College policy 3.08

Grading

Part 1. Definitions

Subpart A. Application Rule

The definitions contained in this section are applicable throughout MCTC policy and procedures.

Subpart B. College-Level Courses

"College-level courses" are courses with a course number of 1000 or higher.

Subpart C. Departmental Dean

"Departmental dean" means the dean of academic affairs assigned as administrator for that department.

Subpart D. Developmental Education Courses

"Developmental education courses" are courses with a course number of less than 1000.

Subpart E. Instructor

"Instructor" means the faculty member assigned to teach a given course and evaluate a student's performance.

Subpart F. Letter Grade

"Letter grade" means a grade of A, B, C, D or F.

Subpart G. Student

"Student" means an individual who is enrolled in a class or program at MCTC.

Subpart H. The College

"The College" means Minneapolis Community and Technical College or MCTC.

Part 2. Grade Determination

Subpart A. Evaluation of Performance

Evaluation of a student's performance is determined by the instructor of the course and cannot be appealed except as allowed in Part 8 of this policy.

Subpart B. Grading Criteria

The instructor shall establish the criteria used to evaluate a student's performance and communicate the criteria to the student in a written syllabus.

Subpart C. Amendments to Grading Criteria

The instructor has the right to alter the written grading criteria if the alteration:

is more generous;
does not disadvantage a student; and
is communicated in writing to all students.

Subpart D. Grade Submission

The instructor of a course shall submit a grade as provided in parts 3, 4 or 5 of this policy for each student who is not auditing or withdrawn from the course. The grades must be submitted by the deadline and in the manner designated by the Registrar's Office each semester.

Part 3. Letter Grades

Subpart A. Grade Option

The instructor of a student who is taking a course for a letter grade shall evaluate the student relative to the established expectations for the course using one of the following letter grades.

Grade A. A grade of "A" indicates that a student's performance was superior relative to the established expectations for the course.
Grade B. A grade of "B" indicates that a student's performance was above average relative to the established expectations for the course.
Grade C. A grade of "C" indicates that a student's performance was average relative to the established expectations for the course.
Grade D. A grade of "D" indicates that a student's performance was below average relative to the established expectations for the course.
Grade F. A grade of "F" indicates that a student's performance was inadequate relative to the established expectations for the course.

Part 4. Pass or No Credit Grades

Subpart A. Grade Options

The instructor of a student who is taking a course for a pass or no credit grade shall submit one of the following grades for each student who has not withdrawn from the course.

Grade P. A grade of "P" or passing indicates that a student's performance was adequate relative to the established expectations for the course.
Grade NC. A grade of "NC" or no credit indicates that a student's performance was inadequate relative to the established expectations for the course.

Part 5. Assignment of an Incomplete

Subpart A. Instructor Discretion

At the discretion of the instructor and in accordance with the criteria in subpart C, below, a student may be granted an incomplete when the instructor believes there is a reasonable expectation that the student can complete the work for a course.

Subpart B. Completion of Coursework

The instructor and student should identify in writing expectations for completing the work. The deadline to complete coursework is determined by the instructor, but may be no later than the end of the next semester, not including summer session. If the instructor has not submitted a letter grade by the end of the next semester, a grade of "F" or "NC", as applicable, will be entered by the Registration Office.

Subpart C. Criteria

Internships and clinicals are not eligible for incompletes. All work and all hours for each internship and clinical course must be completed by the end of the semester in which the student is registered.
Courses with either on-campus lab or clinical lab components are not eligible for incompletes. All work and all hours for on-campus labs and clinical labs must be completed by the end of the semester in which the student is registered. If the student is unable to complete the course, the student should withdraw and reregister for the course in a subsequent semester. The student cannot make up lab components of a course during a subsequent semester if the student is not registered for the course.
The student must present the instructor with a documentable and legitimate reason for not being able to complete the course by the end of the semester in which the student is registered for the course.
The student must have completed at least 75% of the course requirements up to the point where the request for an incomplete is made.
The student must be earning a passing grade in the course at the time that the request for an incomplete is made.
The student must be able to complete all remaining requirements of the course without direct instruction or supervision.

Part 6. Communicating Grades

Subpart A. Posting Grades

An instructor may post grades provided a code is used that is identifiable only to the student and instructor. Posted grades may not contain the student's name, ID number, or social security number.

Subpart B. Access to Grades

Except as allowed in MCTC Policy 4.11, only the instructor of a course is permitted to communicate grades to the student.

Part 7. Student Academic Honors

Subpart A. Deans List

A student who completes 12 or more college-level credits in a semester with a semester GPA of 3.0 or greater will be included on the Deans List. A letter of acknowledgement will be sent to each student on the list.

Subpart B. Excluded Credits

The following credits will not be included to determine eligibility for academic honors:

Developmental education and English as a second language credits;
Credits taken for a pass or fail grade;
Credits taken for audit;
Credits from which the student withdrew; and
Credits that are currently in incomplete status.

Part 8. Appealing Grades

Subpart A. Conditions for Appeal to Departmental Dean

A student who disagrees with a grade awarded for a class may appeal the grade to the departmental dean within 30 days after the date that grades are posted only if the student has first appealed to the instructor and one of the following two conditions applies:

an error was made in calculating the grade; or
the instructor deviated from the evaluation criteria established by the syllabus for the course.

Subpart B. Final Determination

A student may appeal the decision of the departmental dean to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs within five (5) business days of receipt of the decision of the dean. The decision of the VP is final and cannot be appealed under any circumstances.

Date effective: 7/1/1999
Date last amended: 9/16/2008