Academic Progress Notifications

CIS instructors are encouraged to notify students about their academic performance using their high school’s alert system, through email, or in person. 

If the high school’s schedule follows the campus schedule, instructors may use the University’s in-progress report system, but be aware that most U of M classes offered through CIS do NOT follow the on-campus schedule. If your course’s schedule matches the U of M’s on-campus start and end dates, and if you wish to utilize the U of M’s in-progress notification system, you may access it via the Faculty Center. Each course will have a “midterm grade roster” available in the grading tab in Faculty Center.

Provide Students with Access to and Feedback on Their Work (Policy)

Excerpted from Administrative Policy: Teaching and Learning: Instructor and Unit Responsibilities (Crookston, Morris, Rochester, Twin Cities); edited for application to CIS.

Studies of student learning underscore the importance of frequent and timely feedback as an important contribution to success in student learning. Past experience shows that for students in academic difficulty, a timely notification about performance can result in appropriate corrective action. In-progress notifications also help advisers develop strategies for academic success with their advisees. 

• • 1. Instructors are required to provide in-progress notifications for all 1xxx-3xxx level courses to CIS students who, on the basis of performance to date in the course, appear to be in danger of receiving a grade of D [or] F. Such notification will be provided to students within a time frame to allow them to improve their academic performance or to withdraw by the withdrawal deadline. In-progress notifications will not be recorded on transcripts. 

    2. Instructors are encouraged to provide in-progress notifications for all courses and all students. 

    3. The provision of in-progress notifications is a courtesy to the student. Failure to receive an in-progress notification or a decline in a student's academic performance after a notification has been issued does not create the right for a student to contest a grade in a course.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Federal financial aid eligibility requires that aid recipients make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). These regulations do not apply to students in high school. 

However, students should be aware that credits earned through College in the Schools (CIS) will be included in the cumulative completed credits percentage, GPA, and the maximum attempted credits calculation when determining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) after high school.

To Access Your Grade Roster

• 1. Log in to myu.umn.edu with your internet ID and password. 

  2. Click on the “Teaching” tab in the left side-bar. 

  3. Check that you are seeing the correct term displayed or use arrows to view a different term. 

  4. Click on the “Grade Roster” link by the class for which you will be entering grades. 

  5. Review the “Grade Roster” for accuracy. Note that lists of more than 20 students require you to “turn the page” using arrows at the bottom of the list. 

  6. Select each student’s grade for the “Roster Grade” dropdown menu. 

     1. • “A-F” and “I” are the only valid grade options for CIS classes; do not enter any other symbols. 

        • Do not enter “I” or “F” for students who have withdrawn from your class. 

        • If you submit a grade of “F” you must provide “Last Date of Participation.” 

  7. Once all grades are entered on your roster, change “Approval Status” to “Approved” and click the “Save” button. A pop-up notice that grades will post to transcripts overnight will appear. 

     1. • If you wish to SAVE a list to complete and post grades later, leave “Approval Status” set to “Not Reviewed” and click “Save.” 

        • Click the green “change class” button or go back to step 2 (above) to enter grades for another class. 

  8. You will not receive confirmation of grade entry. Verify that grades are posted to student transcripts by viewing your online Grade Roster the next day to see “Posted” notation in place of the “Save” button. 

If you have questions or problems using the online grading system, call the web Grading Support Line at 612-625-2803. 

Entering Late Grades, Changing "NR" to a Final Grade, Correcting a Mistake, or Making a Grade Change After Final Grades Have Been Submitted

See step-by-step instructions in the “How to Change a Grade" guide.

• 1. Follow steps 1-4 above to access your Grade Roster. 

  2. Click the “Request a Grade Change” link, which appears below the “Approval Status” dropdown. 

  3. Enter new grade in the “Official Grade” field. Add “Comment” if needed. 

  4. Click the “Submit” button at bottom of the form to post grade change to student transcripts. 

University Grade Definitions

Grades describe levels of achievement. 

These are the general University standards. In connection with all symbols of achievement instructors will define for a class, at one of its earliest meetings and as explicitly as possible, the performance that will be necessary to earn each. 

