Academic Policies & Procedures
Rules governing grades, credits, retention standards, attendance, leaves, and conduct are among the major topics covered in this section. Since no compendium can anticipate and answer all questions, students should consult with the offices of the Registrar, Vice President for Student Affairs, Counseling and Resource Center, Academic Advising Center, or Undergraduate Scholastic Standards Committee, as appropriate, for information on any topic not covered here.
The Office of Student Advocacy and Appeals is charged with reviewing and acting upon students’ appeals for waivers of the college’s academic policies and procedures. Students can get information on all types of academic appeals at www.qc.cuny.edu/ Academics/AcademicSenate/USSC/Pages/Default.aspx
Student Number
The college will set a CUNY Student ID number for each student as he or she registers for a CUNYfirst account. The process for obtaining a Student ID number can be found at https://www.cunyfirst.cuny.edu
Placement Examinations
All newly accepted freshmen are evaluated using Regents exams, SAT scores, or appropriate writing, reading, and math placement examinations (called CUNY Assessment Tests). The results of these evaluations determine the courses a student must take to fulfill the college’s primary college competencies.
Advanced Placement
Eligibility for advanced placement is determined by individual academic departments based on the student’s performance on the Advanced Placement Tests given by the College Entrance Examination Board. Students who have taken an Advanced Placement Test should have the results forwarded to the Admissions Office.
Credit by External Examination
Students may receive college credit for examinations conducted by the New York State Department of Education and by the College Entrance Examination Board–College Level Examination Program (CLEP, subject-area exams only). Students should obtain approval to take such examinations from the appropriate department chair. They may receive either credit for specific courses or elective credit within the department. Information about these examination programs is available in the Admissions Office.
Transcripts
Transcripts of academic records are issued only upon the authorization of the student. Such a request may be submitted through the college’s website. There is a charge of $9 for each request (no charge for transcripts sent to other CUNY units). The fee may be paid online when placing your order. More information can be found at https://www.qc.cuny.edu/qchub/transcripts-grading/
Transcripts are normally processed in three business days after the request is received. The process may take longer during peak periods at the beginning and end of a semester. We are unable to either email or fax transcripts to other institutions.
Courses at Other CUNY Institutions (e-Permit)
The “e-Permit” allows Queens College students to file an online request to take a course at another CUNY college. To access the e-Permit, log into your CUNYfirst account, where the e-Permit application can be completed via Self-Service. Use the drop-down option under the Academics section to find the e-Permit link.
A Queens College student wishing to take a course at a non-CUNY institution and transfer those credits to Queens must first obtain a non-CUNY permit application by going to either https://www.qc.cuny.edu/qchub/ or https://www.qc.cuny.edu/qchub/ and clicking “Forms.” Hardcopy applications can be obtained by visiting the Office of the Registrar or the One Stop Service Center (OSSC). This form must be completed, signed, and returned before the student registers for the course.
This requirement also includes courses taken during Summer and Winter Sessions. Permits are authorized by the permit approver in the department of the chosen course(s) and administered by the permit officer located in the Office of the Registrar. To meet both CUNY e-Permit and non-CUNY permit requirements, an applicant must:
be a degree (matriculated) student with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00;
be at least in his or her second semester of matriculation;
be currently attending Queens College or have been on a permit the preceding semester; and
have successfully completed at least six credits at Queens College.
Undergraduate first-year students coded into the student groups for Macaulay Honors, CUNY BA, and ROTC programs may take e-Permit courses in their first semester and throughout their college careers; other undergraduate students may start taking e-Permit courses in their second semester and may continue thereafter.
All undergraduate new and continuing students may take ROTC courses on e-Permit at any point in their undergraduate careers.
A department permit approver may reject the authorization of a permit if, in his or her judgment, it is appropriate to do so.
Study Abroad
King Hall 203; 718-997-5050
www.qc.cuny.edu/StudyAbroad
Consistent with our commitment to educating students to be global citizens, Queens College offers many opportunities for study abroad at partner universities in Africa, Australia, Asia, Central and South America, and Europe. Students may choose from the short-term, semester, and year-long programs of international study.
As part of our National Student Exchange, we also offer opportunities for study at more than 200 universities in the United States and Canada, providing an affordable alternative to overseas study. Finally, every semester we welcome national and international exchange students from our partner universities. For more information, visit the Study Abroad website at www.qc.cuny.edu/StudyAbroad.
Registration
Updated registration information can be obtained from the Registrar’s Office and is also available on the Registrar’s website: https://www.qc.cuny.edu/qchub/registrar-records-management-services/.
Course and Faculty Evaluation
Every semester students complete a Course and Faculty Evaluation Form in each class taken. Their responses are summarized online and can be found at https://apps.qc.cuny.edu/courseevaluation/logon.aspx. This provides information on course requirements and students’ reactions to classes and instructors. These evaluations are the only way the college can learn how students feel about their classes and instructors.
