Grading Policies

Grading System

Grade Point Average (GPA)

In addition to individual course grades, the quality of a student’s work is indicated by her grade point average (GPA). Numerical values called grade points are assigned to each letter grade as indicated in the grading system. The grade points earned in a course are computed by multiplying the appropriate grade point value by the number of semester hours credit assigned to the course. The GPA is obtained by dividing grade points earned by semester hours attempted. Credit earned at other institutions and courses taken on a pass/fail basis are not used in calculating the GPA.

Final Work for a Degree

If a student takes transient work during her last semester before graduation, she must ensure that she will finish transient course(s) and that the formal transcript of transient credit will be sent to Columbia College prior to the College’s deadline for submission of senior grades.

End of Semester Block Schedule

During the final week of the semester, each course meets once for a two-hour period as determined by the Block Schedule. Each instructor determines the type of evaluation to be used.

Policy on Disclosure of Grades

Grades will not be disclosed or posted in any way that would allow another person to identify an individual student’s grade.

Academic Standing

A student’s record is reviewed after each term (fall, spring, and summer) in order to determine her or his academic standing. To be in good academic standing, a student must be academically eligible to enroll in the subsequent term.

Repeated Courses

Courses may be taken to improve academic standing. The highest grade earned on a repeated course will determine the number of grade points to be used in calculating the cumulative GPA. Repeated courses are included in the semester hour load and are subject to the usual fee assessment.

The course descriptions for some courses include a note that the course may be taken multiple times for credit. For those courses, and those courses only, a student may earn credit for taking the course multiple times. The hours and grades earned for all of the times the course is taken, subject to any limitations included in the course description, are used to determine the student’s cumulative hours earned and cumulative GPA. However, if a student receives a grade of “D”, “WD”, “F”, or “U” in such a course, the student will be assumed to be repeating the course to improve academic standing as in the previous paragraph when she next takes the course. In the case of a grade of “D”, the student may, in writing, inform the Registrar’s Office that she is taking the course for additional credit and not repeating it for improvement.

If a student receives a failing grade (“WD”, “F”, or “U”) three times in the same course at Columbia College, the student may not repeat the course at Columbia College, and one grade of “F” will be used to compute the cumulative GPA.

If credit is earned at another institution for a course previously graded as “Incomplete,” “Failed,” or “Withdrawn” at Columbia College, the appropriate Division may require that the student pass an examination at Columbia College, regardless of the grade attained in the other school’s course. No grade adjustment will be made.

Academic Probation

When the cumulative GPA falls below 2.00, the student is placed on academic probation and is permitted to register for a maximum course load of 13 semester hours.

Exclusion

Day College

A student whose first semester is a fall semester and who is placed on academic probation at the end of her/his first semester at Columbia College will be excluded if her/his cumulative GPA is less than 2.00 after her/his second semester. Any other student who is placed on academic probation will be excluded if she/he remains on academic probation for two consecutive semesters and if her/his cumulative GPA is still less than 2.00. If a student is subject to exclusion at the end of the spring semester, she/he will be allowed to attend the summer sessions to attempt to improve her GPA.

Evening College

A student will be excluded if she/he remains on academic probation for two consecutive semesters and her/his cumulative GPA is still less than 2.00. A student subject to exclusion at the end of spring semester will be allowed to attend the summer sessions immediately following to attempt to avoid exclusion by improving her/his GPA; in this case, if the cumulative GPA is less than 2.00 at the completion of the summer sessions, the student will be excluded.

Online Programs

A student will be excluded if she/he remains on academic probation for two consecutive terms and her/his cumulative GPA is still less than 2.00.

A student will also be excluded from the online program if she/he fails three courses in a term.

Readmission of Excluded Students

A student who is excluded for academic difficulties is eligible to apply for readmission after one semester. Readmission is permitted at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. The excluded student, upon application for readmission, is in competition for space with other applicants at that time.

Once readmitted, the student will be placed on academic probation with a maximum course load of 13 semester hours. She will once again be excluded for academic reasons if her cumulative GPA remains less than 2.00 after two consecutive semesters, and will only be eligible for readmission through the Academic Renewal Policy.

If a student is excluded from Columbia College for academic reasons, and if another institution permits that student to earn credit during the semester following her exclusion, then Columbia College will not accept such credit by transfer should the student subsequently be readmitted to Columbia College.

Academic Renewal Policy

A student whose cumulative grade point average is below 2.00 who applies for readmission to Columbia College after an absence of at least three calendar years from Columbia College may apply for academic renewal. Under academic renewal, a student will receive credit toward graduation for grades of “C” or above on courses previously taken at Columbia College but will not receive any quality points.