University policy prescribes the following grades and symbols that will be reported on the student’s transcript:

• A "Represents achievement that significantly exceeds expectations in the course. (No grade of A+ should be submitted; A, 4.000 grade points; A-, 3.667 grade points)" 

• B "Represents achievement that is above the minimum expectations in the course. (B+, 3.333 grade points; B, 3.000 grade points; B-, 2.667 grade points)"

• C "Represents achievement that meets the minimum expectations in the course. (C+, 2.333 grade points; C, 2.000 grade points; C-, 1.667 grade points)"

• D "Represents achievement that partially meets the minimum expectations in the course. Credit is earned but it may not fulfill major or program requirements. (D+, 1.333 grade points; D, 1.000 grade point; no grade of D- should be submitted)"

• F "Coursework was either completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or was not completed (and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an Incomplete). The F does not earn grade points and the student does not earn University credit. The credit hours for the course will count in the grade point average. (0 grade points)"

Failures (F)

The grade of F is a permanent grade given for a course for which no credit is to be awarded. It will be entered on a student's official transcript.

Incompletes (I)

• 1. Instructors may assign the registration symbol I for Incomplete if, at the time the incomplete is requested:

     • the student has successfully completed a substantial portion of the work of the course; and

     • due to extraordinary circumstances (as determined by the instructor), the student was prevented from completing the work of the course on time.

  2. The assignment of an I requires a written agreement with the student specifying the time and manner in which the student will complete the course requirements.

     • The written agreement must require the student to complete the course requirements no later than the day grades are due for the subsequent regular (fall or spring) term.

     • The contract cannot require the student to re-register for the course or to sit in on an entire course in order to resolve an incomplete.

     • Students may complete the work to resolve an incomplete during a term in which they are not otherwise registered.

  3. Students must submit the work to resolve an incomplete as specified in the written agreement. Incompletes that have not been changed to a letter grade by the day grades are due for the subsequent regular (fall or spring) term will be automatically changed to an F for the course.

     • The instructor is expected to turn in the new grade within four weeks of the date the work was submitted by the student.

  4. When an I is changed to another symbol or grade, the I is removed from the record.

No Grade Reported (NR)

There will be a symbol NR, administratively assigned to indicate that a grade was not reported for the course. The NR does not carry any GPA points. 

If you enter your grades more than three business days after your last class session, the U considers these grades to be LATE, and your students see NR on their transcript until you change that NR grade to the grade earned by the student. See section below on entering late grades. 

Withdrawals (W)

• • A student (or a teacher or school counselor on behalf of a student) should submit a CIS cancellation form immediately when the student stops attending  or participating in a U of M - CIS course for U of M credit.

  • If a student submits a cancellation form during the registration period for the course, the record of registration for that course will not appear on their U of M transcript (i.e. no "W" recorded).

  • If a student submits a cancellation form after the  registration period has ended for the course, the course remains on their transcript with a grade of "W," indicating the student registered for the course but withdrew—regardless of the reason for withdrawal.

  • CIS students are allowed one late withdrawal during their time in the U of M Twin Cities CIS program. A withdrawal is considered late if a student cancels out of a CIS course for U of M credit following the midpoint of the course, but before taking a final exam or submitting final paper/coursework. Withdrawal before the midpoint or for extenuating circumstances still results in a W but may be considered differently  and may allow the student to late withdraw from a class again in the future. Students cannot late withdraw again for the same extenuating circumstance or after a term has ended. CIS students taking multiple U of M courses in the same term may be advised to withdraw from all courses if the extenuating circumstances presented warrant complete withdrawal. A W does not affect GPA, and a W on transcript should not be viewed as a negative factor in the student's academic career. 

Do not enter a grade of F, I, or X for a student who has withdrawn from your class. Please contact cisenroll@umn.edu immediately to discuss next steps.

X, S/N

X is not a valid grade, nor is S/N (Satisfactory/Non-satisfactory) a grading option, for courses offered through CIS.

Applying University Graded Coursework

• • 1. All grades for academic work are based on the quality of the work submitted, not on hours of effort. Instructors have the responsibility and authority to determine how final grades are assigned, including, in classes where they use numeric scores, the method that will be used to translate numeric scores into letter grades. (Examples: the instructor may decide that 90% equals an A, 80% a B, and so on, or the instructor may decide that the top 10% of the scores will receive an A, the next 20% a B, and so on.) 

    2. Counting credits toward a University degree. 

       1. • A course that carries University credit toward a degree in one department or college must carry University credit in all other departments and colleges. 

          • A department or college has discretion to decide whether a course completed in another unit will count towards the specific college or department/program/major requirements. 

    3. Releasing transcripts. The University's official transcript, the chronological record of the student's enrollment and academic performance, will be released by the University only at the request of the student or in accord with state or federal statutes. 