The Dean’s List
The Dean’s List is established each semester in accordance with standards set by the college. Criteria are as follows:
Undergraduate degree students registered for 12 or more credits a semester. The Dean’s List will be promulgated at the end of each Fall and Spring semester. (It is not promulgated for work taken during Summer Sessions.) To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must have an average of 3.5 in 12 credits of quality grades (A+ through F, WF, and WU) in that semester. Grades of INC, P, NC, W, and Z will be ignored if the basic requirement of 12 credits of quality grades is met. All quality grades will be included in the computation. The credits considered will be those on the student’s record of registration at the end of the third week of the semester. The determination of eligibility will be made only at the time semester grades are posted. It will not be re-determined and awarded retroactively because of grade changes.
Undergraduate degree students registered for fewer than 12 credits in the Fall and Spring semesters of the same academic year. The Dean’s List will be promulgated in June on work completed in both semesters, September through June. In order to be named to the Dean’s List, a student must have an average of 3.5 in a minimum of 12 credits of quality grades (A+ through F, WF, and WU) during the academic year. Grades of INC, P, NC, W, and Z will be ignored if the basic requirement of 12 credits of quality grades is met. All quality grades will be included in the computation. The credits considered will be those on the student’s record of registration at the end of the third week of the semester. The determination of eligibility will be made at the time Spring grades are posted. It will not be re-determined and awarded retroactively because of grade changes.
A notation will be made on the grade report sent to the student at the time of determination of eligibility and on the grade label posted on the student’s permanent record. This notation will indicate whether the determination was made on the basis of full- or part-time attendance.
General College Honors
General college honors—summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude—are conferred on graduating seniors who meet standards approved by the Academic Senate. Students who have taken at least 45 credits with letter grades (A, B, C, D, F) at Queens College may be given honors if their grade-point average—on the basis of work done only at Queens College—meets the requirements as well as their cumulative grade point average, which includes work done at previous institutions. The cumulative academic averages required for honors degrees are 3.9 for summa cum laude, 3.75 for magna cum laude, and 3.5 for cum laude.
Departmental Honors
Departmental honors are conferred each year on those members of the graduating class who meet standards set by each department. For more information, visit the major department/program office(s) with which you are affiliated.
Credits and Credit Load
Equated credits or billable credits are the number of contact hours in compensatory and developmental courses, regardless of the number of credits given for these courses. The number of equated credits will exceed the number of degree credits in compensatory and developmental courses. All hours of noncredit courses are considered as equated or billable credits. For details, contact the respective department or program.
Matriculated students in good standing may register for the following maximum number of equated credits:
Fall and/or Spring semester: 18 equated credits/hours.
Winter Session: 4 equated credits/hours.
Summer Session Short: 6 equated credits/hours.*
Summer Session Long: 9 equated credits/hours.*
*The total maximum equated credits/hours load for combined Summer Sessions (short and long) is 15 equated credits/hours.
Academic probationary students may register for a maximum of 13 equated credits/hours per semester.
Non-degree students may register for a maximum of 11 equated credits/hours per semester.
First-semester freshman students are advised to register for no more than 15 equated credits/hours, but may register for a maximum of 18 equated credits/hours.
Additional Credits
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, and no temporary grades of INC, are automatically permitted to register for a maximum of 21 equated credits.
Matriculated students in good standing who have compelling reasons for requesting additional equated credits may submit an Appeal to Register for Additional Equated Credits to the USSC in Frese Hall, Room 201, as early as possible during the registration period. Appeals may be submitted for Fall and Spring only.
Note: Students who register for more than 18 equated credits/hours will be charged an Accelerated Study Fee based on the number of hours registered. Please consult the Bursar’s Office website for current fee information.
Overlapping Courses or Course Conflicts
These are courses whose meeting times are not at least five minutes apart. The college prohibits registration into courses with overlapping schedules or class meetings. Students will not be permitted to register for courses that overlap or conflict. Exception: Graduating seniors may submit an Appeal to Register for Overlapping Courses in Frese Hall, Room 201, at least three days prior to their scheduled registration date.
Classification of Students
The minimum number of degree credits required for membership in each class is:
Attendance
By registering in a course, the student assumes the obligation to fulfill the requirements set for that course by its instructor. Although absence in and of itself shall not affect a student’s grade, students are responsible for such activities as participation in class discussions, laboratory sessions, field trips, etc.; the preparation of papers and reports; and the taking of quizzes and examinations, any or all of which may constitute a component in the final grade for the course. In addition to observing the regulation regarding the withdrawal from a course, students are expected, as a normal courtesy, to inform the course instructor of any prolonged absence or withdrawal.
Note: While attendance in class may not be required for a final grade in a specific course, students should be aware that attendance may be required to retain eligibility for financial aid.
Inactive Status
Students who do not register for a regular semester (Fall or Spring) will be considered inactive. The inactive status is not noted on the official record. Inactive students who wish to return to the college must file an Undergraduate Reentry Application by the deadline established by the Admissions Office in Jefferson Hall (718-997-5614).
Grades
Assigned grades (A+ through F and WU), once assigned, stand as final evaluations. An assigned grade may not be changed later by additional assignments, retesting, or auditing a class.
