Grades

Letter Grades

Grade Explanation	Numerical Percentage	Value Equivalents
A Excellent	4.0	93.0–100.0
A–	3.7	90.0–92.9
B+	3.3	87.1–89.9
B Good	3.0	83.0–87.0
B–	2.7	80.0–82.9
C+	2.3	77.1–79.9
C Satisfactory	2.0	73.0–77.0
C–	1.7	70.0–72.9
D+	1.3	67.1–69.9
D Passing	1.0	63.0–67.0
D–	0.7	60.0–62.9
F Failure	0.0	Below 60.0

Please Note : An F is not erased from a student's transcript when the course is taken again and passed.

Other Grades

AUD - Senior Citizen’s Audit

The grade of AUD is assigned when a senior citizen registers for a course. Enrolling in a course on an audit basis gives the student the right to attend and participate in all aspects of the course without receiving credit for the course. The course will not count toward any degree or certificate program offered by The City University of New York.

CR - Credit Earned

The grade of CR is used in certain courses that are graded on a credit/no-credit basis and indicates that a student has earned credit for the course. The grade is not included in the calculation of the student's GPA.

FIN - Incomplete Changed to F

The grade of FIN (Incomplete Changed to F) is given when an incomplete grade is turned into an F (FIN). Undergraduate students who receive an INC grade at the end of any semester must complete all outstanding work by the dates described in the section above. The Registrar’s Office will convert all INC grades to FIN if the INC is not resolved.

INC - Incomplete

An INC grade may be given only to those students who would pass the course if they were to satisfactorily complete course requirements. It is within the discretion of the faculty member as to whether or not to give the grade of INC. The INC grade should only be given in consultation with the student.

If the course takes place during the fall semester or winter session, then the incomplete work is due by the student no later than the end of the third week of the following spring semester. If the course takes place during the spring semester or summer session, then the incomplete work is due no later than the end of the third week of the following fall semester. It is within the discretion of the faculty member to extend this deadline under extraordinary circumstances.

When assigning the INC grade, the faculty member agrees to grade the student’s outstanding coursework and to submit the student’s grade for the course any time from the date the student submits the completed work until the end of that fall or spring semester. This policy should be included on undergraduate course syllabi. If the student does not successfully complete the missing work, the faculty member may change the grade to a letter grade. If the faculty member does not submit a change of grade, the incomplete grade automatically becomes the grade of FIN.

This policy does not apply to laboratory and studio courses, or to internship courses, for which neither the professor nor the department can reasonably accommodate a student’s missed lab or studio or internship work as described herein. The academic departments which offer such courses shall develop departmental policy for consideration by the College Council.

Degree candidates should be aware that an INC grade received during their last semester in courses required for graduation will result in the postponement of graduation.

Resolving the Grade of Incomplete through Make-up Examinations

The procedure outlined here is initiated when a student has received the grade of INC because of absence from a final examination. All makeup final examinations given after the completion of the semester are processed and administered by the faculty member who taught the course or by his or her academic department. Contact the instructor for details.

P - Pass

The P grade is not computed in the grade-point average. It is authorized only for remedial and developmental courses, non-remedial courses for which the P grade is designated in the course description in this Undergraduate Bulletin, and courses taken on a Pass/Fail Option.

PEN - Pending

The PEN grade is recorded when a faculty member suspects or determines that an academic integrity violation has taken place that warrants formal intervention. The faculty member submits a Faculty Report of Alleged Violation of Academic Integrity Policies to the Academic Integrity Officer of the College, who notifies the Registrar so that the Registrar can record a PEN grade to prevent withdrawal from the course by the student in question. A PEN grade is removed or changed when the applicable consultation, appeal, and/or adjudication processes are complete. In the event that the alleged violation is withdrawn in the student’s favor, the student will have the right to withdraw from the course based on the date that the violation form was filed.

NC - No Credit Granted

The grade of NC is used in certain courses that are graded on a credit/no-credit basis. It is a non-punitive failure indicating that the student completed the course but did not satisfy the requirements to earn credit. The grade is not included in the calculation of the student's GPA.

R - Repeat

This grade is assigned to students who have attended class regularly and completed course requirements but have not demonstrated sufficient progress to justify a passing grade. The grade is awarded for remedial or developmental courses. This grade is not computed in the grade point average. Students who receive the grade of R must repeat the course in the very next semester of attendance.

