“Incomplete” grades: CLAS policy

Below is the policy of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on
assigning “incomplete” grades, and related policy on grade changes.
This is the grading policy approved Nov. 13, 1989, by the College Assembly.
Emphasis (boldface) has been added by me (David Groisser). I
have also added the paragraphs in italics labeled “Comments”.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences policy on
“Incomplete” Grades and Grade Changes

Recognizing that the assignment of grades is the sole
responsibility of the instructor of a course, the
Liberal Arts and Sciences College Assembly approved
adoption of the following guidelines for grade changes
to ensure consistency within the college and between
CLAS and other colleges, and to protect faculty from
pressures for changes of grade.

1. The college expects that students will complete
all assignments by the time designated by the
instructor.

2. At the discretion of the instructor, assignments
may be accepted beyond the due date. Incomplete
grades will not, however, be given unless there are
circumstances beyond the student’s control which
prevent the completion of course requirements (for
example, documented illness, serious family
emergencies).

Comments: The clear intent of this policy is that
an “I” grade should not be given simply because
a student is running a D or an E and does not expect to
be able to do well enough on the final exam to get a
better grade. If you are doing badly in a course, it
is your responsibility to see your instructor and take
corrective action early enough in the semester to make
a difference. You may choose not to do this, waiting
to see how you fare later in the course, but then
expect to bear the consequences of your choice–even if
this means failing.

3. “Incomplete” grades will not be given without the
student’s having made prior arrangements for completing
course work.

4. Letter grades found to be in error because of
miscalculation should be changed during the subsequent
semester.

5. Grades may not be changed as a result of
additional work done by a student unless all students
registered for the course are given opportunity to do
similar, additional work.

Comments: In other words, if you don’t do well enough on the final
to get the grade you want, don’t go to the instructor afterwards and
ask if there’s any extra work you can do to improve your grade. To
agree to this, your instructor would have find the physical address,
email address, or phone number of every single student in your class
(including those who have left town for Christmas or summer), contact
every student, and allow every student to turn in the same extra work.
Your instructor would then have to grade this extra work from the
entire class, either while on vacation or during the next semester
while he/she is supposed to be devoting attention to new classes.
Potentially, your instructor would then have to submit a grade change
form for every single student in your class.

It is also not appropriate to go to your instructor
shortly before the final exam and ask if there’s extra
work you could do to boost your grade (although the
CLAS policy does not literally forbid this). Once
again, your instructor would have to give the whole
class the same opportunity. But this would be unfair
to your classmates, adding a previously unannounced
component of the grade at a time when most students are
completing semester projects and studying for finals,
and do not have extra time to spare.



6. University policy precludes students from
changing their grade by sitting on the course in a
subsequent semester.
No student may sit through a
course without again being registered for the course
either through regular or audit registration.

The college recognized that certain circumstances
may arise in which an individual instructor may wish to
modify these guidelines without violating the intent.


Last update made by D. Groisser Sun Dec 1 15:00:10 EST 2002