Passing Grades
Passing grades assigned by faculty are A+ through D. (There is no grade of D–.) Grades of A+ show on the student’s record but are counted as an A in the grade point average (GPA). P (Pass) is assigned in place of a passing grade when a student chooses the P/NC grading option or when a P is the only legal grade that may be assigned in a course and the instructor has submitted an earned passing grade. P earns credit but is not calculated in the GPA.
Failing Grades
A student who receives a failing grade (F, NC, R, WF, or WU) will not receive college credit for that course. The grades F, WF, and WU are calculated in the GPA as zero. Grades of NC or R are not calculated in the GPA. (See Warning, below.)
F (Failing) is assigned for work that, in the judgment of the instructor, does not deserve college credit. This grade is calculated in the GPA as zero and gives no credit.
NC (No Credit) is assigned when the instructor submits an F and:
a. the student has chosen the P/NC grading option for that course, within the applicable rules and
b. the student is a first-semester student or
c. the course in question may only be graded as Pass or No Credit.
R (Repeat) is assigned when the instructor submits an F for a student in a CESL course. A course in which an R is received is repeated until it is passed.
WF (Withdrawn Failing) is assigned by the Registrar when a student receives permission from the USSC for an official late current withdrawal, and the instructor’s evaluation of a student’s coursework is failing at the time of the withdrawal.
WU (Withdrawn Unofficially) is assigned by the instructor to indicate that the student stopped attending the course before the end of the semester, or as a result of excessive absences there is no basis to give a final letter grade of A+ to F, and the conditions for a grade of INC do not apply.
The grade WU will also be assigned by the Registrar when a student, after receiving approval for an official late course withdrawal from the USSC, fails to submit the instructor’s evaluation. The WU cannot be replaced by an NC or R in those courses in which an NC or R would replace an F.
WN (Never Attended) If a student never attends a given class and does not withdraw officially, the WN grade will be assigned.
Students will not be permitted to repeat an ESL course after receiving either no credit or a failing grade twice previously in that course.
WD (Withdrawal/Drop) This is a non-punitive grade assigned when a class is dropped after the financial aid certification date during the program adjustment period. The student must have attended at least one class session.
Warning: Students should be aware that other colleges and universities, as well as other institutions and agencies, may evaluate grades of P as C or D, and grades of R and NC as grades of F. This may significantly lower a student’s GPA.
First-Semester Grading Policy
Effective Fall 2017, non-retroactive
A. All failing grades (F, WU, FIN, WF) for first semester students shall be converted by the Registrar to NC or R. First-semester students shall be defined for this purpose as:
1. A full-or part-time freshman in the first semester of matriculation at Queens College with 24 or fewer credits combined from Advanced Placement; International Baccalaureate; college preparatory programs including High-Jump and College Now; and coursework from non-accredited or accredited postsecondary institutions. The only exception shall be for a Fall semester freshman who chooses to attend the immediately preceding Summer Session. In such cases NC or R shall be recorded for failing grades as defined in “A” received in both the Summer Session and the Fall semester of entry.
2. A full-or part-time first-semester transfer student with 30 or fewer combined credits as defined under #1. The only exception shall be for a Fall semester transfer who chooses to attend the immediately preceding Summer Session. In such cases NC or R shall be recorded for failing grades as defined in “A” received in both the Summer Session and the Fall semester of entry.
P/NC (Pass/No Credit) Option
Students may select one course each semester and one course in Winter and Summer Sessions for grading under the P/NC option. (Note: Summer Sessions 1 and 2 are considered as one semester.) No more than 21 credits of P/NC may be applied toward the baccalaureate degree. Courses in which students may only earn a P or NC are not included in the 21 attempted P/NC credit limit.
Instructors cannot submit a grade of P or NC except in courses where these grades are the only legal grade. All earned passing grades will be converted to P; F grades will be converted to NC.
The NC grade is only assigned when an F is submitted by the instructor. If a student does not attend the course or if, as a result of excessive absences, the instructor has no basis on which to submit a final grade, a grade of WU may be assigned. The grade of WU will not be converted to an NC. Only an earned failure is converted to an NC. WU and WF grades in courses taken under the P/NC option remain on the student’s record.
Students should note that grades of P will not be applied to general college honors, which requires a student to complete at least 60 credits with letter grades at Queens College.
Exceptions to the P/NC Option
Students may not take the following courses under the P/NC option:
ACE Seminar courses
ENGL 110
Graduate courses
Courses taken to satisfy the basic skills requirement in mathematics
Any course in a student’s major or major concentration without the permission of the major department
Writing-Intensive courses if the student has yet to meet the three-course Writing-Intensive requirement
If you matriculated in Fall 2015 or later, you may not take the CUNY Pathways course under the P/NC options. You may still P/NC the course and earn credits if you pass, but the course will not fulfill the Pathways requirements.
GEAC: Students must receive a letter grade in all courses used to complete the Pathways requirements. Note that this does not prevent a student from taking a Pathways course P/NC, but a course with such a grade cannot fulfill a Pathway's requirement.
