Memorandum
To: Deans, Regional Campus Presidents, and Department Chairs
From: James V. Maher
Date: June 7, 2004
Modification of S/N Grading Option
Because of the grading logic that is incorporated into the new PeopleSoft student administration system, the S/N option that has been in use at the University must be modified slightly. In PeopleSoft, the grade of N can be assigned only to students who register initially as auditors. In order to retain the N grade for auditors, we must substitute a different designation for students who register under the current S/N grading option and who would currently receive an N grade if they did not achieve a satisfactory level of performance.
We will be able to retain the purpose of the current S/N grading option by the substitution of an NC grade for the current N grade. This is the grading pattern used by a majority of AAU universities, and, since the purpose of the grading option is to designate whether students receive credit or not, this modification will continue to permit students to register for courses without risk of receiving an unsatisfactory grade. Currently, the majority of N grades are assigned to students who register as auditors rather than to those who elect the S/N grading option, and so the change will affect a very small sub-set of students.
The substitution of the S/NC grading option for the existing S/N grading option will be effective for the Fall 2004 term courses, and information about it will be included in the upcoming course catalogue. Please make sure that the appropriate individuals within your unit are aware of the substitution.
Sincerely,
James V. Maher