Grading Policies

Grading Policy

Loras College course grades are assigned on the basis of criteria appropriate to each discipline, such as research papers, written and oral examinations, oral presentations, projects, laboratory experiments, and class participation. Grades earned in individual courses are associated with the grading scale published in the course syllabus. The grading scale, criteria for grading, and weights and evaluations measured associated with individual courses is determined by the faculty member.

Grades can be viewed at any time through a student’s IQ page. If necessary, requests for an official grade report can be made to the Office of the Registrar, provided the request is done in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The office of the Registrar does not accept standing requests; each request must be made after grades are posted according to the Academic Calendar.

Final Grades

Loras College issues final grades for all courses. Final grades must be submitted by the date assigned by the Registrar and indicated in the academic calendar (usually the first Tuesday following the final day of the course offering, as identified in the course schedule). Faculty report course grades for students to the Registrar where they are transferred to the student’s permanent academic record (the transcript). Once the final grade is submitted by the instructor, that grade is a permanent grade and cannot be changed unless the final grade has been miscalculated or if the final grade is under appeal.

Midterm Grades

Loras College issues midterm grades for undergraduate courses offered during the fall and spring. Midterm grades are temporary grades that serve to notify students of progress in registered courses. Midterm grades must be submitted by the date assigned by the Registrar and indicated in the Academic Calendar.

Regular Grading System

Sometimes referred to as “graded credits”, most Loras courses use standard letter grades to reflect student achievement. The following grades may appear on a student’s transcript and are factored into the student’s grade point average calculation:

Additional Grade Designations

The following grades may appear on a student’s transcript but are not included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average

Alternative Grading Systems

Pass/Fail Grading

In some courses (e.g. activity courses, some internships, research credits, student abroad) a pass/fail grading system is used to identify student achievement. A passing grade (P) is non-punitive and does not impact a student’s grade point average. A failing grade, however, is reflected as an “F” on the student’s transcript and is included in the grade point average calculation.

Pass/No Credit Grading

The purpose of the Pass (P)/ No Credit (NC) grading option is to allow students in good academic standing to explore academic interests outside of their major or minor area(s) with no risk to their cumulative grade point average. 

Students who are considering taking a course under this policy are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor and the Financial Planning Office to discuss the potential impact of a P/NC election on their academic and financial plans prior to submitting a Pass/No Credit Request Form. 

Eligibility

Undergraduate students who have earned at least 60 credits, completed at least one semester at Loras College, and are in good academic standing are eligible to elect the Pass/No Credit option.  Graduate students, high school students enrolled as part of PSEO programming, and second-degree students are not eligible to elect the Pass/No Credit grading option.

Limits for Pass/No Credit Grading

No more than one course per term may be taken using Pass/No Credit grading. If a student has already been approved for a Pass/No Credit course in a given term, any subsequent requests will be denied by the Registrar. In addition, no more than 6 credits of coursework taken under this policy may be applied to the 120 credits required for graduation.

It is the responsibility of the student to track the number of courses and credits that they have taken under the Pass/No Credit policy. 

Course Exclusions

Passing grades earned under this policy may not be used to satisfy general education requirements, May term requirements, major requirements, or minor requirements.

In instances where a student declares a new major or minor after completion of a required course for that area under the Pass/No Credit grading option, the student can appeal to the School Dean/Associate Dean for approval to count one course taken Pass/No Credit toward a new major or new minor area of study. If denied, or if additional courses for the major/minor have been completed as Pass/No Credit, the student will be required to complete additional substitute credits in order to complete the major/minor.

The Pass/No Credit grading option may not be used for the following courses:

• Courses offered using a pass/fail grading system (e.g. activity courses, research)
• Internships, practica, field, and clinical experiences
• Independent study coursework offered under the Independent Study Policy
• Repeat attempts at a course a student has previously taken

Deadline for Electing the Pass/No Credit Grading Option

To allow students adequate time to explore a course, the deadline to select the Pass/No Credit option is intentionally later in the term.  Students may elect to take a course Pass/No Credit through the course withdrawal deadline (the last date to drop a course and receive a grade of “W” as indicated on the academic calendar) for the term.

Process

To elect the Pass/No Credit option for a course, a student must submit a completed Pass/No Credit Request Form from to the Registrar’s Office. 

• Important: Once the Pass/No Credit Request Form has been submitted, it may not be withdrawn. After a student has elected the Pass/No Credit option they may not later change to a letter grade for the course.

The Registrar’s Office will notify the student that the declaration has been approved. 

The instructor is not notified which students in the class have elected a Pass/No Credit option and will submit letter grades at the conclusion of the term.  After final grades are submitted by the instructor, the Registrar’s Office will note the Pass/No Credit grade on the student’s transcript in accordance with the guidelines below.

Course Requirements

Students taking a course using the Pass/No Credit grading option are expected to attend all class sessions, complete all assignments and exams, and engage in all other activities required for students taking the course under the standard grading system.

Grade Calculation for Pass/No Credit Grading

When a student elects to complete a course as Pass/No Credit under this policy, the student’s final grade is converted as follows:

• earned grade of D- or above is converted to a grade of “Pass” (P)
• earned grade of F is converted to a grade of “No Credit” (NC)

Grades earned under the Pass/No Credit policy are non-punitive. When a grade of “Pass” is earned, the credits from the course may contribute to the total credits toward the degree but neither the credits nor the final grade are used in the calculation of the student’s Loras grade point average.  When a grade of “No Credit” is earned, no credits are earned toward the degree and the grade is not used in the calculation of the student’s Loras grade point average.

