Senate Chairman Roger Anderson

Dear Roger:

The undersigned Senate members request a Special Meeting of the Santa Cruz Division, as provided by UCSC SB6.3.

We call for this meeting in order to present one item of special business: a proposed Senate Resolution (attached). Our Resolution proposes to amend the UCSC Senate Regulations by replacing the Narrative Evaluation System for undergraduate grades by the conventional grading system described in the statewide Senate Bylaws and used at the other UC campuses.

SB6.3 requires the Senate Chair to convene a Special Meeting within 14 calendar days of receiving the request. We would appreciate it if you let us know as soon as possible the date you have scheduled for the Special Meeting.

There is widespread support for this proposal. We attach a copy of a petition requesting a change to conventional grading, signed by 170 members of the Santa Cruz Division.

We request a meeting with the Senate Advisory Committee at SAC’s earliest convenience. We would like to discuss substance of our Resolution and the procedures that will be used in considering it at the Special Meeting. We believe everyone will benefit from careful preparation. We ask the SAC to facilitate the vote and insure that the Special Meeting goes smoothly.

Yours truly,

(signed)

6.3 Special Meetings.

A Special Meeting of the Santa Cruz Division may be held on any day of instruction in the Fall, Winter, or Spring quarter, and may be called by the President of the Academic Senate or by the Chair of the Santa Cruz Division. Upon written request of ten voting members, a meeting shall be called within 14 calendar days by the Chair of the Division. If the request is received within less than 14 days before the end of the quarter, the meeting will be called within the first seven days of the next Fall, Winter, or Spring quarter.

7.2 The order of business at Special and Emergency Meetings is as follows [ASB 315C(2)]:

1.Minutes (may be omitted by approval of two-thirds of the voting members present)

2.The special business for which the meeting was called

3.Any other non-legislative business authorized by unanimous consent of the voting members present

PROPOSED SENATE RESOLUTION ON THE DIVISIONAL GRADING SYSTEM

Resolved:

1. UCSC SR A9.1.1, A9.1.3, 9.2 are repealed.

2. Three new subsections are added to UCSC SR9.1 reading as follows:

9.1.1 Grades A-F, shall be awarded in undergraduate courses in the manner and with the meanings prescribed in ASR 780, except that the grades A, B, C, and D may be modified by plus (+) or minus (-) suffixes. The grade of I shall be awarded as specified in SCR 9.1.6. The grade of IP shall be awarded as an interim mark in multi-term courses described in SCR 9.1.7. The grade of W denotes the formal withdrawal of the student from the course after the last day to drop a course and prior to the beginning of the last week of instruction.

9.1.2 A Pass/Not passed option is available to a student in good standing in the manner provided for by ASR 782. A grade of Passed shall be awarded only for work which would otherwise receive a grade of C or better. Up to one-third of a student's courses may be taken on a Pass/Not Passed basis. A department may require that any course or courses applied toward credit in a major be taken on a letter grade basis. The P/NP option must be exercised no later than the last day to add a course and may not be subsequently changed.

9.1.3 Grade points per unit shall be assigned by the Registrar as follows: A - 4; B - 3; C - 2; D - 1; F, I, W, or IP - none. "Minus" grades shall be assigned three-tenths grade point less per unit than unsuffixed grades, and "plus" grades (except A+) shall be assigned three-tenths grade point more per unit. The grade of A+ shall be assigned 4.0 grade points per unit, the same as for an unsuffixed A, but when A+ is reported it represents extraordinary achievement.

3. Perfecting amendments consistent with new sections 9.1.1-9.1.3 are enacted as indicated in the attachment to this legislation.

4. This legislation shall take effect September 1, 2001. Students registered before September 1, 2001 are entitled to the grade options in force before the effective date of this legislation. The Committee on Rules, Jurisdiction. and Elections are authorized to make technical and editorial changes in the Senate Regulations to bring them into consistency with these amendments.

Explanation: These amendments replace the current Narrative Evaluation System with the University-wide conventional grading system described by UC Senate Regulations ASR 778,780,782. The option of plus and minus grades is included, consistent with ASR 778, and with practice at all seven other UC campuses with undergraduate programs. Grade points will be assigned on the same basis as on the Davis and Berkeley campuses. The one-third limit on P/NP courses is consistent with UC-wide practice. The current practice of allowing "P/NP only" courses, with CEP approval, is retained. Courses taken as independent study or by petition are letter grade only, unless CEP approves a "P/NP only" designation.

