Grade Information
The standing of a student in his/her work is expressed by grades made up from class work and from examinations. There are eight grades: A (Excellent), B (Good), C (Fair), D (Pass), F (Failure), W (Withdrawal), XF (Failure due to academic dishonesty), and I (Incomplete). The grades of W and I are not counted as hours attempted in computing the student’s grade point average. A “W” grade is given for an instructor or student-initiated course withdrawal through the 12th week of the 16-week semester. During the summer semester, a W is given through the 4th week for the 5-week session, the 6th week for the 8-week session and the 9th week for the 10 - week session.
To pass a course it is necessary to secure a grade of at least a “D.” In some AAS degree programs a grade of “D” is unacceptable if earned in a major course. When a “D” grade is earned in such a course, the student must repeat that course and earn a grade of “C” or higher. In some AAS degree programs the grade of “D” is not given in major courses. Grades in those courses are: “A……B,” “C……F.” Students enrolling in a program where either of these policies are in effect are informed in advance of the departmental grading policy.
An incomplete grade not removed within 30 calendar days of the first class day of the subsequent term will become an “F.” An extension beyond this time frame may only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Approval for the extension must be granted by the instructor in writing and must be submitted to the Director of Admissions and Records for approval. Students who remove incomplete grades in courses that are required for graduation must do so within 30 calendar days from the graduation date in order to be considered a graduate for that term. Students who wait until the subsequent term to clear the incomplete will be considered for graduation in the term in which the incomplete was cleared. The student is responsible for completing a new application for graduation. This policy does not relieve students from meeting course prerequisites.
Any student who has an administrative hold in our system will not be able to view grades, receive financial aid disbursement, request transcripts or enroll for a consecutive semester. These administrative holds include, but are not limited to:
- Incomplete application
- Missing information
- Missing official transcripts
- Disciplinary action
- Temple College unpaid tickets
- Unreturned Library books
- Unpaid tuition
- Return in funds for Financial Aid
- Unreturned materials to Student Support
- Default on Institutional short term loans
- Default on Federal Student Loans*
*Must meet the lender arrangements and must provide proof to Temple College that student(s) has/have made six consecutive monthly payments.
GRADE CHANGES
Grades are subject to change under the following conditions:
INCOMPLETES: A grade of incomplete “I” will be changed to a letter grade. If a grade of “I” is not changed within 30 calendar days into the next semester, a grade of “F” will be assigned.
ERRORS: A grade calculated or recorded erroneously may be changed by the instructor to the grade actually earned.
DISPUTES: A disputed grade may be changed if the student appeals the grade given within one academic year from the term the grade was earned.
Grade Change Policy:
A change of grade will be accepted by the Director/Associate Director of Admissions and Records only if properly submitted by the instructor or by the department chair in the absence of the instructor. Grade changes will be accepted up to one calendar year from the original term of enrollment for the course.
Student Grade Appeal Procedure:
Academic appeals should be resolved informally with the instructor whenever possible. Any student has the right to question a grade he/she has received, but the student should recognize the difference between questioning a grade and charging an instructor with a violation of good teaching practices. The latter is a serious act and should neither be undertaken lightly nor should the desire to have a grade reviewed and changed be the primary motivation for initiating a grievance. It will be recognized that the burden of proof rests with the student.
A student who wishes to question a grade must discuss the matter first with the instructor of record as soon as possible, preferably no later than one week after the start of the next regular academic term after receiving the grade. If the student’s concerns remain unresolved after the discussion with the instructor, the student may submit a written request to meet with the appropriate Department Chair within one week of speaking with the instructor. If the matter remains unresolved after step two, the student will submit a written request within one week to the Division Director. If the matter remains unresolved after step three, the student will submit a written request within one week to the Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services.
XF Grade Change Process
A grade of XF must remain on the student’s transcript for at least one year beyond the semester for which the grade was initially assigned.
After one year, and no more than 3 years from the end of the semester the XF grade was assigned, a student may petition, in writing, the faculty member who issued the “XF”, or the department chair (if faculty member is no longer employed by TC), to have the X portion of the grade expunged. The student must also meet with the faculty member/department chair to explain the request.
If a petition to change an XF grade has been made and denied, the student must wait at least one long semester from the date of denial to repeat the petition process. A student may petition until the maximum 3-year time limit has expired.
Once the petition is received and approved by the faculty member/department Chair, the petition will go to the Academic Integrity Committee (AIC) for final review. If the petition is approved by the AIC, the AIC will establish the conditions for expunging the “X” portion of the grade for each individual situation. Those conditions could include, but are not limited to:
1. Student must register for a course in ethics/integrity (specifically created by a committee for this purpose, containing objective questions and an essay – essay would be randomly selected from a bank of topics) several have suggested using existing ethics courses and informing student upon receiving XF to consult the petition process.
2. Upon completion of the course, the student must score 80 or above on an end of course exam.
Once the established conditions have been met, with the approval of the Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services, the faculty member/department chair will submit a grade change request.
If the student is subsequently found guilty of a second violation of academic integrity, committed either before or after the original violation, the XF cannot be removed. For cases in which the second violation was not discovered until after the original XF was changed to an F, the XF grade is permanently restored for the course. The Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services will provide information from Retention Alert and other sources pertaining to each petition for review.
A student may retake a course where a grade of XF was awarded to obtain a better grade for the course. However, the “XF” grade will remain on the student’s transcript until the student successfully petitions for its removal.
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