Academic Policies and Statements

The statements on this page are verbatim reproductions of University academic policy statements in the Stanford Bulletin, 2007-08, pages 36-44.

 

Academic Policies and Statements

COMPLIANCE WITH UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Registration as a student constitutes a commitment by the student to abide by University policies, rules, and regulations, including those concerning registration, academic performance, student conduct, health and safety, use of the libraries and computing resources, operation of vehicles on campus, University facilities, and the payment of fees and assessments. Some of these are set forth in this bulletin while others are available in relevant University offices.

Students should take responsibility for informing themselves of applicable University policies, rules, and regulations. A collection is available on the Stanford University policy web site at http://www.stanford.edu/home/administration/policy.html. Many are also set forth in the Research Policy Handbook and the Graduate Student Handbook.

The University reserves the right to withhold registration privileges or to cancel the registration of any student who is not in compliance with its policies, rules, or regulations.

Top of page

REGISTRATION AND RECORDS

REGISTRATION AND STUDY LISTS

As early as possible, but no later than the second Sunday of the quarter, students (including those with TGR status) must submit to the Office of the University Registrar, via Axess, a study list to enroll officially in classes for the quarter. Students may not enroll in more units than their tuition charge covers, nor enroll in courses for zero units unless those courses, like TGR, are defined as zero-unit courses. Undergraduates are subject to academic load limits described in the "Amount of Work" section below.

The University reserves the right to withhold registration from, and to cancel the advance registration or registration of, any student having unmet obligations to the University.

For full registration procedures, see the quarterly Time Schedule.

Top of page

STUDY LIST CHANGES

Students may add courses or units to their study lists through the end of the third week of classes. (Individual faculty may choose to close their classes to new enrollments at an earlier date.) Courses or units may be added only if the revised program remains within the normal load limits.

Courses or units may be dropped by students through the end of the fourth week of classes, without any record of the course remaining on the student's transcript. No drops are permitted after this point.

A student may withdraw from a course after the drop deadline through the end of the eighth week of each quarter. In this case, a grade notation of 'W' (withdraw) is automatically recorded on the student's transcript for that course. Students who do not officially withdraw from a class by the end of the eighth week are assigned the appropriate grade or notation by the instructor to reflect the work completed.

Through the end of the sixth week of classes, students may choose the grading option of their choice in courses where an option is offered.

If the instructor allows a student to take an 'I' (incomplete) in the course, the student must make the appropriate arrangements for that with the instructor by the last day of classes.

These policies reflect changes adopted by the Faculty Senate on June 2, 1994 which were effective Autumn Quarter 1995-96. The deadlines described above follow the same pattern each quarter but, due to the varying lengths of Stanford's quarters, they may not always fall in exactly the week specified. Students should consult the Time Schedule or the University's academic calendar for the deadline dates each term. Other deadlines may apply in Law, Graduate Business, Medicine, and Summer Session.

Top of page

REPEATED COURSES

Students may not enroll in courses for credit for which they received either Advanced Placement or transfer credit.

Some Stanford courses may be repeated for credit; they are specially noted in this bulletin. Most courses may not be repeated for credit. Under the general University grading system, when a course which may not be repeated for credit is retaken by a student, the following special rules apply:

1. A student may retake any course on his or her transcript, regardless of grade earned, and have the original grade, for completed courses only, replaced by the notation 'RP' (repeated course). When retaking a course, the student must enroll in it for the same number of units originally taken. When the grade for the second enrollment in the course has been reported, the units and grade points for the second course count in the cumulative grade point average in place of the grade and units for the first enrollment in the course. Because the notation 'RP' can only replace grades for completed courses, the notation 'W' cannot be replaced by the notation 'RP' in any case.

2. A student may not retake the same course for a third time unless he or she received a 'NC' (no credit) or 'NP' (not passed) when it was taken and completed the second time. A student must file a petition for approval to take the course for a third time with the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. When a student completes a course for the third time, grades and units for both the second and third completions count in the cumulative grade point average. The notation 'W' is not counted toward the three-retake maximum.

These policies reflect changes adopted by the Faculty Senate onJune 2, 1994.

Top of page

AMOUNT OF WORK

The usual amount of work for undergraduate students is 15 units per quarter; 180 units (225 for dual degree students) are required for graduation. Registration for fewer than 12 units is rarely permitted and may cause the undergraduate to be ineligible for certification as a full-time student. The maximum is 20 units (21 if the program includes a 1-unit activity course). The maximum may be exceeded by seniors only once for compelling reasons. A past superior academic performance is not considered to be sufficient justification for exceeding the maximum. Petitions for programs of fewer than 12 or more than 20 units must be submitted to the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Sweet Hall, first floor. For additional information regarding satisfactory academic progress, refer to the "Academic Standing" section of this bulletin below.

Matriculated graduate students are expected to enroll for at least eight units; schools and departments may set a higher minimum. Petitions for programs of fewer than 8 must be signed by the student's department and submitted for consideration to the Office of the University Registrar. Graduate students are normally expected to enroll in no more than 24 units; registration for more than 24 units must be approved by the department. Under certain circumstances, graduate students may register on a part-time basis. See the "Tuition, Fees, and Housing" section of this bulletin.

Top of page

UNIT OF CREDIT

Every unit for which credit is given is understood to represent approximately three hours of actual work per week for the average student. Thus, in lecture or discussion work, for 1 unit of credit, one hour per week may be allotted to the lecture or discussion and two hours for preparation or subsequent reading and study. Where the time is wholly occupied with studio, field, or laboratory work, or in the classroom work of conversation classes, three full hours per week through one quarter are expected of the student for each unit of credit; but, where such work is supplemented by systematic outside reading or experiment under the direction of the instructor, a reduction may be made in the actual studio, field, laboratory, or classroom time as seems just to the department.

