20.4.0 Grading

Last Update: Saturday, July 1, 2023

20.4.1 Passing Grade

A, B+, B, C+, C, D+, D and P are passing grades. The grade considered satisfactory for completion of a course as a prerequisite for subsequent courses or activities will be determined by each department or program and stipulated in the course description.

20.4.2 Transfer Credits

Passing credits earned beginning Fall 2018 with a grade below “C” will be eligible for transfer. Requests for passing credits prior to Fall 2018 will be made in writing to the academic Dean and decided at the Dean’s discretion.

NOTE: Program requirements are still in effect.

20.4.3 Incomplete Grades

An incomplete grade may be assigned by a faculty member in cases when, for valid reasons (illness, accident, etc.), all of the required work has not been completed but is otherwise satisfactory. (Unexcused absence from the final exam and/or failure to turn in a final project or paper are not extenuating circumstances). Except in unusual cases, the delinquent work should not exceed 10-20 percent of the total required work. An Incomplete Grade Contract must be completed in full, including all signatures, prior to receiving a grade of (“I”) Incomplete.

Responsibility for making up incomplete work lies with the student. Incomplete work must be made up by the due date posted on the academic calendar of the subsequent regular-term semester. Alternate arrangements (shorter or longer time frame) can be implemented if agreed upon by the instructor and student and approved by the School Dean. If the work is not completed according to the agreed-upon plan, the incomplete grade will be recorded as “F” on the student’s record. Access to the course content via the Learning Management System (Brightspace) is available as long as the course remains in Incomplete status, but is terminated once a final grade is assigned in the course.

20.4.4 Pass/Fail Policy

The Pass/Fail Policy is intended to better serve our students who want to take an elective course without risking a negative effect on their GPA. Earned grades of A-D will appear on the student’s academic transcript as a “P” (Pass); earned grades of F will remain an “F” (Fail). The “P” (Pass) grade is not calculated in the GPA, but counts towards program pursuit for financial aid purposes. It is understood that the Pass/Fail Policy is not designed to be used as a “lifeline” for students in jeopardy of doing poorly in courses.

20.4.4.1 Number of Courses Allowed to Choose Pass/Fail

Maximum number of 4 courses at SUNY Canton for a Baccalaureate Degree

Maximum number of 2 courses at SUNY Canton for an Associate’s Degree

Only one Pass/Fail Option per semester is allowed

NOTE: Courses in which students took a Pass Grade Option during COVID-related semesters (Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021) are excluded from the maximum number of courses al-lowed above

NOTE: Courses which are normally designated as Pass/Fail courses are excluded from the maximum number of courses allowed above

20.4.4.2 Deadline to Request a Pass/Fail Option

The deadline for students to request a Pass/Fail Option is 3 weeks from the date the course begins for full 15-week courses

The deadline for students to request a Pass/Fail Option is 1 week from the date the course begins for any course which is not a regular, full 15-week course

The deadline dates will be published on the Academic Calendar

Once the request for a Pass/Fail Option is approved and processed by the Registrar, the student is not permitted to revert the grade back to the standard A-F grading scale

20.4.4.3 Courses Excluded from Pass/Fail Option

Students may not request a Pass/Fail for any courses in their major, regardless of whether or not their program is accredited

Students may not request a Pass/Fail for any courses in their minor

Students may not request a Pass/Fail for any General Education Requirement (GER) courses

Students may not request a Pass/Fail for their First Year Experience (FYEP) course

Students may not request a Pass/Fail if they are repeating a course

20.4.4.4 Criteria for Requesting a Pass/Fail Option

Students must have completed one full semester at SUNY Canton

Students must be in Good Standing and have a minimum 2.0 GPA in order to request a Pass/Fail

20.4.5 Midterm Grades

At midterm, faculty members will submit student grades electronically for all courses they are teaching or supervising via secure access through UCanWeb, the online student information system. Faculty members will report midterm grades with the same letter grade designations used for course grades.

