Grade books may be maintained either in hard copy or electronic form. The information in the grade book is essential to document the process used to establish final grades for students. Faculty should take care that the information in the grade book reflects the grading criteria established in their student information sheets. These should be maintained for three years. Training is regularly available on how to use Excel spreadsheets and/or Canvas for grade book recordkeeping. Final grades are posted through the Online Grading System.
Faculty should not post grades in public spaces, such as outside classrooms or offices, or on course websites using students’ names, student ID numbers, or social security numbers. If faculty choose to post grades, they should use a code or predetermined ID that cannot be utilized to identify specific students.
The specific policy and regulations on grading practices and standards can be found within the Los Rios District Policies and Regulations 7250 Grading Practices and Procedures.
Faculty members are required by Los Rios policy and regulation (P-7252, R-7252 §8.1) to provide a midterm grade to students. All faculty should notify individual students of their academic progress no later than the end of the ninth week of instruction for full-semester classes. Inform students who receive a substandard grade (D, F, or NC) so that they may receive assistance from you, a counselor, and/or the tutorial center. The faculty member has the ability to refer students to college tutoring services should that be judged advisable. In addition, faculty may use the SARS-ALRT Early Assistance Referral to identify and assist students who are in need of support to ensure successful course completion.
Final grades are entered using the Intranet class rosters. Please do not submit final grades before final examinations have been completed. In deciding the final grade for each student, faculty should weigh collectively all of the factors presented in the Student Information Sheet that were stated as being used for the course, such as exam scores and the grades on any graded assignments. Including such items as class participation and attendance in the final grade is the prerogative of the instructor. However, you should not take into consideration any items not clearly established on your Student Information Sheet as part of the grade.
Faculty are to complete the grade and positive attendance reports (if required). Make certain that all student withdrawal dates shown on the official attendance record and final grade rosters are correct. The Admissions & Records Office will advise you of the deadline for submitting final grades. Student grade records should provide appropriate documentation for the final grade awarded to the student and should be consistent with your class Syllabus/Student Information Sheet. These records are essential if a student should file a grievance or if a grade correction is requested. Upon request, faculty are expected to provide progress reports on the academic standing of students on probation, those being considered for scholarship recognition, and those participating in student government or intercollegiate sports.
An incomplete grade (I) may be assigned by the instructor when, in the judgment of the instructor, the student is unable to complete the requirements of a course because of an unforeseeable emergency at the end of the semester. Examples of such emergencies include physical or mental illness, death in the immediate family, or employment changes. Generally, a student should have completed at least two-thirds of the coursework with a passing grade and be attending regularly up until the point the incomplete is requested; it is also expected that the student initiates the process and ask for the incomplete grade on or before the last class meeting. The decision to grant an incomplete is always the instructor’s.
To receive credit for the course, the student must finish the incomplete work no later than one year from the end of the semester in which it was assigned. The instructor may, as an option, require the work be finished at the end of the next regular semester rather than one full year if the instructor believes this is in the student’s interest. When selecting to issue an “Incomplete”, the instructor must also select the default grade that will be posted if the student’s work is not completed within the identified time period.
The “Incomplete” grade change is the only grade change that can be processed through the Online Grading System (OGS). A final grade will be assigned when the work stipulated has been completed and evaluated or when the time limit for completing the work has elapsed. A student may petition for a time extension due to unusual circumstances. A student may not re-enroll in a course for the purpose of completing an incomplete.
Only the faculty member can submit a grade change for his/her students. The two most common reasons for changing grades are the removal of an incomplete and an error in computing or reporting the original grade. In order to accomplish the change, the faculty member must fill out the appropriate grade change form in the Admissions and Records Office or in your Division Office.
For more information regarding grading, please refer to the College Catalog, Title V Regulations, and the Admissions and Records Office.
Grades and Grade Points
| Symbol | Definition | Grade Points |
|---|---|---|
|
A
|
Excellent
|
4
|
|
B
|
Good
|
3
|
|
C
|
Satisfactory
|
2
|
|
D
|
Passing, Less Than Satisfactory
|
1
|
|
F
|
Failing
|
0
|
|
CR
|
Credit (At least satisfactory. Units awarded not counted in GPA.)
|
N/A
|
|
NC
|
No Credit (Less than satisfactory or failing. Units not counted in GPA.)
|
N/A
|
For more information regarding grading, please contact the Admissions & Records Office.