Grading Policies

The policy approved by UCC in the Fall 2002 concerns the period of time to complete "Q" grades. The policy states "the maximum time that "Q" grades will be allowed to stay on a record, without conversion to a grade of "F", will be three (3) years.

The grade of I (incomplete) should only be requested if you have successfully completed a majority of the work for the course and due to overwhelming and unavoidable circumstances that are beyond your control (e.g., serious illness, death in the family), you are unable to complete all the requirements of the course. Being awarded an I is a privilege not a right of the student and the decision to grant an incomplete grade rests solely with the course instructor. When permission is granted by a faculty member, the approval signature affirms that the remaining assignments/requirements will be communicated to the student.

Stipulations regarding incomplete grades:

• Students should rarely request an incomplete grade.
• You must be passing the course and be able to complete the remaining course assignments without attending additional classes or needing additional instruction from the faculty member. Incomplete grades are typically awarded near the end of the semester when only a small amount of graded materials is required of the student.
• If you do not complete the work for a course in which you received a grade of I by the last day of classes (before final exam week) of the next full semester, you will receive a grade of F for that course.
• If the student is failing a course, an I cannot be awarded in place of the failing grade.

Incompletes can be extremely problematic:

• You cannot graduate from the university with a temporary grade on your record.
• An incomplete grade does not prevent academic action for dismissal.
• Incomplete grades affect the number of credits earned in the short term and may have an impact on financial aid eligibility, athletic eligibility, or visa status for international students.

• The first day attendance policy allows faculty to remove students from a course if they do not attend the first class session and do not provide notice to the faculty or the department secretary. This also applies to the first class after a student adds a course during schedule adjustment. This policy is not enforced during the summer sessions.
• If students are dropped from a course this way, they may only reschedule if it is still open during schedule adjustment.
• Even if students do not attend the first class, they are still responsible for officially dropping the course during schedule adjustment. Otherwise, they may remain scheduled for the course, which can result in fees being charged to them and a grade of "F" on their academic record.
• For more information on grading policies, please refer to the College Catalog under "Academic Policies and Procedures".