Grade-related Policies

Grades

For every course you take, you receive a letter grade.

To determine your grade point average (GPA):

1. Multiply the number of semester hours for each course you have taken times the point value of the grade you have received in each course.
2. Add the products for all your courses.
3. Divide this sum by the number of semester hours you have taken excluding P and I grades.

We use your GPA to determine whether you are eligible for honors; for admission to certain majors, colleges, and curricula; and for determining your eligibility for membership in those university organizations for which scholastic achievement is a criterion.

You may see and print your grades for each term by clicking on the “Academic Records” tile from your Homepage in accesSPoint. Then click “Print Grade Report” on the left and choose the appropriate term from the list to the right.
Besides the grades listed above, you may also receive the following designations on your grade reports, none of which carry a point value:

If you voluntarily stop attending a class at any time without completing the prescribed change of program procedure, you are considered as still registered, and you receive an F in the course at the end of the semester.

Academic Bankruptcy

If you have been suspended for academic reasons and have remained out of school for one or more semesters, you will have the option of electing academic bankruptcy upon readmission to the university. Academic bankruptcy is the opportunity to start over with a new cumulative grade point average. We do, however, keep all of the work you have done at UW-Stevens Point on your official record.

If you apply for academic bankruptcy, we:

• Apply toward graduation those courses in which you earned a D or better.
• Apply toward your prerequisites and general education requirements, but not necessarily toward your major or minor, those courses in which you earned a D or better.
• Determine your cumulative grade point average from the courses you take after being readmitted, except in determining graduation honors in which case we include all the grades you earned at UW-Stevens Point and other institutions in calculating your cumulative grade point average.

In order to graduate after electing academic bankruptcy, you must earn a minimum of 30 credits and an overall grade point average of 2.00 or better in such courses, OR earn an overall grade point average of 2.00 or better in all work completed at UW-Stevens Point (including grades earned at UW-Stevens Point before and after academic bankruptcy).

You may exercise this option only once in your academic career.

Also realize that if you select the academic bankruptcy option, but have not maintained satisfactory academic progress, you will not be eligible for financial aid. Academic bankruptcy does not adjust your academic progress standing. See Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid  in the Financial Aid & Fees  section.

UW-Stevens Point academic departments may disregard a declaration of academic bankruptcy in calculating your grade point average to determine your eligibility for admission to and/or graduation from their programs. Graduate programs and other universities may also disregard a declaration of academic bankruptcy in determining your eligibility for admission purposes. If you are receiving GI Bill® benefits, consult the university Veterans Coordinator in the Office of the Registrar, 101 SSC, before electing this option. If you take it, you may have to repay the VA for past benefits you have received.

Academic Requirements

Your adviser and others at UW-Stevens Point are happy to help you plan your academic program. However, you are responsible for following UW-Stevens Point’s regulations and successfully completing all your academic requirements.

In general, you are required to complete the academic requirements current at the time you first enroll. However, you may choose to complete a more recent set of requirements by declaring your intent to the Office of the Registrar, 101 SSC. You may also choose to complete a more recent set of requirements in one or more of your majors and minors with the approval of the chair of the department. If you choose to meet the more recent set of major/minor requirements, you do not have to choose the more recent set of general education requirements.

Here are some special situations:

1. If an external agency changes the requirements, meet the new requirements. For example, if the Department of Public Instruction changes the requirements for teacher certification, fulfill the new requirements.
2. If you re-enter UW-Stevens Point after being gone for two or more semesters, meet the requirements current when you re-enter. Note that if you enroll and then withdraw within the first two weeks of the semester, you are considered as not enrolled for that semester.
   1. If you have earned more than two-thirds of the credits toward your general education requirements by the time you re-enter (not counting electives and courses toward your major/minor), you may ask to complete the requirements current when you first registered. Your dean approves such a request. 
   2. If you have completed more than half of the credits to fulfill your major/minor requirements by the time you re-enter, you may ask to complete the major/minor requirements current when you first registered. The chair of your department approves such a request.
3. If you transfer from another UW System institution, this policy applies in the same manner as if you had originally enrolled at UW-Stevens Point.

Academic Standing

For information about Academic Standing and probation policies, please see this website.

Auditing

“Auditing” means you attend class regularly without having to take exams, do laboratory work, participate in class discussions, or do any other classwork except listen. You may audit as many courses as you wish, up to five credits beyond the normal maximum study load. (See Study Load .) You receive no academic credit for auditing a course, but you may take the course again for credit.

