Grades

The Grading System

Once submitted by instructors and processed by the Center for Student Services, grades are considered permanent and may not be changed unless serious extenuating circumstances apply. Final grades for courses and independent work may be academic or administrative grades.

MMC calculates quality points and GPA to three decimal places. The quality points represented in the table below have been rounded to two decimal places:

INC grades are automatically converted to grades of F, if not removed in the prescribed time. See the section on incomplete grades.

The following are administrative grades and are only issued by the Registrar under the circumstances described:

The following grades indicate grade waivers (see policy described below)

Computing the Grade Point Index (GPA)

The following is the method by which a student’s GPA is calculated:

1. Multiply the quality points equal to the grade by the number of credits for which the grade was earned

   A = 4.00 quality points x 3 credits = 12.00 points];

2. Add the total quality points earned in a semester;
3. Divide by the total number of credits for a semester.

The total quality points, divided by the total credits equals the GPA for the semester. To compute a cumulative grade point average, include all MMC courses taken to date and divide by the total number of credits for which grades other than W, P, NC, N, NA, Y, AUD or Z have been earned or assigned.

Pass/Fail Option

Students may choose to forego a letter grade and take courses under the Pass/Fail Option under the following conditions:

• The student must have completed sixty credits of academic work, including transfer credits.
• The student may not be on academic probation.
• The student must file a request form for the Pass/Fail Option with the Center for Student Services during the Program Change period each term; under no circumstances will a student be allowed to apply the pass/fail option to any course once the Program Change period has ended. Request forms must be signed by the instructor of the course.
• Once a student chooses the Pass/Fail option he/she may not later decide to take a letter grade.
• The Pass/Fail Option may be applied only to courses taken as electives and not to courses intended to fulfill degree requirements, including:
  1. Courses intended to fulfill General Education equirements;
  2. Courses in the student’s major, in a minor or a certificate program;
  3. Courses intended to meet the requirements of graduate schools or other post-collegiate institutions, except where divisions shall provide otherwise.
• The Pass/Fail Option may not be applied to Independent Study courses and Internships.
• No more than one course in a single term and no more than an overall total of four courses or 12 credits (whichever is fewer) under the P/F option will be applied to the MMC degree.

In addition:

• All requirements for the course must be completed to be eligible to receive the grade of Pass (P).
• A grade of Pass (P) is not counted toward the student’s cumulative index, but a failing grade (F) is computed in the index.
• A course in which a student receives a grade of pass may not be counted toward the 60 credit minimum MMC credits necessary to receive honors at Commencement. The Grade of Pass is considered equivalent to a grade of D or better. Grades of P generally do not transfer to other institutions.

Incomplete Grade (INC)

An Incomplete grade (INC) may be awarded by a faculty member upon request by the student prior to the submission of final grades to address extenuating circumstances, provided the following specific requirements are satisfied: the majority of course requirements and assignments have been completed and the student must postpone, for serious medical or personal reasons beyond his/her control, the completion of a particular final paper, report, examination or other assignment.

The student and faculty member must complete a “Contract to Resolve an Incomplete Grade” outlining the outstanding assignments/requirements and the date on which these will be due to the instructor. Please see the procedure posted on the web.

Grade Appeals

One of the most essential assets of our higher education system is the imaginative and resourceful atmosphere encouraged by the existence of academic freedom on campus. As part of such freedom, faculty members have accepted the responsibility, in concert with their colleagues, to design and approve the curriculum. They have selected instructional materials, elucidated course goals, and determined the method of evaluation of student performance in their classes. Therefore, faculty should be afforded the highest degree of autonomy possible in instruction, including grading. 

As an institution, Marymount Manhattan College asserts that grades earned by a student reflect the quality of their academic performance, as judged by the instructor of the course; in the spirit of academic freedom, the course instructor should have sole responsibility for determining all academic grades. 

The institution recognizes that, though rare, a student may feel that their work has been graded unfairly, or that their grade is based on some standard other than academic performance in the course in question. In such cases, the Grade Appeal Policy offers the student a vehicle by which to seek clarification and/or resolution. Only instructors have the authority to change a grade unless a review and change of grade determination occurs through the Academic Review Committee.