All midterm grades are available to students electronically through secure access to UCanWeb. Students receiving grades of D+, D, or F should seek out their instructors/academic advisors to identify the problem, seek additional support services (tutoring labs) and make the necessary improvement.

20.4.6 Repeating a Course

Students may repeat courses. If higher, the grade earned in the repeated course will be substituted for the original grade in computing the GPA. Refer to the Policies & Procedures Manual regarding financial aid eligibility when repeating courses. Repeated courses must be taken at SUNY Canton for the course grade to be calculated in your SUNY Canton GPA. Repeated courses taken at another institution, will be transferred back for credit only and the SUNY Canton grade will be excluded from the student’s GPA; to clarify, the student will receive transfer credit, but the grade will not transfer.

20.4.7 Repeat of “D” Grades and Financial Aid Eligibility

According to New York State Regulations, “If a student repeats a course in which a passing grade acceptable to the institution has already been received, the course cannot be included as a part of the student’s minimum full-time or part-time course load for financial aid purposes. When such courses are included in meeting the minimum requirement, they render the student ineligible for a State award (TAP).” In the following instances, repeated courses may count toward full-time or part-time study:

When a failed or withdrawn course is repeated;
When a grade received is passing at the institution but is unacceptable in the current curriculum (i.e., Nursing I, II, III, IV for Nursing-622); and
When a course may be repeated and credit earned each time.

In addition, the repeated course may not be considered in determining whether the student has met the Pursuit of Program Requirement and is in good academic standing. The student should check with their advisor and/or the Financial Aid Office - One Hop Shop to determine if repeating a course will affect their state TAP Grant eligibility.

Federal regulations allow a course that has been passed previously to be repeated once and count for federal aid eligibility. It would not be counted for aid eligibility if repeated a second time.

20.4.8 Academic Integrity Policy

The State University of New York at Canton is dedicated to holding its academic community to the highest standards of academic integrity. We believe that in order for students to have successful careers in their chosen fields, they must master their own course work and not imitate or copy another person’s ideas or work and claim it as their own. Academic integrity is essential to the success of the college’s educational mission, and violations of this policy are considered a serious matter.

Students are therefore expected to comply with all academic integrity standards described in the SUNY Canton Code of Student Conduct, Rights, and Responsibilities which can be found in the Student Handbook. These standards include issues of cheating and plagiarism. Breaches of our academic integrity standards will result in a variety of penalties depending on the severity of the problem.

20.4.9 Final Examination Period

There will be a final examination period at the end of each semester. This period must be used by the professor for a comprehensive final examination, the last unit test, or some other activity of academic merit. See the Policies & Procedures Manual for more information.

20.4.10 Credit for Prior Learning

The credit for prior learning review process is used for the evaluation of industry acceptable credentials that cannot be assessed through other prior learning assessment processes (i.e., standardized exams, challenge exams, transfer credits, ACE military evaluations). Credit for prior learning may be granted to students with an affiliation with the campus, such as being enrolled in a degree program and/or microcredential at the completion of the review process.

SUNY Canton may award credit for prior learning through a review of professional and industry certifications, licenses, and other industry acceptable credentials. The maximum number of credit hours of prior learning that can be applied toward an associate degree is 15, toward a baccalaureate degree is 30, and toward a microcredential is 3.

NOTE: Students can apply for credit for prior learning only if a proficiency exam or a standardized testing exam does not exist for that course.

The cost for assessment and award of credit for prior learning is:

Assessment Fee Deposit = $300 (The assessment fee deposit is paid at time of application and will be deducted from the final assessment fee.