Top of page

AUDITING

No person shall attend any class unless he or she is a fully registered student enrolled in the course or meets the criteria for auditors. Auditors are not permitted in courses that involve direct participation such as language or laboratory science courses, fieldwork, art courses with studio work, or other types of individualized instruction. Auditors are expected to be observers rather than active participants in the courses they attend, unless the instructors request attendance on a different basis. -Stanford does not confer credit for auditing, nor is a permanent record kept of courses audited. Students who have been suspended are not -permitted to audit.

In all cases of auditing, the instructor's prior consent and the Office of the University Registrar's prior approval are required. Further -information is available from the Office of the University Registrar.

Top of page

RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

Students planning not to attend class or take an exam because of a religious observance are expected to convey this information to instructors in advance. The Office for Religious Life makes available to faculty, staff, and students a list of significant religious observances at the beginning of each academic year. For further information, contact the Deans for Religious Life at (650) 723-1762 or see http://religiouslife.stanford.edu.

Top of page

LEAVES OF ABSENCE AND REINSTATEMENT (UNDERGRADUATE)

Undergraduates are admitted to Stanford University with the expectation that they will complete their degree programs in a reasonable amount of time, usually within four years. Students have the option of taking a leave of absence for up to one year upon filing a petition to do so with the Office of the University Registrar and receiving approval. The leave may be extended for up to one additional year provided the student files (before the end of the initial one-year leave) a petition for the leave extension with the Office of the University Registrar and receives -approval. Leaves of absence for undergraduates may not exceed a cumulative total of two years (eight quarters including Summer Quarters). Undergraduates who take an approved leave of absence while in good standing may enroll in the University for the subsequent quarter with the privileges of a returning student.

Students who wish to withdraw from the current quarter, or from a quarter for which they have registered in advance and do not wish to attend, must file a leave of absence petition with the Office of the University Registrar. Information on tuition refunds is available in the "Refunds" section of this bulletin.

When a student is granted a leave of absence after the beginning of the term, courses in which the student was enrolled after the drop deadline appear on the student's transcript and show the symbol 'W' (withdrew).

Students who have exceeded their eight quarters of approved leave must apply for reinstatment. The University is not obliged to approve reinstatements of students. Applications for reinstatement are reviewed by the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and are subject to the approval of the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy or its designees. The Committee or its designees may determine whether the application for reinstatement will be approved or not, and/or the conditions a student must meet in order to be reinstated. Reinstatement decisions may be based on the applicant's status when last enrolled, activities while away from campus, the length of the absence, the perceived potential for successful completion of the program, as well as any other factors or considerations regarded as relevant to the University Registrar or the Committee.

Applications for reinstatement must be submitted to the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education no later than four weeks prior to the start of the term in which the student seeks to enroll in classes. Petition information and instructions may be obtained by contacting the Office of the University Registrar.

Leaves of absence for and reinstatements of graduate students are -addressed in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.

Top of page

RECORDS

TRANSCRIPTS

Transcripts of Stanford records are issued by the Office of the University Registrar upon the student's request when submitted in writing or via the online Axess system. There is no charge for official transcripts. The courses taken and grades given in one quarter do not appear on any student's transcript until all grades received by the grade deadline have been recorded; generally, this is two weeks after final exams. The University reserves the right to withhold transcripts or records of students with unmet obligations to the University.

Top of page

CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT OR DEGREES

The Office of the University Registrar can provide oral or written confirmation of registration, enrollment, or degree status. The printed certification can be used whenever enrollment or degree verification is required for car insurance, loan deferments, medical coverage, scholarship purposes, and so on. Using Axess, students are able to print an official certification at no charge. Certification of full- or part-time enrollment cannot be provided until after the study list is filed.

Degrees are conferred quarterly, but diplomas are issued at the -Commencement exercises which are held only in June. After conferral, the degree awarded to a student can be verified by contacting the Office of the University Registrar for an official transcript, a certification form, or the National Student Clearinghouse. Requests for transcripts must be made by the student in writing or through Axess.

Full-time enrollment for undergraduates is considered to be enrollment in a minimum of 12 units of course work per quarter at Stanford. Work necessary to complete units from previous quarters does not count toward the 12 units necessary for full-time status in the current quarter. Enrollment in 8 to 11 units is considered half-time enrollment. Enrollment in 1 to 7 units is considered less-than-half-time, or part-time enrollment. During Summer Quarter, all graduate students who hold appointments as research or teaching assistants are considered to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis.

All undergraduates validly registered at Stanford are considered to be in good standing for the purposes of enrollment certification.

Stanford uses the following definitions (in units) to certify the enrollment status of graduate and professional students each quarter:

	Graduate	Business (M.B.A., Sloan)	Law	Medicine (M.D.)
Full time:	8 or more	11 or more	10 or more	9 or more
Half time:	6 or 7	6-10	6-9	6-8
Part time:	5 or fewer	5 or fewer	5 or fewer	5 or fewer

TGR students enrolled in a course numbered 801 or 802 are certified as full time.

Only information classified by the University as directory information (see below) can be confirmed to inquirers other than the student.

Top of page

PRIVACY OF STUDENTS RECORDS

NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS UNDER FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the date the University receives a request for access.
   The student should submit to the Registrar, Dean, chair of the department, or other appropriate University official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights under FERPA.
   A student may ask the University to amend the record that he or she believes is inaccurate or misleading. The student should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the records he or she wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
   If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.
   Additional information regarding the hearing procedures is provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
   Another exception is that the University discloses education records without consent to officials of another school, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll, upon request of officials at that other school.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
   The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.

