6260 Grades Procedure

Procedure 

Policy Details 

Policy Name: Grades  

Policy Number: 6260  

Applicable Code/Law: N/A  

Procedural Guidelines  

  1. Grade Basis Shoreline College uses the following grade basis to record academic achievement for most courses and to indicate course status on student transcripts. Grades and some course status indicators are assigned by instructors. Course status indicators that are assigned by Enrollment Services may require instructor permission.  

Grade/Status Issued 

Grade or Status Indicator 

Course Credit Is Earned 

Included in Grade Point Average (GPA)Calculation 

4.0 

A 

Yes 

Yes 

3.0 

B 

Yes 

Yes 

2.0 

C 

Yes 

Yes 

1.0 

D 

Yes 

Yes 

0.7-0.9 

D- 

Varies  
(see description below) 

Yes 

0.0 

Fail 

No 

Yes 

H 

Course in Progress 

No 

No 

I 

Incomplete 

Dependent upon Resolution of Incomplete Contract 

Dependent upon Resolution of Incomplete Contract 

 

N 

Audit 

No 

No 

NP 

Not Pass 

No 

No 

P 

Pass 

Yes 

No 

R 

Repeat 

No 

No (May be treated differently by transfer institutions) 

W 

Withdraw 

No 

No 

Z 

Hardship Withdraw 

No 

No 

* 

Missing Grade 

No 

No 

Definitions of grades and course status indicators included in the above table:  

4.0 to 0.7 in 0.1 increments  

Classes assigned decimal grades of 0.7 or above earn credit at Shoreline Community College, but classes assigned grades below 1.0 may not count for some degrees. For transferrable courses, grades of 0.7-0.9 may not be accepted for transfer by some colleges and universities. Decimal grades are included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

0.0 – Fail  

A 0.0 grade indicates a student did not meet the minimum requirements to earn credit for a course. No credit is awarded for a 0.0 grade. The 0.0 grade is included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

H – Course in Progress  

An H or “Hold” is assigned when students are completing required coursework for a class that ends after the official end date for the quarter. After the class ends, the instructor will issue final grades to replace the H on student transcripts. The H is not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

I – Incomplete  

An I or “Incomplete” indicates that a student must submit additional coursework to complete the class successfully. An instructor may issue an Incomplete (I) on or after the second day of the seventh week of a regular quarter (or Summer Quarter equivalent) only upon a student’s written request. The Incomplete (I) is not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

N – Audit  

An N on the transcript indicates “Audit” status. A student choosing Audit (N) status may attend class but does not earn credit or receive a grade. Classes with Audit (N) status are not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

NP – Not Pass  

By issuing an NP or “Not Pass” grade, an instructor indicates that a student has achieved a performance level of below 2.0 in the class. No course credit is awarded for an NP grade. NP grades are not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

P – Pass  

By issuing a P or “Pass” grade, an instructor indicates that the student has achieved a performance level of 2.0 or higher in the class. Course credit is awarded for a P grade. P grades are not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

R – Repeat  

When a student repeats a class to improve a grade, an R for “Repeat” will appear on the transcript next to the lowest grade(s) for the course.  

W– Withdraw  

A W or “Withdraw” indicates that a student officially withdrew from a class within the quarterly withdrawal or W period. A W may be issued only upon a student’s written request. A student may not withdraw from a class to avoid the consequences of cheating, plagiarism, or other intellectual dishonesty. No course credit is awarded for a W. The W is not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations. 

Z – Hardship Withdraw  

A Z or “Hardship Withdraw” status indicates an instructor’s agreement that, after the end of the quarterly withdrawal or W period, an unforeseen crisis and/or unusual, extreme circumstance occurred that interfered with or interrupted the student’s ability to attend class and continue to complete coursework at a passing level. An instructor may issue a Z on or after the second day of the seventh week of a regular quarter (or Summer Quarter equivalent) only upon a student’s written request. A student may not withdraw from a class to avoid the consequences of cheating, plagiarism, or other intellectual dishonesty. No course credit is awarded for a Z. The Z is not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

* – Missing Grade  

An * (asterisk) in place of a grade indicates that the instructor did not submit a student’s class grade during the Time Frame for Submitting Grades (section 2 below). To convert the * (asterisk) to a grade, instructors must submit a written Grade Change Authorization to Enrollment Services within one calendar year after the date the grade submission was due.  

