I: Incomplete – Makeup Work Required
The special grade of I is assigned when the student has performed at a satisfactory level and has made significant progress toward the completion of course objectives but is unable to complete all prescribed work by the end of the semester due to extenuating circumstances such as accident, illness, or comparable unavoidable developments. Under normal circumstances, the grade of I is not assigned to a student who fails to appear for the final examination.

To receive the grade of I, the student must confer with the instructor and request the I grade on or before the last class day of the semester. The student must provide the instructor with documentation of particular circumstances necessitating the I grade. If such circumstances are considered legitimate, the instructor provides the student with written instructions specifying the work to be completed and the completion deadline.

If the student completes the work according to the instructor’s requirements, a grade for that work is assigned and computed in the final course grade. If the course work is not completed during the subsequent semester, the I grade is changed to an F grade.

In no case may the work be completed later than the conclusion of the following semester. If the incomplete course is an essential prerequisite for a subsequent course, the student may be required to remove the I grade within a significantly shorter period of time. Otherwise, the subsequent course must be dropped.

An I grade received during the semester before the semester of graduation must be removed by the midterm of the semester in which the student intends to graduate.

IP: In Progress – Must Repeat Developmental Course
The special grade of IP is assigned only in some Developmental Studies courses (most courses with a number of 99 or lower) when the student has not mastered all course competencies. The student must re-register for the course before progressing to the next level of course work.

NS: Student Never Attended Course
A student who registers for a course but never attends the course before the 10 percent point in attendance is designated as a “no-show” (NS) in the course. A student who never attends a course receives the NS grade.

W: Withdrawal from Course
The special grade of W is assigned when a student officially withdraws or, in some specific circumstances, is dropped from a course by the instructor during the first 60 percent of the class meeting hours. After the 60 percent date, a letter grade other than W may be assigned for the course, depending on the circumstances under which the student left the course. (See more information about withdrawals and the last day to withdraw from a course with a grade of W.)

WP: Withdraw/Pass
The WP grade is available for a Developmental Education student who retakes the ASSET or COMPASS placement test after the sixth week of the semester and scores well enough to move to the next level; the student may request a grade of WP by submitting a copy of his or her new test scores to the instructor before the last week of the semester. The WP grade is a "withdraw/pass" grade. It will not compute into the student's GPA, it will have no effect on a student's financial aid, and it is considered a passing grade for the course.

AU: Course Audit
The special grade of AU is assigned when a student enrolls in and regularly attends a course on a noncredit basis. Enrollment is subject to space availability and the program director’s prior approval. The audit student, like the credit student, is subject to Durham Tech’s attendance policy. The student may not change from credit-to-audit or audit-to-credit status after the first 10 calendar days of the semester. Students may not audit Developmental Education courses.

CE: Credit by Examination
The special grade of CE is awarded when a student has applied for and successfully completed the requirements for credit by examination. Qualified curriculum students with relevant prior training or experience may earn academic credit for certain courses by examination. A student interested in receiving such credit should contact the appropriate program director for information on the procedures for application. To receive credit by examination, the student must be enrolled in a curriculum program and be registered for the course for which application is made. The application must be approved within the first 7 calendar days of the semester, and the examination must be completed within the first 14 calendar days of the semester.

To receive credit by examination, the student must score at least 85 percent on the examination. In certain courses, the required passing score may be higher. The examination may be taken only once, and a student failing the examination must complete the course for credit. No more than 10 percent of the total credit hours required by the student’s plan of study may be earned by examination unless the chief instructional officer gives special approval to exceed this limit.

Change of Grade
All change of grade requests are to be submitted on change of grade forms for approval by the chief instructional officer. All change of grade requests other than those converting an I grade to a letter grade require written explanations of the reasons for the changes and must be requested within one calendar year after the original grade was assigned.

Grade Point Average
Academic progress at Durham Technical Community College is based on a 4.0, or letter grade of A, cumulative grade point average system. A final grade point average of 2.0, or a C, is required for graduation from all programs of study.

Grade points accumulated per semester are based on grades earned. The grade point average is determined by dividing grade points earned in courses by the number of semester credit hours attempted. No grade points are earned when a grade of I, IP, NS, W, AU, or CE is received or when grades are transferred to the college.

Only those courses taken in residence and prescribed by the student’s plan of study or officially approved substitute courses are included in calculating the grade point average required for graduation.

Course Repeat
A student may not enroll in the same course more than three times without departmental approval. Some Health Technologies programs have a limit of two enrollments.

A student who earns a grade of D or below on a required course may repeat the same course. In such an instance, only the higher grade will be used in calculating the grade point average for graduation. A student may take a different elective course instead of repeating the elective course in which a grade of D or below was earned; however, the credit hours and grade points for both courses will be included in calculating the grade point average for graduation.

No grade points are earned when a special grade of F, I, IP, W, NS, AU, or CE is received or when credits are transferred to the college.

All grades remain on the student’s transcript.

Grievances involving academic matters must be pursued under this Academic Appeals Procedure. Academic grievances are limited to final course grade issues and satisfactory completion of instructional program requirements.

• The Sexual Harassment Procedure must be used for sexual harassment claims.
  
  
• The Student Grievance Procedure must be used for the following:

• Allegations involving student or employee conduct, including discrimination.