Top of page

DIRECTORY INFORMATION

The University regards the following items of information as "directory information," that is, information that the University may make available to any person upon specific request (and without student consent):

• Name
• Date of birth
• Birth location
• Campus work address and phone number
• Current mailing address
• Stanford Directory (local) address and phone number
• Stanford student residence address
• Primary email address
• ID card photographs (for classroom use only)
• Academic information, including class, degree(s), major(s), minor(s), prior institution, and active terms

Students may prohibit the release of any of the items listed above (except name) by designating which items should not be released on the Privacy function of Axess. Students may prohibit the release of their name (and consequently all other information) after an appointment with a University Assistant Registrar to discuss the ramifications of this action.

Students, faculty, and others with questions regarding student records should contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Top of page

CONSENT TO USE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES

Registration as a student and attendance at or participation in classes and other campus and University activities constitutes an agreement by the student to the University's use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the student's image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions, or audiotapes of such classes and other campus and University activities.

If any student in a class where such photographing or recording is to take place does not wish to have his or her image or voice so used, the student should raise the matter in advance with the instructor.

Top of page

STANFORD UNIVERSITY ID NUMBER

The Stanford University ID is a number assigned to each student's academic record for unique identification. It is printed on the Stanford University ID card and on documents distributed by the Office of the University Registrar and other administrative offices.

Top of page

SUNET ID

The SUNet ID provides access to the Stanford University Network (SUNet) and its services, and identifies authorized users of these services. Each member of the Stanford electronic community creates a unique SUNet ID and password for him/herself.

SUNet IDs provide:

• Axess services
• Email service
• Storage space within Stanford's distributed file system
• Usenet newsgroups
• World wide web services, including serving of personal web pages on the Leland system and access to Stanford Web Resources

Top of page

IDENTIFICATION CARDS

ID cards are available to registered students, faculty, and regular staff through the Stanford ID Card Office, 632 Serra Street. The ID card serves as an identification card, an electronic key, and a debit card, allowing cardholders to use services for which they have privileges, to enter facilities, and to make purchases.

Married students or students with a domestic partner (same or oppositesex) may obtain a courtesy identification card for their spouse/ partner through the Stanford Card ID Office. The spouse/partner card enables use of some campus services during terms for which the student is registered.

Similar courtesy cards are also available to the spouses and same-sex partners of faculty and regular staff.

ID cards bear a photograph of the cardholder. This photograph is maintained in an online database and, as stated above in Directory Information, is available for classroom use upon specific request and without student consent unless the student has designated that the photograph not be released. Photographs can be designated as private using the Privacy function of Axess.

For more information, see http://campuscard.stanford.edu/.

Top of page

PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS

Students eligible to use online services such as Axess, obtain a PIN through the Office of the University Registrar. The PIN, coupled with the assigned University identification number, uniquely identifies the student and serves in a place of a signature on electronic forms. The PIN and SUNet ID password must remain confidential. It is a violation of University policy to use another's PIN or identification number to misrepresent yourself in any way. Use of another student's PIN or SUNet ID password can result in loss of student privileges or other disciplinary action.

Top of page

EXAMINATIONS

MIDTERMS

Classes that give midterm examinations outside of regular class hours must: (1) announce the date and time during the first week of the academic quarter, and (2) provide reasonable alternative times to those students for whom these announced times are not convenient. According to Honor Code interpretations and applications, different examinations may be given at these alternative times.

Top of page

END-QUARTER POLICY STATEMENT

The End-Quarter Period is a time of reduced social and extracurricular activity preceding final examinations. Its purpose is to permit students to concentrate on academic work and to prepare for final examinations.

In Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters, End-Quarter starts seven full days (to begin at 12:01 a.m.) prior to the first day of final exams. In Spring Quarter, final examinations begin on Friday; no classes are held on Thursday, the day before. In Summer Quarter, this consists of the weekend and the four class days preceding the final examinations, which take place on Friday and Saturday of the eighth week. (See the Time Schedule for dates.)

During the End-Quarter Period, classes are regularly scheduled and assignments made; this regular class time is used by instructors in whatever way seems best suited to the completion and summation of course material. Instructors should neither make extraordinary assignments nor announce additional course meetings in order to "catch up" in course presentations that have fallen behind. They are free, however, and even encouraged to conduct optional review sessions and to suggest other activities that might seem appropriate for students preparing for final examinations.

No graded homework assignments, mandatory quizzes, or examinations should be given during the End-Quarter Period except:

1. In classes where graded homework assignments or quizzes are routine parts of the instruction process.
2. In classes with laboratories where the final examination will not test the laboratory component. In such a case, the laboratory session(s) during the End-Quarter Period may be used to examine students on that aspect of the course.

Major papers or projects about which the student has had reasonable notice may be called due in the End-Quarter Period.

Take-home final examinations, given in place of the officially scheduled in-class examination, may be distributed in the End-Quarter Period. Although the instructor may ask students to return take-home examinations early in the final examination period, the instructor may not call them due until the end of the regularly scheduled examination time for that course. Such a policy respects the principle that students' final examinations are to be scheduled over a period of several days.

End-quarter examinations may not be held during this period. This policy preserves the instruction time for courses and protects the students' opportunities for extensive review and synthesis of their courses.

During the End-Quarter Period, no musical, dramatic, or athletic events involving compulsory student participation may be scheduled, unless approved as exceptions by the Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy (C-USP), nor may routine committee meetings be scheduled (such as those of the ASSU, the Senate of the Academic Council, or the committees of the President of the University) when such meetings normally would involve student participation.

