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.