Spring 2020 Grading Policy

Due the impact of the COVID-19 disruption on Mercy College of Ohio students, the following changes in the grading policy have been instituted. The grading procedure and policy updates are effective for the second 8-week and 16-week courses during the Spring 2020 semester as outlined below.

Withdraw (W) Grades

1. The Withdraw (W) grade and Withdraw Fail (WF) grade information below applies to all undergraduate and graduate courses.

- Withdraw (W) grade request must be submitted on or before Monday, May 4, 2020 by 4:30 p.m. using the process outlined on page 137 in the College Catalog and using the Drop/Withdrawal/Leave Form in EmpowerME.

A Withdraw (W) grade will require students to retake a course but without a negative impact on their GPA. A Withdraw (W) grade will not count as a failed course as defined in current program progression policies outlined in the College Catalog and/or Program Handbooks.
Refund request guidelines and dates will be applied as posted in the College Catalog.

- Withdraw Fail (WF) grades WILL NOT be issued during the Spring 2020 semester.

- Please consult your advisor for assistance with the W grade.

Incomplete Grades

2. The Incomplete (I) Grade information outlined below applies to undergraduate and graduate courses offered during the 16-week semester or the second 8-weeks that:

a. transitioned from face-to-face to online/digital-mediated format

AND/OR

b. had outside face-to-face requirements (within a course) that were unable to be met during the spring 2020 semester.

- The current Incomplete (I) grade procedure outlined in the 2019-2020 College Catalog has been suspended for issuing COVID-19 related Incomplete (I) grades.

- Incomplete (I) grades will be awarded by faculty (not through student petition) teaching courses where students will not be able to meet course requirements due to the impact of COVID-19 on face-to-face instructional methods or outside requirements.

Students who receive an Incomplete (I) grade will be notified by their faculty member or a program representative on or before Friday, April 10, 2020 by 4:30 p.m. with more information.
The timeline to complete all work related to an Incomplete (I) grade will begin when in-person activities resume and will end as indicated by the faculty member, but not to extend beyond December 20, 2020.

Pass (P) Unsatisfactory (U) Grades

3. A student will have the opportunity to petition to the Office of Student Records for a Pass (P) grade or Unsatisfactory (U) grade for undergraduate courses only.

- A petition for a Pass (P) grade becomes an option after final grades are posted and after consultation with the student's Academic Advisor.

- A student may petition the Office of Student Records, using the Grade Change Petition Form, for a Pass (P) grade in courses where students have completed all course requirements and receive a passing grade as outlined in the course syllabus/program handbook.

All petitions for a Pass (P) or Unsatisfactory (U) grade are due Friday, May 29, 2020 by 4:30 p.m.
A Pass (P) grade will award credit for the course in fulfilling requirements for both general education and the program of study.
A Pass (P) grade WILL NOT have an impact on GPA.
All student transcripts for Spring 2020 will have a notation that the option to petition for a Pass (P) and Unsatisfactory (U) grade was a choice for all undergraduate students.

- A petition for an Unsatisfactory (U) grade becomes an option after final grades are posted and after consultation with the student's Academic Advisor.

- A student may petition to the Office of Student Records for an Unsatisfactory (U) grade in courses where students have completed all course requirements and do not receive a passing grade as outlined in the course syllabus/program handbook.

All petitions for a Pass (P) or Unsatisfactory (U) grade are due Friday, May 29, 2020 by 4:30 p.m.
An Unsatisfactory (U) grade will require students to retake a course.
An Unsatisfactory (U) grade WILL NOT have an impact on GPA.
The course WILL NOT count as a failed course as defined in current program progression policies outlined in the College Catalog and Program Handbooks.
Students receiving an Unsatisfactory (U) grade would not be eligible to receive semester honors but the same students would be eligible to receive institutional honors (at commencement).

Please direct any questions regarding these grading policy and procedure changes to Dr. Bates via email at trevor.bates@mercycollege.edu with the word “Grading” in the subject line.