Assessment Fee: (paid at conclusion of assessment review)

A. 1-3 credits = $300

B. 4-6 credits = $600

C. 7-9 credits = $900

D. 10-12 credits = $1200

E. 13-15 credits = $1500

F. 16-18 credits = $1800

G. 19-21 credits = $2100

H. 22-24 credits = $2400

I. 25-27 credits = $2700

J. 28-30 credits = $3000

SUNY Data Definitions for Credit for Prior Learning

Prior Learning Category	Source/Method	Definition
Portfolio Assessment	Portfolio Type (if needed)	College credit awarded based on a student portfolio (based on an interview, a performance assessment, a product assessment and/or a written narrative, along with related documentation) which has been evaluated by the institution or an external portfolio evaluation service for college-level credit.
Technical or Professional Certification or Badges	Platform/Badge or Certification	College credit awarded based on review of technical or professional certifications or badges.
Technical or Professional Licensure	Licensure Program/ Licensing Body	College credit awarded based on review of technical or professional licensure programs.
Other	Additional Methods Added as Needed	Other nontraditional course credit for the assessment of prior learning that does not fit within other categories.

Non-Portfolio Review

The student must complete the credit for prior learning application form and submit all relevant documentation for review.
The application form and all relevant documentation will go to the Center for Workforce, Community, and Industry Partnerships (WCIP) for initial review, and the assessment fee deposit ($300) will be placed on the student’s record for payment.
Once the student has paid the assessment fee deposit ($300), the application packet will then be sent to the relevant School Dean, in consultation with other School Deans as appropriate. The School Dean will coordinate with the appropriate department/faculty associated with the program and/or microcredential.
The relevant department/faculty member(s) will review the application and documentation to determine if the prior learning aligns with the learning objectives designated within a course. This review will take no longer than 20 business days.
Once a decision has been made, the department/faculty member(s) will complete the credit for prior learning assessment form and include the course number, course name, and credit hour(s) awarded for each application. The credit for prior learning application, relevant student documentation, credit for prior learning assessment, and course outline must be included in the final decision packet.
The final decision packet will be reviewed and signed by the relevant Dean and returned to the Center for Workforce, Community, and Industry Partnerships, and the student will be notified of the decision within 5 business days. The complete packet will be scanned and stored by WCIP.
Once the decision is made, the appropriate assessment fee will be placed on the student’s record for payment. The assessment fee deposit ($300) will be deducted from the final assessment fee.
The student will then contact Student Accounts and pay the fee on their bill.
Once the bill is processed, the Registrar’s Office will record credit as “CR” on the student’s official transcript under the appropriate course number.

Portfolio Review

The student must complete the credit for prior learning application form to begin the process.
The application form and all relevant documentation will go to the Center for Workforce, Community, and Industry Partnerships for initial review, and the assessment fee deposit ($300) will be placed on the student’s record for payment.
Once the student has paid the assessment fee deposit ($300), the student will be advised to enroll in the next available 1-credit portfolio design course. The portfolio must clearly evidence mastery of a preponderance of the learning outcomes as listed in the course outline(s) for a request to be viable.
Once the portfolio is completed, it will be returned to the Center for Workforce, Community, and Industry Partnerships and will then be sent to the relevant School Dean, in consultation with other School Deans as appropriate. The School Dean will arrange for a discipline-specific faculty member affiliated with the program for review.
The discipline-specific faculty member(s) will review the application and portfolio to determine if the prior learning aligns with the learning objectives designated within a course. This review will take no longer than 20 business days.
The discipline-specific faculty member(s) will complete the credit for prior learning assessment form and include the course number, course name, and credit hour(s) awarded for each application. The credit for prior learning application, portfolio, credit for prior learning assessment, and course outline packet will be returned to the Center for Workforce, Community, and Industry Partnerships.
The prior learning packet will then be sent to the Review Committee (comprised of one faculty member per school). The committee will review the application, portfolio, and alignment determined by the discipline-specific faculty member to determine if the prior learning aligns with the learning objectives. This review will take no longer than 20 business days.
The final decision packet will be reviewed and signed by the relevant Dean and returned to the Center for Workforce, Community, and Industry Partnerships, and the student will be notified of the decision within 5 business days. The complete packet will be scanned and stored by WCIP.
Once the decision is made, the appropriate assessment fee will be placed on the student’s record for payment. The assessment fee deposit ($300) will be deducted from the final assessment fee.
The student will then contact Student Accounts and pay the credit for learning fee on their bill.
Once the bill is processed, the Registrar’s Office will record credit as “CR” on the student’s official transcript under the appropriate course number.

