Grade Information

Grade Point Average

The semester grade point average is calculated by:

1. Multiplying the credit hours of a course by the honor points earned for the course grade;
2. Adding the honor points earned for each course;
3. Dividing the total honor points by the number of credit hours attempted. (Courses with grades of “S, U, P, W, WC, WX, H” and “I” are excluded from these calculations.)

Grade Reports

Final grades are available online through MyJeffco at the end of each semester. Online grade reports list the letter grade awarded in each course, the honor points earned in each course, the student’s total semester grade point average, and the total cumulative grade point average. The official grade point average is available only on the Jefferson College transcript. Financial obligations to the College must be met for release of official transcripts. Mid-term grades may also be available online through MyJeffco.

Grading Scale

The College uses the following scale of evaluation:

The S/U grading system encourages enrollment in elective courses without the fear of low grades affecting the grade average. These courses are primarily outside of the student’s major requirements, general core requirements, or any sequential course requirement. Students must have completed 12 credits with a 2.00 grade average or higher to enroll in a course with the S/U option. The S/U enrollment option ends with the conclusion of the first week of instruction. Students may take only one course per semester with the S/U option; six S/U credits may accumulate to the associate degree. The “S” grade will not be computed in determining the Dean’s List. Students may not choose the S/U option to eliminate prior deficient grades. Summa cum laude graduates must earn at least 62 graded hours to be eligible for recognition with highest honors. The P/F grading system is limited to specified programs: Applied39 Music seminars. Transfer students may enter Jefferson College with the “P” grade on their transcript. These credits will be honored at Jefferson College.

Incomplete Grades

A student may receive an Incomplete (“I”) grade only at the instructor’s discretion when extenuating circumstances, which occur late in the semester, make it impossible for the student to complete all course work. An incomplete grade may remain on record for only one semester. During this period, the instructor who assigned the incomplete grade may guide the student’s independent work, which completes remaining course requirements. Students may not re-enroll in this course while they are completing these independent course requirements.

After one semester, the instructor will either change the original “I” grade, or the “I” grade will automatically become an “F” grade. Students receiving an “F” grade should follow the College’s policy on repeating courses.

Repeating Courses

If a student received a grade less than an “A” in any course, he/she may repeat the course. The original grade will appear on the transcript; however, the completed grade for the repeated course will cancel the calculations for the first grade in establishing the cumulative grade point average. Please note that certain courses (e.g. Physical Education activity courses) are repeatable. For repeatable courses, the grades earned for each semester will be calculated in the student’s cumulative grade point average. Financial aid recipients should check with the Office of Student Financial Services before repeating a course.

Grade Appeal Process

1. If a student believes that a final grade for a course is not correct, the student should contact the instructor of record to determine why that grade was assigned. This communication may be conducted in person, in writing, or through electronic communication. This question should be asked as early as possible to allow for a rapid resolution of any administrative or clerical errors.
2. If no answer is received by the start of the next regular semester (Fall or Spring), or if the instructor’s response is not satisfactory, the student may initiate a formal grade appeal. The deadline for initiating a formal grade appeal is the first business day of the second week of the next regular semester (Fall or Spring). The student will contact the instructor by e-mail using an official Jefferson College account. The student will copy the message to the instructor’s associate dean (or designated institutional supervisor). The message must include the student’s full name, the CRN of the course (five-digit course registration number), the nature of the disagreement, and the student’s calculation of his or her final grade based on the course syllabus.
3. It is then the responsibility of the instructor to explain, making explicit references to the course syllabus, the determination of the course grade. That information will be sent to the student through an official Jefferson College e-mail account. The instructor’s Associate Dean (or designated institutional supervisor) will be copied on that message. The instructor has five business days after receiving the formal grade appeal to respond to it.
4. If the response provided by the instructor is deemed by the student to be insufficient, or if the student has not received a reply after five business days, the student may appeal the instructor’s decision to the appropriate associate dean (or designated institutional supervisor). This must be initiated no later than 10 business days after the initial request for a formal grade appeal. The correspondence should be made through a Jefferson College e-mail account.
5. The appeal of the instructor’s decision going to the appropriate associate dean (or designated institutional supervisor) should include the nature of the grade disagreement, a copy of communication between the student and the instructor, and a copy of the course syllabus. The associate dean (or designated institutional supervisor) then has five business days to investigate the issue and to transmit a response to the student through a Jefferson College e-mail account.
6. If the response provided by the associate dean (or designated institutional supervisor) is deemed by the student to be insufficient, or if the student has not received a reply within five business days, the student may appeal the decision of the associate dean (or designated institutional supervisor) to the appropriate dean (or designated institutional supervisor). This should be initiated no later than 20 business days after the initial request for a formal grade appeal. The correspondence should be made through a Jefferson College e-mail account.
7. The dean (or designated institutional supervisor) will receive the same documentation provided to the associate dean (or designated institutional supervisor), with the additional inclusion of the response of the associate dean (or designated institutional supervisor). The dean (or designated institutional supervisor) then has five business days to investigate the issue and to transmit a response to the student through a Jefferson College e-mail account.
8. If the response provided by the dean (or designated institutional supervisor) is deemed by the student to be insufficient, or if the student has not received a reply within five business days, the student may appeal the decision of the dean to the Vice President of Instruction. This should be initiated no later than 25 business days after the initial request for a formal grade appeal. The correspondence should be made through a Jefferson College e-mail account.
9. The Vice President of Instruction will receive the same documentation provided to the dean (or designated institutional supervisor), with the additional inclusion of the response of the dean (or designated institutional supervisor). The Vice President of Instruction then has five business days to investigate the issue and to transmit a response to the student through a Jefferson College e-mail account.
10. The determination of the Vice President of Instruction is final. Note: In the event that an appropriate individual is unavailable to resolve the grade dispute during the designated time frame or there is a conflict of interest, Jefferson College will designate an appropriate institutional peer.

All of the information listed above can also be found in the College Catalog.