ES4562 - Incomplete Grades

1. Institutional Regulations
   1. The Board of Directors of DMACC confers upon the staff the power to establish academic standards as they relate to the educational process.
2. Procedure
   1. An incomplete grade is generally granted by the instructor when special circumstances beyond the student’s control prevent completion of the course. Failing a final exam, project, or other assignment or not submitting course work as a result of inadequate preparation are not valid reasons for requesting an incomplete grade.
   2. While, in most cases, the request to process an Incomplete Contract should come from the student, if an instructor thinks a student may not know about the “I” option or seems hesitant to ask the instructor to consider that option and the instructor is willing to do so, the instructor may recommend to a student that they consider exercising the Incomplete Grade Contract option. In all cases, an Incomplete Contract will be processed only if the instructor approves it. The request for issuance of an “Incomplete” grade is the student’s responsibility and must originate from the student. Granting an incomplete grade, designated by an “I”, is an instructor’s prerogative.
   3. After an instructor has agreed to grant the incomplete, that instructor must delineate, in writing, the requirements/guidelines for completion of the course. Under normal circumstances, the Incomplete Grade Contract must be signed by both student and instructor.
   4. When extenuating circumstances prohibit the student from initiating an Incomplete Grade Contract, the instructor may do so on the student’s behalf, if they deem it appropriate. Such extenuating circumstances must be detailed in writing on the contract.
   5. The Incomplete Grade Contract must be submitted prior to or at the time grades are reported. If an instructor reports a grade of “I” on the printed grade roster or over the Internet and does not submit an Incomplete Grade Contract, the Academic Records Office will honor the grade of “I”; however, if by the second week of the subsequent semester a contract has not been received, the grade will be changed to “F” and the student will receive a revised grade report.
   6. The deadline for completion of the work on the Incomplete Grade Contract may be no later than the midterm date of the subsequent semester. An instructor may change an “I” grade to an A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F or P until midterm of the subsequent semester. The grade change will be submitted by the instructor to Student Records on the “Change of Grade Report” form. If no grade change is submitted by the instructor by the midterm deadline, the “I” grade will become an “F” grade, unless an extension has been granted.
   7. As a courtesy, the Academic Records office will alert the instructors of any outstanding “I” grades that will be converting to “F” grades.
   8. Because grades are reported after the last day to drop courses, a student who has been granted an Incomplete Grade Contract may no longer withdraw from the course. If severe extenuating circumstances exist, however, a student may file a Petition for Policy Waiver (ES 4650) to request a late withdrawal.
   9. For the purpose of this procedure, “subsequent term” is the term following the term during which the student was enrolled in the course and received the incomplete grade. For example, the summer term is the subsequent term to spring term. Deadlines are in effect regardless of whether the student is enrolled or the instructor is teaching in the subsequent term.
   10. An instructor may extend the time allowed for completion of the work until the end of the term by submitting an “Extension of Time Imcomplete Grade” form to the Student Records office.  Only one such extension may be granted.  If a grade change has not been submitted by the instructor by the end of therm (at the end of the “Extension of Time”), the “I” grade will become an “F” grade.
   11. As a courtesy, the Student Records office will alert the instructors of any outstanding “I” grades that will be converting to an “F” grade.

September 14, 2022 - Made wording changes & combined ES4563 procedure with this procedure and attached the Incomplete Grade - Extension of Time form.

October 20, 2022 - Removed reference to ES4563, which has been Inactivated.

Related Form: ES4562-Incomplete Grade Contract-Fillable-Form-20211221  

ES4562-Incomplete-Grade-Ext-of-Time-Fillable-Form-20070901  

 
Note: Guidelines for Incomplete Grades