W - Withdrawal

The grade of W indicates withdrawal without penalty. It is assigned by the Office of the Registrar upon approval of an Application for Resignation filed by the deadline as indicated in the academic calendar (usually in the tenth week of classes). A grade of W is not computed in the grade point average. W grades may affect student eligibility for financial aid.

WA - Administrative Withdrawal

The grade of WA is assigned by the Office of the Registrar when a student fails to comply with the Proof of Immunization Policy of the College. The grade of WA is not computed in the grade point average. WA grades may affect student eligibility for financial aid.

WD - Withdrew Drop

The WD grade is assigned by the Office of the Registrar when the student who has attended at least one class session drops a course after the financial aid certification date but before the end of the refund period. The WD grade does not appear on the student's transcript.

WN - Never Attended

The grade of WN is assigned by the Registrar when a student is registered for a course but has never attended. The grade is a non-penalty grade similar to a W but it will have an effect on the student’s financial aid for the semester.

WU - Withdrew Unofficially

The grade of WU is assigned by the instructor when a student attends at least one class but stops attending at any time before final exam week without withdrawing officially. The grade is computed as a failure (0.0) in the grade point average, which may result in the adjustment of financial aid funds. Students who want to withdraw from a class are therefore advised to submit an official Application for Withdrawal through CUNYfirst prior to the end of the tenth week of classes.

Z - No grade submitted

The Z grade is a temporary grade assigned by the Office of the Registrar pending receipt of the final grade from the instructor.

Pass/Fail Option

Upon completion of 60 credits, students with a grade point average of 2.0 and higher may take one course a semester under a Pass/Fail Option, for a total of four such courses. The Pass/Fail Option may be applied to all courses except courses satisfying the College’s general education requirements and courses in the student’s major. Students can take one third of courses for a minor using the pass/fail option as per the Requirements for Minors in this undergraduate bulletin.

Application for the Pass/Fail Option must be made at the Jay Express Services Center before the conclusion of the second week of classes during the fall and spring semester, at the end of the first week of classes for summer session, and by the third class for winter session. Once granted, this option is irrevocable.

The grades of P received for courses taken under the Pass/Fail option are not computed in the grade point average. Grades of F are computed as a zero in student grade point averages.

Remedial and Developmental Courses

The only grades authorized for the courses listed below are P, R, F, W, WU, and INC. However, at the discretion of certain academic departments, the grade of A may be given in place of the grade of P.

MATH 103 (offered for SEEK students only)

Grade Appeal Process

Beginning in the fall 2017 semester, the following grade appeal policy is in effect.

Student Appeal

Students who think that a final grade was issued erroneously may file a grade appeal to the departmental grade appeals committee by submitting the form to the Registrar’s Office. Although students are not required to communicate with their professor in order to file the appeal, students are strongly encouraged to communicate with the professor of the course about the reason(s) the student thinks the grade is incorrect. If the professor decides to change the grade, the student may then withdraw the appeal at that time. Once an appeal is filed, no grade change can be filed other than, 1) a grade change reflecting an informal resolution of the appeal agreed to by the faculty member and the student, or 2) a grade change pursuant to departmental or college-level grade appeal decision. The Appeal of Grade form for courses taken in spring or summer must be filed with the Registrar's Office by the twenty-fifth day of the subsequent fall semester; the Appeal of Grade form for courses taken in the fall or winter must be filed by the twenty-fifth day of the subsequent spring semester. Students may not appeal the decision of the department committee because the grade appeal process is the final option for students who are not able to remedy the situation with the professor.

Department Grade Appeals Committee

The request shall be reviewed by the departmental grade appeals committee. The departmental committee has 30 calendar days to review the matter and make a recommendation about the student's final course grade to the faculty member. For interdisciplinary programs, grade appeals will go to the department grade appeals committee of the academic department who hired the faculty member.

Faculty Review

The faculty member, upon receipt of the committee’s recommendation, must render a judgment within 14 calendar days and communicate in writing to the Office of the Registrar his or her decision to either sustain the originally filed final grade or submit a grade change that is no lower than the grade recommended by the department’s Grade Appeals Committee. The department grade appeals committee may refer cases to the College-Wide Grade Appeals Committee. The college-wide committee may be used to review cases where the department grade appeals committee recommendation has not been acted upon by the faculty member.

