Student Performance Evaluation Procedure

1. Purpose

Loyalist College is committed to setting a standard and consistent system for the evaluation of student performance.

2. Application

This policy applies to all students registered in credit level courses and apprenticeship level courses at Loyalist College.

2. Grade Point Average (GPA)

The grade point average includes all courses which include both a numeric grade and a credit value. Courses are either assigned a numeric grade with a credit value or a pass/fail designation. Pass/fail courses are not included in GPA calculations. The weighted average is calculated by multiplying the numeric grade achieved in the course by the credit value of the course. The GPA is calculated by totaling the courses with weighted averages and dividing by the number of semester credits.

For example, a student completes four courses as follows:

Weighted course credits = 9 (02+04+03 credits)

Total weighted course scores = 696 (140 + 340 + 216)

Semester GPA = 696 divided by 9 = 77.33%

A program weighted average is computed similarly and includes all course grades for all semesters in the student’s program.

A 60% GPA is required for graduation from all programs.

3. Academic Standing

Students will have access to their current academic status during the semester through the learning management system (LMS). All full-time and other than full-time faculty and instructors will facilitate this through the creation and maintenance of a grade book in the
current LMS system. The grade book will consist of columns to report the achievement or status of all the evaluation criteria for the course. The evaluation criteria (assignments, tests, projects, etc.) will correspond to those that are indicated on the course outline.

Throughout the semester marks must be communicated to students and entered into the LMS grade book no later than 10 working days from the assignment due date or submission date if submitted on a different date with permission.

• 3.1 Academic Standing Categories
  • 3.1.1 Good Academic Standing
  • Students with a semester GPA of 2.0 or greater, who have passed all courses, are considered to be in good academic standing.
  • 3.1.2 Conditional Academic Standing
  • Students with a semester GPA between 1.0 and 1.99 or a course failure will be placed on conditional academic standing.
  • 3.1.3 Probationary Academic Standing
  • Students will be placed on probationary academic standing if their semester GPA is between 1.0 and 1.99 or they fail a course while on conditional academic standing. Students will be placed on probationary academic standing at the end of a semester if their GPA is below 1.0. Students will be placed on probationary academic standing if they are returning from academic suspension or academic debarment. A formal probationary contract will be developed with the Program Coordinator for the student’s probationary semester.
  • 3.1.4 Academic Suspension
  • Students will be placed on academic suspension if their GPA falls below 1.0, or if they fail a course while on probationary academic standing. Students will be suspended from the College for a minimum of two academic semesters and may be permitted to resume their program, under the new program of study if applicable, upon completion of the suspension period:
    • First academic suspension: Students are suspended from the College for a minimum of two academic semesters;
    • Second academic suspension: Students are debarred from the College for a minimum of two academic years. Upon completion of the debarment period, the student may reapply for admission to any program at the College.
• 3.2 Compulsory Academic Withdrawal
  • Students who do not successfully complete at least 50% of the courses in which they enroll in each of two consecutive semesters in the same program or different programs, will not be allowed to reenroll for a third attempt in any College program unless special permission is granted by a Dean.
  • Students are advised to consult program manuals for additional information regarding compulsory academic withdrawal.
  • A student with any failures during the probationary period will face compulsory withdrawal from the program for one academic year.
• 3.3 Dean’s List
  • The Dean’s List recognizes outstanding academic achievement and is awarded to graduating students from
    • Credit-level programs; and
    • Programs which include Loyalist-delivered apprenticeship level courses
  • that have no subject failures within their program, an overall program weighted average of 80%, and no breaches of academic integrity.

4. Supplemental Opportunities

A supplemental opportunity allows a student to re-write a final exam or resubmit an assignment within 30 days to earn a passing grade for a course. A student may also re-register in the failed course and only complete those learning outcomes not previously met to earn the course credit.

In cases where a student is unsuccessful in a course, supplemental opportunities are a privilege that may be granted by the program area and that must be pre-approved in writing by the School Dean or designate. Upon successful completion of a supplemental course, the professor will submit the grade to the Registrar’s Office. The student will receive the minimum passing grade for the course.

Students are required to make a written request to the course professor within seven days of the receipt of notification of the failing grade if they wish to pursue this option.

The request should include the course name, section, faculty assigned, the grade received, and reason for the request. Further information on the conditions that apply to specific courses, programs, or schools is available in the program/course documentation or through the relevant Dean’s Office.

5. Collaborative Success Plans

Collaborative Success Plans are a strategy to assist students to move forward to a successful pathway of course or program completion.

The plan may be utilized to help support both academic program completion (via supplemental opportunities) and violations of academic policies that speak to professional or desirable behaviours of Loyalist students. Collaborative success plans are situation and student specific and the requirements for completion of the plan are created collaboratively between the student and their faculty and/or program coordinator(s).

Collaborative success plans will be described in writing and will clearly identify the learning outcomes, evidence to be submitted, and the timeline for submission. Faculty and the student will sign the plan with final approval given by the Dean or designate. The plan will be shared with any areas of the College that are identified as parties of interest on the plan such as counselling or tutoring services. If the requirements have not been met as laid out in the plan within the timelines identified, the signed collaborative success plan will be sent to the Registrar’s Office by the Dean’s Office and a hold will be placed on the student’s account preventing all further course registration. The hold will only be removed upon successful appeal to the Dean.

Upon successful completion of a collaborative success plan, the faculty will submit a mark for the course or program in question

6. Final Grade Submission/Changes

Faculty are required to submit grades on the student information system within five working days following the completion of classes.

If a student has incomplete work or has been granted extensions past this date, the grade earned to this date will be entered. Once the full course requirements have been met, grade changes will be submitted by the faculty through the Grade Change Request Form (available from the Registrar’s Office). This must be done within 30 calendar days following the grade submission deadline. Extensions beyond this deadline may be granted by the School Dean, in consultation with the Registrar, under exceptional circumstances. It is imperative in cases where the student is in their final semester before graduation, that all final grades or grade changes are submitted to Enrolment Services within 30 calendar days following the grade submission deadline otherwise the student may not be eligible to graduate.

7. Credential Completion/Graduation Timeline

Students are expected to complete their program of study within the following time limits, based upon the original program or course start date. Students who stop out of their program for longer than one academic year must return to the current program of study (*some exceptions may apply):

*An academic review to ensure current competencies are met may be required in certain program areas. Written approval from the relevant Dean is required to extend these time limits.

8. Related Documents

• AOP 224 Student Performance Evaluation Policy
• AOP 231 Academic Appeal Process
• AOP 226 Admissions
• AOP 225 Post-Secondary Registration & Graduation