Steps for the Grade Appeal Process

Step 1: Student Appeals to Course Instructor

A student who questions their final grade in a course (or the process by which  it was determined) is responsible for seeking initial clarification and/or resolution by communicating directly with the course instructor within 30 business days of final grade submission. Once such a request is made, it is the responsibility of the course instructor to make good faith effort to meet with the student within 30 business days of the request at a mutually agreed-upon time and place, or to arrange for a telephone or email correspondence in lieu of an in-person meeting. 

In cases where: 

• the student is unable to see their posted grades because of a hold on their records, the student will have the right to communicate with their instructor within 30 business days of the release of the hold. 
• the student cannot reach the instructor, the student can speak directly with the Department or Division Chair, whom they must contact within 35 business days of final grade submission for the course in question. 
• the course instructor and the Department Chair are the same person, the student may request a meeting with the Division Chair. 
• the course instructor and the Division Chair are the same person, the student may proceed directly to Step 3, as described below.

Step 2: Student Appeals to the Department or Division Chair

A student may request a formal review by the Department or Division Chair supervising the department in which the course was taught when, having met with or completed an email exchange with their course instructor, the student still believes that the grade is unfair, and can provide evidence to support that claim. The student must request in writing a review by the Department or Division Chair within seven business days of the conclusion of the conversation between the student and the course instructor. The request for a review must include a written statement asserting the basis for the appeal and a summary of efforts made thus far to seek to clarify or resolve the grade in question. The Department or Division Chair must make a good faith effort to meet with the student within seven business days of the request at a mutually agreed-upon time and place, or to arrange for a telephone or email correspondence in lieu of an in-person meeting. The Department or Division Chair will gather all pertinent facts from all parties and will communicate a decision in writing to the student within seven business days after the conclusion of the investigation. 

Step 3:Student Appeals to Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

A student may not move to Step 3 without having completed Steps 1 and 2 except in cases wherein the course instructor, the Department Chair and the Division Chair are the same person. Upon having communicated with the course instructor and/or the Department or Division Chair without satisfactory resolution, the student may request a review by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. For review by the Associate Dean, the student must make a request in writing within seven business days of the notice of decision by the Department or Division Chair. The faculty member will receive a copy of this documentation. To request a review of a grade, the student must demonstrate in a statement that accompanies the request, by clear and convincing evidence, that their final grade was entirely or in part calculated in a manner inconsistent with the grading procedures as described in the syllabus for the course. The request must include a summary of efforts made thus far to seek to clarify or resolve the grade in question. The Associate Dean will gather all pertinent facts from all parties concerned, including the student, the course instructor and the Department or Division Chair with whom the student had previously communicated. The Associate Dean will attempt to resolve the dispute and will notify the student, the faculty member, and the Department or Division Chair of their decision within seven business days of the conclusion of their investigation. 

Step 4: Student Requests Review by Academic Review Committee

If the student is still dissatisfied after all previous stages of appeal, and feels that their case has merit, and can provide evidence of their claims, the student may request a review by the College's Academic Review Committee by submitting in writing such a request to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs within seven business days of the Associate Dean's decision notification. To request an appeal of a grade, the student must demonstrate in a statement that accompanies the request, by clear and convincing evidence, that their final grade was entirely or in part calculated in a manner inconsistent with the grading procedures as described in the syllabus for the course. It will be the responsibility of the Associate Dean to ask the Chair of the Academic Review Committee to hold a formal review of the case as soon as possible thereafter but no later than fifteen business days into the following semester (excluding January and Summer sessions).

Step 5: Review by the Academic Review Committee

The Academic Review Committee, consisting of five voting members of the faculty*, must review all facts gathered by the Associate Dean and may choose, if appropriate, to review testimony from each party involved. The manner in which the formal grade dispute review is conducted remains at the discretion of the Committee. The Committee reserves the right to request documents from any parties involved or to request those involved in the case be interviewed by the Committee. 

If the Academic Review Committee reaches the conclusion that a mistake or incorrect determination in the grade was made or that the student was graded improperly and all prior attempts at negotiation have been unsuccessful, the Committee may decide the case has merit and arrange for the recalculation of the grade, if necessary.

All final decisions rendered by the Academic Review Committee will be made in writing within seven business days of the conclusion of the review to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). 

Step 6: Notification by the Vice President for Academic Affairs

Within thirty business days of the receipt of the decision of the Academic Review Committee, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will communicate the decision in writing to the student, the faculty member involved in the case, the Department or Division Chair, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. In the case of a recommendation of the grade change, the VPAA will issue a memorandum to the Registrar. The decision of the Committee is considered final and no further appeals will be considered. Neither the student nor the faculty member will receive information about vote deliberation. 

