2011-2012 Archived Catalog Information

The following grading system applies to all undergraduate students.

“A,” “A – ,” “B+,” and “B” are honor grades.

“B – ,” “C+,” and “C” represent satisfactory work.

“C – ,” “D+,” “D,” and “D – ” represent passing but unsatisfactory work.

“F” is a failing grade. It indicates that the student has not completed all course requirements in a satisfactory manner. Students who stop attending a course without having complied with the official withdrawal procedure can anticipate receiving a grade of “F.” The “F” grade becomes a permanent part of a student’s record and cannot be expunged even if the course is successfully retaken.

“I” (Incomplete) indicates a student has done passing work in a course but has not yet submitted all the outstanding work required for a formal evaluation. The “I” is awarded at the instructor’s discretion, only if the student has completed at least half of the course requirements satisfactorily at the end of the semester, and there is a reasonable expectation that all course requirements can be completed in one academic year. An “I” must be formally re-evaluated by the instructor within one academic year, resulting in an evaluation grade or an extension of the “I,” or it automatically converts to an “F.”

Students must complete coursework with the original instructor. The change in the “I” grade must be made by the original instructor, and in his or her absence, by the department chair. If this is not possible, arrangements must be made through the department chair in concurrence with an assigned instructor.

“L” (Lost) is awarded when a student’s name appears on a roster, but the student never appears in class or disappears before being formally evaluated by the instructor.

“W” signifies official withdrawal from a course. A “W” is assigned administratively if a student:

1. Drops a course, following proper university procedure, between the end of the drop/add period and the withdrawal deadline of the semester, or
2. Drops a course or withdraws from school after the deadline of the semester with the written approval of the Students Affairs office. Permission is given only for valid cause such as debilitating illness, relocation, serious family crisis or other circumstances beyond the student’s control.

“AU” (Audit) In an audited course, a student will not receive credit or honor points; however, a student must pay the same tuition as if taking the course for credit. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor that he/she is auditing the course during the first two weeks of classes. Under no circumstances may a student change from the evaluative letter grade system to audit or vice versa after the first two weeks of classes.

A student who audits a course is responsible for attending classes and completing required coursework.

“P” (Pass) A Pass-Fail option is available to students in lieu of a traditional letter grade subject to the following limitations and regulations:

Eligibility is restricted to Juniors and Seniors in good academic standing and to those Junior and Senior transfer students who have completed a minimum of 15 semester hours of coursework at Suffolk University. This option is limited to 12 credits per student. An exception may be made for Psychological Services PS 503 – Interpersonal Relations, which can be taken by any student as a Pass-Fail course with the consent of the instructor.

Pass-Fail courses may not be taken in a student’s major/ minor and may not be used to fulfill general college requirements or related courses required as part of the student’s area of concentration (major). This option is only applicable to elective courses.

Students will designate courses as Pass-Fail at the time of registration. No changes from the designation of Pass-Fail to the letter grade system or vice versa are permitted after the course change period has elapsed at the opening of any semester or summer session.

At the end of the semester, instructors will submit letter grades for all students except for those who have chosen to take the course on a Pass-Fail basis. The instructor and the Registrar will transcribe a Pass as P and a Fail as F for those who elected this option.

A Pass received on this basis may be applied toward fulfilling degree credits, but may not be applied toward the quality point average.

Students planning to attend law school or other graduate schools should be aware that many professional and graduate schools prefer students to submit traditional letter grades.

Courses officially dropped during the add/drop period will not appear on the student’s record.

Grade Reports

Grades are available soon after the conclusion of each semester. Students can access their grades online. Grade mailers will be sent to all students who are on a tuition reimbursement policy with their employer, all students whose academic standing falls below acceptable standards, students in the University Achievement Program, and NESAD Continuing Education students.

Students are solely responsible for their academic progress and should confer immediately with their academic advisor in the event their performance becomes substandard. Failure to maintain satisfactory progress can lead to loss of financial aid, academic probation or dismissal, or other equally serious consequences.

Early Alert Project

The Early Alert Project identifies students who may be in academic risk at the mid-semester point. Faculty identify students who are at risk of failing a course due to high absenteeism, poor study habits and communication skills, second language issues, etc. This list is then sent to the Ballotti Learning Center, where students receive ­e-mails and outreach calls informing them about their current status. Students are encouraged to seek appropriate services on campus to help them with any academic problems they may have.

Repeating a Course

Students may retake any course for credit by paying the appropriate tuition. All grades will be recorded permanently on a student’s record. When a student repeats a course, all grades will appear on a student’s transcript, however, only the most recent course grade will be used to compute the cumulative grade point average. When repeating courses, only one course may be used for credit to fulfill degree requirements. A student may repeat a course a maximum of two times.

Honor Points

Scholastic averages are computed by multiplying the credit hours by the honor point equivalent. For example, a 4 credit course, evaluated as “A” will be counted as 16 honor points (4 credits multiplied by 4.0 = 16). Grades of “I,” “W,” “P,” “AU,” and “L” are not computed in determining Honor Points, and have no impact on a student’s scholastic average.

A cumulative average of 2.0 (C) and an average of 2.0 (C) or better in one’s major, minor, and/or certificate concentration are required for graduation. Students are required to monitor their average in their major and minor. Should a student receive less than a “C” in a major course, the student must make an appointment with his or her advisor to discuss the suitability of the major. The Academic Standing Committee forwards the names of majors at risk to the Academic Departments.

Attendance

Federal regulations require universities that receive federal funding to implement a policy monitoring student attendance in class. Instructors will establish the requirements for attendance and participation in each of their classes. Instructors are responsible for informing students of these requirements at the beginning of each course. The Student Affairs Office of Health & Wellness does not excuse student absences.  The student, when absent from class, has the responsibility of obtaining knowledge of materials covered in classes missed, including information about announced tests, papers, or other assignments.

Academic Complaints

A student who disputes an academic evaluation should bring this to the attention of the instructor and to the department chair. If unsatisfied after a conference, the student may bring the issue to the Dean of Students, whose recommendation shall be considered by the college academic Dean in which the course is offered; this decision shall be final.

Final Examinations

Final evaluations are required in all regular courses during the final examination period unless waived by the department chair and the Dean.  Final exam days and times can be found using the online class search engine. Exam times are also available as a part of student and faculty schedules.