    4. Repeating courses. 

       1. • An undergraduate student may repeat a course only once [—either on campus or at the high school through CIS—if space permits]. 

          • When a student repeats a course before receiving the degree, (a) both grades for the course will appear on the official transcript, (b) the course credits may not be counted more than once toward degree and program requirements, and (c) only the last enrollment for the course will count in the student's grade point average. 

          • Provisions (a) and (b) of this policy will not apply to courses (1) using the same number but where students study different content each term of enrollment and (2) to courses designated as "repetition allowed." 

          • If an undergraduate student repeats a course after the degree has been awarded, the original course grade will not be excluded from the degree GPA nor will the new grade be included in the degree GPA. 

          • Bracketing is the practice of not including a course in the calculation of a student's GPA and not counting the course as satisfying any degree requirements, including electives, because a student has repeated a course. When a student repeats a course, all prior attempts are bracketed and only the most recent attempt counts. 

    5. Grade point average. Every student will have calculated, both at the end of each grading period (quarter or semester) and cumulatively, a grade point average, which will be the ratio of grade points earned divided by the number of credits attempted with grades of A-F (including pluses and minuses). Both the term and cumulative grade point average will appear on each student's record. 

    6. Final grade due date. Final grades will be submitted to the Registrar no later than three business days after the last day of the final examination period. 

Grade Accountability & Addressing Student Academic Complaints

Excerpted from Administrative Policy: Grade Accountability: Twin Cities, Crookston, Morris, Rochester.

The instructor who is in overall charge of a course offering is accountable for all grades given to students. 

• • 1. Students have the right to request and receive an explanation for a grade during and after the course. However, the instructor is not obligated to reconsider the grade.

    2. Students may seek an explanation for a grade until the end of the following semester (not including summer). The instructor is obligated to provide an explanation for a grade within a reasonable time if a request is made by the end of the following semester. The instructor is not obligated to reconsider the grade.

    3. If a student does not receive an explanation for a grade from the instructor within a reasonable time of making a request, the student may consult the faculty coordinator for assistance in obtaining an explanation. Students also may seek assistance from the campus Student Conflict Resolution Center (SCRC). 

FAQ: Addressing Student Academic Complaints

Excerpted from Administrative Policy: Addressing Student Academic Complaints; edited for application to CIS.

Q: I don't agree with the grade I received from my instructor. Is there anything I can do?

A: While grades are not subject to complaint, [the student is] entitled to an explanation for the grade assigned. If [the student is] not able to get an explanation for the grade from [the] instructor, [the student should] consult the [CIS faculty coordinator for the course as the appropriate departmental representative.] Students also may wish to seek assistance from [Emily Hanson]. An instructor’s judgment in assigning a grade is not a subject for a formal hearing, and can only be reviewed through these informal processes. 

A student who questions or disagrees with their instructor about a grade begins the process by talking with their instructor to arrive at an understanding of the facts and to learn where expectations were not met. The Student Conflict Resolution Center’s website has a helpful video demonstrating more and less successful ways to approach this sometimes difficult conversation. 

If a better understanding of the assigned grade is not reached, the student may choose to speak to the CIS faculty coordinator for that course as the appropriate departmental representative at the University. Emily Hanson, and the Student Conflict Resolution Center are additional resources for students and instructors. CIS faculty coordinators appreciate hearing from an instructor if he or she anticipates that one of their students will bring their case to University personnel. 

Feel free to contact Emily Hanson with questions. 

Scholastic Dishonesty - Impact on Grades

Excerpted from Board of Regents Policy: Student Conduct Code.

See also: Student Academic Integrity & Student Conduct.

Scholastic dishonesty in any portion of the academic work for a course will be grounds for awarding a grade of F for the entire course, at the discretion of the instructor. This provision allows instructors to award an F to a student when scholastic dishonesty is discovered; it does not require an instructor to do so. 

If the instructor determines that a grade of F for the course should be awarded to a student because of scholastic dishonesty, the student cannot withdraw to avoid the F. If the student withdrew from the course before the scholastic dishonesty was discovered or before the instructor concluded that there was scholastic dishonesty, and the instructor (or the appropriate hearing body if the student requests a hearing) determines that the student should receive the F, the student will be re-registered for the course and the F grade will be entered on the transcripts. 

Academic Grading during COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-21)

Details about the 2020-2021 grading update, and the temporary S/N grading option for students who were in session during Spring 2020 can be found in this section.

