By MARTY LEVINE
Pitt policies on grading and repeating classes, which are “badly in need of updating” according to Vice Provost for Graduate Studies Amanda Godley, drew questions at the University Senate’s Educational Policies committee’s meeting on Nov. 15.
Godley reported that the policies had already gone through early stages of internal review but, as of the meeting, had yet to be reviewed by the Provost’s Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Programs.
Pitt’s proposed new Course Repeat Policy (last revised in 2005) says that, while any course may be repeated (usually to earn a higher grade), “no sequence course may be repeated for credit after a higher numbered course in that sequence has been passed with a C or higher grade (undergraduate) or B or higher grade (graduate).”
The proposed policy currently adds that the original course and its grade stay on transcripts but don’t count toward the grade point average; nor do the credits from the repeated course count toward degree requirements (if credits were earned when the same course was originally taken).
“Students may repeat a course no more than two times,” the policy continues. “Second attempts require an academic improvement plan to be agreed upon between the student and the instructor of the repeated course. Third attempts require departmental approval of an academic improvement plan agreed upon by the student and instructor of the repeated course.’
It also warns that “the repeated course must be the same in which the original grade was earned. In extenuating circumstances, a department chair, with the dean’s approval, may substitute another course of similar content.”
While the policy will apply everywhere at Pitt, it says, “academic deans/regional campus presidents may, however, waive these guidelines in extenuating circumstances or to align with specialized accreditation requirements.”
Adam Lee, vice provost for undergraduate studies, noted that W grades (for withdrawal) count as course completion, so a second attempt would be a repeat, although a dean’s office may override repeat limits and modify improvement plans before a final repeat. He cautioned that student questions concerning repeating a specific course should be directed to the department offering that course, not to the department of the student’s major, if they are different.
Asked about courses that change numbers, and thus potentially content, between the student’s first attempt and the second, Lee answered that “we’re not trying to be proscriptive” and suggested that the instructor of the student’s original course should be consulted in such cases.
Lee added that stricter guidelines for late drops would be a question for the committee to discuss.
Committee members questioned whether students should be able to repeat a course they had already passed, just to turn an A-minus into an A, for instance, and in the process take a classroom seat away from someone else who might have a more pressing need for the course. Students in those cases, committee members suggested, should perhaps be directed toward a more advanced course.
Another committee member noted that some students have been unable to graduate on time because a repeated course had left them with too few credits.
The question of recording repeats on transcripts also arose, since a student’s advisor may not otherwise be aware of such circumstances — especially if a repeated class acquired a different class number before its repeat.
Committee members suggested that Pitt find better ways for transcripts to note course repeats when the student’s second attempt involved the same course cross-listed in a different department. They also suggested there be coordination between departments and the registrar’s office to note when one course is higher in a sequence than another, yet the sequence is not obvious to departmental outsiders — such as, say, when calculus is deemed higher in a sequence than algebra.
The University’s proposed new Incomplete Grade Policy (previously revised in 2017), eliminates the current G grade, previously defined by the registrar’s office as given for “class work unfinished because of extenuating personal circumstances.”
The proposed new policy calls only for an I grade for incomplete course work, but adds: “At the time that an I is submitted, the instructor will also submit a lapse grade reflecting the grade earned based upon the work completed by the student to that point, a description of the outstanding work to be completed, and an agreed upon deadline for completion. The completion deadline should take into account the work to be completed and any other mitigating factors, and it must be no longer than one year beyond the end of the term in which the class was taken.”
The proposed new policy also notes that “extensions may be requested through the dean’s office of the course when completion within one year is not possible (e.g., clinical or internship placements persisting more than one year or when a student takes time away from their studies).”
Once a student has completed course work, the faculty member would assign a new final grade. “If the work is not completed and a final grade (is not) submitted by the deadline,” the policy stipulates, “the incomplete will automatically be replaced by the lapse grade.”
Students cannot graduate with an I grade on their transcripts, although an appeal to the dean’s office may once again allow exceptions. “An I (grade) that is unresolved at the point of degree completion will be updated to the lapse grade,” the policy concludes.
Godley noted that the required contract between the student and the instructor concerning work to be completed is common among Pitt’s peer institutions. Questioned about how G grades already on transcripts from recent past semesters might be affected, she said this is one of the issues that has yet to be discussed or decided, although transcripts provide brief explanations of the meaning of such grades, and those explanations would remain.
She also observed that doctoral students with new advisors don’t always want to switch I grades or don’t have enough information to do so, which could be an issue.
Asked whether there was a limit to the number of I grades per semester for each student, Lee said there is no official limit on the number of I grades, since some students with incomplete work may resign from the semester to get part of their tuition back, and others may withdraw from only certain courses.
The committee’s next meeting is at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 13.
Marty Levine is a staff writer for the University Times. Reach him at martyl@pitt.edu or 412-758-4859.
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