Frequently Asked Questions

Student Enrollment

• What do I do if students stop attending or share that they are no longer able to attend?

  This is an extraordinary time, and inevitably students will be impacted by any number of changes caused by the pandemic. Here are a few options to consider when students are questioning their ability to continue with classes:

   

  Academic Support
  

  Students may not be aware of resources available to them during this time. See the list of available services on the CSUSM website.

  Incomplete
  

  Students who are unable to continue, even with additional support, may want to pursue an Incomplete grade. A grade of incomplete (“I”) is temporary and indicates that a portion of required coursework has not been completed. The decision to issue an “I” grade is up to the instructor and is done in the form of a contract with the student.

  A few things to consider

  • An incomplete allows the student to postpone work, though this also means adding to their workload in future semester(s)
  • An incomplete grade is not calculated into the student’s GPA; GPA is recalculated once the new grade is submitted
  • An incomplete grade is considered an earned grade for financial aid purposes (i.e. there is no change to the student’s total enrolled units for the term)
  • An I grade may delay graduation for a student planning to graduate this semester

   The process

  • An incomplete grade may be assigned in the grade roster in PeopleSoft (select a grade of I). An I grade should be accompanied by an Incomplete Grade contract. This will be available in PeopleSoft Spring 2020. Detailed instructions are  available on the Office of the Registrar - Incomplete Grade site.

  Withdrawal 
  

  Some students may inquire about withdrawing from your course altogether. A course withdrawal requires the signature of the instructor (or email approval), as well as approval from the Dean (or designee) of the college.

  A few things to consider

  • If the student stops attending, regardless of the grade assigned, there may be implications to a student’s financial aid or scholarship; please advise the student to speak with Financial Aid & Scholarships and/or other support services prior to submitting a petition to withdraw.
  • If approved, a grade of W does not affect the student’s GPA, but does impact Satisfactory Academic Progress for Title IV financial aid.

    The process

  • A student must initiate the process by submitting the completed Withdrawal Form.
  • Students should review the instructions carefully.

  Credit/No Credit Grade
  

  Some students may benefit from simply making a change from a letter grade to a grade of CR/NC. This may alleviate stress for students concerns about their GPA. Please encourage students to review the information available on the CR/NC webpage prior to making this decision.

Grading

• May I issue Credit/No Credit grades, rather than A-F?

  Faculty may not initiate a change to a CR/NC grading basis. This decision is made by the student, who may petition for a grading basis of CR/NC.

• May a student request a grade of Credit/No Credit? How?

  Students may request a CR/NC grade for Fall 2020, Spring 2021 and Summer 2021. More details on how students may request it are available on the Credit/No Credit page for students. Deadlines are also posted. 

• How does the process for an Incomplete Grade work?

  An Incomplete Grade is issued based on an agreement between the student and instructor for completing remaining work. Incomplete Grade agreements will be available electronically in PeopleSoft this semester. Detailed instructions are available on the Office of the Registrar - Incomplete Grade site. 

• If a student stopped attending and the grading basis is CR/NC, can I assign a grade of WU?

  No. The CR/NC grading basis is intended to remove impact to the GPA. A WU is equivalent to an F. It is not a grade available for the CR/NC grading basis.