In joint majors and in specialized majors within departments, the determination of courses constituting the major for purposes of the P/NC option will be made by the student’s concentration advisor. Students who have received a P in a course that later becomes part of their major may submit an Appeal to Post Earned Letter Grade in Place of Pass/No Credit Option Form to the USSC in Frese Hall, Room 201, to have the P replaced by the same earned grade originally assigned by the instructor. Students should file this form when they are in their final semester and once they have filed a Graduation Application online at the Registrar’s website: www.qc.cuny.edu/graduation.
Selecting and Deselecting the P/NC Option
Students may select and deselect the P/NC option online by visiting www.qc.cuny.edu/registrar. Please be sure to follow the deadline in the academic calendar. The choice must be finalized by the end of the eighth week of the Fall or Spring semester. Winter Session dates are listed on the student page for CUNYfirst at www. qc.cuny.edu/Winter. Summer Sessions 1 and 2 dates are listed in the FAQ portion of the Summer Session website at www.qc.cuny.edu/Summer. After the deadlines indicated, the P/NC choice is final and cannot be changed.
Second-semester students may select the P/NC option by filling out a P/NC form (not online) until the end of the fourteenth week of the Fall and Spring semesters, or until the next to last day of either Summer Session. Second-semester students, for the purpose of the P/NC option, are defined as:
A. Full-time and matriculated students during their second semester at Queens College who entered with fewer than 12 credits from another institution of higher learning. Summer Sessions 1 and 2 do not count as a semester.
B. Part-time and matriculated students who have completed more than 9 but fewer than 18 credits.
C. Transfer degree students with more than 11 but fewer than 28 credits from any institution of higher learning during their first semester at Queens College. Summer Sessions 1 and 2 do not count as a semester.
Important: The P/NC deadline will not be extended. Failure in the course or missing the deadline to select the P/NC option will not be considered grounds for appeal.
Temporary Grades INC and PEN
The college grading policy interprets the submission of an INC as implied obligations or contracts to assist the student in resolving the grade. Instructors who do not intend to assist students should not submit a grade of INC. They may submit a letter grade of F when there is no reasonable expectation that the student can pass the course even if the missing final exam or coursework is made up. The temporary grade of INC is not calculated in the GPA. Instructors who will not be available to receive outstanding coursework should not submit an INC grade and contract. When instructors do not intend to assist in resolving INC grades, they should submit a letter grade, calculated without the missing work.
INC (Incomplete) is not an automatic grade. It is a temporary grade that may be assigned by faculty when a student has requested an INC and meets all of the following conditions: some of the course requirements other than but possibly including the final examination have not been satisfied for good and sufficient reason as determined by the instructor; and there is a reasonable expectation that a student can pass the course by submitting the outstanding work by the end of the next regular semester, Spring or Fall. (Summer Sessions 1 and 2 do not count as a semester in this case.) The assignment of INC constitutes an agreement with the student that the instructor or department will receive, evaluate, and submit a grade for the missing course requirements, upon submission of the outstanding work by the student. (See Resolution of Temporary Grades, below.)
The INC grade is not to be assigned if: it is not requested by a student; or if there is no reasonable expectation that the missing work can be completed, submitted, and graded by the end of the next regular semester, Spring or Fall (Summer Sessions 1 and 2 do not count as a semester); or a student would receive a failing grade in the course even if the missing work was completed, submitted, and graded. In these instances, the instructor must assign a grade based on a student’s work for the semester. If there is insufficient information due to a student’s attendance, the WU grade will be assigned.
PEN (Pending) is a temporary grade awarded when the disposition of the final grade requires further evaluation and the incomplete grade is inappropriate. PEN is also used to facilitate the implementation of the Procedures for Imposition of Sanctions, whereby colleges must hold a student’s grade in abeyance pending the outcome of the academic review process. The PEN grade will not lapse to FPN; final determination of a grade will depend on final evaluation by the instructor or the outcome of the college’s academic review process.
WA (Withdrawal, Administrative) is assigned by the Registrar when a student is not in full compliance with the college’s immunization requirements. Students receiving this grade should immediately contact the Health Service Center (Frese Hall 310; 718-997-2760).
Z (No Grade) is assigned by the Registrar when an instructor has failed to submit semester grades online via CUNYfirst during the grade submission period. Students who receive a Z on their record should contact the instructor or the department as soon as possible.
W (Withdrawal, Passing) is a grade that can only be issued by the Registrar when students:
1. complete the course withdrawal procedure online, from the third to the end of the eighth week of the Fall or Spring semester or the first to the third week of Summer Session 2 (there is no online course withdrawal for Summer Session 1); or
2. request and receive permission from the USSC for course withdrawal, and the instructor’s evaluation of the student’s coursework is passing at the time of the withdrawal.
Resolution of Temporary Grades. The grade of INC cannot be resolved through a second registration and/or repetition of courses. Many students graded INC register for a course a second time, receive a letter grade, and then request a retroactive withdrawal from the course graded INC. The temporary grade INC can be resolved only by making up the missing work; that is, a final examination must be taken and/or the missing work must be submitted by the end of the next regular semester (Fall or Spring).