2 Time Frames for Assigning Grades or Course Status Indicators  

a. Enrollment Services will publish the time frame for Summer Quarter.  

b. Time Frame for Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters: 

Weeks 

Grades or Course Statuses 

First through Second week 

N 

First Day of third week through first day of seventh week 

N or W 

Second day of seventh week through last day of instruction 

I, NP, P, Z 

Final Exam Week 

4.0-0.7, 0.0, H, I, NP, P, Z 

3  Grade Changes  

Once filed with Enrollment Services, grades may not be changed except due to clerical error or at the written request of the instructor. Instructors may request grade changes within one calendar year of the date on which the original grade was assigned by submitting a written Grade Change Authorization to Enrollment Services. After one calendar year, lapsed Incomplete (I) statuses will be changed by Enrollment Services in accordance with written instructor requests included in Incomplete Contracts (see 7. Incomplete Status, below).  

4  Grading Systems  

Courses at Shoreline College use one of four grading systems. Faculty, acting in appropriate disciplinary sub-fields, designate courses as BEdA (Basic Education for Adults), Graded, Pass/Not Pass, or Student Option. Faculty will report changes in course grading system designations through divisional planning councils and the Curriculum Committee. Course grading designations will be listed in the quarterly class schedule.  

BEdA (Basic Education for Adults)  

Most courses designated as BEdA (Basic Education for Adults) are mandatory Pass/Not Pass courses. For most courses designated as BEdA, instructors may issue letter grades of P or NP, or approve course statuses of H, I, N, W, or Z, as defined in section 1 above.  

Some BEdA courses may be designated “Student option grading” in the course description (see 4.d. below). For these courses, instructors may issue decimal grades from 4.0 to 0.7 in 0.1 increments and 0.0, enter letter grades of P or NP, or approve course statuses of H, I, N, W, or Z, as defined in section 1 above. 

Graded  

For courses designated as Graded, instructors may issue decimal grades from 4.0 to 0.7 in 0.1 increments and 0.0, or approve course statuses of H, I, N, W, or Z, as defined in section 1 above.  

Pass/Not Pass  

For courses designated as Pass/Not Pass (PNP), instructors may issue grades of P or NP, or approve course statuses of H, I, N, W, or Z, as defined in section 1 above.  

Student Option 

Student Option courses are designated “Student option grading” in the course description. The default grading system is Graded. (Note: Courses that do not include “Student option grading” in the course description are not eligible for Student Option Grading.) Unless the student selects the Pass/Not Pass (PNP) grading system in writing through the process described in this paragraph (4.d.), instructors of courses designated as Student Option will issue decimal grades from 4.0 to 0.7 in 0.1 increments and 0.0, or may approve course statuses of H, I, N, W, or Z, as defined in section 1 above.  

If the student selects the Pass/Not Pass (PNP) grading system through the appropriate process, the instructor will issue grades of P or NP, as defined in section 1 above, instead of decimal grades, or may approve course statuses of H, I, N, W, or Z, as defined in section 1 above.  

For college-level courses (numbered 100 and higher), students who wish to select the Pass/Not Pass (PNP) grading system for eligible courses must submit a written Student Option Grading Request to Enrollment Services by the end of the day which constitutes the midpoint of the quarter. For pre-college level courses (numbered below 100), students who wish to select the Pass/Not Pass (PNP) grading system for eligible courses must either 1) submit a written Student Option Grading Request to Enrollment Services by the end of the day which constitutes the midpoint of the quarter, or 2) submit a written request for Pass/Not Pass (PNP) grading to the course instructor by the end of the last day of instruction for the quarter. 

5  Withdrawal Procedures  

Withdrawal procedures are initiated by the student. Students should consult with academic advisors and financial aid staff to understand how dropping or withdrawing from a class might affect their academic plans and funding. A student may not drop or withdraw from a class to avoid consequences of cheating, plagiarism, or other intellectual dishonesty.  

Students must use the withdrawal process that is appropriate to the time during the quarter the drop or withdrawal occurs. Different withdrawal processes apply before, during, and after the official withdrawal or W period of the quarter.  

In Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters, the withdrawal or W period is from the eleventh instructional (class) day of the quarter through the first instructional (class) day of the seventh week. Enrollment Services will publish withdrawal or W period dates for Summer Quarter.  

Dropping classes before the withdrawal or W period:  

Students may withdraw from or drop classes on or before the tenth day of class in a regular quarter (or Summer Quarter equivalent) using self-service enrollment tools or by contacting Enrollment Services. Instructor approval is not required. No grade will be assigned for classes dropped prior to the withdrawal or W period, and no record of enrollment will appear on the transcript.  

Withdrawing from classes during the withdrawal or W period:  

Students may withdraw from classes during the withdrawal or W period by using established Enrollment Services processes. Written approval of the instructor is required. When a student withdraws from a class, no credit is awarded, and a W is recorded on the transcript. The W is not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

Withdrawing from classes after the withdrawal or W period:  

Students who experience an unforeseen crisis and/or unusual, extreme circumstance that interferes with or disrupts their ability to attend class and continue completing passing coursework after the quarterly withdrawal or W period ends may request a Hardship Withdraw or Z. To request a Z, the student must submit to the instructor a written Hardship Withdraw request with appropriate documentation of the hardship attached.   