Additional Information

• Courses taken as Pass/No Credit are subject to standard tuition and fees
• Loras cannot guarantee that credits for courses taken under the Pass/No Credit policy will be accepted for transfer to other institutions or accepted as completion of pre-requisite credits for graduate school admissions.  Students should consult their academic advisors and the policies at potential transfer or graduate schools before submitting the Pass/No Credit Request Form.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation

Grade points are determined by multiplying the grade point value for each course (see above) by the number of credit hours for each course. The grade point average is calculated by dividing the total grade points by the number of credit hours attempted on the regular grading system.

Grades for courses transferred to Loras College are not included in the cumulative grade point average. 

Repeating a Course

A student may repeat most courses to improve the grade. A student who receives a grade of “F” in a Loras course and wishes to repeat the course to improve the grade, will need to repeat the same course at Loras College, as transfer credit does not affect GPA.

If a student repeats a course at Loras, only the last grade and credit hours earned are included in the cumulative grade point average. The original grade remains on the transcript, but is not calculated into the cumulative grade point average. Federal Title IV student aid may only be used toward passing grade retakes once, with the exception of certain courses such as music techniques, ensembles, physical activity, etc.

Change of Grade Policy

A final grade is issued to the student at the conclusion of the course. Once the final grade is submitted by the instructor, that grade is a permanent grade and cannot be changed unless the final grade has been miscalculated or if the final grade is under appeal.

Final Grade Appeal Policy

Loras College is committed to ensuring that academic records genuinely and accurately reflect the academic accomplishments and performance levels of students.

The purpose of the Final Grade Appeal Policy is to ensure that:

1. Students are protected from capricious or arbitrary academic evaluation and are afforded a clear and fair process for appealing final course grades.
2. Instructors’ professional rights and academic freedom are protected, and they are able to exercise professional judgment in evaluating academic performance.
3. Disputes about final grades are handled respectfully, in a manner that upholds the dignity of the student and the instructor as well as the integrity of the institution.

Scope

The Final Grade Appeal Policy applies only to disputes about final course grades and may not be used to challenge grades on individual assignments, exams, or activities within a course. Final grade appeals may only be initiated by the student receiving the disputed course grade.

Loras College recognizes that the evaluation of student performance is one of the core professional responsibilities of the faculty. Faculty are granted freedom to use professional judgment in the evaluation of student work and to assign grades on the basis of criteria appropriate to the discipline and level of the course. As such, appeals of final grades may be filed only for the following reasons:

1. An objective error of fact, either a mathematical miscalculation or clerical error in reporting the final grade.
2. The assignment of the course grade was determined on the basis of something other than performance in the course; or
3. The assignment of the course grade was based on criteria different from those used to evaluate other students in the course section; or
4. The assignment of the course grade was determined based on substantially altered grading criteria or standards (from those stated in the course syllabus) that are either unfair, unwarranted, or not communicated to students in a timely fashion.

In all instances of formal grade appeal, the burden of proof is on the student and formal appeals must be accompanied by documentation that demonstrates basis of the appeal.

Formal grade appeals must be initiated within thirty calendar (30) days of the date of the official notification of the final grade.

Final Grade Appeal Procedure

Step 1: Informal Resolution
In many instances, particularly when an unintentional error in calculation or reporting has occurred, disputes over a final course grade can be resolved informally through direct communication (in-person meeting, e-mail, telephone conversation) between the student and the course instructor. When a final course grade is in question, the student is expected to contact the course instructor as soon as possible and no later than fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of notification of final course grades to initiate an informal resolution process.

Through this informal communication, the instructor and the student should seek to eliminate any confusion over the assignment of the grade and identify any objective errors in calculation or reporting that may have occurred. It is expected that most issues will be resolved at this level.

If the course instructor agrees that the final grade is incorrect a Grade Change Form should be submitted with the appropriate signatures.

If the student and the instructor are unable to resolve the grade dispute or, if the student is unable to contact the instructor (phone call or e-mail not returned within five (5) business days) the student should contact the School Dean/Associate Dean to file a formal grade appeal.

Step 2: Formal Grade Appeal
A formal grade appeal may be filed only after informal means have been attempted/exhausted and should be initiated by the student within thirty (30) days of the posting of final semester/term grades.

1. The student completes the student portion of the Final Grade Appeal Form and submits a signed copy of the form and all relevant documentation in support of the appeal (see Final Grade Appeal Form for list of required and suggested documentation) to the School Dean/Associate Dean responsible for oversight of the course instructor.
2. The School Dean/Associate Dean shall review the documentation submitted by the student, forward all materials to the course instructor, and either
   1. Facilitate communication between the faculty and the student to reach an informal resolution, or
   2. Request the instructor complete the faculty portion of the Final Grade Appeal Form and return the form and the instructor’s written response to the School Dean/Associate Dean.
3. In the event the School Dean/Associate Dean is able to facilitate an informal resolution one of the following documents should be submitted to the office of the Associate Provost:
   1. A Grade Change Form signed by the instructor.
   2. The Final Grade Appeal Form, with the Withdrawal of Formal Appeal section completed and signed by both the student and the School Dean/Associate Dean.
4. In the event the School Dean/Associate Dean is unable to facilitate an informal resolution, the Dean/Associate Dean shall review the materials submitted by both the student and the course instructor, consider any information provided through discussion with the student and/or the instructor (if needed), and submit a written recommendation to the Associate Provost.
5. The Associate Provost will review the materials submitted by the student, course instructor, and the School Dean/Associate Dean, may request additional information or individual meetings as needed, and will submit a written recommendation to the Provost.
6. The Provost reviews the materials and renders a decision on the appeal and will notify the student of the outcome. The decision of the Provost is final.