9 Grading
Grading
Grades should be assigned to the student based on achievement of course objectives and the common grading scale. Faculty must use a consistent system of grading and exercise caution in weighing the evidence that determines a student’s grade. It is generally felt that a composite score of several tests and/or projects is a more desirable reflection of overall achievement than a score on a single test and/or project. Faculty who have questions concerning grading may contact their division chair. It is important that grades are kept current in order to allow students to reference their achievement in a course at any given time. Timely feedback is a critical component of student success.
Mid-term Grades
Faculty are required to report a mid-term grade in Self Service Faculty and Canvas for all students in a course. Mid-term grades are required for all course sections. Due dates can be located on the college calendar. Reminders of upcoming due dates are also sent to faculty by the Registrar’s Office.
All students must be able to see a current letter grade in Self Service Faculty and Canvas in all of their courses by 10 a.m. on the mid-term grading due date. Current is defined as a cumulative grade that reflects the grading of all work that has been submitted by students up to the mid-term date. It is preferred that assigned mid-term grades match the grading scale of the course, but the S/U grading scale can be used as mid-term grades in any course, if desired by the instructor.
For directions on how to submit grades, review the Faculty Grading Tutorial.
Final Grades
Faculty are also required submit final grades in Self Service Faculty and Canvas. A final grade of F, U or I must be accompanied by a last date of attendance. Final grading due dates can be located on the college calendar. Reminders of upcoming due dates are also sent to faculty by the Registrar’s Office.
Final grades are a critical element in determining preparation for subsequent courses. Timely entry is essential to complete pre-requisite checks for future courses as well as end of semester processes for Enrollment Services offices.
Grading Procedures
The college has a common grading scale for all courses. Final course grades at NIC are reported using a letter +/- scale. (Policy 5.04) Specialized programmatic accreditation standards supersede this common scale and those standards are published in program handbooks provided to students in those programs.
Letter grades are used to indicate a student’s quality of achievement in a given course. Each of the grades are also assigned an equivalency number, which is used to compute grade point averages:
| Letter | GPA | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 93 – 100% |
| A- | 3.7 | 90 – 92% |
| B+ | 3.3 | 87 – 89% |
| B | 3.0 | 83 – 86% |
| B- | 2.7 | 80 – 82% |
| C+ | 2.3 | 77 – 79% |
| C | 2.0 | 73 – 76% |
| C- | 1.7 | 70 – 72% |
| D+ | 1.3 | 67 – 69% |
| D | 1.0 | 63 – 66% |
| D- | 0.7 | 60 – 62% |
| F | 0.0 | 0 – 59% |
| NG | No Grade |
Other grades awarded are W (drop with a grade of W or withdrawal according to proper procedure); I (incomplete work of passing grade); P or S (satisfactory – requires at least C or 2.0 work; used for designated courses only and for midterm grades); U (unsatisfactory – for courses in which S is given). Courses in which W, S, U, or I grades have been earned are not included in grade point calculations.
Students wishing to check their grade point averages should use the following formula: Per credit grade equivalency x number of credits per class ÷ grade points = GPA. For example, a student receives a grade of B- in English 101 and a grade of C in Math 108:
English 101: (B-) 2.7 x 3 credits = 8.1 grade points
Math 108: (C) 2.0 x 4 credits = 8.0 grade points
8.1 + 8.0 = 16.1 grade points ÷ 7 credits = 2.3 GPA
Incomplete Grades
The following criteria must be met for the student to be eligible for an incomplete grade:
- Students must request an incomplete from the instructor.
- Issued only in cases of extenuating circumstances, such as severe illness or injury.
- Student must be in attendance and have done satisfactory work within three weeks of the end of the semester or proportional length of time for a course less than a semester in length.
Incompletes are not issued if the student is simply unable to complete his/her work within the specified semester or session. If a final grade of I is recorded, the instructor will indicate in writing to the Registrar’s Office what the student must do to make up the deficiency. The instructor will also indicate the permanent grade that will be earned if the incomplete is not removed by the deadline.
All incomplete grades must be removed within six weeks after the first day of the following term, excluding the summer session. If the incomplete is not removed by that date, the grade reverts to the grade indicated in the instructor’s written statement authorizing the incomplete. Incompletes may affect financial aid eligibility and will prevent certificates or degrees from being awarded.
Instructors submitting incomplete grades must also submit a Record of Incomplete Form through SoftDocs Forms. For instructions on how to submit these forms, review the Record of Incomplete Tutorial.
Once the student has completed the work, instructors must submit an Instructor Grade Change Form through SoftDocs Forms. For instructions on how to submit these forms, review the Instructor Grade Change Tutorial.
For questions on incomplete grading, contact the Registrar’s Office at (208) 769-4056.
Grade Changes
Grade changes are submitted online through your MyNIC account using Softdocs Etrieve Forms. You can also access it by following this link: Instructor Grade Change Form. If you are unable to access Softdocs, please contact the IT HelpDesk at (208) 769-3280. A tutorial on how to submit a grade change can be found by clicking the following link: Instructor Grade Change Tutorial.
Audit
A student may enroll in any lecture class on an audit basis. Students are encouraged to attend classes on a regular basis even though they will not receive credit or a grade for the class. Audited courses do not fulfill graduation requirements, do not affect a student’s grade point average, and are not eligible for financial aid funding. The application process and fees for auditing a course are the same as if a student were enrolling for credit.
Course enrollment may be changed from credit to audit by the student during the add/drop period. With the instructor’s permission, course enrollment may be changed from audit to credit during the first four weeks of fall or spring semesters or the first two weeks of a summer session. Any request to change from credit to audit after this period must be approved by the Office of Instruction. Contact Cardinal Central if you would like to change your course enrollment to an audit.
Repeating a Course
Students may repeat any course provided they have not completed a more advanced course for which the first is a prerequisite. While all grades received remain on the official transcript, only the grade received for the most recent course enrollment is used to compute the grade point average. Note: Repeating a course may affect financial aid funding and may not be permitted if the course has already been used to earn a degree.