EXISTING REGULATIONS WITH CHANGES AS NOTED

9.1.2 4. All grades, except I and IP, shall be final when filed by an instructor in the end-of-term course report. However, the Registrar is authorized to change a final grade upon written request of an instructor, provided that a clerical or procedural error is the reason for the change. Grade changes (except for I and IP) must be submitted to the Registrar within one year from the close of the quarter for which the original grade was submitted. No change of grade may be made on the basis of reexamination, or, with the exception of the I and IP grades, the completion of additional work. (En 25 May 77; Am 29 May 91)

A9.1.45 With the approval of the Committee on Educational Policy, course sponsoring agencies may offer courses as "P/NP only." The designation of courses as "P/NP only" is shall be made by the Committee on Educational Policy during the spring term to have effect for all of the following academic year, beginning with the following fall term, and will shall remain in effect until changed by request of the course sponsoring agency, with the approval of the Committee on Educational Policy approval. During the academic year, agencies may request the "P/NP only" designation for new courses to be offered for winter, spring, or summer terms. (Am 26 May 71 EW, 29 May 96, effective 1 Sept 97; CC 31 Aug 98; EC 1 Aug 76, 1 Aug 85)

A9.1.6 The grade of I may be assigned only when a student's work is of passing quality but is incomplete. The student must make arrangements in advance with the instructor in charge of the course in order to receive an I. In order to replace the I with a passing grade and to receive credit, a student must petition by the deadline imposed by the Registrar and complete the work of the course by the end of the finals week of the next term, unless the instructor specifies an earlier date. If the instructor fails to submit a passing grade for any reason by the deadline for submitting grades in the next succeeding term after the I was awarded, the student receives an NP or F depending on the grading option selected, and this grade is treated as specified in SCR A9.1.1 and A9.1.3. The deadline imposed herein shall not be extended. [However, see SCR 6.7.) (Am 22 Oct 69 EI, 26 May 71 EW, 25 May 77, 28 May 80, 29 May 96, effective 1 Sept 97; CC 31 Aug 98)

A9.1.7 A grade in a single course extending over two or three terms of an academic year may be given awarded at the end of the course. The grade will shall then be recorded as applying to each of the terms of the course. A student satisfactorily completing only one or two terms of a course extending over two or three terms of an academic year shall be given grades for those terms. The grading option selected for the first term of a multiple term course applies to each subsequent term. [SCR 10.1.4] (Am 19 Apr 72, 25 May 77, 29 May 96, effective 1 Sept 97; CC 31 Aug 98)

A9.1.8 Students who receive a grade of D or F may retake the course, subject to the following guidelines: Courses in which the student has received a letter grade may not be repeated on a P/NP basis. Credits will shall not be awarded more than once for the same course, but the grade assigned each time will must be permanently recorded on the student's transcript. Repetition of a course more than once requires approval of the student's college. (For computation of GPAs involving repeated courses, see SCR A9.4.1.) Courses originally taken on a P/NP basis but not passed may be repeated either on the same basis or for a letter grade. (En 29 May 96, effective 1 Sept 97)

A9.1.9 Other With the exception of this sub-section, the regulations of this chapter do not apply to University Extension courses. University Extension courses are shall be graded in accordance with ASR 780 (including provisions with regard to grade points and units) and ASR 810(A). (CC 29 May 96, 31 Aug 98)

9.3 Grading of Comprehensive Examinations

A9.3.1 All comprehensive examinations and senior theses shall be graded honors (H), pass (P), or fail (F). Papers of students receiving H or F must be read by at least two readers. (Am 27 Jan 71)

Transmission of Records

9.4.1 Transcripts and other records will shall be issued by the Registrar only as requested by the student concerned. The documents to be sent out automatically on such a request shall include items 'A' through 'E' unless the student specifically requests that 'B, C, D' not be sent out. (Am 29 May 68, 29 May 96, effective 1 Sept 97)

A9.4E. For undergraduates entering the University of California, Santa Cruz, Fall 1997 or later who have received a letter grade for 2/3 or more of the credits attempted at the University of California, Santa Cruz, prior to the issue date of the transcript, a Grade Point Average, computed only from the courses taken for a letter grade. Grade points per credit are shall be assigned as specified in SCR 9.1.3. according to the scale A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0. The grades W and I are shall be disregarded in the GPA computation--credits are not counted and grade points are not assigned. If a student has taken courses more than once due to receipt of a D or F, for the first 15 credits of repeated work, only the last grade recorded shall be computed in the student's GPA. If the 15 credit limit is exceeded, the GPA will shall be based on all additional letter grades assigned and credits attempted. (En 29 May 96, effective 1 Sept 97; CC 31 Aug 98)

OTHER PERFECTING AMENDMENTS

Independent Study

Course Credit By Petition.