Note—Students who believe that there are faculty who are violating End-Quarter policy should contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Top of page

END-QUARTER EXAMINATIONS

Examinations are part of the process of education at the same time that they are a means to measure the student's performance in course work. Their structure, content, frequency, and length are to be determined in accordance with the nature of the course and the material presented in it, subject only to the limitations contained herein.

Great flexibility is available regarding the types of examinations that an instructor may choose to employ. Examinations, including final examinations, may be, for example, in-class essay examinations, take-home essay examinations, objective examinations, oral examinations, or appropriate substitutes such as papers or projects. Instructors may use any type of examination, paper, or project, or any combination thereof, guided only by the appropriateness of the types of examinations, papers, or projects for the material upon which the student is being examined.

When the final examination is an in-class examination, the following regulations apply:

1. A three-hour period is reserved during examination week for the final examination in each course of more than 2 units. This examination period must be available for students, but not necessarily in its entirety, if an in-class examination is given. In courses with extraordinary meeting times, such that ambiguity might exist as regards the period reserved for the final examination, the schedule should be clarified and students informed no later than the end of the second week of the quarter.
2. Examinations in 1- or 2-unit courses must be completed by the end of the last class meeting before the End-Quarter Period, except in Summer Quarter when examinations must be completed during the last regularly scheduled class session.

When the final examination or its appropriate substitute is not an in-class examination (for example, when an instructor chooses to employ a take-home examination, paper, or project in lieu of an in-class examination), the following regulations apply:

1. The schedule and format of the final examination or its appropriate substitute shall be made known not later that the end of the second week of the quarter and, if changed subsequently, may be only an option of the plan originally announced by the instructor.
2. Although the instructor may ask students to return take-home examinations early in the final examination period, the instructor may not call them due until the end of the regularly scheduled examination time for that course.

In submitting official Study Lists, students commit to all course requirements, including the examination procedures chosen and announced by the course instructor. In selecting courses, students should take cognizance of the official schedule of final examinations announced in the quarterly Time Schedule. Students anticipating conflicts in final examination schedules should seek to resolve these with the instructors involved before submitting Study Lists at the end of the second week of the quarter. If accommodation cannot be made at that time, the student should revise his or her Study List in order to be able to meet the required final examination.

If unforeseen circumstances prevent the student from sitting for the regularly scheduled examination, instructors should make alternative arrangements on an individual basis. Such unforeseen circumstances include illness, personal emergency, or the student's required participation in special events (for example, athletic championships) approved as exceptions by the Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy (C-USP).

Top of page

STATEMENT CONCERNING EARLY EXAMINATIONS

Students are reminded that taking final examinations earlier than the scheduled time is a privilege, not a right. They should request this privilege only in the event of extraordinary circumstances.

Since the final examination schedule is published quarterly in the Time Schedule at the time of course selection and enrollment, students are expected to make their academic plans in light of known personal circumstances that may make certain examination times difficult for them.

In general, faculty members are discouraged from giving final examinations earlier than the published and announced times. If faculty nevertheless decide to administer early examinations, either the questions should be completely different from those on the regularly scheduled examination or the early examination should be administered in a highly controlled setting. An example of such a setting would be a campus seminar room where the examination questions would be collected along with students' work and students would be reminded of their Honor Code obligations not to share information about the examination contents. Giving students easy opportunities to abuse the integrity of an examination is unfair to honest students and inconsistent with the spirit of the Honor Code.

Academic fields differ in the degree to which early examination requests present dilemmas for faculty. If, for example, an examination format consists of a small number of essay questions, where students would be greatly advantaged by knowing the question topics, faculty should be especially reluctant to allow early examinations unless they are willing to offer totally different examinations or a different kind of academic task, for example, a final paper in lieu of an examination.

Top of page

GRADING SYSTEMS

GENERAL UNIVERSITY

The general University grading system is applicable to all schools of Stanford University except the Graduate School of Business, the School of Law, and M.D. students in the School of Medicine. Note that the GPA (grade point average) and rank in class are not computed under the general University grading system. Stanford does use an internal-only GPA which is based on units completed up to the time of conferral of the first bachelor's degree. This information is used for internal purposes only and is not displayed on the official transcript which is sent outside the University. Most courses are graded according to the general University grading system. However, courses offered through Law, Business, and Medicine are graded according to those schools' grading systems, even in cases where students in other programs are enrolled in their classes. Note also that, as to graduate students, there may be departmental requirements as to grades that must be maintained for purposes of minimum academic progress.

Top of page

DEFINITION AND EXPLANATION

The following reflects changes adopted by the Faculty Senate on June 2, 1994 and effective Autumn Quarter 1995-96. All grades/notations for courses taken in 1995-96 or later are to be visible on student transcripts.

• A Excellent
• B Good
• C Satisfactory
• D Minimal pass
• (Plus (+) and minus (-) may be used as modifiers with the above letter grades)
• NP Not Passed
• NC No Credit (unsatisfactory performance, 'D+' or below equivalent, in a class taken on a satisfactory/no credit basis)
• CR Credit (student-elected satisfactory; A, B, or C equivalent)
• S No-option Satisfactory; A, B, or C equivalent
• L Pass, letter grade to be reported
• W Withdraw
• N Continuing course
• I Incomplete
• RP Repeated Course
• * No grade reported

