Grades

Grade System

The final semester grades are determined by the instructors, according to the grades the student earns in all phases of class work: class discussions, tests, daily work, laboratory work, reports, term papers, and the semester examinations. Final grades should reflect consistent improvement as well as averaged grades. Course grades can be viewed (approximately 1-2 days after the course ends) through our online student services. Mid-semester grades are posted by individual instructors. A student may file notice and repeat any unsuccessfully completed course, and the higher grade earned will be used to compute the cumulative grade point average.

If you have any questions about your grades, please call the Records Office at 443-8797 within 30 days of the graded semester. Grade changes will only be considered during the 30 day time period after the semester ends.

The letter system of grading is employed as follows:

A Excellent 4 grade points per semester hour
B Above Average 3 grade points per semester hour
C Average 2 grade points per semester hour
D Below Average 1 grade points per semester hour
F Failed 0 grade point per semester hour

The following grades do not affect grade point average:

• W Official Withdrawal of a student within the Withdrawal Policy guidelines.
• I Incomplete - This is a temporary grade. All incomplete work involved with a temporary “I” grade will be performed within 30 calendar days after the end of the term so that a grade may be recorded.
• P Completed/Passed grade used for successfully completed labs and orientations.
• AU Audit - Student auditing a class will receive an “AU” grade.
• S Satisfactory
• U Unsatisfactory

Grade Exclusion

Request for Grade Exclusion

After a minimum of two years and evidence of substantial grade improvement, a student may request that previously earned grades be disregarded in the calculation of their DACC cumulative grade point average. The student may apply through their Academic Advisor, Counselor, or Division Chairperson to the Vice President for Instruction for the Grade Exclusion.

Grade Exclusion Guidelines

• Grade Exclusion shall mean that all grades and credits earned in one or more selected semesters shall not be used in calculating the student's cumulative grade point average or be used in meeting certificate or degree requirements.
• Prior to requesting a Grade Exclusion, the student must have earned a minimum of twelve semester credit hours with a grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) or higher.
• Selected semesters for Grade Exclusion consideration must have been completed a minimum of two years prior to the semester or semesters of substantial grade improvement.
• Only those semesters resulting in a majority of "D" and "F" grades will be considered for Grade Exclusion.
• Any grade and/or credit excluded through the Grade Exclusion procedure will remain on the student's official DACC Transcript and will be used by most four year universities or colleges in recalculating the student's GPA for admission or degree completion purposes.
• Be advised that this Grade Exclusion procedure is not relevant to the financial aid requirement that must count all credit hours attempted at DACC for aid eligibility purposes.

Grade Reports & Grade Change Policy

Grade Reports

The final semester grades are determined by the instructors, according to the grades the student earns in all phases of class work: class discussions, tests, daily work, laboratory work, reports, term papers, and the semester examinations. Final grades should reflect consistent improvement as well as averaged grades.

Grade Questions & Changes

If you have any questions about your grades, please call the Records Office at 217-443-8797 or records@dacc.edu within 30 days of the graded semester. Grade changes will only be considered during the 30 day time period after the semester ends. A form is also required to assist with the process: Grade Change Form

If the course you’ve completed is an approved repeat, the higher grade earned will be used to compute the cumulative grade point average. Please note, colleges and universities that students transfer to have different repeat policies. They may use both grades and average them, take the first grade only, or use the best grade (similar to DACC). For more information on course repeats, see the Repeating a Course information on the Records web pages.

GRADE DISPUTES & APPEALS
The Grievance Resolution Procedure does not apply when students are disputing a course grade given by an instructor. Both the Higher Learning Commission and the Illinois Community College Board consider the grading and the assessment of student learning as the responsibility of the faculty member who is with the student every course session. If a student disputes their course grade, they must first meet with the faculty member. If there is no satisfactory resolution, the student may then meet with the respective Division Dean followed by the Vice President of Instruction and Student Services. Following the recommendations from these meetings, the student may request in writing that a Grade Appeal Panel consisting of the Instructor, the Division Dean, a second Academic representative, and the Vice President of Instruction and Student Services will meet to consider the grade appeal. The decision of this panel is final concerning any and all grade disputes and appeals. Students must appeal a grade within 30 days after the grade has been issued by the instructor.

