Academic Policies and Procedures

Calendar

The academic year is comprised of two 15-week semesters.

Class Level

Class level is determined by the number of Scripps courses or course equivalents that have been completed as follows: 

Course Numbering

Scripps courses numbered 1-99 are generally lower division; those numbered 100–199 are generally upper division.

Course Requirements and Credit Values

A Bachelor of Arts degree is awarded upon completion of at least 32 courses, comprising general education requirements, at least one major program of study, and elective courses. The undergraduate program averages four course units per semester for graduation in four years. A minimum of 16 course units must be completed in residence. Nine course units are required to complete the Post Baccalaureate Premedical Program over the course of up to two years.

The unit of academic measurement is the course unit. Scripps College does not view learning as being defined by, or limited to, instructional time alone. Credit is determined by a holistic sum of time, effort, intellectual growth, and academic performance within and outside of classroom-based learning, throughout a 15-week semester. Courses offered during the summer have equivalent workloads but are concentrated into a shorter period of time.

A typical course meets for a total of 150 minutes each week, although the number of actual hours spent in class or in the laboratory may exceed 150 minutes depending on the subject matter and the level of the course. Scripps College does not generally award course units for extra class meetings, practica, film screenings, rehearsals, studio time, labs, or other academic obligations that are in addition to the standard course meeting. Students are generally expected to study a minimum of two to three hours for every hour in class although more or less may be devoted by the student depending on the subject matter and preparation required for a particular class. For the purpose of conversion at schools on such systems, each semester course unit at Scripps College is considered the equivalent of four semester hours or six quarter hours.

Grading

Academic evaluation at Scripps College is a system of letter grades with grade points assigned according to the following scale:

A minimum grade point average of 2.00 (C) is required in the major(s), minor(s), and cumulatively for graduation. Dual, double, and area studies majors require a grade point average of 2.00 (C) in each academic area. Cumulative grade point averages are calculated only on courses taken as a Scripps student. The minimum passing grade is a “D-” for any course taken at The Claremont Colleges. Letter grades on file with the Registrar at the end of the semester are final unless an error in calculating the grade is discovered. Errors must be corrected within one year of the time the grade was recorded. The following additional symbols are used to evaluate student performance:

    Credit/No Credit

• Courses which are normally letter-graded which students may request to take for non-letter grading. 
• A maximum of one course per semester may be taken Credit/No Credit with a maximum of four pass courses counting toward the 32-course degree requirement.
• Work must be C (not including C–) or above in quality to receive a passing grade (CR). 
• Credit/No Credit grades are not calculated into the cumulative grade point average.
• The decision by the student to take a course Credit/No Credit must be made and recorded in the Registrar’s Office by the last day to withdraw from a course; a change in registration form must be submitted.  A student may not change the grading option back to a letter grade.
• Courses used to meet any general requirement or courses in the major(s) or minor(s) may not be taken Credit/No Credit.

    Pass/No Pass

• Courses which are defined as non-letter graded, for which students may earn credit toward degree completion, but no grade points. Examples of P/NP graded courses include independent internships, physical education, etc.
• Work must be C (not including C–) or above in quality to receive a passing grade of P; instructors may record high pass (HP) to denote achievement.
• Pass/No Pass grades are not calculated into the cumulative grade point average.
• Pass/No Pass courses will not meet any general education requirement, and require approval by major adviser for use in a program of study. 

     Incomplete

• An Incomplete may be given at the instructor’s discretion under the following circumstances:

1. At least 75 percent of all course requirements to date has been completed; and
2. The student’s work to date is passing; and
3. Attendance has been satisfactory; and
4. An illness or other extenuating circumstance legitimately prevents completion of required work by the due date (written verification by the dean of students or medical practitioner is required); and
5. The incomplete is not based solely on a student’s failure to complete work or as a means of raising the grade by doing additional work after the grade report time; and
6. The instructor completes and submits the appropriate form with the course grade sheet, including the final grade to be assigned if the work is not completed on time.

• Students must complete all remaining work no later than the deadline to add classes (10^th instructional day) of the following semester (regardless of whether or not she is enrolled on campus the subsequent term).
• A deadline prior to the 10^th day of the subsequent semester is the discretion of the faculty, and shall be arranged between the faculty and the student.
• The instructor must submit a final grade no later than two weeks following completion of the work (end of the fourth week).
• Students must petition to the Committee on Academic Review to seek a deadline extension.
• If the work is not completed by the established or petitioned deadline, the final grade submitted by the faculty member on the basis of work previously completed will be recorded. If no default grade was submitted, a grade of F will be recorded.

