Incomplete Grades

In the situation of an ADP or ADEC student "unavoidable circumstances" may include:

• a student's unexpected medical situation including accidental injury
• an unanticipated family crisis that requires the student's attention and time
• unplanned work responsibilities
• delays caused by the teacher's schedule or not returning graded material in a timely manner

Situations that generally do not justify an incomplete include:

• little or no progress in the course
• delays in obtaining the testbook or other course materials—if things do not arrive promptly, do not wait, communicate with the teacher and the ADP office
• procrastination
• registration for a too heavy academic load
• subpassing performance
• proctor schedule issues—choose your proctor carefully
• planned schedule conflict during the semester: eg. vacation or planned surgery

For some of these situations, other remedies may be more appropriate. If, for example, the student realizes that he or she registered for too heavy of an academic load, then withdrawing from one or more courses may be more appropriate than requesting an incomplete.

The normal process is for an incompete to be requested and worked out toward the end of the semester even when the crisis situation that created the necessity occurs early in the semester. Often with a delay of a week or two near the beginning, there is still hope that the course requirements can be met by the end without necessitating an incomplete. However, it is imperative that the student communicate this to the teacher. It is inappropriate to introduce situations that occurred weeks earlier at the time the Incomplete Request is submitted.

The incomplete is intended to provide some relatively short additional time to complete the requirements in the situation where most of the requirements have already been met within the semester. Therefore, appropriate progess must be made. Nine weeks corresponds to roughly 55% of a normal semester. Thus, in order to have a normal expectation of completing the course requirements with a normal pace, no more than 55% of the requirements should remain—45% should be completed. If less than 45% of the course has been completed, then a withdrawal (by the withdrawal deadline) is more appropriate.

Generally, an incomplete is worked out with the teacher just prior to the end of the term when it is evident that some additional time is needed. An Incomplete Request form must be filled and given or sent to the teacher (snail-mail or FAX is satisfactory). The request is approved by the Vice President for Academic Administration, and the teacher submits the approved Incomplete Request in lieu of the letter grade at the end of the semester.

It is the responsibility of the student to work with the teacher to complete the course requirements. When the course is finished or the nine-weeks' deadline arrives, then the teacher submits the final grade.

• An Incomplete Request must be arranged with and received by the teacher prior to the official end of the semester.

• Appropriate progress must have been made in the course requirements—generally at least aproximately 45% of the course should have been completed by the normal end of the semester.

• All incomplete requests must be justified in accordance to the university policy.

• Unanticipated circumstances that have created the incomplete situation must have been reported to the teacher in a timely fashion.

• Communicate the situation with the ADP office.

• The additional work must be received before the nine-weeks' deadline from the end of the semester.

• Any extension to the nine-weeks' deadline must be made by submitting a Petition for Academic Exception through the ADP Office and having it approved by the Academic Exceptions Committee in advance of the nine-week deadline.

• Generally the grade recorded if the remaining material is not completed is an F; however, the grade turned in to the ADP and Records offices will reflect all work received.

• The incomplete is recorded initially on the transcript as an I but is then replaced by the actual grade. That is, the transcript will not permanently record the incomplete situation.

While a maximum of nine weeks from the end of the semester is permitted by policy, it is in the best interest of the student to submit the remaining work as quickly as possible. This is especially true if he or she is planning to register for additional course work in the next semester.

Incomplete Request Form instructions:  print the form, fill out the "top" portion with personal/course information and Reason, sign it, and mail/FAX it to the teacher. request form [pdf]