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Change of Grade Policy & Process

Effective Fall 2021 

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for change of grade and associated deadline and thereby facilitating timely progress to degree completion and compliance with financial aid requirements that all courses taken contribute to degree completion. This policy is intended to reflect the University's commitment to the student success goals and the requirements of New York State’s Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. 

Application for a change of grade, assigned by a member of the faculty, may be made at any time within one year from the end of the semester in which the course was taken. Either the student or the instructor may make this request. The procedures outlined below applies to the change of passing letter grades, PEN, F, FIN, WU. Grades cannot be changed once a student has graduated and their academic record is closed. 

Change of Final Grade 

  • Faculty members who initiate such a change must file a Change of Grade Form (paper or secure online form), including the reason for the change, follow campus changes of grade approval process, and forward the completed form to the Office of the Registrar, who will process the change and notify the student and faculty. 

  • Undergraduate grade change request over one academic year requires the approval of the Grade Appeals Committee (or campus equivalent.) 

  • Graduate change of grades over one academic year requires the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies (or campus equivalent.) 

Change of INC to Administrative FIN 

  • Campus Registrar assigns the grade of FIN when an INC (Incomplete) remains unresolved at the end of the semester following the semester in which the course was taken (exclusive of Summer Term.) 

  • The student or the instructor may appeal this administrative action. Graduate Students who receive an Incomplete (INC grade) must fulfill their academic obligation within one calendar year (or earlier campus deadline) of the end of the semester in which the grade of Incomplete is given. 

  • Incompletes unresolved in the above-mentioned time-period will become FIN in students’ records and may not be changed thereafter. 

Change of PEN to Final Letter Grade 

  • The “PEN” grade is a temporary grade awarded when the disposition of the final grade requires further evaluation and when the absent or incomplete grades are inappropriate. 'PEN' is also used to facilitate the implementation of the Procedures for Imposition of Sanctions whereby colleges must hold a student’s grade in abeyance pending the outcome of the academic review process. Final determination of a grade will depend on final evaluation by the instructor or the outcome of the college’s academic review process. PEN grade must be resolved to letter grade by the end of the semester following the semester in which the course was taken. 

Student Appeal 

  • Students are strongly encouraged to first communicate with the professor of the course. If that conversation does not remedy the situation, or if students choose to not follow that route, then students who think that a final grade was issued erroneously may file a grade appeal. Appeals must be filed within 30 calendar days of grade assignment in CUNYfirst. 

Faculty Appeal 

  • An appeal instituted by a member of the faculty to change an administrative FIN must indicate that the work required to resolve the INC grade was in the instructor’s possession prior to the INC deadline date. Appeals must be filed within 30 calendar days of FIN grade assignment in CUNYfirst. 

Grade Appeals Process 

  • Student or Faculty request shall be reviewed by the department grade appeals committee (or campus equivalent.) The departmental shall review the matter and make a recommendation to the faculty member within 30 calendar days. 

  • If the departmental grade appeals fail to make a recommendation to the faculty member within 30 calendar days, the grade appeal will be escalated to the college-wide grade appeals committee (or campus equivalent.) 

  • The college-wide grade appeals committee (or campus equivalent) shall have 30 calendar days to make a recommendation to the department and faculty member. 

  • The faculty member, upon receipt of the department or college-wide committee’s recommendation, must render a judgment within 15 calendar days and communicate in writing/via online form to the Campus Registrar his or her decision to either sustain the grade or submit a grade change. 

This Policy shall supersede and override all undergraduate and graduate program-level grading change policies currently in effect at CUNY colleges and schools Effective Fall 2021.