• All other claims (e.g., claims concerning parking privileges, release of transcripts, registration, library borrowing privileges, student conduct, counseling services, admission issues, placement tests, transfer credit issues, student records, and appropriate payment of tuition and fees).

Procedure
The student may elect to seek assistance from a counselor in the Counseling and Student Development office at the beginning or during any step in the grievance process.  The Counseling Office is located in the Phail Wynn, Jr. Student Services Building, room 1309.  Students may call 919-536-7207 for more information. Counselors serve as advocates for students by

• providing counsel on the proper procedures in filing and resolving grievances;

• helping students identify specific issues involved in grievance complaints; and

• assisting in developing verbal and written approaches to pursue a grievance within the spirit and intent of the  academic grievance procedures.

First Step
The first step of the procedure involves meeting informally with the appropriate faculty and administrative supervisors to attempt to resolve the dispute.  All meetings held in an effort to informally resolve the dispute should be concluded within 10 working days after the occurrence of the alleged grievance.  The specific steps are as follows:

1. The student must first attempt to resolve the matter informally by meeting with the person with whom the student has a grievance, namely the instructor. This first attempt at a resolution should be held within five working days after the occurrence of the alleged grievance.

2. If the matter is not resolved at this level, the student must meet with the appropriate discipline chair/program director.

3. If the matter is not resolved at this level, the student must meet with the appropriate department head or his/her designee.

Second Step
If the matter is not resolved informally, the second step of the procedure involves the completion of the Academic Grievance Form.  The Academic Grievance Form must be filed within 20 working days after the occurrence of the alleged grievance.

1. The student may initiate a formal grievance by completing an Academic Grievance Form (available from the department head).

• The Academic Grievance Form must be signed by the student and filed with the department head within 20 days after the occurrence of the alleged grievance.
  
  
• The student must transmit copies to the instructor, chair/program director, and department head.
  
  
• If the student requests an extension of the filing period, the department head may require appropriate evidence justifying the delay as a condition for continuing the grievance.
  
  
• The department head may extend the time for filing a grievance if the parties wish to attempt a resolution of the matter through other appropriate informal means (e.g., mediation).

2. Upon receipt of a copy of the Academic Grievance Form, the instructor has 10 working days to complete, sign, and deliver a Response Form (available from the department head) to the student and all other parties.

Third Step
The third step of the procedure involves a determination of whether the dispute may be grieved, and, if so, the formation of an Academic Appeals Committee to hear the grievance.

1. Upon receipt of an Academic Grievance Form and Response Form, the department head for the department in which the course resides shall review the alleged grievance in view of the college's mission, goals, policies, rules, and procedures as stated in the college Catalog and Student Handbook and other institutional and program documents to determine if the dispute is eligible to be grieved.
   
   
2. If, in view of these provisions, the department head determines that the matter is eligible for grievance, the department head shall provide the student and all other parties with a letter explaining this conclusion.

• A decision by the department head concerning whether the matter is eligible for grievance cannot be appealed.
  
  
• The department head may permit the grievance to proceed to a hearing and defer a decision on this question until the close of the presentation and consideration of evidence by all parties.
  

3. If the dispute is determined to be eligible for grievance and proceeds to the hearing phase, the vice president and chief instructional and student services officer shall appoint an academic appeals committee of not more than nine persons and composed of faculty, instructional support staff, and at least one student.  A separate committee shall be appointed for each grievance.

• The committee shall hear the grievance and recommend an appropriate resolution.
  
  
• The vice president and chief instructional and student services officer shall appoint a chair for the committee. Faculty and instructional support staff shall be selected from a pool of persons identified for this purpose. The Student Senate shall identify a list of three students available to sit on academic appeals committees.
  
  
• A department head from another department shall be appointed by the vice president and chief instructional and student services officer to coordinate the scheduling of the committee hearing, charge the committee, and remain present during the hearing to respond to inquiries concerning policy and procedure guidelines. Procedural guidelines for the hearing, as established by the Academic Standards, Policies, and Curriculum Committee will be provided to all parties prior to the hearing by this department head.

Fourth Step
The fourth step of the procedure involves the recommendation of the Academic Appeals Committee and the final decision.

1. After the hearing, the committee shall retire to deliberate in executive session.
   
   
2. The committee shall make a written recommendation to the Vice President and Chief Instructional and Student Services Officer within five working days after the conclusion of the hearing.
   
   
3. The vice president and chief iInstructional and student services officer shall consider the committee's recommendation and make a decision that is fair to all parties and consistent with the mission and relevant objectives of the college and its instructional programs.
   
   
4. The vice president and chief iInstructional and student services officer shall send a letter to all parties stating and explaining the decision.

Exceptional Circumstances
If the student or instructor believes that exceptional circumstances justify reconsideration of the decision the vice president and chief iInstructional and student services officer makes, the student or instructor may request that the president review the matter

1. The request for review must be presented in letter form to the president within five working days after receipt of the vice president and chief iInstructional and student services officer’s decision.  The letter to the president must explain the nature of the exceptional circumstances.
   
   
2. If the president finds exceptional circumstances present, the president may review the decision of the vice president and chief iInstructional and student services officer.

(Revised September 2009)