To audit a course:

1. Receive the instructor’s permission, and be sure that there is enough space in the class.
2. Register for the course as you would for any course.
3. Between the first and eighth day of class, fill out an audit form at the Office of the Registrar, 101 SSC, and have it signed by both the instructor and the department chair.
4. Attend classes regularly, just as you would a credit course. (See Attendance .)
5. Follow all university regulations, just as you would if you were attending a course for credit.
6. If you meet these conditions, your student record will show “audit” for the course.

Note that you may not change a course from “audit” to “credit” or change it from “credit” to “audit” after the eighth day of classes. After auditing a course, you may seek credit by examination for some courses if you are enrolled at UW-Stevens Point at the time of the examination and pay the examination fee.

Fees for audited courses are as follows:

• If you are a Wisconsin resident enrolled only for audit, you will be assessed 30 percent of the normal academic fees for a resident.
• If you are a nonresident enrolled only for audit, you will be assessed 50 percent of the normal academic fees for a nonresident.
• If you are enrolled for credit and audit, you will be assessed 100 percent of the normal academic fees for your residency.
• You will not be assessed segregated fees if you are only enrolled for audit, but you may only have access to those university facilities normally available to the general public such as the library and student union.
• You will be assessed any special fees for course instruction, if there are any.
• The general policy for refund of academic fees applies.
• Audited courses do NOT count toward credit load for financial aid purposes.
• Wisconsin residents at least 60 years of age may audit classes free of charge provided there is space available in the class and the instructor approves. Those who qualify may register on or after the first day of the term. Proof of age and residence will be requested. Stop in the Office of the Registrar, 101 SSC, or call 715-346-4301 for information and/or registration materials.
• Disabled Wisconsin residents who present evidence of receiving federal old age survivors and disability insurance benefits (OASDI) under 42 USC 401-403 and who are enrolled exclusively for audit throughout the term are not assessed fees.

Grade Change Deadlines

As a general policy, recorded grades may not be changed after the conclusion of the academic term immediately following the term in which the original grade was awarded.

June 1 is the deadline for grade change requests for grades awarded in the summer and fall terms of the previous calendar year.

December 31 is the deadline for grade change requests for grades awarded in Winterim and spring terms of the same calendar year.

Exceptions to this general policy include the following:

1. Cases where the grade “Graduate Progress” (GP) was originally awarded
2. Requests for extension of the grade “Incomplete”
3. Grade change requests resulting from the grade appeal process (University Handbook, Chapter 7, Section 5)
4. Hard copy written grade change requests that have been documented and approved by the instructor, department chair, and the academic dean.

Grade Review

If an instructor does not give you, by the end of the second week of class, a written statement of how grades are determined, or if you feel that your instructor does not assign grades as described on that written statement, you may appeal the grade you receive in the course.

First talk with your instructor about your concerns. If, after doing so, you are not satisfied, write a statement of the problem and request that your grade be reviewed. Send this to the coordinator for grade review in the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Office, Room 202 Old Main. You may submit this appeal up until the end of the fourth week of classes in the following semester.

After the coordinator receives your request, the following things take place:

1. You meet with the coordinator and discuss your grounds for appeal, the appeal process, and the options available to the Grade Review Subcommittee if the appeal is sustained.
2. The coordinator gives a copy of your appeal to your instructor and asks the instructor to respond to it in writing within 20 working days.
3. After 20 working days, the coordinator evaluates the allegations and determines if your appeal is valid.
4. Then, if the coordinator concludes that a grade change may be warranted, or if the instructor has failed to respond in writing, the coordinator gives the Grade Review Subcommittee of the Academic Affairs Committee all relevant information and directs the members of the committee to investigate your allegations and determine whether they are valid.

The subcommittee usually reaches a decision by the end of the semester in which you make the appeal. If, however, one of the parties is not on campus that semester, it may take longer.

If the subcommittee or the instructor determines that special academic expertise is needed, the subcommittee solicits an independent evaluation in writing from three impartial experts appointed by the chair of the instructor’s department in consultation with the instructor and the subcommittee chair. The subcommittee accepts the evaluation and recommendations of the impartial experts on matters of academic content whenever it asks for them.