Top of page

EXPLANATION

• NC The notation 'NC' represents unsatisfactory performance in courses taken on a satisfactory/no credit basis. Performance is equivalent to letter grade 'D+' or below.
• NP The notation 'NP' is used by instructors in courses taken for a letter grade that are not passed.
• CR In a course for which some students receive letter grades, the 'CR' represents performance that is satisfactory or better when the student has elected the 'CR' grading option.
• S For an activity course or a course in which the instructor elects to grade students only on a satisfactory/no credit basis, the 'S' represents performance that is satisfactory or better. For such a course, no letter grades may be assigned for satisfactorily completed work.
  It should be noted that the Registrar is unable to record course grades submitted when the instructor has not observed the required distinction between 'S' and 'CR.'
  The 'satisfactory' options are intended to relieve the pressure on students for achievement in grades. The 'satisfactory' options in no way imply fewer or different course work requirements than those required of students who elect evaluation with a letter grade. A department may limit the number of 'satisfactory' courses to count for a major program. For those students admitted as freshmen for Autumn Quarter 1996-97 or later, no more than 36 units of Stanford course work (including activity courses) in which a 'CR' or 'S' was awarded can be applied toward the 180 (225 if dual degrees are being pursued) units required for a bachelor's degree. Students who enter Stanford as transfer students in 1996-97 or later are limited to 27 'CR' or 'S' units applied to the 180/225 minimum.
• L The 'L' is a temporary notation that represents creditable completion of a course for which the student will receive a permanent letter grade before the start of the next quarter. The 'L' is given when the instructor needs additional time to determine the specific grade to be recorded, but it is not appropriate if additional work is expected to be submitted by the student. A student receives unit credit for work graded 'L.'
• N The 'N' indicates satisfactory progress in a course that has not yet reached completion. Continuation courses need not continue at the same number of units, but the grade for all quarters of such a course must be the same.
• N- The 'N-' grade indicates unsatisfactory progress in a continuing course. The first 'N-' grade constitutes a warning. The adviser, department chair, and students should discuss the deficiencies and agree on the steps necessary to correct them. A second consecutive 'N-' will normally cause the department to deny the student further registration until a written plan for the completion of the degree requirements has been submitted by the student and accepted by the department. Subsequent 'N-' grades are grounds for dismissal from the program.
• I The 'I' is restricted to cases in which the student has satisfactorily completed a substantial part of the course work. No credit will be given until the course is completed and a passing grade received. When a final grade is received, all reference to the initial 'I' is removed.
  In courses taken before 1994-95, satisfactory completion of the course work when an 'I' has been given is expected within a year from the date of the course's final examination, but an alternate time limit may be set by the instructor. Students may petition that these courses with an 'I' grade be removed from their records.
  In a course taken in 1994-95 or later, 'I' grades must be changed to a permanent notation or grade within a maximum of one year. If an incomplete grade is not cleared at the end of one year, it is changed automatically by the Office of the University Registrar to an 'NP' (not passed) or 'NC' (no credit) as appropriate for the grading method of the course. Students must request an incomplete grade by the last class meeting. Faculty may determine whether to grant the request or not. Faculty are free to determine the conditions under which the incomplete is made up, including setting a deadline of less than one year.
• RP The notation 'RP' (meaning Repeated Course) replaces the original grade recorded for a course when a student retakes a course. (See the "Repeated Courses" section of this bulletin, above.)
• W The notation 'W' (meaning Withdrew) is recorded when a student withdraws from a course.
• * The '*' symbol appears when no grade has been reported to the Registrar for courses taken prior to 2001-02. The '*' symbol remains on the transcript until a grade has been reported.

Top of page

REPORTING OF GRADES

All grades must be reported within 96 hours after the time and day reserved for the final examination, and in no case later than noon of the fourth day (including weekends) after the last day of the final examination period.

In the case of degree candidates in Spring Quarter, final grades must be reported by noon of the day following the end of the final examination period.

Top of page

REVISION OF END-QUARTER GRADES

When duly filed with the Office of the University Registrar, end-quarter grades are final and not subject to change by reason of a revision of judgment on the instructor's part; nor are passing grades to be revised on the basis of a second trial (for example, a new examination or additional work undertaken or completed after the end of the quarter). Changes may be made at any time to correct an actual error in computation or transcription, or where some part of the student's work has been unintentionally overlooked; that is, if the new grade is the one that would have been entered on the original report had there been no mistake in computing and had all the pertinent data been before the instructor, the change is a proper one.

If a student questions an end-quarter grade based on the grading of part of a specific piece of work (for example, part of a test) on the basis of one of the allowable factors mentioned in the preceding paragraph (for example, an error in computation or transcription, or work unintentionally overlooked, but not matters of judgment as mentioned below), the instructor may review the entire piece of work in question (for example, the entire test) for the purpose of determining whether the end-quarter grade was a proper one. In general, changing an end-quarter grade is permitted on the basis of the allowable factors already mentioned whether an error is discovered by the student or the instructor; however, changing a grade is not permitted by reason of revision of judgment on the part of the instructor.

In the event that a student disputes an end-quarter grade, the established grievance procedure should be followed (see the "Statement on Student Academic Grievance Procedures" section of this bulletin).

Top of page

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Effective September 2000, all courses offered by the Graduate School of Business will be graded according to the following five-level scheme:

• H Honors. Work that is of truly superior quality.
• HP High Pass. A passing performance, and one that falls approximately in the upper quarter of passing grades.
• P Pass. A passing performance that falls in the center of the distribution of all passing grades.
• LP Low Pass. A passing performance that falls approximately in the lower quarter of passing grades.
• U Unsatisfactory. A failing performance. Work that does not satisfy the basic requirements of the course and is deficient in significant ways.

Students in some GSB courses may elect to take the course on a pass/fail basis, where any passing grade (H, HP, P, or LP) is converted to Pass, and U is converted to Fail. Students wishing to take a GSB course on a pass/fail basis should consult the GSB Registrar for rules and procedures. Prior to 2001-02, an asterisk (*) notation was placed when no grade was reported.

