RESOLUTION ON ACADEMIC PARTICIPATION AND CHANGES TO "F" AND "W" GRADES
Educational Policy & Student Affairs Committee Faculty Senate
Approved April 3, 2017
Whereas Ohio University faculty are not required to take attendance in their classes,
Whereas federal regulations require students to participate in classes in order to be eligible for federal student aid,
Whereas students who do not participate or who stop participating are subject to a recalculation of enrollment status, which may result in a change to their federal student aid,
Whereas the FN grade, failure due to never attending or participating in the class; the FS grade, failure due to stopped attending or participating in the class; and last known date of participation, were established in 1998 to accommodate "unofficial withdrawals,"
Whereas the instructor(s) assigned to a class has full responsibility for grading, and
Whereas any passing grade assumes the student participated in the class,
BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate endorses amending Ohio University Policy 12.040: Grading to include the following:
- F grade confirmation: The instructor will confirm the following when an F (Failing) grade is assigned, "Student completed the course and earned the F, otherwise an FN (Failure, Never Attended) or FS (Failure, Stopped Attending) would be assigned."
- New WN grade, Withdrawn Never Attended, to indicate the student withdrew and never attended or participated in the class. This grade does not earn credit and is not used in the GPA calculation.
- Last known date of participation for withdrawn (WP/WF) grades: The instructor will enter the P, F, or N for withdrawn grades. If a P or F is entered, the last date of participation will be entered.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that faculty are expected to make a reasonable effort through means such as dates of known attendance, submitted work, or communications to determine the last known date of participation. The registrar's office, with faculty input, should offer guidelines of expected practice.
Approved by Provost Benoit 4/10/2017