At mid-term, faculty members should advise each student who is not doing passing work. Depending on the student’s individual situation, the instructor may refer the student to the EXCEL Center for assistance with tutoring and study skills and/or the Student Development Office for counseling for study and learning problems.

Final grades are entered on banweb according to sent via email. Faculty members are expected to meet the announced deadlines for entering final grades.  Failure to do so results in a grade of NR (not reported) for the student involved.  The NR grade can result in each student suffering an injustice since it affects academic standing in regard to dismissal and to honors.  Moreover, an NR grade must ultimately be changed by hand by submitting a UWG Change of Grade from.

Final grades should never be posted publicly. (This is prohibited under Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974).

University of West Georgia follows the uniform grading system of the University System of Georgia as published in the University Catalog. 

Students who withdraw by the midpoint of the semester or the term the course is offered (excluding final examinations) are awarded a grade of “W”.  After the midpoint of the semester, students who withdraw are awarded a grade of “WF” except in cases of hardship that are approved by the appropriated college dean.  A course in which a “W” is received is not included in the calculation of the grade point average.  Grades of “WF” are calculated as “F’s”.

A grade of "I" may be given in lieu of a final grade when a student with work of an acceptable quality (at least a D) is unable to complete the course requirements or take the final examination for non-academic reasons beyond his or her control.  An instructor who assigns a grade of "I" will submit an Incomplete Grade Statement form (available on the Academic Affairs Office web page) to the Registrar’s Office indicating the level of performance (A, B, C, or D) excluding the missed work and the work that must be done to remove the incomplete. The Registrar will file one copy with the student's permanent record and send one copy to the appropriate department chair.  The instructor should also retain one copy.  It is the responsibility of the student receiving an "I" to arrange with the instructor (or the department chair if the instructor is not available) to complete the required work.  An undergraduate student must remove an "I" during the succeeding semester of enrollment or within one year, whichever comes first; otherwise, the grade will be changed to "F".  Graduate students must remove an "I" within one calendar year or the “I” becomes an “F”.  A student completing the work for a course in which an “I” was received should never re-enroll in the course in a subsequent semester.

Once final grades have been submitted on Banweb, all grade changes must be submitted on a Change of Grade from (available in departmental offices) and have the approval of the appropriate department chairperson before they become effective. 

Each academic department will articulate a process to determine grade changes when the professor is no longer available (i.e., death, moved, cannot be contacted).  Policy statements articulated will be sent to the appropriate academic dean, and grade changes will be approved by the dean in accordance with established policy.

205.01 Hardship Withdrawal Policy

Students may request a hardship withdrawal after the official withdrawal (“W” date) deadline published in “The Scoop” until the day before the scheduled Reading Day of the term. A hardship withdrawal is an exception based on unusual or emergency circumstances beyond the student’s control.
    
A hardship withdrawal may be granted based upon special circumstances. The following conditions apply:
 

1. The student must initiate a hardship withdrawal through the Assistant/Associate Dean of the College to which the student belongs. The student should be prepared to present documented evidence to substantiate the hardship being claimed. See rule 3 below for examples of documentation. If a psychological assessment is required, the Assistnat/Associate Dean may require the student to meet with the Director of Student Development (in Room 187, Parker Hall). 
2. The student must withdraw from all classes during the current term.  He or she may not select only certain classes from which to withdraw. See rule 4 below for exceptions.
3. If recommended for hardship withdrawal by the student’s Associate/Assistant Dean, for each course a student will receive a W.  
4. Hardship withdrawals requested on or after the scheduled Reading Day will be treated as a retroactive hardship withdrawal. Retroactive hardship withdrawals will not be allowed if the student has completed all course requirements such as a final examination and/or a final project. Students seeking a retroactive hardship withdrawal must initiate the withdrawal through the student's Assistant/Associate Dean..  If recommended for a hardship withdrawal, the grade wil be changed to a W through the official Grade Appeal process involving a Change of Grade form for each course taken. (See Grade Appeal process, http://www.westga.edu/handbook/ or Student Handbook appendix J.)

1. Medical: Physician’s report, including name, address, phone, nature of illness or accidents, dates of treatment, prognosis, and recommendation.
2. Psychological: Memo from a Student Development Center counselor, letter from private psychological or psychiatric service, illness, dates.
3. Personal/Familial: Copy of divorce papers, police reports, obituaries, other as relevant.

The following do not constitute valid reasons for a hardship withdrawal:

1. Poor performance in one or more courses.
2. Registration for the wrong course.
3. Preference for a different professor or class section.
4. Failure to drop course during the drop/add period.
5. Failure to withdraw by the published deadline using normal procedures.