Top of page

SCHOOL OF LAW

The two grading systems previously employed at the School of Law were revised effective September 2001. Under the numerical system (with letter equivalents), the range of satisfactory grades runs from 4.3 to 2.5 as outlined in the following distribution. Below the grade of 2.5 is one level of restricted credit (2.2) and one level of failure (2.1). The number grades with letter equivalents are as follows:

• A+ = 4.3, 4.2
• A = 4.1, 4.0, 3.9
• A- = 3.8, 3.7, 3.6, 3.5
• B+ = 3.4, 3.3, 3.2
• B = 3.1, 3.0, 2.9
• B- = 2.8, 2.7, 2.6, 2.5
• Restricted Credit = 2.2
• Failure = 2.1

Students may elect to take a limited number of courses on a credit/restricted credit/no credit system (K/RK/NK). 'K' will be awarded for work that is comparable to numerical grades 4.3 to 2.5, 'RK' for Restricted Credit-level work (2.2), and 'NK' for Failure-level work (2.1). A limited number of courses are offered on a mandatory credit (KM)/no credit (NK) basis. 'N' is a temporary notation used in a continuing course; it is replaced with a final grade upon completion of the course series. Prior to 2001-02 an asterisk (*) notation was placed when no grade has been reported.

Top of page

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

In general, the following grades are used in reporting on the performance of students in the M.D. program:

• Pass (+) Indicates that the student has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the department or teaching group responsible for the course that the student has mastered the material taught in the course.
• Fail (-) Indicates that the student has not demonstrated to the satisfaction of the department or teaching group responsible for the course that the student has mastered the material taught in the course.
• Incomplete (I) Indicates that extenuating medical or personal circumstances have prevented the student from completing the course requirements. This grade is given when requested by the student with the prior approval of an Advising Dean in the School of Medicine.
• Continuing (N) Indicates that the course has not concluded and the student is continuing the course.
• Exempt (Ex) Indicates a course that is exempted by examination. No units are awarded.

In general, a 'Fail' grade can be cleared by repeating and passing the particular course or by other arrangement prescribed by the department or teaching group. An 'Incomplete' grade can be made up in a manner specified by the department or teaching group within a reasonable time; if the deficiency is not made up within the specified time, the 'Incomplete' grade becomes a 'Fail' grade. The opportunity to clear a 'Fail' grade or an 'Incomplete' grade cannot be extended to individuals who are not registered or eligible to register as students in the M.D. program. For more specific information, see http://med.stanford.edu/md/curriculum/assessment-grading.html.

Top of page

ACADEMIC STANDING

Undergraduates matriculating in Autumn 1999 and thereafter are required to adhere to the academic standards described below. The standards include maintaining a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and a quantitative unit requirement for good academic standing. In addition, a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA is required for conferral of a baccalaureate degree.

Undergraduates matriculating prior to Autumn 1999 are required to adhere to the academic standards described below but are exempt from the minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement for academic standing purposes. However, departments can elect to require a minimum GPA for course work applicable to the major and the minor. Refer to departmental literature for specific requirements.

Undergraduate students normally are expected to plan their academic programs so that they can complete 180 units in four years (twelve quarters), including the requirements for a major and the General Education, Writing, and Language Requirements. Satisfactory academic progress is, on average, 45 units per academic year for four years leading to at least 180 units, a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0, and a baccalaureate degree.

While undergraduates are expected to register for a minimum of 12 units, they are required to complete at least 9 units each quarter (by the end of the final exam period) and at least 36 units in their most recent three quarters of Stanford enrollment (by the end of the third final exam period). In addition, students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. Transfer work completed at other institutions is not considered in this calculation.

A student earning fewer than 9 units per quarter or fewer than 36 units in three quarters, or earning less than a 2.0 cumulative grade point average, is placed on probation. Students on probation or provisional registration status (see definitions below) are required to complete a minimum of 12 units per quarter (by the end of the final quarter examination period for each quarter) for each quarter for three consecutive quarters, and maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 to attain good academic standing (a Stanford Summer Session Quarter counts toward the three consecutive quarter requirement if 11 or more units are completed). The C-USP Subcommittee on Academic Standing may stipulate otherwise by acting upon a petition for fewer units.

Full-time enrollment is considered to be enrollment in a minimum of 12 units of course work per quarter at Stanford. Under extenuating circumstances, students may petition to the C-USP Subcommittee on Academic Standing to take fewer units. Work necessary to complete units from previous quarters does not count toward the 12 units necessary for full-time enrollment in the current quarter. All students registering for fewer than 12 units should consider the effects of that registration on their degree progress, visas, deferments of student loans, residency requirements, and their eligibility for financial aid and awards.

All undergraduate students validly registered at Stanford are considered to be in good standing for the purposes of enrollment certification and athletic participation.

Units are granted for courses completed with grades 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' 'D,' 'Satisfactory' ('CR' or 'S'), and 'L.' Courses graded 'N' are counted provisionally as units completed, provided the student enrolls in the continuing segment of that course the following quarter. When the course is completed, the student receives the units for which he or she enrolled. No units are granted for a course in which the student receives an 'I' or an '*' until the course is completed satisfactorily and the final grade reported. (See "Grading Systems" above.)

Top of page

PROBATION

A student who fails to complete at least 36 units of work in his or her most recent three quarters of enrollment at the University, or who fails to complete by the end of the final examination period at least 9 quarter units of work in his or her most recent quarter of enrollment at the University, or who has a cumulative grade point average of less than 2.0, shall be placed on probation (warning status).

A student shall be removed from probation after three consecutive subsequent quarters of enrollment at the University if, in each quarter, he or she completes a minimum of 12 units of new course work by the end of the final examination period and maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. A student may also be removed from probation at the discretion of the C-USP Subcommittee on Academic Standing as a result of a review of individual records.