     IP or N (In Progress)

• For courses designed to extend beyond one semester such as some senior theses.

     NG or NR (No Grade Received)

• This placeholder will be used when no grade can be recorded before grades become available to students through their academic portal accounts at the end of a semester, e.g., grades for the course were not yet submitted; a grade was omitted from the grade sheet; or the grade submitted was not an approved Scripps grade. As soon as the Registrar’s Office has obtained the appropriate final course grade, the student will be notified of the final grade and the corrected semester and cumulative grade point averages, and the transcript will be updated.

     W (Withdrawal)

• Withdrew from the course after the deadline to drop classes (after 9th week of semester).

Official Transcript

All Claremont Colleges course work for which a student enrolls while at Scripps College constitutes a part of the official academic transcript, unless enrollment is terminated by the drop deadline. Effective fall 1996, transfer credit granted is summarized, not itemized, on the official transcript. Courses completed on affiliated Study Abroad and Global Education (SAGE) programs are itemized and, since fall 1996, included in the Scripps cumulative grade point averages. Degree earned, as well as majors, minors, and honors in the major, and Latin Honors are indicated on the official academic transcript.

Transcript Ordering: Federal law requires students and alumnae to make a written request to release their transcripts to third parties. Scripps College has authorized Parchment to provide transcript ordering and fulfillment via the web. Transcripts may be requested 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a valid credit or debit card. Allow 2-3 working days processing time. We do not accept faxed, email, or telephone transcript requests.

Fees: There is a $5 fee per copy requested plus a postage fee. The charge is pre-authorized when ordered, but a credit card will not be charged until the transcript is sent.  If a transcript order includes a request that a transcript be held for grades or held for degree, a card will be charged at the time of the request for the entire order. Expedited shipping is available via FedEx for an additional fee.

Other information: The student’s full legal name at the time of matriculation and/or graduation from enrollment will appear on all official documents of the College including the official transcripts. The name presented on the student’s application for admission is presumed to be the student’s legal name unless discrepancies are discovered with high school transcript or other official transcripts, in which case the student will be contacted to present appropriate documentation to the Registrar.

While enrolled, the student may present an official government-issued document to the Registrar to request a change to the legal name, such as a birth certificate, current Social Security card, current driver’s license, current passport, or a court order officially changing the name.

For the purposes of class and grade lists on the academic portal, the preferred name by which the student wishes to be addressed will display on class lists in conjunction with the legal surname. Students may make a written request to the Registrar at any time during enrollment to change the preferred name.

The student’s full legal name at the time of graduation will be printed on the diploma, unless the student specifically requests that their initial replace the first and/or middle name, or the student specifically requests their preferred name. This request must be made in writing to the Registrar prior to published diploma order deadlines. 

Advising

There are numerous resources available to assist students in educational planning. At the center of the academic advising program is the student’s faculty adviser who is available to assist in defining educational interests and goals and in developing a program of study. Faculty advisers are not always assigned to new students on the basis of expressed academic interests. Because no one person can provide all the information about courses and curriculum that a new student is likely to need, students are encouraged to ask questions of other faculty members and resource persons. (Students interested in medical school and those interested in a major in music or engineering are especially encouraged to see the faculty in these areas, because early planning is particularly important.)

First year students will arrive and be assigned an academic adviser. At the point they declare their major (prior to the end of their second year), students will be required to switch their academic adviser to a faculty member within the major. The major adviser will assume the role of the primary adviser. The only time that a student will need to have more than one Scripps academic adviser is when: 1) a student is double or dual majoring; 2) a student has a minor(s); and/or 3) a student has an off-campus major.

Students are free to change advisers at any time (use the Change of Adviser form).

Students are expected to assume responsibility for initiating all contact with adviser for information and advice about requirements, classes, low grade notices, potential graduate programs, and other academic matters. Specifically, a student accepts the following advising responsibilities:

1. Read the Scripps Catalog, review the current portal schedule of courses, and read the Guide to Student Life before meeting with adviser.
2. Initiate meeting with adviser during posted office hours at pre-registration/registration time to discuss requirements, classes, and plan of study.
3. Contact primary Scripps adviser for registration clearance, declaration of major and minor forms, any academic petition form, and change in registration form in a timely fashion.
4. Know the office hours of adviser and adhere to them. If another time is necessary, contact adviser for a mutually agreeable appointment time.
5. Initiate contact with professor and/or adviser upon receipt of a low-grade notice.

