Outcomes Assessment

Lindsey Wilson participates in programs and assessment services designed to evaluate student learning outcomes in general education courses and in their major course of study. Therefore, students may be required to take tests or other evaluations designed to assess educational outcomes at various points in their program of study. 

Grading Scale and Quality Points

Students receive a letter grade in each course taken for credit. Each semester hour of credit for each letter grade carries the number of quality points indicated as follows: 

Grade Point Average

A grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of quality points by the total number of credit hours attempted in graded courses. Credit/No Credit courses are not included in this calculation. Developmental mathematics courses (0900 series) are graded as pass/fail. 

Credit/No Credit Courses

Credit/No Credit grades (CR or NC) are given in specified courses and result in earned credit hours if they are completed successfully. The courses do not result in GPA quality points, and they have no impact on a student's grade point average, whether for the semester or cumulatively. For that purpose, they are not considered to be graded courses, though the CR and NC designations are listed on the transcript with all other grades. 

CR/NC courses are noted as such in the course descriptions. A student may repeat a CR/NC course in which a grade of NC is received. CR/NC courses may be counted toward graduation as elective hours up to a maximum of 12 hours, but such courses may not count toward completion of major or General Education Requirements unless that is noted specifically in the course description. 

Mid-term Grade Reports

Mid-term grades are submitted electronically at mid-term of each semester according to the deadline issued by the Registrar's Office. Mid-term grades are not part of the student's permanent record. Grades are mailed to students' home addresses. 

Semester End Grade Reports

All grades are reported to the Registrar at the end of each semester. Grades are mailed to students' home addresses. 

Incomplete Grades

A grade of I (Incomplete) is given when circumstances beyond a student's control prevent completion of course requirements. Students receiving incompletes are not eligible for the Dean's and President's Lists. The student must complete the course work within six weeks or may be extended to 15 weeks if mutually agreed upon with the instructor. Approval of the instructor, the Academic Unit Chair/Director and the Academic Affairs Office or the appropriate SPC Regional Academic Director is required before an incomplete grade can be given. If work is not completed within 15 weeks,  the "I" grade will automatically be changed  to an "F" grade, unless special arrangements for extension have been made by the faculty member and approved by the Academic Affairs Office. 

Repeating a Course

Courses in which the student has a final grade of D or F may be repeated for credit. The grade earned the last time the course is repeated becomes the official grade for the course. 

Questioning a Grade -- The Student Academic Complaint Policy

A student, who wishes to question an assignment grade, or other academic issue, should follow the procedure below:

1. Whenever possible, the student will first go to the faculty member who has assigned the disputed grade. Complaints regarding grades should be made within seven (7) days of receipt of the disputed grade and, if possible, will be decided by the faculty member within seven (7) days of receipt. If the disputed grade is the final grade for the course, "receipt" is defined by when the final grade is posted online by the registrar. (Please refer to the next section for appealing a final grade.)
2. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the student may, within seven (7) days request in writing a review of such decision by the Academic Unit Chair/Director in which the grade was assigned. Upon receipt of such request, that Chair will direct the faculty member and the student to each submit, within seven (7)  days, if possible, a written account of the incident, providing specific information as to the nature of the dispute.
3. Upon receipt of these written accounts, the Chair will meet, if possible, within seven (7)  days with the faculty member and the student in an effort to resolve the dispute and will render his or her decision in writing.
4. If either the student or the faculty member desired to appeal the decision of the Academic Unit Chair/Director, the student or faculty member may, within seven (7) days by written request to the chair, ask that the matter be reviewed by a Grade Appeals Panel convened by the Academic Affairs Office.
5. If the disputed grade is assigned at the end of a fall or spring semester and the student and faculty member cannot meet to resolve the issue, the student should contact the faculty member by e-mail within seven (7) days of receipt of the disputed grade.  If the issue cannot be resolved by e-mail within the time limit, steps 2, 3, and 4 of the appeal may extend into the beginning of the semester immediately following receipt of the disputed grade by following the timeline above. 

A student who wishes to question a final grade should follow the procedure below:

1. Confer with the faculty member who assigned the disputed grade.
2. If the disputed cannot be resolved, a written request for a grade appeal must be submitted to the Academic Affairs Office before the first day of the semester following the one in which the grade was issued.  The written request must include the specific bases for the appeal.
3. The Academic Affairs Office will convene a Grade Appeals Panel, comprised of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Associate Academic Dean, and the Academic Unit Chair/Director which houses the course for which the grade is appealed.  If one of the members is the faculty member who issued the grade, an alternate will be appointed.  The student and the faculty member may appear separately before the panel to explain their positions.  The hearing is non-adversarial.  Neither the faculty member nor the student may be accompanied by other individuals to the meeting of the Grade Appeals Panel.  The Grade Appeals Panel will notify the student of its decision, if possible, within seven (7) days of the meeting. 

Students attending campuses in Virginia may contact the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia as a last resort if their complaint has not been resolved to their satisfaction.  Students will not be subject to unfair actions as a result of initiating a complaint proceeding:  State Council of Higher Education, 101 N. 14^th Street, Richmond, VA  23219, (804) 225-2600. 

Students attending campuses in Tennessee may contact the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 404 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243-08300, (615) 741-5293, if their complaint is not settled at the institutional level.