Instructors must submit letter grades at the end of each session. The deadline for fall term and the winter term are one week following the end of final examinations. The deadline for spring term final grades is one week after completion of the final examination period. Grades for Independent Study, Individual Study, Thesis, Comprehensive Exams, or courses without final exams are due on the Monday of finals week. These grades become part of the student’s official record once the term is complete.

The letter grades used at Eckerd are defined as follows and appear on the student’s transcript:

*Courses spanning two or more semesters have grades of IP in all but the last semester. Multiple semester courses have a number after the first two letters of the course prefix.

**The linked lab section of a course is not graded separately so the grade will show as NA.

*** CR (Credit) is comparable to work evaluated as “C or better”. Grades of CR/NCR are not used in computing a student’s grade point average (GPA).

A grade of C- or higher counts toward graduation requirements. A grade of D- may count towards graduation requirements subject to limitations in specific majors. See descriptions of majors in the Descriptions of Courses and Majors section of the Eckerd Catalog.

Grade Appeal

A grade appeal shall be confined to unfair action toward an individual student and may not involve a challenge of an instructor’s grading standard.

The grade appeal considers whether a grade was determined in a fair and appropriate manner; it does not attempt to grade or re-grade individual assignments or projects. It is incumbent on the student to substantiate the claim that the student’s final grade represents unfair treatment, compared to the standard applied to other students. Only the final grade in a course or project may be appealed. In the absence of compelling reasons, such as clerical error, prejudice, or capriciousness, the grade assigned by the instructor of record is to be considered final.

If a student wishes to appeal a grade based on a compelling reason, such as clerical error, prejudice, or capriciousness, the student should complete an online complaint form available through ECExperience.

Grade Changes

An instructor should change a student’s final grade in a course only to correct an error. Out of fairness to other students in a class, a final grade should not be changed based on additional work submitted after the deadline for completed work. The instructor must submit a grade change to the Office of the Registrar to officially update the student’s record.

Incomplete Grade Policy

A grade of “INC” (Incomplete) indicates that, although a substantial proportion of the course requirements have been met, all course requirements are not completed by the end of the term and that, in the judgment of the instructor, extension of the deadline is both appropriate and a reasonable limit for the completion of remaining work. Typically, an instructor might consider giving an Incomplete grade when the reasons for the unfinished work are circumstances beyond the student’s control. (Examples: personal illness or injury, family crisis, death of a close friend or relative). A grade of “INC” should not be given to students who have submitted minimal or no work during the term or who, in the judgment of the instructor, have not adequately participated in the course.

Unless an earlier deadline is set by the instructor, a student must complete the work required as follows:

• Autumn Term Incomplete – Due on or before October 1

• Fall Term Incomplete – Due on or before March 1

• Winter Term Incomplete – Due on or before March 1

• Spring Term Incomplete – Due on or before October 1

• Summer Term Incomplete – Due on or before October 1

If the work is not completed by the deadline above or an earlier deadline imposed by the instructor, the Incomplete automatically becomes a grade of “F” unless the instructor wishes to exercise one of the following options: 1) award a grade based on the portion of work completed; 2) give a one-time extension not to exceed the end of the current term, or in the case of Spring Term extensions for graduating seniors, no later than May 1; or 3) students may petition for a grade of “W” as a result of an involuntary withdrawal due to circumstances beyond the student’s control.

The grade awarded at the deadline, whether one submitted by the instructor or an automatic F, is final. Grades replacing the Incomplete are entered using the approved grading symbols and are not preceded by an I.

In special situations in which a grade is unavailable at the end of the term for academic reasons rather than incomplete work, a grade of NR (Not Reported) may be given with approval of the Dean of Faculty and subject to the deadlines above.