Explanation of the Grading Policy

Narrative Evaluations

Faculty members will provide an evaluation of the work done by each student with whom they were involved in an academic undertaking. Narrative evaluations consist of the following:

• a designation of the student's performance as "satisfactory," "unsatisfactory," or "incomplete”;
• a brief description of the course, tutorial, or independent work;
• comments on the student’s work for external purposes; and 4) additional comments on the student’s work for internal use only. Satisfactory designations, brief descriptions and the external comments (parts 1-3) are part of the student’s official New College record, which may be released to outside entities at the request of the student in concordance with current transcript policy. Incomplete evaluations must specify a deadline for completion.  

For course and tutorial evaluations that include a “satisfactory” designation, the instructor will also submit a supplementary designation of “solidly satisfactory,” “marginally satisfactory,” or “too mixed for summary designation.” These supplementary designations will be viewable in the evaluation system by the instructor and the student, but by nobody else, except as needed for the technical administration of the system and the provision of access (as required by FERPA) to former students, or otherwise as required by law.

A “preemptive unsatisfactory” designation may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor before the contract renegotiation deadline. Assignment of a “preemptive unsatisfactory” designation serves as a warning that the student will not satisfactorily complete the course for that term. At the contract sponsor’s discretion, that course may still be dropped before the contract renegotiation deadline. If the course remains on the contract after the evaluation submission deadline, the Office of the Registrar will convert the “preemptive unsatisfactory” designation to a regular “unsatisfactory” designation at the end of that term. Like all “unsatisfactory” designations, these converted designations remain a permanent part of the student’s academic record. 

Deadlines for Incomplete Work

The deadline for incomplete courses and tutorials will be the first day of the following academic semester. If the work remains incomplete by this date, it will automatically be marked as unsatisfactory. This policy applies to both modular and full-semester courses.

 

If a student needs more time to complete the work, they can apply for an extension by submitting a Provost's Petition before the deadline. If an extension is granted, the student will have an additional two months to complete the work. If the work is still not submitted after the extension period, the incomplete will automatically turn into an unsatisfactory.

Calculation of GPA-proxy

For course and tutorial evaluations that include a “satisfactory” designation, the instructor will also submit a supplementary designation of “solidly satisfactory,” “marginally satisfactory,” or “too mixed for summary designation.” These supplementary designations will be viewable in the evaluation system by the instructor and the student, but by nobody else, except as needed for the technical administration of the system and the provision of access (as required by FERPA) to former students, or otherwise as required by law. For faculty evaluation purposes, Division chairs and members of the PAC will be provided with reports that pair evaluation text and designation with supplementary designations but redact the names of the evaluated students.

In connection with each semester contract, a student may select up to one Academic Unit’s worth of activities (one full semester course/tutorial or up to two mod-credit courses/tutorials) which will not receive supplementary designation. The contract form will contain a link to this selection, but the selection is not part of the contract itself and does not require the signature of the contract sponsor. This selection can be changed up until the contract renegotiation deadline, as long as the total selected is no more than one academic unit. Instructors will not be informed of the student’s selection, but for selected courses/tutorials, the supplementary designation entered by the instructor will not be visible to the student and will not be input into the GPA-proxy calculation. (May 2021)

Students may only request a GPA proxy determination from the college when: 

1. a GPA proxy is required in the application process for a potential employer, graduate admissions process, scholarship, for intercollegiate athletics eligibility certification, etc.
2. the student provides evidence that a waiver for a GPA requirement cannot be obtained. Student requests for GPA proxies shall be made through the college’s Center for Engagement and Opportunity (CE). If the CEO determines that a GPA proxy is the preferred option for the student they will work with the Office of the Provost to determine a GPA proxy or threshold determination and craft a letter specific to a particular opportunity and associated requirements. For student athletes, GPA proxies will be regularly provided by the Office of the Provost. 

The GPA-proxy number will be communicated directly to the student who requested it and may, at the student’s request, be communicated directly by the Registrar, the CEO and/or Office of the Provost to potential employers, graduate admissions processes, and like providers of opportunities to students. Letters crafted to communicate and explain the GPA proxy will be retained by the Office of the Provost and be part of a student’s academic record. For student athletes, GPA proxies will be routinely communicated to the Faculty Athletic Representative.

Contract Certification

At the end of each semester, faculty should review each course evaluation and submit a contract certification based on the contract certification criteria.  All contract certifications are due in the Office of the Registrar 10 days after the first day of the following term.

Sponsor and student can renegotiate the specifics of a contract until the beginning of the twelfth week of each semester.  The contract renegotiation forms must be completed and signed by both student and sponsor.  After the contract renegotiation deadline has passed, students may petition the Provost’s Office for contract renegotiation approval.  In order to maintain the integrity of the contract system, such renegotiations will be approved only in exceptional circumstances. 

If certification criteria are satisfied within the time period allowed by faculty rules, the contract should be certified as satisfactory.  Contract certification forms allow for a description of the semester's activities and any comments deemed appropriate by the sponsor.

If the contract sponsor wishes to close off the option of renegotiating an unfulfilled or unfulfillable contract, or if the contract certification criteria cannot be satisfied, the contract should be certified as unsatisfactory.

If the certification criteria are not fulfilled on or before the date by which the faculty member must submit their evaluation of the term's work, but if the criteria can be fulfilled, then the contract should be certified as incomplete.  Incomplete certifications must stipulate a deadline for completion, which supersedes the deadlines set by instructors on individual undertakings within the contract.