1. Personal interest
2. Formulate career plans/goals
3. Start a New Career
4. Advance in Current Career
5. Maintain certificate or license
6. Complete HS credits or GED

Students must declare their education goal at the time of application and registration. It will be noted in the college catalog that most transfer institutions limit the number of CR/NC or P/NP grades that they will accept.

2. The Board of Trustees has authorized the use of the following non-evaluative symbols:

SYMBOL	DEFINITION
I	Incomplete: If a student is unable to complete academic work for unforeseeable, emergency or justifiable reasons by the end of the term, he/she may petition to have an “I” symbol recorded on their academic record. The condition(s) for the removal of the “I” must be stated by the instructor in a written record given to the student and submitted to the Admissions, Records and Enrollment Development Office for approval. The incomplete must be made up within one year of assignment. Students may petition for a time extension due to extenuating circumstances. A final grade shall be assigned when the conditions stipulated have been met and evaluated, or when the time limit has passed. The “I” symbol shall not be used in calculating units attempted nor for grade points.
IP	In progress: The “IP” symbol shall be used only in those courses which extend beyond the normal end of an academic term. The assignment of an evaluative symbol (grade) must await completion of the work “in progress.” The “IP” symbol shall remain on the student’s permanent record in order to satisfy enrollment documentation. The appropriate evaluative symbol (grade) and unit credit shall appear on the student’s permanent record for the term in which the course is completed. If a student enrolled in an “open-entry, open-exit” course is assigned an “IP” at the end of an attendance period and does not re-enroll in that course during the subsequent attendance period, the appropriate faculty will assign an evaluative symbol (grade) to be recorded on the student’s permanent record of the course. The “IP” shall not be used in calculating grade point averages.
RD	Report Delayed: The “RD” symbol may be assigned by the Admissions, Records and Enrollment Development Office, and only when there is a delay in reporting the grade of a student due to circumstances beyond the control of the student. It is a temporary notation to be replaced by a permanent symbol as soon as possible. “RD” shall not be used in calculating grade point averages.
W	Withdrawal: No notation (“W” or other) shall be made on the academic record of the student who withdraws before the first census date of the course. For full-semester courses, this is the last day of the third week of instruction or 20% of the course for short-term courses (including summer courses). A “W” symbol shall be recorded on the academic record of the student who withdraws from a semester-length course after the end of the third week of instruction through the last day of the thirteenth week of instruction or 60% of the course for short-term courses (including summer courses). The academic record of a student who remains in a class beyond the withdrawal (W) deadline must reflect a symbol other than a “W.” The appropriate faculty shall be notified of all withdrawals. The “W” shall not be used in calculating grade point averages, but excessive “W”’s shall be used as factors in probation and dismissal procedures.
EW	“Excused withdrawal” occurs when a student is permitted to withdraw from a course(s) due to extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student which affected his or her ability to complete a course(s).  The student must submit a petition to the Admissions, Records and Enrollment Development Office to request an excused withdrawal and must include documentation of the extenuating circumstance.  Upon approval, an excused withdrawal symbol of “EW” will be recorded on the student’s academic record. Extenuating circumstances may include but are not limited to the following: verifiable accidents; chronic or acute illness of student or immediate family member; death of an immediate family member; job transfer outside the geographical region; the student is the subject of an immigration action; an incarcerated student in a California state prison or county jail is released from custody or involuntarily transferred before the end of the term; natural disasters directly affecting the student; other verifiable circumstances making course completion impracticable. In the case of an incarcerated student, an excused withdrawal cannot be applied if the failure to complete the course(s) was the result of a student’s behavioral violation or if the student requested and was granted a mid-semester transfer. Excused withdrawals shall not be counted in progress probation and dismissal calculations, toward the permitted number of withdrawals or counted as an enrollment attempt for course repetition.
MW	“Military withdrawal” occurs when a student who is a member of an active or reserve United States military service receives orders compelling a withdrawal from courses. A student must submit a petition to the Admissions, Records and Enrollment Development Office, and upon verification of such orders, a withdrawal symbol of “MW” will be recorded on the student’s academic record.  Military withdrawals shall not be counted in progress probation and dismissal calculations, toward the permitted number of withdrawals, or counted as an enrollment attempt for course repetition.

3. Degree applicable Grade Point Averages

In calculating students’ degree applicable grade point averages, grades earned in non-degree applicable courses shall not be included.

4. Posting Grades

The deadline to submit final grade and positive attendance rosters is the day prior to end-of-semester processing, as determined by the Academic Calendar Committee. The final grade submission deadline is a minimum of seven (7) calendar days from the last day of final exam week. However, for student success, the recommended best practice is to submit grades as soon as possible.

5. Changing Grades

A. The instructor of the course shall determine the grade to be awarded to each student.

B. The determination of the student's grade by the instructor is final in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetence. “Mistake” may include, but is not limited to, errors made by an instructor in calculating a student’s grade and clerical errors. “Fraud” may include, but is not limited to, inaccurate recording or change of a grade by any person who gains access to grade records without authorization.

C. The instructor must complete and submit an Instructor Change of Grade form to the Admissions, Records and Enrollment Development Office for grade correction on the student’s academic record.

D. Students filing a complaint based on a grade appeal must follow the process as outlined in Student Complaint and Grievance Procedure.

6. Security of Grade Records

A. The District shall implement security measures for student records that assure no person may obtain access to student grade records without proper authorization. These measures shall be installed as part of any computerized grade data storage system.

B. The measures implemented by the District shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, password protection for all student grade databases, locking mechanisms for computer stations from which student grade databases can be viewed, and strict limits on the number of persons who are authorized to change student grades.

C. Persons authorized to change grades shall be designated by the Dean of Admissions, Records & Enrollment Development. No more than five District employees may be authorized to change student grades.   Only student grades.  Only regular full-time employees of the District may be authorized to change grades. Student workers shall not have access to grade records, and student workers may not change grades at any time.

D. Any person who discovers that grades have been changed by someone other than the persons authorized to do so shall notify the Dean of Admissions, Records & Enrollment Development immediately. The Dean shall immediately take steps to lock the grade storage system entirely while an investigation is conducted.

E. If any student’s grade record is found to have been changed without proper authorization, the District will notify 1) the student; 2) the instructor who originally awarded the grade; 3) any educational institution to which the student has transferred; 4) the accreditation agency; and 5) appropriate local law enforcement authorities.

F. Whenever a grade is changed for any reason, corrected transcripts will be sent to any educational institution to which a student has transferred.

G. Any student or employee who is found to have gained access to grade recording systems without proper authorization, or who is found to have changed any grade without proper authority to do so, shall be subject to discipline in accordance with District policies and procedures.

H. Any person who is found to have gained access to grade recording systems without proper authorization, or who is found to have changed any grade without proper authority to do so, shall be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the college where the incident occurred.

Policy 3.10P, Revised: August 13, 2019