College-Wide Grade Appeals Committee

If the departmental grade appeals committee fails to make a recommendation to the faculty member within 30 calendar days, the grade appeal will be sent to the college-wide grade appeals committee. The departmental grade appeals committee may also refer a case to the college-wide appeals committee if the departmental committee's recommendation is not acted upon. The college-wide grade appeals committee shall have 30 calendar days to make a recommendation to the faculty member about the course grade. The faculty member’s responsibilities and responses are the same as above. The college-wide grade appeals committee shall comprise five tenured members of the faculty, who shall be nominated by the Faculty Senate and elected by the College Council. The committee shall elect a chair from its own membership.

Extraordinary Circumstances

In truly exceptional circumstances a grade change may be authorized by someone other than the faculty member who taught the course. If either the departmental or college-wide grade appeal committee determines that truly exceptional circumstances are involved, the chair of the respective committee shall forward the information and related documents to the chair of the academic department that owns the course. The chair of the department, in consultation with the department grade appeals committee, shall review the case and if the department chair together with the grade appeals committee determines that a grade change is necessary and appropriate, it shall render its decision and change the student’s grade by the process and deadline established for the faculty member above.

Such grade changes are expected to be rare. No change in grade may be authorized except by the faculty member teaching the course or by the department chair in consultation with the department grade appeals committee. Each fall, a report will be furnished to the Academic Standards Subcommittee of UCASC as to the number of grade changes made through this process during the previous academic year.

Applicability to Undergraduate and Graduate Students

The processes described in this policy shall apply to only courses in the undergraduate program because only the undergraduate program has departmental grade appeals committees.

Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for Fall 2020 (CR/NC)

Resolution from College Council (adopted December 9, 2020):

Whereas, The Student Council of John Jay College of Criminal Justice adopted a resolution on November 12, 2020, that clearly and forcefully articulates the very serious challenges and risks
for student academic success that have been created by the transition to fully online and distance learning modalities necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and

Whereas, The Student Council resolution calls for the extension of the Flexible Grading Policy (aka the Credit/No Credit Policy), enacted by CUNY for the Spring 2020 semester, and

Whereas, CUNY did not extend the Credit/No Credit Policy for the Summer 2020 or Fall 2020 semesters, and

Whereas, on December 7, 2020 Vice Chancellor Cruz further communicated that colleges are to adopt one of the following three options:

1. Allow the use of CR/NC grades for all Fall 2020 courses as in the Spring 2020 term.
2. Allow the use of CR/NC grades for all Fall 2020 courses except those the college designates to be excluded.
3. Do not allow the use of CR/NC grades in Fall 2020 but expand access to the college’s existing flexible grading policies using the University’s P/NC grading framework.

Whereas, the communication by Vice Chancellor Cruz specified that in extending the Spring 2020 CR/NC Policy to the Fall 2020 term, the University is also extending to all colleges the provision in said policy stating that “students with Credit/No Credit grades will be able to transfer those courses across colleges within CUNY, per current CUNY policy.” And as was administratively determined for Spring 2020, consistent with the intent of the University’s COVID-19 CR/NC Policy, for students transferring to CUNY from outside the University, the University will honor and transfer in binary grades for all courses taken in Spring and Fall 2020 that would normally transfer, without negative impact on admission, transfer credit, or degree requirements. This provision must be honored even if colleges choose to expand access to their own flexible grading policies using the P/NC grading framework.

Whereas, the communication by Vice Chancellor Cruz further specified that in extending the Spring 2020 CR/NC Policy to the Fall 2020 term, it is also extending to all colleges the provisions of the Special COVID-19 Graduate Admissions Policy approved by the Board of Trustees on April 27, 2020, which seek to ensure that “in evaluating future candidates for admission into graduate programs, they will not disadvantage students who present P (pass) or CR (credit) grades in their transcripts for courses specifically taken during Spring 2020 and other terms which could be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic — regardless of whether their institutions imposed a flexible or similar grading policy for all students or gave them the choice to opt-in” and that to this end “all University graduate admissions committees shall adjust their selection processes to honor this commitment while keeping with the norms of their specific programs and corresponding disciplines.” This provision must be honored even if colleges choose to expand access to their own flexible grading policies using the P/NC grading framework.

