AA110-H Grading Policy – Academic Affairs
No./Title: AA110-GRADING POLICY | Resp. Office: ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Approval Body: CASA | Effective Date: 03/01/2016 |
Category: Academic | Last Review: 12/07/2021 | Next Review: 12/07/2024 |
Contact: MaryAnn Clark Academic Affairs | 901.448.4930 | |
Related Policies: | Repeat Course Policy Awarding of Degrees Refund Policy Course Add/Drop Policy | FERPA Annual Notice Leave of Absence-Withdrawal Policy Transfer Credit Policy Satisfactory Academic Progress |
Grades include the score(s) assigned in evaluating the proficiency, value, and quality of a student’s experiential, clinical, and academic course performance. It is solely within the purview of the faculty to assign and determine student grades for a course.
POLICY RATIONALE, EXPLANATION AND PROCEDURE
UTHSC recognizes the importance and need of reporting final grades to students prior to the start of the next academic term and in order for timely appeals to be filed and decided. Academic standards (probation/dismissal), transcripts, and financial aid are all dependent onthe timely collection and distribution of grades. Students also depend on the timely submission of grades to fulfill academic and professional obligations. The obligations include:
- proof of satisfactory academic progress and promotion;
- prerequisite requirements for course sequencing registration;
- eligibility for athletic programs;
- awarding of appropriate honors;
- eligibility for financial aid and scholarships;
- eligibility for other government-sponsored programs such as veterans’ benefits;
- graduation and degree conferral;
- securing employment; and
- licensing and certification requirements.
Student grades are considered part of the student’s educational record and are subject to the privacy regulations governed by Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the UTHSC Annual FERPA Notice. Disclosure of student grades to a UTHSC official or an agent without a legitimate education interest or third party without written prior consent is prohibited.
Student grades may not be publicly posted by student names, by Student ID numbers, by Social Security Numbers, or by any other personally identifiable means. Public posting includes printed lists, email distribution, or websites.
Faculty in the academic programs set standards for satisfactory academic progress, graduation requirements and minimum grade point averages for progression and completion of the degree program.
Grading scales for the individual programs may be found in the Bulletin and are printed on the back of the transcript.
The following grades carry no quality points and hours for which these grades are earned are not counted in computing a student’s grade point average.
- AU (Audit) is assigned in courses where students are granted permission to take a class where no course credit or grade is assigned. Students are required to pay tuition and fees for course audits.
- W (Withdrawn) is assigned in courses when a student has officially withdrawn from the university. If withdrawal occurred before the midpoint of a course, the grade for the uncompleted course(s) will be recorded as a ‘W’ on the official transcript.
- WP (Withdrawn Passing) and WF (Withdrawn Failing) is assigned in courses when a student withdraws from a course after the midpoint, but before the course(s) was (were) 70% completed, the grade for the uncompleted course(s) will be recorded as either ‘WP’ (withdrawn passing) or ‘WF’ (withdrawn failing) depending on the student’s grade point average in the course at the time of withdrawal.
- P (Pass or Progress in Research) indicates that the student will receive credit. The “P” is not factored into the grade point average. Pass or progress in research.
- N (No progress in research)
- NP (No Pass [fail]) No academic impact on grade point average.
- R (Remediation)[COM use only] A temporary grade assigned to courses in which the student has not satisfactorily passed the subject exam or remediation of the courses is necessary. Upon satisfactorily passing the subject exam or remediation of the course, a final grade is assigned to the course.
- HP (Honors; Outstanding in a pass/fail course).
- T (Transfer) is assigned to credits transferred from another institution. The “T” will precede the letter grade given for the course. Transfer credits are not factored into the grade point average.
- I (Incomplete) signifies that the student was not able to complete the course. Incomplete grades are assigned only when a student has completed 70% of the course, determined by start and end dates. The student will be allowed to complete the course without re-registering the next term. All “I” grades issued for courses will automatically expire and be replaced with a failing grade at the end of the next academic term unless a permanent grade change form is received prior to that time.