*Academic Review Committee Membership

The Academic Review Committee consists of five voting members of the faculty. An alternate member will be appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs if a committee member needs to recuse him/herself due to conflict of interest or is not available for a deliberation. In each case, all members participating in this process are expected to maintain the highest level of discretion and confidentiality regarding all proceedings and findings. 

Grade Waiver Petition

Matriculated students may petition for a grade waiver for courses taken at MMC in which they were assigned grades of D, F, or WF, subject to the following conditions:

• Grade waivers will not be approved for more than 4 courses with a maximum 15 credits;
• A course in which a student receives an unofficial withdrawal (UW grade) is not eligible for a grade waiver;
• Students must repeat the identical course for which the original grade was earned at MMC, unless such course is no longer offered, in which case a suitable substitute may be approved by the divisional chair;
• Under no circumstances will a student be permitted to petition for a grade waiver for a course in which a prior grade waiver was granted;
• Credits earned for Internships, Independent Study, Special Topics, Prior Learning Assessment, under the Pass/Fail grade option, Study Abroad, Consortial Agreements (Hunter College/Pace University) and/or other non-traditional means may not be considered for grade waivers;
• All grade waiver petitions must be submitted to the Dean of Academic Advisement and Student Retention by the last day of the semester in which the repeated courses is taken;
• Grade waiver petitions are reviewed and approved by the Dean and the Registrar.
• Grade waivers will not be granted when a student’s F grade is due to a violation of the College’s Academic Honesty Policy.

If approved, the following conditions apply to the waiver of a grade:

• Upon completion of the repeated course, the student will be awarded the new grade, regardless of whether it is higher or lower than the original grade*; only the new grade will be applied in the calculation of the term and cumulative GPAs. *Note: Students who subsequently withdraw or receive an unofficial withdrawal, will not be eligible for the grade waiver.
• The old grade will not be used to calculate the GPA but will remain on the student’s transcript record and designated to indicate that a grade waiver was granted.
• Although the new grade will replace an existing F or D grade, incases of the D or grade, no additional credit will be granted for the course.

Students should not assume that submission of the grade waiver request is an automatic approval of a grade waiver. Students should contact the Office of Academic Advisement to check on the status of their grade waiver request. If the grade waiver request is approved, students will be able to view the grade waiver code (D#, F#) on MMCConnect under Academic Profile/“Academic History”.

Repeated Courses

• If a student earns a D or F in the same major class twice, only with approval from the department chair and after signing a statement of awareness of the impact of the decision on financial aid may a student take a course in their major a third time; students must have an overall GPA of at least 2.0 in order to be eligible. In no case may a student take any one elective or General Education course more than twice during their entire career at MMC. This policy does not apply to certain courses for which content changes, e.g. Directed Study (298, 398), Special Topics. See Department Listings for Course Codes.
• If a student repeats a course, both grades are calculated in the student’s cumulative GPA, unless a student has an approved Grade Waiver Petition for the course (see above).
• In all cases, the credits for the course will be granted only once in determining a student’s total credits completed.
• Students who fail a course twice:
  1. will, in the case of General Education Foundation courses (Writing Seminar sequence and Mathematics), not be allowed to continue studies at MMC;
  2. may, in the case of a course in the student’s major, be required to declare a new major in order to continue his/her studies at MMC at the discretion of the department chair.
• D grades will be credited toward the degree, but not toward the fulfillment of requirements in the major or an elected minor. A student receiving a grade of D or below in a required major or elected minor course must repeat the course. When a student repeats a course, both the D grade and the new grade compute in the cumulative grade point average. The credit for the given course is only counted once toward the degree. In the case of required general education and elective courses the grade of D is acceptable and does not require repetition. Should a student elect to repeat a course in which a D was earned, no additional credit will be granted for the repeated course. If a student earns a D or F in the same major class twice, only with approval from the department chair and after signing a statement of awareness of the impact of the decision on financial aid may a student take a course in their major a third time; students must have an overall GPA of at least 2.0 in order to be eligible. In no case may a student take any one elective or General Education course more than twice during their entire career at MMC.

NOTE: Repeating a course may adversely affect a student’s full-time status for financial aid purposes.