November 28, 2012

Please bookmark the College's website, if you have not done so already. It's arguably the best place to initiate any inquiry about College policies, and is visited frequently by students, faculty, staff and deans.

Second, please note somewhere nearby the telephone number of 924-8864, which rings at the desks of our receptionist. It is a phone number where you most likely can avoid voice mail. You can also contact specific deans, whose numbers are listed online.

As we approach the end of the semester, I take this occasion to call your attention to some guidelines from the Faculty that exist to make the end of the semester more equitable for students and more orderly for faculty, staff, and students. By way of general reminder, all College students have an Association Dean. Refer any students in need of assistance or in regard to the points below to the Monroe Hall receptionists, who can schedule appointments for them with their Dean.

WITHDRAWING FROM A COURSE is no longer an option as the deadline passed on October 23. Students now must finish the course on time or pursue with the instructor the possibility of an Incomplete. When students invoke medical and stress-related circumstances, seeking to withdraw from a course, please refer them to the Association Deans, who expect a formal request in writing with corroboration from licensed health authorities. The intention is both to maintain equity for all students and to make the appropriate referrals in situations involving serious medical circumstances.

INCOMPLETES: Students are expected to finish courses on time. When this does not happen, a student (using the Extension of Time Form) may request an incomplete grade from the instructor. Once endorsed by the instructor, the student returns the form to Monroe Hall. All course requirements must be completed by Monday, January 14, 2012. Once the student completes the work, the grade may be changed online. Faculty should log in to their SIS Faculty Center, navigate to the grade roster for the class in which the student was enrolled and click on "Change Grade". All incomplete grades convert to F 30 days after the end of the semester.

ANY OTHER ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR IS UNAUTHORIZED AND POTENTIALLY THE SOURCE OF AGGRAVATION NO ONE NEEDS. When instructors make individual and unauthorized arrangements with students, we are unable both to maintain equity for all students AND to conduct our end-of-semester assessment of satisfactory academic progress.

FINAL EXAMINATIONS are to be given only at the time announced on the UREG web site. Under no circumstances should class time be used for the administration of final examinations, nor may examinations be given early. An instructor may, however, give the examination on a "take home" basis during the examination period. The deadline for requesting a postponement of an examination under certain circumstances such as a congested examination schedule is Friday, November 30.

REPORTING GRADES

Grades are to be submitted electronically through SIS or entered into COLLAB and uploaded to SIS. By now, instructors need to have confirmed in SIS that their class rosters are up to date. After November 28, instructors need to log on to SIS to verify that the SIS GRADING ROSTER (distinct from the CLASS ROSTER) is available and accurately reflects the class’s enrollment. If you notice a discrepancy you will need to contact the College Registrar. Students needing to add a class will do so through the Dean’s Office and using a Late Schedule Correction Form. After November 28 a change of grade form will be required for students not on the class roster.

By December 20 ALL final grades are due and must be submitted through SIS. Faculty with questions may contact Assistant Dean Rachel Most (rm5f@virginia.edu; 924-8873).

TIMELY SUBMISSION OF GRADES: Because the Association Deans have to assess and notify students of unsatisfactory academic progress and their potentially blocked registration, WE NEED TO HAVE ALL OF THE GRADES REPORTED TO UREG PROMPTLY. Every time there is a class with missing grades, it holds up the review of grades ("academic audit") for every student in the class and leads to extra and unnecessary effort on everyone’s part. Please report the grades as soon as possible and within 48 hours of the final examination.

CHANGING GRADES: By the rules of the Faculty, extra work after the final examination is not permitted as a way of raising a student's grade. Further, once a grade has been submitted to UREG, the dean is authorized to change it only when an instructor certifies that, because of an error in calculation or transcription, an incorrect grade has been submitted.

Grade changes that need to be made due to errors in computation or transcription can now be made using the SIS. For directions click here.

Thank you very much for your co-operation in these matters.
Rachel Most, Assistant Dean