Exceptions to the Grading Policy
Exceptions to the Grading Policy must be approved by the Chief Academic Officer. Requests for exceptions should be submitted by the college Academic Affairs dean. If approved, the Chief Academic Officer will inform the college and Registrar of the approval. Examples include a request for an exemption if a student was ill and plans to complete a rotation later than the next term.
Standards and processes for academic dismissal are set by the academic programs. The Registrar will post “Academic Dismissal” on the transcripts of dismissed students.
Repeated Courses – Grade Calculations
All final grades earned in each repeated course will be averaged into the overall cumulative grade point average. Each repeated course is counted only once in determining credit hours for graduation. Students are allowed to repeat a course twice for a total of three attempts per course unless approved by the Academic Dean. A grade of “W”, “WP”, and “WF” counts as one of the three attempts.
Submission of Grades by Faculty
- Final grades are due to the Registrar and should be entered in the student information system within 72 hours of the final examination, clinical assignment, or course work. Faculty may enter grades in advance of this deadline. Term papers and other student work should be collected early enough to allow instructors to submit grades on time. Grades for a course with no final examination should be recorded in the student information system no later than 72 hours after the final assignment due date.
- Exceptions to the foregoing grade submission deadline such as accreditation requirements and curricular needs (clerkship/clinical rotations) require prior approval of the Dean of the College/Dean’s designee and the Chief Academic Officer as appropriate. Exceptions will be granted only for very compelling academic reasons. The Chief Academic Officer will notify the Registrar of any approved exceptions. The College Dean and/or Dean’s designee will ensure that the necessary procedures are enforced in each College to assure compliance withthe schedule for submission of grades.
- In the event that an instructor fails to submit final grades on time, the students receives no credit for the course(s), and a hold is placed on the release of the student’s transcript by the Registrar. Students may be put in academic jeopardy because of a “shortfall” in GPA required to remain in good academic standing for financial aid purposes. This may also impede the student’s ability to advance register, demonstrate proficiency or pre-requisites, receive financial aid, and jeopardize licensing and professional opportunities.
- In the event that a student does not complete the required work for a course due to circumstances clearly beyond the student’s control (e.g. accident or serious illness), the instructor may enter a temporary report of Incomplete (I) in place of a final grade in the student information system. The instructor should establish clearly with the student how and when the work will be completed and all related deadlines. The grade of “I” must be resolved by the end of the next academic term, or it converts automatically to an “F.”
- When providing alternate class formats, such as clinical rotations, or classes that start later in term, the “drop without a grade designation” deadline is determined by the academic program and published by the registrar. Before this deadline, students may add such courses that have not started for the term.
In the event that an instructor discovers that s/he has made a grading error, the instructor of record or dean’s designee should submit a change of grade workflow to the Registrar. A final grade cannot be changed after one calendar year from the start of the term for which the grade was assigned. If a grade of F has been assigned as a permanent grade and should be changed, approval by the Registrar is required.
A grade appearing on a student’s academic record at the time of his or her graduation cannot be changed subsequent to the graduation date. Compelling circumstances must be submitted for approval to the Chief Academic Officer and the Dean of the College. After final grades have been submitted in the student information system, grade changes must be initiated through a change of grade workflow available in Banner Faculty Self-Service.
Grade appeals should be submitted in writing to the instructor of record for the course. College specific policies may apply. Students should check with the instructor of record, the department chair, or the Dean’s office.
Effective: March 1, 2016
Approved: March 1, 2016, Committee on Academic and Student Affairs (CASA) Approved: April 18, 2016, Chancellor
Reviewed: April 3, 2018, CASA
Approved: April 16, 2018, Chancellor
Reviewed: September 4, 2018, CASA
Approved: September 5, 2018, Chancellor
Approved: December 7, 2021, CASA
Approved: January 26, 2022, Chief Academic Officer
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