Top of page

PROVISIONAL REGISTRATION

A student who, while on probation, fails in any quarter of registration to complete a minimum of 12 units of new course work by the end of the final examination period or fails to achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0, shall be placed on provisional registration status. Provisional registration may require that a student submit a properly endorsed petition to return to Stanford.

A student shall be removed from provisional registration after three consecutive subsequent quarters of enrollment at the University if, in each quarter, he or she completes a minimum of 12 units of new course work by the end of the final examination period and maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. A student may also be removed from provisional registration at the discretion of the C-USP Subcommittee on Academic Standing as a result of a review of individual records.

Top of page

SUSPENSION

A student who, while on provisional registration, fails to complete a minimum of 12 units of new course work by the end of the final examination period, or who fails to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0, shall be suspended. In addition, and on occasion, a student may also be suspended directly from probation.

In general, students suspended for the first time are suspended for one year. Students suspended a subsequent time are suspended for three years.

Students suspended for one year are not eligible to enroll for four quarters (including Summer Quarter) following the quarter in which the suspension was issued. Students suspended for three years are not eligible to enroll for twelve quarters (including Summer Quarter) following the quarter in which the suspension was issued. Students are required to submit a properly endorsed petition for provisional registration to request reenrollment after the suspension period has been completed.

Return from Suspension—Students who have been suspended are required to petition for provisional registration to return after their suspension has been completed.

Appeal of Suspension—Students who have been suspended, and who believe they have a compelling reason to appeal their suspension, without a break in enrollment, are required to submit a petition for provisional registration.

Early Return from Suspension—Students who have been suspended and who believe they have a compelling reason to return early from their suspension are required to submit a petition for provisional registration.

Top of page

PETITIONING

Instructions including deadlines for requesting provisional registration or an early return from suspension should be obtained from the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Sweet Hall, first floor. The C-USP Subcommittee on Academic Standing, or those designated by the subcommittee, acts upon all requests concerning academic standing, including requests for provisional registration. Questions concerning academic standing or the petitioning process should be directed to the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.

Late petitions to return from suspension, appeal a suspension, or return early from suspension are not considered. Students are encouraged to submit petitions as early as possible.

Students applying for financial aid and/or on-campus housing should be aware of the deadlines and procedures for those offices.

Top of page

NOTIFICATION

Written notification that a student is on probation, provisional registration, or suspension is sent to the student and to the student's academic adviser as soon as possible after the close of the quarter. Students also receive written notification of the outcome of their provisional registration petition.

Top of page

STATEMENT ON STUDENT ACADEMIC GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

The following policy was effective beginning in the 1999-2000 -academic year and is subject to periodic review.

1. Coverage

a) Any Stanford undergraduate or graduate student who believes that he or she has been subjected to an improper decision on an academic matter is entitled to file a grievance to obtain an independent review of the allegedly improper decision, followed by corrective action if appropriate. A grievance is a complaint in writing made to an administrative officer of the University concerning an academic decision, made by a person or group of persons acting in an official University capacity, that directly and adversely affects the student as an individual in his or her academic capacity.

b) Grievance procedures apply only in those cases involving a perceived academic impropriety arising from a decision taken by: (1) an individual instructor or researcher; (2) a school, department, or program; (3) a committee charged to administer academic policies of a particular school, department, or program; (4) the University Registrar, the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, the C-USP Subcommittee on Academic Standing, or a Senate committee or subcommittee charged to administer academic policies of the Senate of the Academic Council. They do not pertain to complaints expressing dissatisfaction with a University policy of general application challenged on the grounds that the policy is unfair or inadvisable, nor do they pertain to individual school, department, or program academic policies, as long as those policies are not inconsistent with general University policy.

c) Individuals should be aware that the University Ombudsperson's Office is available to all Stanford students, faculty, and staff to discuss and advise on any matter of University concern and frequently helps expedite resolution of such matters. Although it has no decision-making authority, the Ombudsperson's Office has wide powers of inquiry, including into student complaints against instructors.

2. Grievance and Appeal Procedures

a) Informal Attempts at Resolution: the student first should discuss the matter, orally or in writing, with the individual(s) most directly responsible. If no resolution results, the student should then consult with the individual at the next administrative level, for example, the chair or director of the relevant department or program, or, for those cases in which there is none, with the school dean. At this stage, the department chair or program director, if any, may inform the dean that the consultation is taking place and may solicit his or her advice on how to ensure that adequate steps are taken to achieve a fair result. Efforts should be made to resolve the issues at an informal level without the complaint escalating to the status of a formal grievance.

b) The Filing of the Grievance:

1. If informal means of resolution prove unsatisfactory, the student should set forth in writing a statement of the decision that constitutes the subject matter of the dispute, the grounds on which it is being challenged, and the reasons why the grievant believes that the decision was improperly taken. The statement should also include a description of the remedy sought and the informal efforts taken to date to resolve the matter. It is at this point that the complaint becomes a formal grievance. The written grievance should specifically address the matters set forth in the Standards for Review, as stated in Section 4 below. The grievance should include an allegation of any adverse effects on the grievant, known to the grievant at the time of filing.

2. The grievance document should be submitted to the dean of the school in which the grievance arose; for a grievance concerning a decision of the University Registrar, the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, or of a Senate committee or subcommittee, the procedures set forth herein for grievances and appeals shall be modified as stated in Section 3 below. A grievance must be filed in a timely fashion, that is, normally within 30 days of the end of the academic quarter in which the adverse decision occurred or should reasonably have been discovered. A delay in filing a grievance may, taking all circumstances into account, constitute grounds for rejection of the grievance.

c) The Response to the Grievance:

1. The relevant dean shall consider the grievance. The dean may attempt to resolve the matter informally or make whatever disposition of the grievance that he or she deems appropriate. The dean may, in appropriate cases, remand the grievance to a lower administrative level (including to the level at which the grievance arose) for further consideration.

