KEAN UNIVERSITY
UNDERGRADUATE GRADING AND ACADEMIC STANDING & GPA
The letter grading system listed below was effective beginning with the Fall 1990 semester. The student’s academic standing in every course is reported at the end of each semester by a letter grade. Credit is granted for the following:
A Excellent
AB+
B Good
BC+
C Fair
D Poor
P Pass (Pass/Fail option, supplemental university instruction credit courses and developmental Courses)
S Satisfactory (Student teaching and related field experience)*
No credit is granted for the following:
F Fail
U Fail (Pass/Fail option, student teaching and related field experience,* supplemental university instruction credit courses and developmental courses)
AF Fail (administratively assigned)
IN Incomplete Work
IP Incomplete Work (Pass/Fail)
IC Incomplete Work (CG/NC)
W Withdrawn
AU Audit
R( ) Repeated grade
NR Grade not reported at time of
collection
LV Leave of absence
*Student teaching is graded as “S” or “U.”
Credits for student teaching are not used in computing
the cumulative grade point average.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE
The student’s overall academic standing is indicated by a grade point average. The grade point
average is determined by dividing the total grade points earned by the total number of semester
hours calculated. Numerical points for each letter follow: A = 4.0; A- = 3.7; B+ = 3.3; B = 3.0;
B- = 2.7; C+ = 2.3; C = 2.0; D = 1.0; F = 0. The cumulative average is determined only on courses
taken at Kean University. Omissions or errors in grade compilation should immediately be reported to the Office of the Registrar. Questions regarding letter grades assigned by an instructor should be discussed directly with the instructor as soon as possible and no later than the last day of the
eighth week of the subsequent major (fall or spring) semester. This timeline does not apply to graduating seniors; change of grades must be completed no later than two weeks after the graduation date. Example: For May degree candidates the change of grade must be completed
no later than two weeks after the May ceremony. For January and August candidates, no later than the end of the month. A change of grade will not be permitted after the baccalaureate degree has been posted.
GRADUATE GRADING
Letter grades are assigned at the end of each semester.
Effective with the Fall 1997 semester, graduate credit is granted for the following grades:
A Excellent
AB+
B Good
C Fair
CG Credit Granted
Graduate credit is not granted for the following grades:
D Poor
F Fail
NC No Credit
AF Administrative Failure
IN/IC Incomplete Work
W Withdrawn in first third of semester
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WD Withdrawn
A maximum of two “Cs” may be accepted toward program requirements unless otherwise specified at the time of admission. Pre-matriculated “Cs” will not be accepted.
INCOMPLETE – Undergraduate & Graduate
A grade of Incomplete (IN or IC) may be reported for a student who has completed course requirements throughout the semester and then, because of illness or other unusual and substantiated cause, has been unable to take the final examination or to complete a limited amount of assigned work due near the end of the semester. Unsubstantiated absences from class cannot justify an “incomplete” grade. Class attendance in the subsequent semester may not be required by the instructor as a condition for removal of the IN. If a substantial amount of work has been missed for medical or other valid reasons, the student should petition the School Dean to be withdrawn from all courses. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate a request for a grade of incomplete by filling out the form “Conditions for an Incomplete Grade and Its Removal.” FAILURE TO FILE SUCH FORM WILL RESULT IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE FAILURE (AF). Forms for an incomplete are available in the departmental offices. The course instructor must receive this request prior to the submission of grades at the end of
the semester.
GRADE GRIEVANCES – Undergraduate & Graduate
If a student believes that he or she has not been graded fairly in a course, it is the student’s right to initiate a grade grievance. A formal process exists for the resolution of such problems. The overall guidelines for the grade grievance process are basically uniform from department to department, with each department free to develop specific procedures within these guidelines.
Requests for reconsideration of a grade must be brought to the faculty member as soon as possible after the conclusion of the course and no later than the end of the eighth week of the next major semester. The steps in the process are outlined below; it is understood that if a satisfactory resolution is reached at any level, the process ends. If at a given step either party is dissatisfied with the proposed resolution, the dissatisfied party may request reconsideration at the next level. Decisions by the School Dean are final, with no provision for further appeal beyond that point.
1. The student meets with the faculty member to request information about the faculty member’s grading decision or evaluative judgment. If after receiving an explanation from the
faculty member, the student remains dissatisfied, he or she may request reconsideration of the grade by the faculty member.
2. The student meets with the department chairperson to discuss the assigned grade. The chairperson may choose to intervene directly at this point and attempt to seek a resolution or may decide to refer the question to the departmental grievance committee and convene the committee in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.
3. The departmental grievance committee, composed of faculty members and at least one student, hears the grievance. The committee determines (in accordance with prevailing
departmental practices and the specifics of the particular grievance) a procedure to follow. Both the student and faculty member might be asked to submit materials in writing, or both might be invited or required to appear before the committee. The committee may schedule these meetings so that the parties appear separately or together. Additional information may be requested by the committee as needed.
4. The grievance committee makes a determination and notifies the student and faculty member in writing of its decision.
5. If the decision of the grievance committee is not acceptable to either of the parties involved or if implementation of the decision requires the attention of the School Dean, the grievance is brought to the Dean for resolution and all relevant materials are forwarded to the School Dean’s office.
(All above information from Kean University Undergraduate & Graduate Catalogs – 2009-2010)