Incomplete Grades/Incomplete Grade Contract
An instructor may submit a grade of “I” if there is outstanding (but limited) coursework to be evaluated before a final grade can be recorded. Normally, the student who, for reasons of illness or for other good reasons, has been unable to submit particular course requirements, has had a discussion with the instructor about such matters toward the end of the semester and has requested the submission of an “I” grade. Students who have missed substantial portions of a course should not presume that their instructor will submit an “I”; they should be advised to consider withdrawing from the course in a timely way, and to repeat the course if necessary or desired.
Students will have until the mid-semester date of the following semester* to complete requirements for any course in which a grade of “I” is given (or if no mark has been submitted by the instructor, indicated with “NM” on the transcript), unless a written agreement, an Incomplete Grade Contract, signed by the student, the instructor, and filed in the Student Success Center by the end of the current exam period abbreviates this timeframe. Until that time, the GPA will be calculated on the basis of the completed courses (although Dean’s List placement and scholarship considerations may depend upon completion of all courses before that date). After the deadline, any remaining “I” or “NM” grade will be recorded as an “NF” (i.e. “Not Finished”) which will earn 0.00 quality points per credit hour in the GPA. After this time, an “NF” can be changed to another (standard) grade only after a successful appeal to the Advising Dean of the School owning the course and confirmed by the Registrar and the Associate Provost for Academic Policy and Mission Support, and only with the approval of the instructor.
*The deadline for Summer School incompletes will be mid-semester of the following Fall Semester. The deadline for the Winter Intersession will be mid-semester of the following Spring Semester. Exceptions to this deadline may be given in cases of deployment of students who are active duty personnel in the United States Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserve.
**Dean’s List placement and scholarship considerations may depend upon completion of all courses before that date; these may be adjusted when final grades have been submitted.
An “NF” can be changed to another (standard) grade only after a successful appeal to the Advising Dean of the School owning the course and confirmed by the Registrar and the Associate Provost for Academic Policy and Mission Support, and only with the approval of the course instructor. The student’s petition need not explain the need for the original “I” grade, but should instead focus on the particular circumstances which made completion of the coursework within the allotted timeframe impossible.
An “Incomplete Grade Contract” is not required for submission of a grade of “I.” This contract should be completed and signed (normally by the end of the final exam period of the semester in question). A contract is not necessary; it may be useful in certain circumstances (e.g., “Quiz #7 will be made up by January 25 or a “0%” will be factored in and the final grade will be submitted….” Or “Extra credit paper will be submitted by May 15 for consideration…”). Once the student and professor agree on the terms of the contract, the student will schedule a meeting with his/her class dean to submit the contract and review the terms. Both the student and instructor should each retain copies.
