ACDEANINST 1531.60
2/ADAA
24 Jan 1994
ACADEMIC DEAN AND PROVOST INSTRUCTION 1531.60
From: Academic Dean and Provost
Subj: GRADES AND REPORTS
Ref:
(a)
USNA Catalog and Supplementary Bulletins
1.
Purpose. To publish instructions regarding academic grades and
athletic marks.
2.
Information. This directive is a revision of and replaces
enclosure (3) of USNAINST 1531.16T.
3.
Background. The policies established herein support Goal Number
1 of the Strategic Plan to establish an integrated educational program of
the highest quality to prepare graduates for careers in the naval service.
4.
Grading Policy. The faculty at the Naval Academy is entrusted
with the education of the midshipmen and the evaluation of their
performance in course work. Thus, the instructor of a course has the
sole authority for assigning grades in that course. Any request for a
change of grade(s), whether from a student or some other source, will
follow the procedure detailed in paragraph 8.
5.
Academic Grades. Student status and degree of achievement in
graded courses and programs are indicated on reports and records by the
following symbols:
A
B
C
D
=
=
=
=
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
Marginally passing
but unsatisfactory
F = Failing
I
N
W
RD
RF
=
=
=
=
=
Incomplete
Non-graded course
Withdrawn
Repeated D
Repeated F
Grades assigned by the faculty are forwarded to the Registrar at the end
of each semester by the chairs of the various academic departments and by
the Commandant of Midshipmen.
6.
Incomplete Course Grades
a.
An individual midshipman's course work may be reported
Incomplete at the end of the semester only if the semester's work could
not be completed by the midshipman due to circumstances beyond the
midshipman's control (e.g. illness, emergency leave, etc.). Assignment
of an Incomplete carries with it the expectation that the midshipman will
be able to complete all requirements for the course soon after the
scheduled end of the course. The Incomplete grade is not a final grade;
it must be replaced by a permanent grade at the earliest opportunity.
Unless the chair of the department has approved the
assignment of an Incomplete, a midshipman who has not satisfactorily
completed required course work at the time final semester grades are
reported will receive a grade of F.
b.
Incomplete grades may be assigned to a group of
midshipmen (a section or the entire enrollment in a course, for example)
if there is uncertainty about the fair administration of the course or
the final examination. In this case, the faculty involved should take
appropriate action, with the approval of the Academic Dean and Provost,
to replace the Incompletes with permanent grades at the earliest
opportunity. This may involve, for example, administering an alternate
examination.
c.
All Incomplete grades must be approved by the chair of
the department concerned. A list of semester Incompletes, if any, will
be forwarded to the Registrar by the chair of the department when final
semester grades for the course are submitted. This list will specify the
non-completed work, reason for non-completion, and anticipated final
disposition of the case.
7.
Withdrawals
a.
If a midshipman leaves the Naval Academy because of
discharge or resignation before completing all requirements for a course,
including required final examinations, a grade of W will be recorded to
indicate the midshipman withdrew from the Naval Academy.
b.
If a midshipman who remains at the Naval Academy drops a
course by 15 October in the fall semester or 15 March in the spring
semester, no grade or record is retained. Afterward, and until 1
November in the fall semester or 1 April in the spring semester, the
instructor of the dropped course must submit a permanent grade of W.
After 1 November in the fall semester or 1 April in the spring semester,
the only allowable permanent grades are A, B, C, D, or F.
8.
Changes in Final Semester Grades. After final semester grades
have been submitted by the department, no changes will be accepted unless
they are accompanied by a written statement from the instructor that an
error was made in the computation of the grade. Reexaminations will not
be allowed. The change of grade must also be approved by the chair of
the department before submission to the Registrar. The Associate Dean
for Academic Affairs will review all changes of academic course grades
submitted to the Registrar for appropriateness. Grade changes must be
submitted within six months of the end of the semester in which they are
assigned. (See ACDEANINST 1531.59.)
9.
Grievances Concerning Grades. To be valid, any grievance must be
based on demonstrated prejudice or incompetence on the part of the
faculty member(s) involved. The following procedure will be used to
resolve such complaints:
a.
The grievant will first discuss the matter with the
instructor. If this discussion does not resolve the issue, or if the
grievance comes from a source other than a midshipman, it will be
immediately directed to that instructor's immediate supervisor, in most
cases the department chair. The handling of the complaint by the
supervisor will include the following:
(1) Strict confidentiality
(2) Early notice to the parties involved
(3) Timely action
(4) Timely response to the grievant
b.
Every attempt shall be made to settle disputes about
grades at the lowest possible level. Only when a resolution cannot be
effected at one level shall it be forwarded to the next level in the
chain of review. This chain is the Department Chair, an appropriate and
impartial committee appointed by the Faculty Senate, the Academic Dean
and Provost, and the Superintendent.
10.
Quality Points. The Quality Point value of a given course is
computed by multiplying the semester hour value of the course by the
numerical equivalent of the letter grade received, where:
A = 4
B = 3
C = 2
D = 1
F = 0
11.
Quality Point Rating (QPR). The Quality Point Rating is an
average of grades computed as follows:
Total Quality Point Value (for the applicable period) = QPR
Total semester hours (for the applicable period)
The semester QPR includes only courses taken during the given semester.
The Cumulative QPR includes all courses taken to date at the Naval
Academy (except for original grades of repeated courses).
12.
Progress Reports. Grades published in Progress Reports are
tentative cumulative evaluations submitted by instructors for the
guidance of midshipmen and advisers. They are not official grades and
have no specific weight in the determination of the final semester
grade. Progress reports are issued for all classes at the first and
second marking periods of each semester.
13.
Grades in Professional Programs. The professional training
program is under the cognizance of the Commandant of Midshipmen who
establishes standards and procedures for evaluating individual midshipman
performance in physical education, at-sea training, professional
competency review, military performance, and conduct. These grades are
submitted to the Registrar, but the grades in military performance and
conduct are not included on standard transcripts of records.
14.
Medical Waivers in Physical Education. If a midshipman is
granted a medical waiver that precludes meeting the requirements for
physical education, the Physical Education Department will submit a grade
of I (Incomplete). At the end of the semester, if the medical waiver
still remains, the midshipman will automatically be assigned the quality
point equivalent of a C for computing the multiple (see USNAINST
1531.51). Once the waiver has been removed and the required work in
physical education has been completed and evaluated, a regular letter
grade will be assigned. These grades will be reported at the end of the
semester during which the work was completed.
15.
Marks for Athletic Performance and Participation. At the end of
each sports season, the Head of the Physical Education Department shall
transmit to the Registrar a mark for each midshipman that indicates that
midshipman's level of performance and participation in Naval Academy
athletics. The marks will be as follows.
MARK
PARTICIPATION
PERFORMANCE
4
varsity sport:
All-American
national team member
varsity sport:
club sport:
national team member
varsity sport:
club sport:
junior varsity sport:
intramural sport
no sport
team captain
3
2
1
0
letter winner
All-American
team member
letter winner
team member
participant
The athletic mark for a midshipman for the academic year will be the
highest of all those earned for each sport in each season during the
academic year.
ROBERT H. SHAPIRO
Distribution:
OF,MR
Staff Judge Advocate
Publications Officer
CO, Naval Station
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Senior Medical Officer
Computer Services (4)
Midshipmen Store (2)
Registrar (30)