Each course for which a student has registered must be assigned one of the letter grades as follows. The numerical scale applies to all courses except NUR, LPN, EMS. DMS, RAD, and MAT.
| Grade | Definition | Numerical Scale | Quality Points |
| A | Excellent | (90-100) | 4 points |
| B | Good | (80-89) | 3 points |
| C | Average | (70-79) | 2 points |
| D | Poor | (60-69) | 1 point |
| F | Failure | (below 60) | 0 points |
| S | Satisfactory | 0 points | |
| U | Unsatisfactory | 0 points | |
| IP | In Progress | 0 points | |
| I | Incomplete. Class work must be made up no later than the end of the following semester, or the grade automatically becomes an F. | 0 points | |
| AU | Audit. Course taken for non-credit. Credit hours will not be averaged into the GPA. Must be declared by the end of the registration period and may not be changed thereafter. | 0 points | |
| W | Official withdrawal from a course within a time period designated by the College, but not to exceed 60 percent of the semester time; or withdrawal from the College within a time period designated by the College. Credit hours will not be averaged into the GPA. |
Satisfactory grades are “A,” “B,” and “C”. While a grade of “D” is considered passing at the College, senior colleges and universities may not grant credit for a course in which the student has made a grade of “D”.
A final grade of “I” may be assigned if a student fails to complete all course requirements because of illness or other extenuating circumstances that occur near the close of a term which prevent a student whose performance has otherwise been satisfactory from completing the requirements of a course. Unless extenuating circumstances are present, a student’s failure to submit required work when it is due does not provide a basis for the grade of “I”. In such cases, a grade of “F” is usually appropriate.
Final Exams
Final exams are administered in all courses. They are to be given during the dates scheduled or the last scheduled class meeting for the course. Requests for permission to take or to give final exams early must be approved by the respective dean in writing.
In cases where early exams are permitted, it is expected that all course requirements will be met and/or appropriate additional assignments will be completed to account for the time missed.
If a student fails to report for a final exam without known cause, the grade to be reported should be determined as follows: If the student has done satisfactory work to that point, a grade of “I” may be reported on the assumption that the student is ill or will otherwise present sufficient reason for an official excuse. If the student’s work has been unsatisfactory to that point, the grade of “F” should be reported. A grade of “I” automatically becomes a grade of “F” unless it is removed during the next semester.
Grade Appeal
It is preferred that all grade appeals be handled in an informal manner between the student and the instructor. If the discussion between the two does not result in a resolution, a formal grade appeal may be initiated.
The grade appeal procedure must be initiated by the end of the drop/add period of the term following the term in which the grade was awarded. There can be no formal grade appeal for any grade other than a final grade; however, lab grades, project grades, tests, and other assignments which may adversely affect the final grade may be appealed by the student.
Since the first level of appeal is between the student and the instructor of the course, it is necessary that the student confer with the instructor to gain understanding of the procedure used in awarding the grade. Preferably any disagreement will be resolved at this level. If a resolution is impossible at this level, the student may make a formal grade appeal to the Division Chairperson. The student should obtain a form from the respective Dean’s Office to formally request a grade appeal.
Upon completion of the Grade Appeal form, the student should return the form to the respective Dean’s Office. The respective Dean’s Office will then inform the Division Chairperson of the appeal and will request that the Chairperson meet with the student to discuss the problem. If the matter can be resolved at this level, it should be done in writing on the Grade Appeal form. If no resolution is reached, the student will meet with the Grade Appeal Committee. This committee is selected by the Division Chairperson to hear this appeal only. (If the Division Chairperson is the instructor of the course, the respective dean will appoint another Division Chairperson to handle the Grade Appeal Committee.)
The committee will be headed by the Division Chairperson or his/her designee and will consist, if possible, of at least one faculty member from the discipline of the course in dispute. All committees should consist of no fewer than three faculty members. The committee will be objective and even-handed as it reviews the grade appeal.
The committee may request any documentation necessary from the student and/or the instructor. The committee will interview the student and may wish to interview the instructor. Based on the findings from the information and the interview, the committee will make a formal recommendation to the respective dean.
The respective dean’s office may accept the recommendation, request further information, or reject the committee’s recommendation. In all cases, the respective dean’s office will inform the student in writing of the findings.