Audit. Students who desire to take coursework without affecting their GPA, may choose to audit courses. Students who audit courses are not held responsible for the work. Audited courses receive no credit, no points applied to the grade point average and a final grade of “AU”. A course that is audited cannot change to a credit course, nor can a credit course be changed to an audit course after the drop period. Students enrolled full-time may audit courses without charge. Those enrolled less than full-time may audit courses for a $100 fee.
Excused grades. Students with extenuating circumstances can petition the instructor and the Admissions and Standards Committee by submitting a form by the end of semester immediately following the semester for which the course grade was issued. A grade of Excused (E) will not be approved unless there are documented extenuating circumstances, such as illness, injury or personal tragedy, that have affected the student’s progress in the course. The student must state a specific reason for requesting an Excused grade, and the instructor’s recommendation must be recorded. The Admissions and Standards Committee will make the final decision and notify the Registrar.
Incomplete grades. If extenuating circumstances result in a student being unable to complete the work in a course, the student may, at the instructor’s discretion, be assigned a grade of Incomplete. If granted, the instructor will complete an Incomplete Grade Form that is signed or verified electronically by the instructor and students and will submit it to the dean and registrar. To qualify for an incomplete grade, the student should have completed at least half of the coursework and with a passing average. The instructor will determine the deadline for completing the coursework, but in all cases, the Incomplete grade must be replaced by a permanent grade within 6 months. Failure to complete the coursework within the prescribed period of time will result in the Incomplete grade being converted to a permanent grade of F. An Incomplete grade earns no quality points. It is the student’s responsibility to seek information about the impact of the incomplete grade on financial aid and/or athletic eligibility.
In Progress grades may be given in a course where a major project or extended research is required and work on that project cannot be completed by the end of the regular grading period. If the project requires more time, the student may petition in writing to the Dean of the School for an additional semester extension (request must be received by the Dean of the School prior to the end of the original semester and be supported by the faculty member). All “IP” grades not made up within the prescribed time automatically convert to the grade of “F.”
Repeating Courses
Students may repeat courses. All attempts taken at Tusculum or accepted as transfer credit will be recorded on the permanent record along with the grades received. For all repeated courses, only the last attempt will be used to determine GPA and hours earned for graduation. An “R” will be placed on the transcript by all courses that have been repeated.
Grade Changes
In order to maintain consistent university-wide standards, grade changes are permitted only under special circumstances. Once a student’s final course grade has been officially recorded by the Registrar, the grade may be changed only under the following conditions:
- A new grade is determined through the official grade appeal process and is submitted by the instructor or by the Admissions and Standards Committee.
- A grade of “Incomplete” or “In Progress” is replaced in accordance with existing procedures specified in the University Catalog.
- An error in computing or recording the grade has been verified by the instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to call the instructor’s attention to a possible grading error in a timely manner, typically during the semester following that in which the questioned grade was received. If twelve months have elapsed since the grade was issued, no grade change will be made.
Under special circumstances, if the faculty member is absent for an extended period or is no longer employed by the University, a Grade Change Form may be submitted by the appropriate college dean for consideration by the Admissions and Standards Committee. Once a grade of “A” through “F” is recorded by the Registrar, it may not be changed based on work submitted or exams retaken after the completion of the course. In extreme cases of extenuating circumstances, the instructor may petition the Admissions and Standards Committee to change a grade of “A” through “F” to an “Incomplete.” Such petitions must include documentation of the specific extenuating circumstances that apply. All grade changes (including incomplete grade to final grade) submitted to the Registrar’s Office must bear the signature of the appropriate college dean.
|
