Grades

Reports of students’ grades are made to the Registrar at the mid-semester and at the end of each semester. All grades are submitted electronically via Web for Faculty on BannerWeb. In official recording of academic work, the following symbols are employed:

• A, excellent;
• B, good;
• C, satisfactory;
• D, passing;
• F, failing;
• P, pass;
• E, reexamination;
• X, incomplete;
• IP, honors work in progress;
• NG, grade not submitted by professor;
• WP, withdrew passing;
• WF, withdrew failing.

E and X grades are conditional and are removed during the following semester. The faculty member indicates on the course withdrawal form if the student who withdraws from a course is to receive a WP or WF. WP and WF are not computed in the student’s grade point average. A, B, C, and D can be employed with minus notations; B, C, and D may have the plus notation, but not the grade of A.

At the mid-semester reporting period, the S grade may be used to denote satisfactory work. The S grade is not recommended for first-year students, however. It is important for first-year students to have a clear declaration of their standing in classes at the mid-semester point. This is achieved by recording the grade that reflects this standing. In addition to A, B, C, D, and S, the grade of D and F may be subscripted at the mid-semester point with the following numbers as indicated:

• 1, poor or failing work due to excessive absences;
• 2, poor or failing work due to class work;
• 3, poor or failing work due to a combination of both absences and class work.

Any student who has received a grade of D-, D, or D+ in a course may repeat the course for a higher grade. No additional hours credit may be earned when repeating a course for a higher grade. Any student who has failed a course may repeat the course for credit. When calculating a student’s overall grade point average, the hours attempted and the grade points earned for each attempt of the course are included. However, only one failure of a course will be calculated in the grade point average.

Students may enroll in a class on a pass/fail basis for one course per semester, or two courses per year. Permission of the professor is required and must be obtained during the first two weeks of the class in each semester. If there are special conditions to be met for the pass grade to be earned, e.g., an average higher than a D- as defined on the syllabus, the professor and student should have a written agreement as to those conditions. No more than six courses taken pass/fail are permitted to count towards graduation. The pass/fail option may not be used in courses taken to satisfy general degree requirements or courses taken to satisfy major requirements including cognate courses.

Credit hours with a grade of pass are not included in the determination of the grade point average although those hours with a grade of fail are included. A student who has a passing average on course work and who fails the final examination and, as a result has a failing average for the course, may, at the discretion of the professor, be permitted to take a reexamination. An E grade is given in this case and a special notation must be made with the Registrar by the professor. Students with E grades must notify the Registrar of their intention to take reexaminations at least one week in advance of the scheduled time and must pay the required fee. If the student passes the reexamination, a term grade of D-, D, or D+ will be earned, unless the course was taken pass/fail, in which case the grade of P will be recorded. Seniors in the final term of attendance are eligible for reexamination without delay at the discretion of the faculty member if they fail a final examination.

The grade of X (incomplete) will be given to the student who is unable to complete course work, including the final examination, because of illness or other emergency. Upon completion of the unfinished work, the student will receive whatever final grade is earned.

All unfinished work must be completed and all conditional grades must be removed by the professor submitting a final grade to the Registrar’s Office no later than the end of the fourth week of classes of the following term. After the removal of an X or E grade by the professor, the student must clear the record with the Registrar’s Office and Bursar’s Office by the end of the sixth week of classes of the following term. If illness or other extraordinary circumstances prevent this, then a petition requesting an extension must be submitted for the approval by the Standards and Standing Committee. Conditional grades not removed by the deadline will become grades of F.

Reports of students’ grades are available online on the Rhodes website at the end of each semester. Students are responsible for keeping other family members correctly and currently informed of their academic standing and progress. Mid-semester deficiency reports are mailed to those students who have a grade of D+ or below. Complete mid-semester reports are also available online to the students and their faculty advisors.