Upon receiving a written request for a Hardship Withdraw, the instructor will use established Enrollment Services processes to notify the student and Enrollment Services whether the Hardship Withdraw request has been approved or denied. Approval or denial of a Hardship Withdraw request is at the instructor’s discretion.  

An instructor who approves a Hardship Withdraw request will enter a Z when submitting grades for the class. No course credit is awarded for a Z. The Z is not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.   

Withdraw procedure if extreme or unusual circumstances apply:  

This procedure may be invoked when the withdrawal procedures listed above in this section cannot be followed.  

If circumstances do not permit completion of the regular withdrawal procedures listed above, the instructor, appropriate division dean, or Chief Student Affairs Officer may, if necessary, use established Enrollment Services processes to withdraw the student from one or more classes.  

In such cases, if the person authorizing the withdrawal is not the instructor, the person authorizing the withdrawal will notify the student’s instructor(s) of the circumstances so that that the instructor(s) may issue appropriate grade(s).  

6  Audit Status  

To enroll for Audit (N) status, a student must register for the class and pay regular tuition and fees. Instructor permission is required to register for or change to or from Audit (N) status after the first week (fifth day of class) of a regular quarter (or Summer Quarter equivalent). Through the first day of the seventh week of a regular quarter (or Summer Quarter equivalent), students may use established Enrollment Services processes to change to and from Audit (N) status. For students enrolled for Audit (N) status, instructors may opt not to provide feedback on coursework or permit students to take exams. A student may not change to Audit (N) status to avoid consequences of cheating, plagiarism, or other intellectual dishonesty. 

7  Incomplete Status Instructors may issue an I or Incomplete on or after the second day of the seventh week of a regular quarter (or Summer Quarter equivalent) upon the student’s written request, provided the instructor agrees that:  

  • an unavoidable reason prevents a student who is passing a class at the time of the request from completing a specific course requirement within the eleven- week regular quarter (or eight-week Summer Quarter), and  
  • the student can successfully complete the required coursework within one calendar year with no additional instruction. On or before the date on which an instructor issues an Incomplete (I), the instructor and student must complete and submit to Enrollment Services a standard Incomplete Contract that records:  
  • the specific coursework the student will submit to the instructor to complete the course,  
  • the date, not to exceed one calendar year from the date of the contract, by which the student must submit the specified coursework, and 
  • the grade (0.0 or another specified grade) to which a lapsed Incomplete (I) will convert after one calendar year if the specific coursework is not submitted.  

The instructor may convert an Incomplete (I) to an appropriate decimal or letter grade within one year of issuing it by submitting a Grade Change Authorization to Enrollment Services. After one calendar year, a lapsed Incomplete (I) will be converted by Enrollment Services to 0.0 or to a grade specified by the instructor in the Incomplete Contract.  

8  Repeating a Class Students may repeat a class up to twice to improve a grade. Repeating a class twice is defined as two repeats in addition to the original enrollment. The repeat limit does not apply to some performance-based courses.  

9  To repeat a class for a higher grade, a student must register for the course, pay all required tuition and fees, and follow current Enrollment Services processes for repeat notification.  

Credit for a repeated course is awarded only once. The highest grade assigned for a repeated course is included in grade point average (GPA) calculations at Shoreline Community College. Other colleges and universities may have differing criteria for repeated courses, and, if accepted for transfer, grades for repeated course may be treated differently by receiving institutions in grade point average (GPA) calculations. 

10  Computation of Grade Point Average  

The number of units for each class is multiplied by the numerical grade assigned, resulting the grade points for that class. The grade point average (GPA) is computed by dividing the sum of the grade points earned in classes assigning numerical grades by the total number of units attempted in those classes. H, I, N, NP, P, W, and Z are not assigned weights and are not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.  

When a student transfers from Shoreline Community College to another institution, the grading policy of the receiving institution will be applied to the student’s transcript and the computation of the student’s grade point average (GPA).

11  Degree and Program Requirements  

A minimum grade is required in some programs for technical courses, general education requirements, progression in a sequence of courses, and/or to satisfy a prerequisite.  
 
No Shoreline College degree or program may include more than 30 units of credit with Pass (P) grades. Some Shoreline  College degrees and programs may have lower limits on applying classes with Pass (P) grades to degree or program requirements.  
 
Some Shoreline  College degrees do not accept grades below 1.0 to satisfy degree requirements. For transferrable courses, students should check the receiving transfer institution’s standards to confirm that a course grade meets transfer requirements.  
 
Students should consult applicable course descriptions and program requirements and consult with academic advisors for additional information. 

Approvals 

Procedures Adopted: 1/14/19
Revised by ET: 6/14/22