If the grade of INC is not completed by the end of the next regular semester, the temporary grade will be converted to FIN and remain on the student’s record.
Students must resolve a temporary grade by the end of the next regular semester, even if they are not registered for classes at the college. Students are not permitted to audit, sit in on, or register for the course again as a condition for resolving a temporary grade. Once a FIN has been assigned, students may not resolve the course by submitting missing work or taking a final makeup examination. Faculty may not accept late or outstanding work nor administer a late final makeup examination. The Registrar will reject and return all grades submitted by faculty for courses assigned FIN. (See Temporary Grades Converted to FIN, below.)
To resolve an INC grade, students must submit the missing work by the end of the next regular semester (Fall or Spring).
Extensions of Temporary Grade. If students, for serious reasons, are unable to resolve an INC grade before the end of the next regular semester (Fall or Spring), they should request permission from the USSC to defer the conversion of the INC to a failing grade. Students should be advised that denial of their request is possible. In the event of denial, students should be prepared to locate and notify their instructors as soon as possible to make arrangements to resolve the grade before the end of the final examination period, when this grade will be converted to FIN.
Temporary Grades Converted to FIN. If the INC grade is resolved on time (by the end of the next regular semester) but the Report of Change of Grade is not submitted to the Registrar before the temporary grade converts to FIN, the Registrar may accept the grade provided that the instructor and department chair confirm, in writing, that the student submitted the completed work by the deadline (end of the next regular semester).
Extension of the FIN Grade. If, for serious reasons, students are unable to resolve a temporary grade of INC before conversion to FIN, they may request special permission from the USSC to complete the course. Instructors who are asked by former students to resolve an INC grade that has been converted to FIN should direct the student to the USSC to file an appeal before making arrangements for a makeup exam or receipt of outstanding coursework. If permission to resolve the grade is given, students may then complete the course with the instructor. If permission is denied, the grade will remain on the student’s record as FIN.
Appealing Grades. The following procedure has been established when a student wishes to appeal an earned grade:
First, discuss the grade with the instructor. The instructor must provide the student with a clear explanation of how the assigned grade was determined, and consider the student’s arguments in support of a different grade.
If there has been no satisfactory resolution, the student may raise the issue with the departmental chair or, where applicable, the chair’s designee (hereinafter collectively referred to as “chair”), who may make a non-binding recommendation to the professor.
If the student is still not satisfied, he or she may submit a formal, typed appeal to the departmental chair and divisional dean within 30 days of the resolution of step 2. Such an appeal is available only where the student is alleging that the assigned grade is inconsistent with the instructor’s stated grading policy or is inconsistent with the grading calculation for other students in the class; the professor’s judgment may not be appealed. The appeal must include copies of all work and supporting documentation on which the appeal is based. Only after all three steps have been exhausted will the USSC consider a formal appeal of an earned grade. The committee’s role in the appeal is one of mediation or recommendation; it is not in the USSC’s jurisdiction to change an instructor’s assigned grade. Students may obtain additional information in the USSC Office (Frese Hall 201).
The chair will review both the student’s appeal and the instructor’s calculation of the assigned grade as expeditiously as is practicable (the dean will instead perform this role only in cases where conflict makes it inappropriate for the chair to do so). If the chair finds the grade to be consistent with the grading policy and consistent with the grading calculation of other students in the class, the student’s appeal is denied. If the chair finds otherwise, he or she makes a non-binding recommendation to the instructor. The chair does not have the authority to change the assigned grade.
The procedures in this paragraph will be implemented (a) automatically in the event that the instructor does not accept the chair’s recommendation to change the grade; (b) upon the student’s appeal of the chair’s finding that the grade was proper; or (c) if the dean determines that in the interest of time or fairness makes it appropriate to do so. In such a case, the divisional dean will, at the earliest opportunity, appoint a three-person faculty committee from the respective department to review all relevant evidence and make whatever grade determination it deems appropriate.
The committee must notify the student, the instructor, the chair, and the divisional dean of its decision and its reasoning within 30 days of its formation.
If a majority of the faculty committee finds the assigned grade to be improper according to the established criteria, the chair must then submit a Report of Change of Grade along with the decision of the committee on departmental letterhead to the USSC, which will direct the Registrar to change the grade as indicated. Decisions of the faculty and committee are final and may not be appealed.
In the event the instructor is unavailable or unable to comply with this process, these procedures will be followed as nearly as practicable, except that the departmental chair may make a change-of-grade recommendation directly to the USSC, which will consider that recommendation and either order that grade change or send it back to the department where the faculty committee may then be convened.
The student may appeal to the USSC only on the basis that these procedures have not been adequately followed. Itis not in the USSC’s jurisdiction to change an assigned grade other than as set forth in the prior paragraphs.
