Chapter 2

Faculty and Academics

2.40 Administrative Grade Change/Assignment Policy

Assignment of Grades and Evaluations

Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. The faculty member's judgement is final unless compelling evidence shows discrimination, differential treatment, or factual mistake. Under unusual circumstances, however, it may be necessary to involve others in the assignment of grades or changing grades.

Grades may be changed or assigned through administrative channels through the following procedures:

1. Circumstances when an assigned grade (A, B, C, D, F) might be changed.

   Under this type of circumstance, the formal appeals process stated in the catalogs must be initiated by the student. Because a grade change of this type directly relates to issues of academic freedom, a committee composed of qualified faculty should be appointed by the respective Division Faculty Advisory Committee (DFAC) to assess the academic merits of the appeal. The committee report should weigh heavily in the subsequent administrative review by the Division Director, Dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

2. Circumstances when a grade must be assigned to replace Incomplete (IN), Exam Postponed (EP) or other non-grades.

   1. Under unusual circumstances, a faculty member of record may be unable or unwilling to assign grades in a timely manner. Examples of such circumstances include:

      1. Death or incapacitation of faculty member
      2. Faculty member permanently left the university and refuses/fails to respond
      3. Faculty member is on leave and cannot be reached
   
   

   2. Such circumstances would be brought to the attention of the Division Director through available personnel information or through communication from the faculty member or from the student. Whenever possible, the faculty member may designate another qualified faculty member to evaluate the work and assign the grade. In circumstances where the faculty member is unable to make such a designation or is unable to be contacted in a timely manner, and there is a compelling need to complete the grading process (e.g., student would be eligible to graduate, the one year deadline is about to expire, the course is a prerequisite for other courses), the respective DFAC shall designate a qualified faculty member to evaluate the work and assign the grade.

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