Spring Semester 2020 Faculty Final Grade FAQ
What were the points outlined by Provost Robel in the March 2020 email?
- S <grade> is intended as an option for faculty members when they know a student has done enough to pass a course, but do not have the ability to do a more nuanced evaluation
- Faculty have discretion to use the S in ways consistent with (i.) with the dean’s approval.
- S/F is not intended for broad use in an entire class unless the school or the College approves.
- This option takes the place of the usual P/F option. Students who need the accommodation of an S instead of a letter grade should speak to their faculty members directly. Some students will require a letter grade for other purposes.
- This semester, S grades will count towards all requirements.
- For further direction, speak to your academic associate dean.
What is an S grade?
An S, or Satisfactory, grade indicates that the student performed at a level passing the class. It carries no GPA points or hours (i.e. does not count in the Grade Point Average). S graded courses do count in the hours earned towards the degree.
When may I assign the S grade?
The S grade may be awarded in courses taught in Spring Semester 2020 that ended after Spring Break. (NB: 1st 8-Week courses are not eligible as these classes ended prior to the change in teaching delivery caused by the pandemic.)
A student requested that I award a letter grade instead of an S. May I do this?
Yes, if the class was originally set to receive letter grades. Instructors are asked to accommodate students’ requests as best as they are able.
How do I award an S grade?
The S grade will be available as a grade option on the SIS final grade roster.
Do I need to tell my department or school the names of students who are receiving S grades this term?
No. You just need to award the S on the SIS final grade roster.
Why don’t I see an S grade on my Canvas roster?
Just as the FN and FNN values are special, IU-based grades, the Spring 2020 use of the S grade is an exceptional grade that instructors enter directly on the SIS final grade roster.
When will the grades be available on the students’ official records?
Unlike our standard process, this semester grade rosters will not be automatically posted the night that they are submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Manual intervention is required to accommodate the S grades by exception. Consequently, it may take an additional work day to process the updates and post the rosters.
When are my grades due?
No change has been made to the deadline. By Faculty Council policy, grades are due 72 hours after the last class or final examination.
Because of the fundamental changes to the grade roster posting process to accommodate the Spring 2020 change in grading policies, rosters submitted after the final deadline of Monday, May 11, can’t be guaranteed to be posted before Spring Semester 2020 grades become official on Wednesday, May 13. Grade rosters will continue to be processed, but grades on late rosters may not be included in school evaluations for degree conferral, academic probation, satisfactory academic progress for continued financial assistance, and other critical reviews. We ask for your kind assistance in meeting this final deadline to best serve our students.
What do I do if I need to grade my entire class with S/F grades instead of letter grades?
Please refer to the March email sent from your school, or contact your dean’s office for guidance. Classes changing to all S/F grades must have the approval of the dean.
If I enter an S grade, will the system replace it with a letter grade?
No, instructors must enter the S grade on the SIS final grade roster.
What do I do if a student asks me to change a letter grade to an S grade?
Through the end of July 2020, the online eGrade Change system will allow grade changes from letter grades to an S grade.
Go to One.IU and type grade change as the keyword.
Once you are in eGrade Change, the screens will direct you where to go and what to do.
Beginning in August, please contact your school dean’s office for instructions.
What do I do if a student asks me to change an S grade to a letter grade?
Because the Faculty Council policy allows the "S" grade in place of a letter grade by exception in only the Spring Semester 2020, this type of grade change is not available in the eGrade Change (eGC) system. Please contact your school dean’s office for instructions.
How is an S grade calculated into the Grade Point Average?
S grades calculate in the hours completed toward the degree but are not calculated in the GPA.
Will it count towards students’ degree progress, requirements, etc?
Traditionally, no. However, the exception to the grading policy for Spring Semester 2020 allows courses with the S grades to count for both Bloomington degree and general education requirements this term Spring Semester 2020.
Will an S grade count for admission to a different Bloomington program?
Yes. S grades will count for admission to a different Bloomington program in courses that were completed in Spring Semester 2020 only.
What if my class was already set for S/F grading and has always been S/F graded, may a student request a letter grade?
No. The only change to the grading policy allowed Spring Semester 2020 is for instructors to award an S grade in place of a quality (A+ through D-) grade.
I made a mistake entering grades that don’t include the S grades. What do I do?
Follow the standard eGrade Change process, available via One.IU.
Some students have already applied for the Pass/Fail option for this term. What happens to the P/F request this term?
Students who have applied for P/F grading will continue to earn a P or F this term.
Will an S grade count toward the maximum elective Pass/Fail classes that can be taken?
No. The S grade will not have an impact on the limits for the number of courses that can be taken Pass/Fail by a student.