Grading Policy and Procedures

Entering Grades

All grades should be entered in Axess by the instructor of record or an officially assigned grading proxy. Faculty may use the Axess for Faculty Guide (pdf) for instructions on entering grades.

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Reporting of Grades

All grades must be reported within 96 hours after the time and day reserved for the final examination, and in no case later than the grade deadline indicated on the Academic Calendar which is usually at 11:59 on the Tuesday following the final examination period.

In the case of degree candidates in Spring Quarter, final grades must be reported by noon of the Thursday prior to Commencement Sunday.

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Grading Dates and Deadline, 2007-08

Grading opens on the first day of the End-Quarter Period. Grades are due no later than 11:59 p.m. on the Tuesday following the End-Quarter Examination period. Grades for Spring Quarter graduating students are due at noon on the Thursday prior to Commencement Sunday.

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Revision of End-Quarter Grades

When submitted via Axess or filed with the Registrar’s Office, end-quarter grades are final and not subject to change by reason of a revision of judgment on the instructor’s part; nor are passing grades to be revised on the basis of a second trial (for example, a new examination or additional work undertaken or completed after the end of the quarter.) Changes may be made at any time to correct an error in computation or in transcribing, or where some part of the student’s work was overlooked; that is, if the new grade is the one that would have been entered on the original report had there been no mistake in computing and had all the pertinent data been before the instructor, the change is a proper one.

In the event that a student disputes an end-quarter grade, the established grievance procedure should be followed (See the “Statement on Student Academic Grievance Procedures” section of this bulletin.)

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Changing Grades

Changing Grades in Axess

Official grades may be changed by the professor or grade proxy in Axess for up to one year after the original grading deadline for the class. The professor or grade proxy must choose from one of the valid reasons approved by the Faculty Senate for grade changes.

Change of Grade Forms

Official grades from class more than four quarters prior must be changed by the professor or department chair using a yellow change of grade form (available from the Registrar's Office). The professor or department chair must choose from one of the valid reasons approved by the Faculty Senate for grade changes and indicate any special circumstances that warrant the change of a grade that is more than one year old.

The change of grade form cannot be used to make enrollment changes, including changes to the grading basis of the class chosen by the student. Students should never be given ‘Change of Grade Forms’ under any circumstances whether they are blank or filled out. Forms should be submitted by a staff member directly to a member of the grading staff in the Registrar’s Office. Grade cards that are missing basic information or have grades that do not correspond to the student’s grading basis cannot be processed and will be returned to the department.

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Incomplete Grades

The ‘I’ grade is restricted to cases in which the student has satisfactorily completed a substantial part of the course work. No credit will be given until the course is completed and a passing grade received. When a final grade is received, all reference to the initial ‘I’ is removed.

In courses taken before 1994-95, satisfactory completion of the course work when an ‘I’ has been given is expected within a year from the date of the course’s final examination, but an alternate time limit may be set by the instructor. Students may petition that these courses with an ‘I’ grade be removed from their records.

In a course taken in 1994-95 or later, ‘I’ grades must be changed to a permanent notation or grade within a maximum of one year. If an incomplete grade is not cleared at the end of one year, it is changed automatically by the Registrar’s Office to an ‘NP’ (not passed) or ‘NC’ (no credit) as appropriate for the grading method of the course.

Students must request an incomplete grade by the last class meeting. Faculty may determine whether to grant the request or not. Faculty are free to determine the conditions under which the incomplete is made up, including setting a deadline of less than one year. Under no circumstances should a student re-enroll in a class to complete an 'I' grade. Enrolling in the class a second time will result in a Repeat.

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Temporary Grades

Grading TGR 801 or 802 Courses ('N' Grades)

Students working on projects, theses, or dissertations enroll in their department’s course. Students typically enroll in 801 or 802 courses for a number of successive quarters. To indicate that a student is making satisfactory progress on the project, thesis, or dissertation, a grade of 'N' should be assigned. A grade of 'S' is recorded during the final quarter when the project, thesis, or dissertation has been completed and accepted by the department.

The 'N-' grade indicates unsatisfactory progress in a continuing course. The first 'N-' grade constitutes a warning. The advisor, department chair, and student should discuss the deficiencies and agree on the steps necessary to correct them. A second 'N-' will normally cause the department to deny the student further registration until a written plan for the completion of the degree requirements has been submitted by the student and accepted by the department. Subsequent 'N-' grades are grounds for dismissal from the program.

The Registrar's Office runs an 'N' grade report at the end of each quarter to use in updating the temporary 'N' grades through the history of the project to it's permanent grade. When the grade of 'S' or 'NP' is submitted during the final quarter of the project, thesis, or dissertation the final grade will retro-actively replace the 'N' grades. If the final grade has been reported, but the previous 'N' grades have not been replaced, please send an email to the grading staff or the registrar@stanford.edu. Please allow several weeks after the end of each quarter before reporting unconverted 'N' grades, as the process is performed manually by our staff.

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