Whereas, the Credit/No Credit policy enacted for the Spring 2020 semester was enacted in the context of waivers enacted at the federal and state level that protected students from the potentially negative consequences of the policy for financial aid, for Veterans’ benefits eligibility, for transferability of courses, and for graduate and professional program admission, waivers that are no longer in effect.

Whereas, the communication by Vice Chancellor Cruz further specified that colleges “must develop and implement a broad communications and advising plan to ensure equitable access to the localized policy to students and informed implementation to faculty and staff.”

Therefore, the College Council calls on John Jay academic and administrative leaders and college faculty to:

respond with empathy and concern for John Jay’s undergraduate and graduate students facing challenges that may impair their academic success;
apply discretion in registration and academic standing reviews where it is within the discretion of college officials to defer the implementation of deadline and academic
standing decisions;
extend, when possible, the deadlines of policies designed to help students who are challenged in their academic work; and
promote access to programs and services that enable students to successfully complete classes with additional support,

Therefore, and furthermore, the College Council, acting on the recommendation of the Undergraduate Committee on Academic Standards and Curriculum and the Committee on Graduate Studies, adopts Option 2 to “allow the use of CR/NC grades for all Fall 2020 courses except those the college designates to be excluded.” These courses will be identified, by the Undergraduate Committee on Academic Standards and Curriculum and the Committee on Graduate Studies upon the advice of departments and programs. The choice of courses, if any, for exclusion from the Fall 2020 CR/NC Policy by the Undergraduate Committee on Academic Standards and Curriculum and the Committee on Graduate Studies shall not require approval by the College Council. Without limiting the authority and discretion of those bodies, the Council notes that courses appropriate for exclusion may include, but are not limited to, courses that are prerequisites to subsequent courses that require specific levels of competency and knowledge that are essential for academic success in the subsequent course.

Therefore, and furthermore, the College Council calls upon all faculty, staff and student leaders to be robust and proactive allies of all students. Students considering opting for a Fall 2020 CR/NC grade should be directed to appropriate resources and personnel in order to be informed of the known, and there may be unknown, potential negative and unintended consequences of opting for a Fall 2020 CR/NC grade. The central administration in CUNY and John Jay College cannot foresee the full universe of potential negative consequences that may result from the Fall CR/NC policy, which may include, among others, the possible loss of TAP for the subsequent semester; the possible loss of PELL; the possible requirement to repay PELL funds received for the semester; the possible loss of scholarships; the possible loss of immigration status; the possible loss of Veterans' benefits; the possible non-transferability of courses outside of CUNY; the possible negative effect on graduate and professional school admission; and the possible negative effect on competitiveness within the job market.

Therefore, and furthermore, the College Council calls on the student body to proactively prepare by assessing their future academic and career goals, and by meeting with faculty and student advisors, and members of key student support service areas such as financial aid, particularly when deciding whether to take advantage of the Fall 2020 CR/NC option for an individual course.

Therefore, and furthermore, the College Council calls on the John Jay administration to provide a structured informed consent protocol to be completed by students before electing a Fall 2020 CR/NC grade.

Therefore, and furthermore, the College Council calls on the Faculty Senate, the Student Council, college administrators, and John Jay academic policy committees to continue to study and propose ways to implement for the Spring 2021 Semester, and beyond, local policies and procedures that allow students to resolve academic challenges without exposing students to harmful and unintended consequences of Fall 2020 CR/NC grades.

Courses to be Excluded from the Fall 2020 Flexible Grading Policy (CR/NC)

The Undergraduate Committee on Academic Standards and Curriculum and the Committee on Graduate Studies have determined that the following courses are excluded from the Fall 2020 Flexible Grading Policy (CR/NC):

Department of Sciences

Biology 101
Biology 102
Biology 103
Biology 104
Chemistry 101
Chemistry 102
Chemistry 103

Department of Psychology

Psychology 700
Psychology 715
Psychology 737
Psychology 738
Psychology 745
Psychology 755
Psychology 758
Psychology 769
Psychology 780
Psychology 781

Freshman Forgiveness Policy

Effective September 1, 2020, the college will implement a Freshman Forgiveness Policy. This policy will apply to all lower freshman students, as defined below, who enrolled at the college in the Spring 2020 term or thereafter. In accordance with this policy, if a student passes the suite of freshman courses, they will receive the grade earned which will carry the designated GPA. If a student fails a course or courses, upon request to the Registrar's Office, the failing grade (F, WU, FIN) will be administratively converted to “NC – No Credit,” and have no impact on the student's GPA.