6.7.8 To receive credit by petition, a If the student must passes the examination or satisfactorily completes the course work by the last day of the current term. , tThe grade of P is must be reported to the Registrar by the deadline for submitting course reports. A written evaluation must also be submitted by no later than 15 working days after the close of the term. the filing deadline stated in SCR 9.2.2. If the student fails, the notation of No Record the grade NP is reported to the Registrar by the deadline for submitting course reports, and no entry is made on the transcript and no evaluation is submitted. (Am 4 June 69, 25 May 77, 6 June 84)

Regulations of the Academic Senate, University of California

 

Article 3. Grades

778.

Under the conditions stated below, each Senate Division may determine the categories of grades used in reporting student work undertaken for credit under the jurisdiction of the Division.
The grading system to be used by a Division and modifications thereof must be reviewed by the University Committee on Educational Policy and be certified for consonance with the Code of the Academic Senate by the University Committee on Rules and Jurisdiction. These Committees report their findings to the Senate Assembly for information. Thereafter the proposed grading system becomes effective as provided by Divisional action unless the Assembly determines otherwise. (EC 4 Dec 75)
Modifications of a Divisional grading system that are authorized by subsections (1) through (2) below shall be submitted to the University Committee on Rules and Jurisdiction for certification of consonance with the Code of the Academic Senate. If certification is received, the proposed modifications become effective as provided by Divisional action. (En 9 May 84)
For Passed/Not Passed grading, determination of whether the minimum standard of performance for a grade of P shall be the grade of C or C- shall be made by the Division.
For Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading, determination of whether the minimum standard of performance for a grade of S shall be the grade of B or B- shall be made by the Division.
Each Divisional grading system shall be formulated in legislation for inclusion in an appendix to the Senate Manual, and shall define all symbols employed, state their grade-point value or credit value, and shall specify those grades which shall count toward the completion of degree requirements.
Pending review of a proposed Divisional grading system as provided in (B) above, grades in that Division shall be assigned in accordance with SR's 780-784, subject to such variances from these regulations as have been approved by the Senate Assembly.
Subject to variances authorized by the Assembly, any provision of SR 780-784 not explicitly provided for in an approved Divisional grading system remains in effect in that Division, e.g. conditions for incompletes. (En 17 Nov 70; Am 7 Jun 72)

NOTE: A divisional grading system, when approved in accordance with SR 778, supersedes SRs 780, 782 and 784 and renders them inoperative within that Division on all topics covered in the divisional legislation. (En 24 May 78)

780.

Except as provided in SRs 778, 782, and 784, the work of all students in the University shall be reported in terms of six grades:
passing: A (excellent), B (good), C (fair), D (barely passing)
not passing: F (failure)
undetermined: Incomplete
Grade points per unit shall be assigned by the Registrar as follows: A 4, B 3, C 2, D 1, F and Incomplete none.
All grades except Incomplete are final when filed by the instructor of record in an end-of-term course report. However, the correction of a clerical or procedural error may be authorized as the Division directs. No change of grade may be made on the basis of reassessment of the quality of a student's work. No term grade except Incomplete may be revised by re-examination.
Except as provided in SR 636(D), repetition of courses not authorized to be taken more than once for credit is subject to the following conditions: (Am 9 May 84)
A student may repeat only those courses in which a grade of D, F, Not Passed, or Unsatisfactory was received; however, Divisions may authorize repetition of courses graded Incomplete. Courses in which a grade of D or F has been earned may not be repeated on a Passed or Not Passed basis. (Am 9 May 84)
Repetition of a course more than once requires approval by the appropriate dean in all instances.
Degree credit for a course will be given only once, but the grade assigned at each enrollment shall be permanently recorded.
In computing the grade-point average of an undergraduate who repeats courses in which the student received a D or F, only the most recently earned grades and grade points shall be used for the first 16 units repeated. In the case of further repetitions, the grade-point average shall be based on all grades assigned and total units attempted.
The grade Incomplete may be assigned when a student's work is of passing quality, but is incomplete. The student is entitled to replace this grade by a passing grade and to receive unit credit provided the student completes the work of the course in a way authorized by the Division. See Paragraph (B) above. The student shall receive appropriate grade points only if the student establishes that his/her work was incomplete for good cause. Each Division is authorized to adopt appropriate regulations for the administration of this grade.
Modifications of this regulation must be approved by the Assembly. (Am 17 Nov 70)

782.

Under such regulations as each Division may determine, a student in good standing is authorized to undertake up to an average of one course per term on a Passed or Not Passed basis. A grade of Passed shall be awarded only for work which would otherwise receive a grade of C or better. Units thus earned shall be counted in satisfaction of degree requirements, but such courses shall be disregarded in determining a student's grade-point average. Divisions wishing to undertake more extensive grading experiments shall submit individual proposals for consideration by the Assembly. [See LR 3.67.B]