Evaluation of student achievement is an important instructional responsibility. Instructors are encouraged to use as many evaluative devices as are appropriate to the course, but no particular mode of evaluation is specified.
Students should be told at the beginning of the course what will be expected of them and how their progress will be measured. The role of class attendance should be clear (see Section 3.3.2). If participation in class discussion is also considered, this fact should also be stated. And the same applies to all other methods of evaluation. In short, the requirements of the course should be made clear to the students in the first few days of class so that there are no surprises later.
Efforts should also be made to provide early evaluations since a major purpose of evaluation is to help students improve performance. This is especially important with freshmen, who often do not know how well they are doing. Short papers and quizzes, which are returned to the student promptly, will aid early assessment. So that arrangements can be made for counseling or tutorial assistance, a report of those students who are in academic difficulty will be requested by the Associate Vice President of Retention and Student Success at mid-term. Any time during the semester that a student appears to be in need of tutoring, the instructor should suggest that the student contact the Student Resource Center (tutoring center), where arrangements for free tutoring can be made.
Examinations are given during the examination period at the end of each semester. A student may take a final at a different time only if an emergency situation or special circumstances at the time provide the need for a change. Students who think they have special reason to ask for a special examination should pick up a form at the Office of Academic Records, take it to the instructor for approval and have it countersigned by the Associate Vice President of Retention and Student Success. No instructor is authorized to provide a special examination without this form. Students who have three final examinations in one day may petition for relief of one examination.
Meaning of Grades
It is the policy of Wilmington College to strive for fairness in grading and avoid grade inflation. Faculty are encouraged to regard “C-” as a satisfactory grade, which means the student is meeting College standards, and will treat it as such in talking with students, unless otherwise noted in the College Catalog. The grade “A” on the other hand should mean outstanding achievement, with a grade of "B" in between. The grade “D" represents minimally acceptable achievement and the grade “F" indicates failure. The grade of "I" (incomplete) should be given rarely and only when work has not been completed for reasons beyond the student's control. Incompletes from the fall semester must be completed no later than the first Wednesday of February. Incompletes from the spring and summer semesters must be made up no later than the first Wednesday of October. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with the professor and complete all work required within the designated time period. If there are extenuating circumstances, students may petition the Academic Standards and Appeals Committee for an extension prior to the “I” deadline.
Beginning with the 2002-2003 academic year, faculty may issue grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, or F in courses.