For full details on this policy, see the main entry under Academic Standards >.Retention Standards in this bulletin.

Extra Work During the Semester

Any extra credit coursework opportunities during the semester for a student to improve his or her grade must be made available to all students at the same time. Furthermore, there is no obligation on the part of any instructor to offer extra credit work in any course. The term “extra credit work” refers to optional work that may be assigned by the instructor to all students in addition to the required work for the course that all students must complete. It is distinguished from substitute assignments or substitute work that may be assigned by the instructor to individual students, such as make up assignments to accommodate emergencies or to accommodate the special circumstances of individual students.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The grade point average is computed by multiplying the numerical value of grades A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C, C–, D+, D, D–, F, FIN, and WU with the number of credits of each course, which yields the number of quality points. The number of quality points is then divided by the total number of attempted credits to yield the grade point average. For example, the grade point average of a student who has attempted 30 credits with grades ranging from A to WU is calculated as follows:

Number of Credits	Grade Quality Points
6 x A (4.0)	24.0
3 x A- (3.7)	11.1
4 x B+ (3.3)	13.2
3 x B (3.0)	9.0
3 x C+ (2.3)	6.9
8 x C (2.0)	16.0
1 x D (1.0)	1.0
1 x F (0.0)	0.0
1 x WU (0.0)	0.0
30	81.2

The total number of quality points (81.2) divided by the total number of attempted credits (30) yields a grade point average of 2.70.

Dean's List

The Dean's List recognizes full-time and part-time matriculated undergraduate students who have achieved distinguished academic records in a semester or year. The Dean's List is published on the college's web site and a notation is made on the student's transcript.

Dean's List for Full-Time Students

The full-time Dean's List is issued by the Office of the Registrar at the end of each fall and spring semester, one month after the last day of finals. It recognizes students who have met the following requirements at the time the list is generated:

Enrolled as a matriculated student in a baccalaureate degree-granting program
Passed or been exempted from all three assessment exams (reading, writing and mathematics)
Completed a full-time program of at least 12 credits, in addition to any courses taken as P/F, which must be successfully completed (P).
Earned a semester GPA of 3.5 or better
All grades are C (2.0) or better (grades of C- or below will disqualify the student)
Any marks of Incomplete, NGR, PEN, R, W, WA, WN, or WU , if any are present when the dean’s list is run for the academic year, will disqualify the student.

Once the Dean's List is published, it is final. Students who later attain a qualifying average through a grade change or removal of an Incomplete will not be included on the dean's list for that semester. Students who get grade changes due to instructor error or late submission will not be subject to this exclusion.

Dean's List for Part-Time Students

The part time Dean’s List is issued by the Office of the Registrar at the end of each spring semester. It recognizes students who have met the following requirements at the time the list is generated:

The Dean’s List for part-time students is calculated once a year at the end of each spring semester.
The calculations are based on fall term, winter session, and spring term in the same academic year.
The student must be a matriculated student in a baccalaureate degree–granting program for all terms and sessions in which he or she has enrolled in that academic year.
Over the span of the academic year, the student must have completed at least 12 credits, in addition to any courses taken as P/F, which must be successfully completed (P).
The student must have earned a GPA of 3.5 or better for the academic year.
The student must earn grades of C (2.0) or better in all courses taken (grades of C- or below will disqualify the student).
Any marks of Incomplete, NGR, PEN, R, W, WA, WN, or WU , if any are present when the dean’s list is run for the academic year, will disqualify the student.

No student is eligible for both full- and part-time Dean’s Lists. Any student enrolling in 12 or more graded credits (not counting pass/fail courses) in any single term during the academic year will be ineligible for part-time dean’s list in that year. Instead, such students will be considered for full-time dean’s list in the term(s) in which they have full-time enrollment.

Once the Dean’s List is published, it is final. Students who later attain a qualifying average through a grade change or removal of an Incomplete will not be included on the Dean’s List for that year. Students who get grade changes due to instructor error or late submission will not be subject to this exclusion.

Students who have requested “Restricted Release of Directory Information” (a FERPA block) will not appear on the Dean’s List. A notation will still appear on their transcripts.

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