Grade-Replacement Policy Effective Fall 2014
When an undergraduate student receives the earned academic grade of F or an administrative failing grade (WU, WF, FIN), and that student subsequently retakes that course and receives a grade of C or better, the initial grade of F will no longer be computed into the grade point average. The F will remain on the transcript. The number of failing credits that can be deleted from the grade-point average shall be limited to 16 for the duration of the student’s undergraduate enrollment in institutions of the University.
This policy change does not impact a student’s ability to repeat a course. It simply requires that the prior course grade (unless it is a failing grade) be computed into the overall grade-point average.
Note: University policy dictates that no more than 16 undergraduate credits, taken at any CUNY institution, are eligible for grade replacement. This policy is now in effect at Queens College, replacing the prior practice of counting only credits earned at Queens College toward the 16-credit maximum. The following information is extremely important for students who are considering whether to repeat courses:
A. New York State prohibits the use of repeated courses that were previously passed in the determination of financial aid eligibility unless the repeat is needed to obtain a minimum required grade. For example, if you are registered for a total of 14 credits, three credits of which represent a course that is a repeat of one passed previously, you are registered for only 11 credits for New York State financial aid awards.
B. The evaluation of your transcript for admission to other undergraduate and graduate programs, both within and outside CUNY, may include all courses and grades in the calculation of your cumulative GPA, including those courses and grades not calculated into your Queens College GPA because of the Grade-Replacement Policy.
Courses with the temporary grade of INC cannot be resolved under this policy. If students repeat courses in which they have a temporary grade, the grade will be converted to FIN and will remain on the student’s record. However, if a temporary grade converts to FIN, it may be deleted from the cumulative GPA under the Grade-Replacement Policy.
Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses Dropping a Course
Courses may be dropped online in accordance with the procedures described in the academic calendar deadline portion of the Student Service Center area of the student’s CUNYfirst account. To register for a CUNYfirst account, visit www.qc.cuny.edu/cunyfirst beginning within the first three weeks of the Fall and Spring semesters or the first two days of Winter Session. For the exact dates for course withdrawal from Summer Sessions 1 and 2, please consult the Registrar’s website on Summer Session.
During the first three weeks of each Fall and Spring semester, and during the first week of all Summer Sessions, a student shall be able to withdraw from (drop) a course and have this action considered a program adjustment. The course will not appear on the student’s record, and the billing shall be adjusted in accordance with the university’s policy of tuition refunds.
Course Withdrawals: Fall and Spring Semesters After the Third Week
During the determined and published withdrawal period, a student may drop courses. However, the course will appear on the student’s record with a W, and no refund of tuition will be possible. After the published withdrawal deadline, students may withdraw from courses only by submitting an Appeal for a Late Withdrawal from Current Semester Course(s) to the USSC in Frese Hall, Room 201. (For more information visit https://myqc.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/USSC/.)
Course Withdrawals: Winter Session
For the exact instructions and dates to withdraw from a class, please consult the Registrar’s website: www.qc.cuny.edu/registrar. After the unevaluated withdrawal period, students may withdraw from a course only by submitting an Appeal for a Late Withdrawal from Current Semester Course(s) to the USSC in Frese Hall, Room 201. (For more information visit https://myqc.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/USSC/.)
Course Withdrawals: Summer Sessions 1 and 2.
There is no online course withdrawal for Summer Session 1. Please consult the Summer Session website for the exact instructions and dates to withdraw from a class. Beginning with the second week of Summer Session 1, students may withdraw from a course only by submitting an Appeal for a Late Withdrawal from a Current Semester Course(s) to the USSC in Frese Hall, Room 201. (For more information visit https://myqc.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/USSC/.)
Beginning with the second week and until the end of the third week of Summer Session 2, students may withdraw from a course online in accordance with the procedures described on the Registrar’s website. A grade of W will be entered on the student’s record. Beginning with the fourth week, students may withdraw from a course only by submitting an Appeal for a Late Withdrawal from Current Semester Course(s) to the USSC in Frese Hall, Room 201. (For more information visit https://myqc.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/USSC).
Important: For the exact dates for course withdrawal, please consult the Registrar’s website on Summer Session.
Unofficial Course Withdrawals
Students who stop attending a course without completing the steps necessary to drop or officially withdraw from it will receive a grade of WU.
Withdrawal from All Courses
Students who register and pay their bills and then drop all of their courses during the program adjustment period (from the first day of classes to the end of the third week of the semester) will have these dropped courses removed from their record. Students who withdraw from all courses beginning with the fourth week to the end of the eighth week of the Fall or Spring semester will have the grade of W entered on their record for courses registered for that semester. Students in either category above are not considered inactive and do not have to apply for readmission in order to register for the next regular semester.
Leave of Absence
A leave of absence is permitted only during the Fall and Spring semesters. For Summer Sessions, withdrawal from all courses is not a leave of absence and follows the procedures outlined for course withdrawals. (See Course Withdrawals, above.)
