Faculty Handbook

**Starting with the Class of 2028, grading for third year optometric clinics and fourth year clinical internships and externships will transition to Pass (P), Fail (F), Honors (H). Grade Submission and Posting Student grades are posted in a manner that will maintain confidentiality. There shall be no unauthorized disclosure of grades. Final grades must be delivered and posted electronically as instructed by the Registrar. All examination grades must only be posted electronically via the college’s on-line course management system. Final course grades will be posted through the student portal on my.sunyopt.edu . All final exam and course grades must be posted within one week of the last final exam of the designated final exam period, but not before the day after the last final exam of the exam period. Grade Changes Grade changes for supplemental grades such as for the completion of “I” grades or for “F” grades and corrections of grades must be submitted by the IOR to the Registrar on the Grade Change Form available from the Registrar’s Office and signed by the Department Chair and Dean for Academic Affairs. Final grades may be changed by the course IOR only if the original grade issued was in error. The reason for the grade change must be documented in detail. Grades may not be changed for any other reason, including (but not limited to the following reasons): • Preventing a student from being placed on academic probation, being dismissed, or remaining on probation. • Enabling a student to graduate. • Enabling a student to maintain academic eligibility/status for financial aid. • Personal issues unrelated to academics. Grade Appeals A student may appeal a grade if they believe it is in error. The initial appeal must be made to the IOR within one week of receiving that grade. This period may be extended by appeal to the Dean for Academic Affairs in extraordinary circumstances. No grade appeal, under any circumstance, will be accepted from a third party, including a student’s parents. This policy conforms to the privacy requirements outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). If the IOR is unavailable to change a grade, or if a student wishes to appeal a decision by the IOR not to change the final grade, the student must contact the appropriate Department Chair in writing, who will review the case and decide. The student may appeal a grade decision of the Department Chair by applying in writing to the Dean for Academic Affairs who will review the case and make a final decision. All official communications about grade appeals will be sent to students by electronic mail (with delivery confirmation) so that a record of delivery exists, and appropriate faculty members will be similarly notified. Didactic Course Remediation Students may not proceed in the program with a grade of “F,” “U” or “I” in required didactic courses. Students in good academic standing (not on probation or in a special program) may remediate these

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