2. The dean may also refer the grievance, or any issue therein, to any person (the "grievance officer") who shall consider the matter and report to the dean as the latter directs. The dean shall inform the grievant (and the party against whose decision the grievance has been filed) in writing of any referral of the matter and shall specify the matters referred, the directions to the person or persons to whom the referral is made (including the time frame within which the person is to report back to the dean), and the name of that person.

3. In undertaking the review, the dean or the grievance officer may request a response to the issues raised in the grievance from any individuals believed to have information considered relevant, including faculty, staff, and students.

4. Should attempts to resolve the matter informally not be successful, the dean shall decide the grievance, and shall notify the grievant (and the party against whose decision the grievance has been filed) in writing of the disposition made of the grievance and the grounds for the disposition at the earliest practicable date after his or her receipt of the grievance.

5. Normally, no more than 60 days should elapse between the filing of a grievance and the disposition by the dean. If, because of absence of key persons from the campus or other circumstances or exigencies (including those due to breaks in the academic calendar), the dean decides that disposition on that schedule is not possible, he or she shall inform the grievant (and the party against whose decision the grievance has been filed) of that in writing, giving the grounds therefore and an estimate of when a disposition can be expected.

d) The Filing of an Appeal:

1. If the grievant is dissatisfied with the disposition of the grievance at the decanal level, either on substantive or on procedural grounds, he or she may appeal in writing to the Provost.

2. The appeal must specify the particular substantive or procedural bases of the appeal (that is, the appeal must be made on grounds other than general dissatisfaction with the disposition) and must be directed only to issues raised in the grievance as filed or to procedural errors in the grievance process itself, and not to new issues. The appeal shall contain the following:

a. A copy of the original grievance and any other documents submitted by the grievant in connection therewith.

b. A copy of the determination made by the dean on thatgrievance.

c. A statement of why the reasons for the determination of the dean are not satisfactory to the grievant. This statement should specifically address the matters set forth in the Standards for Review in Section 4 below.

3. The grievant shall file his or her appeal at the earliest practicable date after the grievant's receipt of the determination by the dean. Normally, no more than 30 days should elapse between the transmittal of the dean's decision on the grievance and the filing of the appeal. A delay in filing an appeal may, taking all circumstances into account, constitute grounds for rejection of the appeal.

e) The Response to the Appeal:

1. The Provost may attempt to resolve the matter informally, or refer the appeal, or any issue thereof, to any person (the "grievance appeal officer") who shall consider the matter and report to the Provost as the latter directs. The Provost may also, in appropriate cases, remand the matter to a lower administrative level (including to the level at which the grievance arose) for further consideration.

2. The Provost shall inform the grievant (and the party against whose decision the grievance has been filed) in writing of any referral of the matter and shall specify the matters referred, the directions to the person to whom the referral is made (including the time frame within which the person is to report back to the Provost), and the name of that person.

3. Should attempts be made to resolve the matter informally not be successful, the Provost shall decide the appeal, and shall notify the grievant (and the party against whose decision the grievance has been filed) in writing of the disposition made of the grievance and the grounds for the disposition at the earliest practicable date after his or her receipt of the appeal. The decision of the Provost shall be final, unless the grievant requests a further appeal to the President pursuant to Section 2f below, and the President agrees to entertain this further appeal.

4. Normally no more than 45 days should elapse between the filing of the appeal and the disposition by the Provost. If, because of absence of key persons from the campus or other circumstances or exigencies (including those due to breaks in the academic calendar), the Provost judges that disposition on that schedule is not possible, he or she shall inform the grievant (and the party against whose decision the grievance has been filed) of the fact in writing, giving the grounds therefore and an estimate of when a disposition can be expected.

f) The Request to the President: if the student is dissatisfied with the disposition of the appeal by the Provost, he or she may write to the President of the University giving reasons why he or she believes the grievance result to be wrong (following the general format set forth in Section 2d.2 above). No more than 30 days should elapse between the transmittal of the Provost's disposition and the written statement to the President urging further appeal. In any case, the President may agree or decline to entertain this further appeal. If the President declines to entertain the further appeal, the decision of the Provost shall be final. If the President decides to entertain the further appeal, he or she shall follow the general procedures set forth in Section 2e above, and the decision of the President shall be final.

3. Grievances Concerning Decisions of the University Registrar, the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, or of a Senate Committee or Subcommittee

a) For a grievance concerning a decision of the University Registrar, the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, the C-USP Subcommittee on Academic Standing, or of a Senate committee or subcommittee, the grievant shall file his or her grievance with the Provost, rather than with the dean, and the Provost shall handle that grievance in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2c above.

b) There shall be no appeal of the Provost's disposition of that grievance, except as may be available under Section 2f above.

4. Standards for Review and Procedural Matters

a) The review of grievances or appeals shall usually be limited to the following considerations:

1. Were the proper facts and criteria brought to bear on the decision? Were improper or extraneous facts or criteria brought to bear that substantially affected the decision to the detriment of the grievant?

2. Were there any procedural irregularities that substantially affected the outcome of the matter to the detriment of the grievant?

3. Given the proper facts, criteria, and procedures, was the decision one which a person in the position of the decision maker might reasonably have made?

b) The time frames set forth herein are guidelines. They may be extended by the relevant administrative officer in his or her discretion for good cause.

c) Questions concerning the filing and appeal of grievances should be directed to the Office of the Provost.

Top of page