3.16 Grades

Final Grades - Final grades are issued by the primary instructor for each course approximately three days after the course ends. Final grades for any term will be available either on an official college transcript or an unofficial academic record. The official and unofficial academic record can be ordered or printed by the student through NJC ACCESS using the student’s PIN number.

Grading System (Pass-Fail Option) - Student achievement is evaluated in relation to the attainment of specific objectives of the course. At the beginning of the course the instructor will explain the basis upon which students earn grades. For the purpose of the grade descriptions, "achievement" means successfully reaching an identified level of knowledge or understanding, and "mastery" means successfully reaching an objective level of competency in a skill.

INVENTORY OF COMMON GRADING SYMBOLS

(Implementation of the Common Grade Symbols to be effective Fall 2006.)

A - Excellent or Superior

B - Good

C - Average

D - Deficient

F - Failure

I Incomplete

S - Satisfactory

U - Unsatisfactory

S/A - Satisfactory (A-level) work in a developmental course

S/B - Satisfactory (B-level) work in a developmental course

S/C - Satisfactory (C-level) work in a developmental course

U/D - Unsatisfactory (D-level) work in a developmental course

U/F - Unsatisfactory (F-level) work in a developmental course

W - Withdrawal

AW - Administrative Withdrawal (available as an individual college option)

AU - Audit

Place Holders

SP - Satisfactory Progress

Z - Grade not yet reported

R - Repeat Field

CPL - Prior Learning Credit

CNG - Conversion – No Grade

AU- Audit

By auditing a course, a student may participate in course activities, but does not receive a formal transcript grade. Students must indicate intent to audit a course at registration or by the deadline listed in the course schedule. Audited courses are not eligible for the College Opportunity Fund stipend. Students will be responsible for the full in-state or out-of-state tuition. Audited courses do not meet the credit hour requirements for financial aid or veteran benefits and may not be applied to certificates or degrees.

Course credits for which an AU is earned will not count in Attempted Hours and Earned Hours. No Quality Points will be assigned and there will be no impact on either the Term or Cumulative GPA.

I- Incomplete

The "Incomplete" grade is a temporary grade and is designed for students who because of documented illness or circumstances beyond their control are unable to complete their course work within the semester, but have completed a majority of the course work (defined as at least 75% of all course assignments and tests) in a satisfactory manner (grade C or better).

If circumstances beyond the student's control prevent the student from completing a test or assignments at the end of the term, then it is the student's responsibility to initiate the request for an "Incomplete" grade from the instructor. The instructor will determine whether the student has a reasonable chance of satisfactorily completing the remaining course activities in a timely manner.

In requesting an "Incomplete" grade the student must present to the instructor the documentation of circumstances justifying an "Incomplete" grade.

The instructor will complete and sign an "Incomplete Grade Contract” and will submit it to Student Services with final grades for the semester. Student Services will send a copy of the "Incomplete Grade Contract" to the student. Instructor must assign an Incomplete Grade on the regular grade roster in a timely fashion.

Incomplete Grade Contract must include the following information:

Student Name (F, MI, L):
Student ID #:
Course Number and Section:
Reason for assigning a grade of incomplete (statement of extenuating circumstances):
Work to be completed for removal of incomplete grade (instructor should be very specific including the work to be done and how the final grade is to be calculated):
Evidence of completion of 75% of the semester course work:
Completion of a work plan that includes the following:

What, when and how assignments and tests will be submitted to complete the course,
The time period in which the work must be completed.

Instructor Signature and Date:
Student Signature and Date

Students are encouraged to let instructors know, as soon as possible, if they are having difficulties with any part of the course. In the event that a student and instructor cannot reach resolution concerning an Incomplete, then the student should contact the Instructional Officer of the college.

Military personnel and emergency management officials who are required to go TDY in the middle of a term should contact their instructor for special consideration. Documentation of official TDY assignment is required and must be approved by the Chief Instructional Officer.

Veterans Administration regulations have prohibited certain grading practices for veteran students. Each veteran student must be aware of these regulations and conform accordingly. The following summary specifies those grading regulations with which the veteran must be in compliance.

Veteran Administration regulations require:

1. Daily attendance records on all veterans enrolled in Certificate programs.

2. Incomplete grades must be made up and a letter grade assigned to count in the GPA.

3. Withdrawal grade should not be used since all grades must count in the veteran’s grade point average.

Incomplete grades which are not converted to a letter grade by the instructor after one subsequent semester (not including summer semester) will revert to an F grade. If the student would have earned a letter grade higher than an F without completing the work, faculty may submit that higher grade before the automatic conversion to F.

