I. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
H. GRADES AND GRADING ISSUES
| Grading System | Grade Records | In Progress Grades | Mid-Semester Grades |
| Final Examination Policy | Final Grades | Course Grade Appeal Policy |
Grading System
T he PLNU grading system follows the standard plus and minus system. See the current PLNU Catalog for a complete listing of grade symbols. A grade symbol must be entered for every student listed on the official grade roster.
Grade Records
The University requires each faculty member to maintain a record of student evaluation, whether manually or electronically. Faculty are urged to work with the ITS office in setting up their electronic grade book.
The maintenance of accurate records is the responsibility of the faculty member. Each student registered in a course should be listed with recording of attendance, performance in class, and other forms of evaluation. The final grade given in the course must appear in the grade record. Among the factors contributing to the need for careful records are the following :
- Fairness to the student,
- the requirements of federal regulations in the area of veterans' benefits and other providers of financial assistance, and
- the non-discrimination implications of Title IX.
It is assumed that grade records remain with the faculty members during their tenure at the University, but the records are University property. Upon leaving the institution, grade records are to be filed with the Records Office.
In Progress Grades
The use of In Progress (IP) grades at the end of a semester for certain courses is permitted where it is necessary due to the nature of the learning project or course content. This does not imply that the use of IP grades is the normal expectation for those courses. The course must be completed and the IP replaced with a course grade by the conclusion of the next regular semester. The Academic Policies Committee authorizes the use of IP grades in specific courses upon departmental/school recommendation.
For a list of courses currently approved for the use of the IP grade, contact the Records Office.
Mid-Semester Grades
Mid-semester grades of D and F are reported to the Vice Provost for Academic Administration on a form provided in Forms Central. These are not recorded on the transcript but are used to monitor progress of deficient students by the offices of Academic Affairs and Student Development.
At the end of each semester, final grades are submitted electronically. You can access this service by going to Faculty and Staff Access on PLNU's home Web page . After you have logged in, click on “Instruction” in the left-hand column. Select “Grade Entry”. Make sure your settings are correct. Select the appropriate course and follow the prompts. When you have submitted your grades you should receive a confirmatory e-mail a little later.
Final Examination Policy
Final examinations are to be of such comprehensiveness and difficulty as to utilize the two hours provided for the purpose. They should cover the entire semester's work, not just the final course segment. In general, these examinations should be weighted at from one-fourth to one-third of the total requirement of the course. In no case should a final examination in an undergraduate course be omitted without specific permission from a college dean. No deviation from the published schedule of final examinations is permitted without permission in advance from a college dean.
In the rare case that a student is scheduled for more than three (3) final examinations on the same day, the student is authorized to contact each professor in order to work out an alternative time for one of those examinations. Department chairs/school deans and college deans need not be involved in the process of making this accommodation.
Final Grades
At the end of each semester, final grades are submitted electronically to the Records Office.
Course Grade Appeal Policy
It is the responsibility of the faculty member to evaluate student performance and assign grades, and it is only on very rare occasions that a course grade can be appealed by the student. Those incidents would primarily be occasions when the syllabus was not followed or when there is evidence that the grading was done in a capricious and arbitrary manner. The appeal policy does not include student dissatisfaction with a grade based on the faculty member's professional judgment.
The appeal process involves four steps. If the issue is not resolved to everyone's satisfaction at any of the first three steps, the process may go forward to the next. A Course Grade Appeal form is available on Forms Central, and upon resolution of the appeal, must be filed along with the proper signatures with the Vice Provost for Academic Administration.
The process requires that the student speak first to the faculty person in question, next to the Department Chair, then to the appropriate Academic Dean. The student’s final recourse is to take an appeal to the Academic Policies Committee.
In the rare event that the Academic Policies Committee recommends a grade change and the faculty member rejects that recommendation, the Provost will have the grade changed to reflect the recommendation of the committee.