Danville Area Community College students may repeat a course taken at DACC under one of the four following provisions:

1. Pre-Approved Repeatable Courses: Due to the instructional content, some courses are frequently updated and are, therefore, State approved to be taken more than once. Pre-approved “repeatable” courses are noted in the individual course descriptions.
2. Repeating an Unsuccessfully Completed Course: An unsuccessfully completed course which constitutes a grade of D, F, U, or W may be repeated one additional time. Students must fill out a “Request to Repeat a Course” form before the course can be enrolled in for a third time. The third attempt, and any attempt thereafter, may be subject to a course repeat fee** and the student must wait to sign up for the course until the week before the class starts. DACC will use the highest grade earned to calculate the student’s grade point average. When students transfer from DACC, other colleges may choose to average the grades and recalculate the student’s grade point average.
3. Repeating a Successfully Completed Course: A successfully completed course which constitutes a grade of A, B, C, or S may be repeated if the student feels he/she has not adequately mastered the content of the course. In this situation, the student must seek approval by filing a “Request to Repeat a Course” form. Please note, for the purpose of determining Summa Cum Laude status, the grade earned the first time the course was completed will be used to calculate the student’s grade point average.
4. Course Completed Four or More Years Ago: If a course was completed four or more years ago, whether the course was completed successfully or unsuccessfully, the state approves of repeating the course to enable the student to upgrade his/her skills in that area.

The following information indicates how DACC determines the tuition rate, grade point average calculation, credit hour calculation, and financial aid credit hour calculation for each of the provisions under which a course may be repeated:

	PRE-APPROVED REPEATABLE COURSE	UNSUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED, FOR 1ST AND 2ND ENROLLMENT (1ST GRADE = D, F, U, AND/OR W)	SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED (GRADE = A, B, C, S) NOTE:  REQUIRES STUDENT TO FILL OUT THE REQUEST TO REPEAT A COURSE FORM.	COURSE COMPLETED 4 OR MORE YEARS AGO	“AFTER” THE NUMBER OF APPROVED REPEATS HAS BEEN COMPLETED NOTE:  REQUIRES STUDENT TO FILL OUT THE REQUEST TO REPEAT A COURSE FORM.
TUITION RATE	Tuition based on residency	Tuition based on residency	Tuition based on residency	Tuition based on residency	Tuition based on residency + a course repeat fee** equal to the state apportionment for the course, rounded up to the nearest dollar, per credit hour.
GPA Calculation	Both grades earned	Highest grade earned	Highest grade earned  Note: Honors are based on the 1st grade earned.	Highest grade earned	Highest grade earned Note:  Honors are based on the 1st grade earned.
Credit Hour Calculation	Credits earned for all approved courses	Credits earned for 1 of the completed courses only	Credits earned for 1 of the completed courses only	Credits earned for 1 of the completed courses only	Credits earned for 1 of the completed courses only.
Financial Aid Credit Hour Calculation	Credit earned for all courses	Credit earned for both courses	Credit earned for both courses	Credit earned for both courses	Credit earned for all courses.

** Note: The course repeat fee is not an allowable fee for student financial aid. However, the fee can be deducted from any refund a student may be getting. The fee usually ranges anywhere from $15-$75 per credit hour.

Procedure to Register for a Course When the Student has Exceeded the limit of Illinois Community College Board approved repeat enrollments in a course: A student will be permitted to register for a course above and beyond ICCB’s approved repeat limit if the following has been completed:

1. Complete the “Request to Repeat a Course” form. This form will be completed by your DACC advisor or a Registration Specialist.
   Link to Form: http://www.dacc.edu/assets/pdfs/ar/repeatrequest.pdf
2. Request to Repeat must be turned in to student’s counselor/advisor for review and discussion.
3. If the request is approved by the counselor/advisor, it will be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for further review.
4. Registrar’s Office will determine if a course repeat fee will be assessed.
5. Students will only be allowed to officially register for the course if seats are available the week before the class starts. Students may register through the Admissions/Registration office at this point in time.