Application for Prior Learning Credit

Proficiency/Challenge Exam Policy

SUNY Canton may award prior learning assessment credit through a locally designed competency and/or challenge exam developed through the department associated with the requested course credit.

Proficiency/challenge exams must be requested and administered prior to the student’s enrollment in the equivalent course for which an exam is requested. A student may not repeat the proficiency/challenge exam administered for a specific course or portion thereof if not satisfactorily completed. A student is not permitted to enroll in or repeat the equivalent course for which a proficiency exam has been satisfactorily completed. Any credit earned through a competency and/or challenge exam will not be counted as residency credit and all credit earned must fulfill degree requirements.

The maximum number of credit hours of prior learning that can be applied toward an associate degree is 15, toward a baccalaureate degree is 30, and toward a microcredential is 3.

Proficiency/Challenge Exam Fee (paid at the beginning of the process): $120/exam/course

SUNY Data Definitions for Credit for Prior Learning

Challenge Exam

College credit awarded based on challenge exam (or departmental exam), defined as an institutional exam designed to assess learning outcomes related to a specific course and which is developed by faculty who teach the course. (Existing final exams or comprehensive exams may provide the basis for developing a challenge exam but are not appropriate for use as challenge exams without evaluation and revision to ensure that they accurately and fairly assess all course learning outcomes.)

PROCEDURES

Matriculated students complete a proficiency/challenge exam request form.
The proficiency/challenge exam request form will go to the Center for Workforce, Community & Industry Partnerships (WCIP) for initial review and the appropriate fee ($120/exam) will be placed on the student’s record for payment.
Once the student has paid the proficiency/challenge exam fee, the request form will then be sent to the relevant School Dean. The School Dean will coordinate with the appropriate department/faculty for the development of a proficiency/challenge exam and grading rubric. The exam and rubric development will normally take no longer than 20 business days.
Once the proficiency/challenge exam and grading rubric are ready, the faculty member will coordinate with the student to schedule, proctor, and grade the exam.
Once graded, the proficiency/challenge exam, grading rubric, and the completed proficiency/challenge exam request form will be returned to the Center for Workforce, Community & Industry Partnerships where it will be scanned and stored by the WCIP.
If the student achieves a passing score (70% or higher) on the proficiency/challenge exam, the packet will be sent to the Registrar’s Office where the course credit will be recorded as “CR” on the student’s official transcript.

20.4.11 Transcript of Records

Students can access and view unofficial transcripts in UCanWeb. Official transcripts are ordered through Parchment and can be requested in print or electronic format. Paper transcripts can be requested directly from SUNY Canton at the Registrar’s Office by completing this form which must include student signature. SUNY Canton will cover the cost of the actual transcript(s) from the $5 transcript fee that students are charged each semester. However, it is the student’s responsibility to pay the handling fee associated with having their transcript(s) sent. The handling fee includes valuable notifications that alert students of any potential problems that may prevent their transcript(s) from being sent. In addition, students will have the ability to track the delivery status of their transcript(s). Expedited shipping is also available for an additional fee.

20.4.12 Student Course Comments

A standard Student Course Comment questionnaire will be issued for every scheduled course each semester. This questionnaire is designed for students to provide feedback on their courses. Student Course Comments will be distributed via students’ secured UCanWeb account and will be active for three weeks; the last week of classes, final exam week, and the week following final exams. This is a required survey, and students will not have the ability to access records in UCanWeb until the questionnaire has been completed. Students are strongly encouraged to thoughtfully complete the questionnaire, as SUNY Canton values student feedback.

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