/Institutions/Southern-University-System/json/2022-2023/Southern-University-at-Shreveport-Academic-Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/Southern-University-System/json/2022-2023/Southern-University-at-Shreveport-Academic-Catalog.json

Southern University at Shreveport Academic Catalog > Academic Grades > Grade Descriptions

Grade Descriptions

AU	Audit
CR	Credit
I	Incomplete
M	Military Credit
NC	No Credit
NG	No Grade Recorded
P	Pass
W	Withdrawal

Withdrawal (W) and Incomplete (I) Grades

A “W” grade is placed on a student’s academic record to signify a course that was dropped after the initial drop/add period or to signify official withdrawal from all courses for a semester. These courses are part of the students' permanent academic record and are considered attempted credits. These courses do affect a student's completion rate and also appear on transcripts.

The grade of “I” (incomplete) is given only when the student’s work is satisfactory but, for reasons beyond the control of the student, has not been completed by the end of the semester. It is not granted in lieu of an “F” (failing), or to give the student opportunities or more time to improve a grade if such opportunities have not also been made available to all students in the same class. It is the responsibility of the student to confer with the instructor of the course and to complete the prescribed requirements of the course on or before the designated date shown for final examinations in the university calendar.

For each proposed grade of “I” (incomplete), the instructor and the student must file an “Incomplete Grade Application Form” prior to the published date when grades are due at the end of each semester. The application must be approved by the division dean and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. If approval is denied, the grade earned to date prevails and must be posted accordingly. If approval is granted, the “I” grade is posted as a temporary notation on the student’s official record. It is the mutual responsibility of the student and the instructor to complete and file the “Incomplete Grade Application Form” in a timely manner. An “I” grade submitted without approved documentation will be administratively converted to an “F” grade.

Students will obtain credit for courses in which their grades are “incomplete” only by completing the work agreed upon on the signed “Incomplete Grade Application Form” in a satisfactory and timely manner. The standard window for replacing an incomplete grade starts at the end of the semester in which the “I” grade was received and closes six weeks into the consecutive full semester. If the work is not completed within the designated time frame, the grade in the course automatically becomes an “F”. The grade of “I” (Incomplete) shall be neutral in the calculation of the grade point average. A grade of incomplete must be changed to a permanent grade by the instructor within the time limit specified by submitting the Grade Change Form to the Registrar’s Office. Delinquent Grade Change Forms will not be processed without the approval of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

An Early Start/Dual enrollment student may add or drop courses or change from one section of a course to another with the approval of his/her high school counselor as per established deadlines. All transactions must be forwarded to the Office of Early Start/Dual Enrollment to be completed and filed in the Registrar’s Office.

Change of Grades

All course grades except “I” grades are intended to be final and permanent when posted by the faculty of record. It is expected that faculty will arrive at and report final grades as accurately and precisely as the nature of the evaluation of student achievement and the grading system will permit. It is the faculty’s direct and personal responsibility to ensure that grades are fair and reported correctly the first time. Final grades cannot be improved by submission of ‘make-up’ work’ after grades have been submitted by the instructor at the end of the term.

If an error occurs in the calculation or recording of a grade, it can be corrected only by the faculty of record completing a Grade Change Form which must include:

• The student’s name, student number, course registration number (CRN), course designation by title and number, semester/year, the division and the change desired.
• A statement unequivocally identifying the person who made the error and explaining the nature of the error.
• An explanation of how the new grade was computed.

The form must have the signature of the instructor and division dean and must be forwarded to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for final approval. Requests for grade corrections must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs within six weeks of the next regular enrollment period.

No grade will be changed after twelve (12) months following the completion of the course in question. This provides ample time to have a grade formally and successfully appealed. Students must appeal in writing to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs within six (6) months following the completion of the course.

Grade Reports

Grades are posted electronically (Banner Web) by instructors at the end of each semester. Students may access their personal and secure online student account to retrieve or view final grades.

Mid-term grades are posted in the Banner Web System as a mid-term progress report. Mid-term grades do not become a part of the student’s permanent official record.

If the student is missing a grade, he/she must contact the instructor for that course. Final grades are posted by the instructor.