Grading Policy

1. This policy is effective fall quarter 1997 for the Crookston, Morris, and Twin Cities campuses, replacing all previous grading policies. It may not be applied retroactively to any grades or symbols awarded before that time.
   
2. The University has two grading systems, A-B-C-D-F (with pluses and minuses) and S-N. Students may receive grades only from the grading system under which they have registered for a course. In addition, there are registration symbols that do not carry grade points or credit.
   
3. Instructors must clearly define for a class, at one of its earliest meetings, the performance necessary to earn each grade or symbol.
   
4. No student may receive a bachelor’s degree unless at least 75 percent of the degree-qualifying residence credits carry grades of A, B, C, or D (with or without pluses or minuses). Each campus, college, and department may choose not to accept academic work receiving a D (with or without a plus or minus). Each campus, college, and department determines to what extent and under what conditions each grading system is used, may specify what courses or proportion of courses must be on one system or the other, and may limit a course to either system.
   
5. When both grading systems are available, students must choose one when registering for a course. The choice may not be changed after the end of the second week of classes (the first week in summer terms).
   
6. The University’s official transcript, the chronological record of the student’s enrollment and academic performance, is released by the University only at the student’s request or in accord with state or federal statutes; mailed copies have the University’s official seal printed on them. Students may obtain an unofficial transcript, except when they have a transcript hold on their record.
   
7. The University calculates for each student, both at the end of each grading period and cumulatively, a grade point average (GPA), the ratio of grade points earned divided by the number of credits earned with grades of A-F (including pluses and minuses). Both the periodic and cumulative GPA appear on each student’s record.
   
8. When a student repeats a course, all grades for the course appear on the transcript, the course credits may not be counted more than once toward degree and program requirements, and only the last enrollment for the course counts in the student’s GPA.
   
9. Students may petition the college scholastic committee or other appropriate body about this policy.
   
10. The following grades (with grade points as indicated) and symbols are used on transcripts.

• A....4.00....Represents achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements.
• A-....3.67
• B+....3.33
• B....3.00....Represents achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements.
• B-....2.67
• C+....2.33
• C....2.00....Represents achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect.
• C-....1.67
• D+....1.33
• D....1.00....Represents achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails fully to meet the course requirements.
• S....Represents achievement that is satisfactory (equivalent to a 2.00 or higher and meets or exceeds course requirements in every respect). The S does not carry grade points and is not included in GPA calculations, but the credits count toward the student’s degree program if allowed by the department.
• F or N....Represents failure or no credit and indicates that coursework was completed but at an achievement level unworthy of credit, or was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and student that the student would be awarded an I. Academic dishonesty is grounds for an F or N for the course. The F carries 0.00 grade points and is included in GPA calculations; the N does not carry grade points and is not included in GPA calculations.
• I....Incomplete, a temporary grade that indicates coursework has not been completed.
  
  The instructor assigns an I when, due to extraordinary circumstances, the student was prevented from completing coursework on time. An I requires a written agreement between the instructor and student specifying the time and manner in which the student will complete the course requirements during the student’s next term of enrollment.
  
  For undergraduates and adult special students, work to make up an I must be submitted within 72 hours of the last final examination of the student’s next term of enrollment; if not submitted by that time, in the sixth week of the next term the I will automatically change to an F (if A-F registration) or N (if S-N registration).
  
  The instructor is expected to turn in the new grade within four weeks of the date work is submitted.
  
  When an I is changed to another symbol, the I is removed from the record. Once an I has become an F or N, it may be converted to any other grade by petition of the instructor (or department if the instructor is unavailable).
• K....Indicates the course is still in progress and a grade cannot be assigned at the present time.
• T....Transfer, a prefix to the original grade that indicates credits transferred from another institution or from one University college or campus to another.
• V....Visitor, indicates registration as an auditor or visitor; does not carry credit or grade points.

• W....Withdrawal, indicates a student has officially withdrawn from a course. If a student withdraws from a course during the first two weeks of classes, that course registration is not recorded on the student's transcript. The W is recorded if the student withdraws from the course during the third through eighth week of class (second or third weeks of summer terms). Withdrawal in the ninth or later week of classes (fourth or later in summer terms) requires college approval.

  Each student may, once during his or her undergraduate enrollment, withdraw from a course without college approval, and receive a W, at any time up to and including the last day of class for that course.
• X....Indicates a student may continue in a sequence course in which a grade cannot be determined until the full sequence of courses is completed. The instructor submits a grade for each X when the student completes the sequence.