After investigating your grievance, the subcommittee will inform both you and your instructor of its decision in writing. If it finds that a change of grade is warranted, it will also recommend to your instructor the appropriate grade change. If your instructor refuses to make the recommended grade change within 10 school days after being notified, the subcommittee will do one or more of the following to protect your interests:

1. Attach to your permanent record and transcript a statement of the recommended change of grade and the reasons your instructor did not change the grade.
2. Exempt the challenged grade from being included in your grade point average, unless you want the grade to be included.
3. Authorize your graduation minus the credit hours represented by the challenged grade, if that grade was F.

Honors

Graduation Honors

You may receive undergraduate graduation honors on the basis of your grade point average for all the courses you have attempted, including college level work you attempted elsewhere and any courses taken at UW-Stevens Point before the declaration of academic bankruptcy. In the commencement ceremony you are recognized on the basis of the work which you complete before your final term. On your transcript, you are recognized on the basis of all the work you have done, including your final term.

Summa cum laude is awarded for a grade point average of 3.90 or above. Magna cum laude is awarded for a grade point average of 3.75 to 3.89. Cum laude is awarded for a grade point average of 3.50 to 3.74.

If you are eligible to wear an honors cord at the commencement ceremony, it will be issued to you when caps and gowns are distributed at the University Store. If you have earned summa cum laude honors, you will have the distinction of having your name announced at the commencement ceremony.

Semester Honors-Dean’s List

UW-Stevens Point faculty have established semester honors as part of their program to recognize undergraduate students for outstanding academic achievement. To be eligible for semester honors, complete at least 12 semester hours of work with passing grades.

Semester highest honors are awarded for a grade point average of 3.90 or above; high honors are awarded for a grade point average of 3.75 to 3.89; and honors are awarded for a grade point average of 3.50 to 3.74. Semester honors are printed on your transcript.

You will receive an honors certificate and be placed on the dean’s list in the Colleges of Fine Arts and Communication, Letters and Science, and Professional Studies when you earn a semester grade point average of above 3.75. The College of Natural Resources awards dean’s list certificates to undergraduate students in their college who earn a grade point average of 3.5 or above.

In addition to these honors all undergraduate students who obtain a semester grade point average of 3.9 or above receive an honors certificate from the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Department Honors Program

Some departments provide departmental honors programs which involve 9 credits of work or more. Contact individual departments for further information on their programs.

Incompletes

If you are unable to complete your work in a course due to extenuating circumstances or if you need to extend your research or performance beyond the normal limits of a term, you may ask the instructor for an “incomplete” in the course. An “incomplete” should be reserved for the completion of a definable amount of work (for example, one term paper or one exam) that occurs near the end of the semester. An “incomplete” normally will not be used for making up in-class work; therefore do not expect to sit in the class in a subsequent semester. If your request for an “incomplete” is approved, the instructor will inform you and the department chair of the work you need to complete and the due date.

You will have until the end of the next semester (excluding summer session) to complete the work unless your instructor gives you an earlier deadline. Failure to complete the work prior to the appropriate deadline will result in a grade of F. If, for reasons beyond your control, you are unable to make up the “incomplete” by the deadline, you may ask the instructor and department chair to extend this time limit one time. However, any further extension of time will require the approval of the dean of the college.

DO NOT register for a course in which you received an “incomplete.” If you do, the incomplete will be changed to an F. Instead, arrange with your instructor to complete the work remaining in the course. When you have completed the work satisfactorily, your instructor will report the removal of the “incomplete” to the Office of the Registrar who will notify you that your record has been updated. If you do not receive notification after a reasonable waiting period, you should contact your instructor. Your final grade will not change any prior academic status.

Minimum Acceptable Standards

You are in good academic standing if you have a semester and cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 (C) or above. With a GPA at or above 2.00 you meet the minimum acceptable standards of UW-Stevens Point, and are not placed on probation.

Pass/Fail Grading

Through the pass/fail grading program, you gain the opportunity to secure a broader, more diverse academic experience than is usually possible under the traditional, many-stepped grading program. As a result, you may choose to take courses which are personally or intellectually attractive to you, without the concern about how your performance might negatively affect your grade poiont average. You may take courses of value outside your major in which your expected performance is not great enough to sustain a high letter grade. You may, in other words, experience learning for its own sake.

