as units attempted in calculating grade point average.
AU=	(Audit) Indicates that the student was enrolled
	on a non-credit basis. Enrollment as an auditor
	is subject to the permission of the instructor
	and shall be permitted only after students otherwise eligible to enroll in the course on a
	credit basis have had an opportunity to do so.
	Auditors are subject to the same fee structure
	as credit students and regular class attendance
	is expected. Once enrolled as an auditor, a student may not change to credit status unless
	such a change is requested prior to the last day
	to add classes.
SP=	(Satisfactory Progress) Performance of the student in a course which normally extends beyond one term has been evaluated and found
	to be satisfactory, but the assignments for the
	subsequent term(s) must be completed before
	a final grade can be assigned.
RD=	(Report Delayed) Indicates no grade was
	turned in by the professor.

An alternative Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) system may be used under the following conditions:

• A list of courses in which CR/NC grading is mandatory is maintained in each departmental office.
• In courses where the CR/NC option is permitted, but not mandatory, students must notify the instructor in writing, by the end of the sixth week of instruction, of their decision to be evaluated on the CR/NC basis. No change in this decision is permitted after the sixth week of instruction.
• No more than 30% of the units earned at this university, and applied toward an undergraduate degree, may be taken for CR grades.
  For students working toward a master's degree, no more than 30% of the units used on the Graduate Approved Program, including transfer work, may be taken for CR grades.
• All students in a given class, whether being evaluated on the A-F or CR/NC basis, are to be treated in the same manner with respect to assignments, methods of evaluation, and standards of performance. The only difference is in the symbol entered on the student's official grade record.
• Students who select CR/NC grading should be informed that CR grades may be interpreted as a C and NC grades may be changed to an F when considered by other institutions.

A grade of Incomplete (I) will not be changed after a degree or credential has been awarded even though it is made up within the time period.

Use of Satisfactory Progress (SP) Grade

GRADE POINT AVERAGE

Grade Points

A	= 4.0	B-	= 2.7	D+	= 1.3

A-	= 3.7	C+	= 2.3	D	= 1.0

B+	= 3.3	C	= 2.0	D-	= 0.7

B	= 3.0	C-	= 1.7	F	= 0.0

DEFINITION OF SEMESTER UNIT

One Semester Unit--One class meeting per week for fifteen (15) weeks. (At least two hours of study is expected in preparation for each hour of class.) or

Three hours of laboratory work per week for fifteen (15) weeks, or

Two hours of class work in activity-type courses in art, music, and speech per week for fifteen (15) weeks.
(At least one hour of outside preparation is expected for each hour of laboratory or activity class work.)

DEFINITION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT (CEU)

GRADE CHANGES

• Letter grades are not convertible to other letter grades and NC grades are not convertible to CR grades except in cases of real error. All grade changes are by petitions, with a recommendation of a grade change by the instructor and the approval of the department chair and/or college dean.
• Except in cases of real error, CR/NC grades are not convertible to letter grades or vice versa. All grade change requests involving the CR/NC option are by petition, with a recommendation by the instructor and the approval of the department chair and/or college dean. Requests for reasons other than clerical error are subject to review by the Board of Appeals and Review.
• A student wishing to request a retroactive grade change, withdrawal, or addition must initiate the request during the semester in attendance immediately following the semester when the original grade was assigned or the course in question was offered.
• Retroactive change of grades and withdrawals are subject to review by the Board of Appeals and Review.
• Grade changes are not permitted after the award of a degree or credential, unless the change is for a course not used for the degree (in the case of a graduate student continuing after the award of a degree or readmitted second baccalaureate student) or in the case of a formal school grade appeal process when the request has been initiated by the student in the semester immediately following the award of the grade.
• Request for W is not a grade change, rather it is a request for retroactive withdrawal.

REPEAT OF COURSES

When undergraduate students must repeat a course in which the grade was F, they will earn units completed only once. All units attempted and all grade points will be included in the student's cumulative totals.

When undergraduate students choose to repeat a course in which the grade was passing, in order to raise the grade, they will be charged for all units attempted and all grade points earned but units completed will be granted only once.

A student in graduate standing may not repeat a course taken for credit since earning the baccalaureate degree, in which a grade of C or better was earned on the first attempt. Grades of C- or lower are not acceptable on a Graduate Approved Program for meeting the requirements of a master's degree.

If graduate students repeat a course in which a C or lower grade was earned, they will be charged for all units attempted and all grade points earned but units completed will be granted only once.

It is not possible for graduate students to raise their undergraduate grade point average by repeating undergraduate courses.