Students who wish to request a leave of absence should contact Counseling Services (718-997-5420; www.qc.cuny.edu/counseling) beginning with the fourth week and until the end of the fourteenth week of the Fall or Spring semester. There will be an exit interview with a counselor from Counseling Services, which works under the auspices of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. The grade of W will be entered on the student’s record. Students granted a leave of absence may register for the next semester without filing a Reentry Application. (Students who are on academic probation may request a leave of absence in the same way. However, students on Continuing Probation who officially withdraw from all of their Spring classes, or take an official leave of absence during the Spring term, may not register for the following Summer Session or Fall term but may apply for reentry for the following Spring term on Continuing Probation. Reentry information and applications may be obtained through the Admissions Office website: www.qc.cuny.edu/admissions.)
There is no refund for an approved withdrawal from all classes or approved leave of absence beginning with the fourth week of the semester.
Second or Subsequent Leave of Absence
Beginning with the ninth week of a regular semester (Fall or Spring), students with a prior leave of absence who wish to withdraw from all of their courses must submit an Appeal for a Late Withdrawal from Current Semester Course(s) to the USSC. (For more information visit https://myqc.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/USSC/.)
Retention Standards, Academic Probation, Academic Dismissal, and Reentry
Retention Standards These standards are a result of policies mandated by the Board of Trustees, interpreted by the CUNY Chancellor’s Office, and passed by the Council of Presidents.
Required Grade-Point Average (GPA) or Cumulative Index
For the purposes of retention, GPA is based only on grades earned at Queens College. However, attempted credit includes all QC credits attempted, as well as course-transfer credits that have been applied to the student’s program of study. Note that grades of F, INC, NC, PEN, R, W, WA, WF, WU, and Z are all counted as credits attempted.
All undergraduate students will have their academic records reviewed at the end of each Fall and Spring semester. At this time, students whose cumulative GPA does not meet the above retention standards will be placed on academic probation for the following semester.
All students are responsible for determining their academic status. Students who do not meet the retention standards listed above, or have a question about their academic standing, are strongly urged to make an appointment to see a counselor in the College Counseling and Resource Center in Frese Hall, 1st Floor, Main Lobby (718-997-5420; https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cs/ ).
SEEK students should see their academic counselor in Delany Hall, Room 231 (718-997-3150; www.qc.cuny.edu/seek).
All meetings with counselors will be private and confidential so that students may discuss anything that may be affecting their academic progress.
Cumulative Grade-Point Average or Index
The cumulative grade-point average or index is calculated by computing the earned grades and credits attempted in each course in the following manner:
The number of credits in each course is multiplied by the numerical value of each grade earned in the course. Add these products. Their sum is the total of quality points earned.
Add the total number of credits. This sum includes credits for courses failed (FAB, FIN, FPN, WF, WU, or F) as well as courses passed with the grades A through D. This sum does not include courses with the grades of P, NC, R, INC, PEN, W, WA, or Z.
Divide the sum obtained in step 1 by the results obtained in step 2. This is the cumulative GPA.
How to Compute The Cumulative Grade-Point Average
Academic Probation
Students who, at the end of a Spring or Fall semester, do not meet the retention standards will be placed on probation for the following semester. (See Probation and Dismissal Information below.) Grades earned in Summer Session(s) or Winter Session and grade changes during the semester do not immediately affect probationary status, which is reassessed only at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters (in January and May). Students whose cumulative GPA has risen to meet the retention standards may file a special appeal with the USSC (Frese Hall, Room 201), no later than the last day of the regular semester, to be removed from probation. All students on probation remain eligible for federal financial aid. More financial aid information may be obtained through the Financial Aid website: https://www.qc.cuny.edu/faid/.
Rules for Students on Academic Probation
Students on academic probation may not register for more than 13 equated credits/hours. Those students who register for more than 13 equated credits/hours before they are placed on probation must reduce their equated credits/hours to 13 by dropping courses. Failure to do so may have a negative impact on students who later appeal their academic dismissal.
It is strongly recommended that students on academic probation seek assistance from the College Counseling and Resource Center, Counseling Services, in Frese Hall, 1st Floor (718-997-5420). SEEK students must see their academic counselor in Delany Hall, Room 231 (718-997-3150; www.qc.cuny.edu/seek).
Probation and Dismissal Information
Regular Probation
Students whose Spring or Fall term GPA (grade-point average) initially falls below retention standards will be assigned Regular Probation. Students on Regular Probation who officially withdraw from all of their Spring or Fall courses, or take an official leave of absence from all of their Spring or Fall classes, will be placed on Extended Probation for their next term of enrollment.
Extended Probation
Students who, while on probation, do not meet retention standards but earn a Spring or Fall term GPA of 2.25 or higher (with no grades of INC, PEN, or WU), will be assigned Extended Probation.
or
Students who successfully appeal their Spring academic dismissal to the USSC will be assigned Extended Probation for the following Fall term. Students on Extended Probation who officially withdraw from all of their Spring or Fall classes, or take an official leave of absence from all of their Spring or Fall classes, will be assigned Extended Probation for their next term of enrollment.