The following provisions apply to the academic renewal policy:

1. A student must accept or reject academic renewal upon readmission.
2. A student will be granted academic renewal one time only.
3. A student who has twice been excluded for academic reasons will be eligible for academic renewal.
4. A student admitted under academic renewal will be considered in good academic standing. In addition, failing grades received in a course taken at Columbia College before academic renewal will not be considered in determining whether the student may repeat a course.
5. Any academic credit earned at another regionally accredited institution will be evaluated according to current College transfer policy.
6. Following readmission under the academic renewal policy, a student must complete a minimum of 25 percent of all courses required by the degree at Columbia College, including 12 semester hours in her major. This requirement means that at least 30 semester hours of coursework must be taken at Columbia College.
7. A student who accepts academic renewal and who subsequently completes at least 55 hours of graded (not pass/fail) coursework will be eligible to graduate with honors from Columbia College in accordance with appropriate GPA honors requirements.
8. The student’s permanent academic record will remain an unmodified record of all work attempted at Columbia College. The record will contain a statement that the student has been granted academic renewal by Columbia College.

Grade Reports

At the close of each semester, final reports of courses attempted and grades are released to students. Mid-semester grades are regarded as progress reports. They are not used as a basis for administrative actions such as academic probation or student activity disqualification, but they are the basis of extra advisory action. All grades are available to students on Koala Connection.

Grade Changes

The instructor, the Division Dean, and the Provost must approve all grade changes. Grade changes made after the end of the regular semester following the original grading period must also be approved by the Academic Standards Committee. Additional coursework done after the conclusion of the semester cannot affect the final grade in a course.

Class Absence

College sanctioned events are important to building a rich and multi-faceted student experience, a core value of the college mission. Therefore, if a student is representing the college in an official capacity (e.g.: academic conference, student government, course field trips, athletics, performances) and the Office of the Provost has approved the activity, in writing, as an official college-sanctioned event, that class or lab absence shall be excused. Such students are responsible for all coursework missed; faculty are responsible for articulating a clear attendance policy that specifies an acceptable number of excused and unexcused absences and for determining a reasonable time frame and method for making up missed work.

It remains the responsibility of the student to communicate accurately and regularly with the professor or instructor about missed class due to any reason, including for college-sanctioned events. During the first week of each semester students shall provide advanced official documentation of proposed college-sanctioned events that will result in excused absences, unless such notice is impracticable (e.g. rescheduled events). Students and faculty may appeal the administration of any aspect of this policy directly to the Provost whose decision shall be final.

The policy for class attendance for all students is to be established by each instructor in his or her own class. That policy should be consistent with the attainment of educational objectives and the development of the student’s personal maturity. A written statement of this policy shall be given to students at the first class session and a copy shall be filed with the Provost.

Absences will be excused at the discretion of the individual professor. If students have to miss class because of participation in a varsity athletic game or other official college business, faculty will give them the opportunity to turn in work in advance or make up work missed if at all possible. A student whose absences exceed the number allowed by the instructor’s policy shall receive the grade of “FA” for that course.

Students who desire exceptions to a professor’s attendance policy should appeal to the Division Dean no later than mid-semester following the semester in which the class was taken. If the professor is the Division Dead, the appeal should be made to the Provost. In case of extreme hardship, the Provost or the President of the College has the authority to make an immediate decision on an appeal.

Academic Grievance Procedure

1. Student’s Academic Grievance Procedure
   1. A student who feels that she/he has been unjustly evaluated by a professor must first contact that professor to discuss the complaint.
   2. If the matter remains unresolved, then the student and professor must confer with the Division Dean of the specific division concerned.
   3. If the matter is not resolved, then the student must submit a written petition and pertinent documentation to the Division Dean of the Division concerned. The Division Dean must schedule a meeting with the student and the professor. All documents to be considered must be made available to all parties prior to the meeting. After reviewing the petition and documentation and discussing the issue with the student and professor, the Division Dean must notify the student and the professor in writing of her/his decision.
   4. If the matter is yet unresolved, then the student must submit a written petition to the Provost who will convene the Grade Grievance Committee. The Provost will make a copy of the written petition available to all members of the grievance committee prior to the meeting. The Grade Grievance Committee is chaired by the Provost and consists of three members of the Standards, Review, and Ethics Committee and two students appointed by the Provost. The Provost has no vote in the Grade Grievance Committee’s deliberations.
   5. The Provost must inform the student and the professor in writing of the Grade Grievance Committee’s decision. This decision must be limited to the issue of the grade. If the grade is changed, the Provost must notify the Office of the Registrar.
   6. If the decision does not resolve the grievance, then the student may petition in writing the President of the College. The decision of the President must be communicated in writing to the student and the professor.
   7. The student lodging the grievance action may ask another student, faculty member, or staff member to accompany her/him to any of the conferences or Grievance Committee meetings scheduled as part of the complaint process.
2. The grievant has 45 days from the end of the academic term in which the grade was recorded to notify the Provost in writing of her/his intent to request a hearing before the Grade Grievance Committee. Section A, steps 1-4 must be followed before the student may submit a request for a hearing. Failure to follow the established procedure may result in the denial of the request.