2020-2021 Grading

All undergraduate students enrolled in Twin Cities courses, including CIS courses, may choose to change their grading basis from A-F to S/N (satisfactory/not satisfactory) after a final grade is posted for all Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 courses. CIS students may change their grading basis to S/N after their final grade is posted by emailing cisenroll@umn.edu by June 15th, 2021. This applies to all CIS courses offered during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Students must include the following information: 

• First and Last name

• Statement that they wish to change their grading basis

• CIS course subject and number (example: Math 1371)

• High school instructor

All F grades will be automatically converted to an N (Not Satisfactory) grade on the U of M transcript. Neither F or N grades award credit for the course, however, an N does not impact U of M GPA. This change will be applied to all U of M courses offered through CIS during the 2020-2021 academic year due to the unpredictability of the impact of COVID-19. In accordance with CIS standard grading policy, CIS will not offer the option to change grade basis to S/N that may be available to some students on-campus.

Things to note and consider:

• Because grades of D are credit-bearing and may count toward future elective courses and liberal education requirements for a U of M degree program, this change will not be automatically applied to D grades. However, CIS students may request to change their D to N by emailing cisenroll@umn.edu at any time in the future.

• Students may only repeat a course once and an N grade will count as the student’s first attempt at completing the course, whereas a W (withdrawal) does not.

S/N Grading Basis for U of M CIS sections that were in session during Spring 2020

During the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020, the U of M made a temporary exemption to the policy for the limits on use of S/N grades for undergraduate students. The S/N option, which is not usually permitted for students enrolled in CIS sections, was also made available to students enrolled in CIS sections during Fall 2019 Year Long, Spring 2020 Semester/Trimester 2-3, and Spring 2020 Trimester 3. Information about this policy and a form where students could request to change to the S/N grading basis, was posted to the College in the Schools Students webpage. Instructions were also emailed to all instructors, with instructions to share this information with their students.

What are S/N grades?

S/N grading basis refers to a grade of satisfactory or not satisfactory, also known as pass/fail. Administrative Policy Grading and Transcripts: Twin Cities, Crookston, Morris, Rochester provides a definition of the S/N grading basis.

Managing Student Evaluation of the U of M Course (SRT)

The Student Rating of Teaching (SRT) is a University-required course and instructor evaluation form. SRTs may not be replaced by another evaluation, although midterm assessments are encouraged, and supplemental questions may be added to the standard rating form. CIS emails SRTs collection windows and information to instructors a few weeks before the end date you’ve given us for your class. Instructors are responsible for ensuring that University protocols are followed when administering the SRT. 

• • 1. You will receive an email, at your school address, which contains your SRT collection window and instructions for completion. Students will have until 11:59 pm on the last day of your scheduled collection window to complete their rating survey. 

    2. Any SRTs available for completion will be available to them on srt.umn.edu/blue using their U of M login. 

    3. Plan to administer the SRTs during a regular class period before exam week. Students can complete them on their own, but having dedicated course time to complete promotes a higher response rate.  

    4. After tabulation by the University’s Office of Measurement Services, a copy of the report will be made available to you online through your U of M email. CIS staff and your faculty coordinator also review the report, and your faculty coordinator will contact you with any concerns. A copy of the report is kept on file in the CIS office. 

Students will need to activate their U of M accounts to access course SRTs, if they have not already. 

• Students who know their U of M ID number, but not their login information, should contact 1-Help at help@umn.edu. 

• We recommend students who do not know their U of M ID number check the email account they used to create their MyCIS account for a U of M email titled: Save this Email: University of Minnesota Account Activation. This email includes their U of M ID as well as information on how to activate their accounts.

FAQ: Can instructors administer additional evaluation items?

Instructors are encouraged to conduct early- and mid-semester course assessments for the purpose of receiving feedback about student learning during the term. Instructors may ask students to answer supplemental questions in the open-ended section of the standard rating form, on a separate sheet, or online. See Early Term Feedback on Teaching for more information about early- and mid-semester course assessments. 

Tips for Improving Online Response Rates

1. Tell students why you value their input. Give examples of how you have implemented previous feedback in your course content, course format, or instructional style. 

2. Consider taking time during class (if in-person or synchronous online), or setting a timeframe (if asynchronous) for students to complete their ratings. Students will find links to all open ratings for the courses they’re enrolled in by logging into srt.umn.edu/blue.

3. Remind students when their online SRTs close via email, an in-class announcement, or a learning management system (LMS) announcement.