S- Satisfactory

The satisfactory grade is equivalent to a grade of “C or better”. The course will count in attempted and earned credits, but will not carry quality points.

U- Unsatisfactory

The unsatisfactory grade is equivalent to a “D” or “F” grade. The course will count in attempted credits, but will not carry earned credits or quality points.

S/A, S/B, S/C

These are satisfactory grades awarded only for developmental courses. The A, B, and C indicate the level of satisfactory performance. These grades are not included in the GPA calculation. The course will count for attempted and earned credits. These grades will also be used for PED classes.

U/D, U/F

These are unsatisfactory grades awarded only for developmental courses. The D and F indicate the level of unsatisfactory performance. These grades are not included in the GPA calculation. The course will count in attempted credits, but will not carry earned credits. These grades will also be used for PED classes.

W- Withdrawal

The “Withdrawal” grade is assigned when a student officially withdraws from a course. A withdrawal can only be processed during the first 80 percent of the course. No academic credit is awarded. The course will count in attempted hours.

AW- Administrative Withdrawal

This “withdrawal” grade is assigned by the college when a student has been withdrawn administratively for administrative reasons. No academic credit is awarded. The course will count in attempted hours.

Place Holders

SP- Satisfactory Progress

This symbol is limited to certain approved courses that extend beyond the end of a normal semester. No academic credit is awarded until the course is completed.

Z- No Grade Submitted

The symbol of “Z” is a temporary grade entered by the Registrar when a grade is not received from the course instructor. This “Z” grade is replaced and credit is awarded upon the Registrar’s receipt of the grade.

CPL-Prior Learning Credit

Within Banner there must be a symbol in the Grade column. A symbol of “CPL” indicates that the course and credits to which it is attached were awarded according to BP 9-42, Credit for Prior Learning.

CNG – Conversion No Grade

In the Legacy System, courses could exist on a transcript with no grade posted. These courses have been migrated to Banner with a symbol of “CNG”, defined as Converted No Grade.

Repeat Field

The Repeat Field on the transcript will be marked I – Include in hours and GPA calculation, A – Exclude from earned hours and GPA calculation, or A Exclude from earned hours but count in GPA calculation.

Grade Point Average Calculations - The College employs a system of grade points for rating the student's scholastic achievement. The following point scale is used: A - four points for each credit; B - three points for each credit; C - two points for each credit; D - one point for each credit; F - 0 points for each credit; I - not computed in the grade point average. The following example illustrates how grade points are calculated:

SUBJECT GRADE CREDIT X GRADE POINT QUALITY POINTS

English B 3 x 3 = 9

Band F (1) x 0 = 0

Biology D 4 x 1 = 4

Spanish C 5 x 2 = 10

History A 3 x 4 = 12

Total 16 35

Total Credits Attempted ………………….16

Total Credits Earned ……………………….15

Grade Point Average ……………………….(35 divided by 16) = 2.1875

The cumulative average is obtained by dividing the total number of quality points accumulated at a given time by the total number of quality hours.

Physical education activity classes, although required and figured into the enrolled credits, do not calculate quality credits and are not computed in the academic grade point average.

Grades awarded for developmental courses (as defined by CCHE as Basic Skills courses) will not be included in a student’s grade point average (GPA). Grading for developmental courses will utilize the Developmental grade mode (S/A, S/B, S/C, U/D, U/F). The credits will count toward earned and attempted credits. GPA's for term recognition such as President's List, VP List and Dean's List will not include developmental courses in the calculation.

S/U Grading

Individual students will not be able to select the S/U grading option for a course that has been identified as a traditionally graded course when using the self service features of Banner. A request for the S/U option may be submitted to the registration office. NOTE: If individual students are permitted by college procedure to choose an S/U option for a course, the college will build two sections of the course – one for the graded section and one for the S/U option. College catalogs should identify the number of S/U credits that may be applied to a degree or certificate. No S/U course may be applied to the AA/AS degree with the exception of physical education courses.

An “S” grade will indicate that the quality of student work in the course is equivalent to “C or better”. “S” and “U” will count in attempted and earned credits, but will not carry any quality points. Therefore, S/U grades will not be included in GPA calculations.

Calculation of GPA

No Quality Points will be assigned, and there will be no impact on either the Term or Cumulative GPA.