If, while on Extended Probation, a student’s cumulative GPA reaches 2.00 or higher, that student will be automatically assigned “Good Standing” when the probationary status is reassessed at the end of the Fall or Spring semester (in January and May). Students assigned “Good Standing” may register for Summer Sessions and a maximum of 18 credits for regular semesters.
Continuing Probation
At the end of the Fall term there is no academic dismissal. Therefore, students who while on probation do not meet retention standards and do not earn a Fall term GPA of 2.25 or higher (with no grades of INC or WU) will be assigned Continuing Probation.
Students on Continuing Probation not registered for the immediately following Spring term, or who drop all of their courses before the end of the third week of the Spring term, will be academically dismissed during the Spring term. Students on Continuing Probation who officially withdraw from all of their Spring classes, or take an official leave of absence during the Spring term, may not register for the following Summer Sessions or Fall term, but may apply for reentry for the following Spring term on Continuing Probation. Reentry information and applications may be obtained at the Admissions Office website.
If, while on Continuing Probation, a student’s cumulative GPA reaches 2.00 or higher, that student will be automatically assigned “Good Standing” when probationary status is reassessed at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters (in January and May). Students assigned “Good Standing” may register for Summer Sessions and a maximum of 18 credits for regular semesters.
Reentry Probation
A student who has not continued attendance at the college while on regular or extended probation will be permitted to reenter on Reentry Probation. Reentry information and applications may be obtained at the Admissions Office website.
or
A student who was academically dismissed from Queens College may apply to reenter only after a full academic year has passed since the date of dismissal. Reentry for students who were academically dismissed is not guaranteed. Students will be instructed to file an appeal along with their application. Reentry information and applications may be obtained at the Admissions Office website.
Students who successfully appeal their reentry after academic dismissal with the Committee on Admissions & Reentry Standards (CARS) will be assigned Reentry Probation. Students on Reentry Probation who officially withdraw from all of their Spring or Fall classes, or take an official leave of absence from all of their Spring or Fall classes, will be assigned Reentry Probation for their next term of enrollment.
If, while on Reentry Probation, a student’s cumulative GPA reaches 2.00 or higher, that student will be automatically assigned “Good Standing” when probationary status is reassessed at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters (in January and May). Students assigned “Good Standing” may register for Summer Sessions and a maximum of 18 credits for regular semesters.
Dismissal
A student on Regular, Extended, Continuing, or Reentry Probation who does not meet retention standards and did not earn a Spring term GPA of 2.25 or higher (with no grades of INC, PEN, or WU) will be assigned academic dismissal with an opportunity to appeal to the USSC for reinstatement. Notices of academic dismissal, with appeal forms, are sent to students by the end of June via QC webmail. Decisions by the USSC on appeals of academic dismissal are final.
Students dismissed at the end of the Spring semester may attend Summer Sessions and are encouraged to attempt to resolve any temporary grades. However, students must file an appeal by the deadline date if they wish to be considered for reinstatement for the Fall term. Appeals received after the deadline date indicated on the appeal for reinstatement will not be reviewed. If the USSC approves a student’s appeal for reinstatement, the student is assigned Extended Probation for the Fall term.
Students whose appeal for reinstatement is denied or who choose not to file an appeal may apply to reenter only after a full academic year has passed since the date of dismissal. Reentry for students who were academically dismissed is not guaranteed. Students will be instructed to file an appeal along with their reentry application. Reentry information and applications may be obtained at the Admissions Office website.
Second-Degree Undergraduates College policy requires that students in the Second Baccalaureate Degree Program achieve a grade-point average of at least 2.00 at the end of their first term (or first 10 credits) to remain in the program, and must thereafter maintain a 2.00 GPA (cumulative index).
Academic Integrity/Academic Dishonesty
Academic integrity is one of the most fundamental obligations associated with one’s education, and academic dishonesty is one of the most serious offenses within the academic community.
CUNY’s Policy on Academic Integrity can be found at www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/ovsa/ policies/, under Academic Integrity. It is essential that students familiarize themselves with and comply with this policy. The policy includes definitions and examples of academic dishonesty, methods for promoting academic integrity, reporting requirements, and procedures for the adjudication and imposition of sanctions for various violations of this policy, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. A copy of the Faculty Report Form can be found at www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/ovsa/policies/, under “Academic.” See also https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/academic-integrity/ and https://www.qc.cuny.edu/scsl/academic-integrity/
Acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, obtaining an unfair advantage, and falsifying records or documents (including cheating on exams and papers, sabotage of research materials, the purchase or sale of academic papers). Any student who engages in any activity that is academically dishonest is subject to academic and/ or disciplinary charges and sanctions, as is any student who knowingly aids another who engages in such conduct.
The college’s Academic Integrity Officer is Emanuel Avila, the Coordinator of Judicial Affairs, located in the Student Union, Room 327B (718-997- 3971). Academic Integrity Report Forms are found at https://www.qc.cuny.edu/cetll/academic-integrity/, Office of Judicial Affairs, Academic Integrity Report Form. The officer/coordinator reviews all reports submitted by faculty in order to determine whether a case will be reviewed and presented for academic and/or disciplinary charges.