Please note, however, not all courses are available for the pass/fail grading option and departments must provide final approval for students to take a department’s course under the pass/fail grading option. Additional restrictions and considerations apply to the pass/fail-grading option for courses. First, you may not take courses in your major that fulfill your major program requirements with a pass/fail grade option unless specifically directed and approved by your major department. Second, you should be aware that pass/fail graded courses may not fulfill the requirements for admission into many professional programs (e.g., nursing or athletic training) and you should discuss your plans with your advisor to be sure a pass/failgraded course will fulfill the requirements for your planned career path. Third, even pass-graded courses may not fulfill the prerequisites for other courses at the university.

Because of the complexities and potential consequences associated with changing a course grade basis to pass/fail, prior to requesting a change to pass/fail grade basis you are strongly encouraged to confer with your advisors to understand the implications (especially to professional program and major requirements) of a pass/fail grade option for a particular course. After discussing with your advisor, using the electronic request form in acceSPoint you may choose the pass/fail option for a course before the end of the eighth day of classes in a term. Requests will be electronically routed for approval by advisor, instructor, and department offering the course. Appeals for late pass/fail grade option requests after the deadline will be evaluated by the Academic Appeals Committee only after all other approvals have been electronically granted and a specific appeal is submitted.

To earn a pass (P) in your pass/fail graded course, you mjust earn the letter grade equivalent of a C- or better. A P grade means you have passed the course and are granted credit for it. We do not include a grade of P in calculating your grade point average; however, we do apply the credit you earn toward your degree.

If you earn less than a C- grade, you have failed the course and a grade of F will be recorded as your official grade. We do include a grade of F in calculating your grade point average.

At the undergraduate level, you may select up to five pass/fail credits of coursework each semester.

If you are on probation, you may take a course on a pass/fail basis only if the course is offered as pass/fail only.

Repeating Courses

1. Repeating a course at UW-Stevens Point that was originally taken at UW-Stevens Point.

If you are an undergraduate student, you may, on the first repeat of a course in which you received a D+, D, or F do so without approval. If you are a graduate student and need to repeat a graduate course, you must have the authorization of the dean of the college offering the course.

A second repeat of a course in which you received a D+, D, or F requires authorization from your adviser and the department chair (or equivalent) in which the course is offered, BEFORE you register for the course. Important Note: Repeating course work has an impact on financial aid - see policy below in Section D.

You may not repeat a course in which you received a grade of C- or better. The department chair (or equivalent), may grant an exception on appeal only for extenuating circumstances. You must obtain authorization from your adviser and the chair of the department (or equivalent) in which the course is offered BEFORE you register for the course. Important Note: Repeating course work has an impact on financial aid - see policy below in Section D.

If you repeat a course which you had initially completed here, we figure only the credit and grade you earn in your last attempt in your cumulative grade point average. However, we do not expunge your original grade from your transcript. On the Degree Progress Report (DPR), the major GPA and the overall GPA will be recalculated using the grade earned in your last attempt and the first attempt course and grade will be listed in the “Courses not Applicable” category. This applies only when the original attempt and the repeat are taken at UW-Stevens Point.

Be sure to have your request authorized BEFORE registering for the course. Any repeat not authorized before enrolling in the course will result in the repeat being expunged from your record.

2. Repeating a course at another institution that was originally taken at UW-Stevens Point.

Grades of D or better may NOT be repeated at another institution. Courses in which you received grades of F at UW-Stevens Point may be repeated at another institution. Courses repeated at another institution will not replace a grade on your UW-Stevens Point transcript or be used to recalculate the cumulative grade point average on your transcript. However, courses repeated at another institution will replace a grade on your Degree Progress Report (DPR) and it will be used to recalculate the major GPA and the overall GPA on the DPR.

3. Repeating a course at UW-Stevens Point that was originally taken at another institution.

Grades earned at another institution may be repeated at UW-Stevens Point provided you follow the same approval process as if the original grade was earned at UW-Stevens Point. If approved, the previous attempt earned at the other institution will be removed from your UW-Stevens Point transcript and Degree Progress Report.

4. Repeated Courses and Financial Aid.

In some cases repeated courses will not be funded by federal financial aid. Department of Education regulations specify the types of repeated coursework that are allowed for financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education defines a D or above as a passing grade and will fund only one additional attempt for a repeated course above a grade of D. (See the chart below for specifics). If you withdraw from a course you are repeating, the W received will count toward the calculation of Satisfactory Academic Progress. For the purposes of calculating repeated coursework funding and Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid, all repeats of courses are considered, whether taken at UW-Stevens Point with a grade received or transferred credit from another institution applied toward the completion of a degree.