Preprofessional Advising

A liberal arts education provides one of the best possible preparations for many careers. However, preparation for future professions requires planning and forethought while at Scripps. In addition to the roles played by Career Planning & Resources and the student’s academic adviser, the role of the preprofessional adviser can be especially important.

Specific advisers are available in those fields listed below that warrant special attention because of their general appeal. These advisers can provide information about additional training needed, relevant curriculum planning while at Scripps, and opportunities in the given profession. The premed adviser is a particularly important person with whom to talk at an early point. While the preprofessional advisers are not likely to have all the information a student needs, they should be able to suggest where the information might be obtained. In addition, Career Planning & Resources has an extensive library of resources and information about alumnae now working in many of these fields.

Student-Designed Courses

1. Student-designed courses can be held only in the spring semester.
2. Student-designed courses require a sponsor from the College’s continuing faculty to advise the students in preparing the course proposal. The sponsor will propose the course to the department or program chair.
3. Course proposals must be submitted to a department or program by the faculty sponsor for approval at the beginning of the fall semester and must include:
   • a title of topic
   • a description and justification for the course
   • a working bibliography
   • a list of students (minimum number six) who have designed the course and are committed to taking it.
4. The department and faculty member will judge course proposals on the basis of their merit as well as the department’s ability to staff the course with the allotted departmental faculty. Normally, faculty will not teach these courses without teaching credit.
5. Course proposals must be presented by the department to the Academic Policy Subcommittee by the standard deadline.
6. At the beginning of the spring semester, students will determine the formula for grading in consultation with the faculty member teaching the course. Peer evaluation will constitute no more than one-third of the final course grade.
   
   Minimum requirements for the class must include:
   • three meeting hours per week, of which at least one hour must be with the professor

7. Students may take only two student-designed courses while at Scripps.

Resident Credit

The official transcript includes courses completed at any of The Claremont Colleges while enrolled at Scripps College. The last two letters of the course code identifies the College or intercollegiate department at which the course was completed. Credit for courses completed as part of an official Study Abroad and Global Education (SAGE) Program while enrolled at Scripps is considered resident credit.

Transfer Credit

Liberal arts courses satisfactorily completed at colleges and universities external to The Claremont Colleges will be considered for transfer credit toward the Scripps bachelor’s degree upon receipt of an official transcript if they meet the conditions listed below. Grades earned will not be calculated in the Scripps cumulative grade point average, and individual courses and grades will not be listed on the official Scripps transcript.

A completed Transfer Credit Notification Form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office, including relevant faculty approval signature(s) for transfer work intended to satisfy major/minor and/or transfer work completed via online or distance learning courses. Transfer courses intended to satisfy general education requirements may require departmental approval.

1. Courses will be considered for transfer credit only if they were completed through a comparable liberal arts college or university program and are also comparable to courses offered by, and within disciplines at, the undergraduate Claremont Colleges. Activity courses such as physical education, music ensembles, and theater workshops will not be considered for transfer credit. Students may be required to provide college catalogs, course syllabi, and other documentation as evidence of comparability.
2. Courses completed at a community college will transfer only as lower-division credit and must be identified in the community college catalog as transferable to, and articulated with, the University of California or comparable out-of-state university toward a liberal arts degree at the baccalaureate level.
3. A maximum of the equivalent to 16 Scripps courses, including a maximum of four Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credits, may be transferred to meet degree requirements. A maximum of the equivalent to four Scripps courses may be transferred from summer sessions and university extension programs toward degree requirements. (Courses completed through one of The Claremont Colleges during a summer term are resident credit and are not included in these transfer maximums.)
4. Only courses graded C or above (not including C–) will be considered for transfer credit. Pass/fail or credit/no credit grades must be equated to C by the sending institution and will be elective credit only, not meeting any general education, major, or minor degree requirements at Scripps.
5. All transfer credit will be translated into equivalent Scripps course credits. One Scripps course is equivalent to four semester units or six quarter credits. To calculate approximate transfer credit, divide the total number of transferable semester units or quarter credits by four or six, respectively.
6. Courses approved as transfer credit may be applied toward general degree requirements and as elective credit upon initial evaluation at admission. They may only be used toward major or minor requirements when approved by faculty in the department of the major or minor as listed on an approval form. Work completed in a summer session or through a university extension program does not normally count toward the major or minor.
7. No transfer credit will be granted for courses challenged by examination at another college or university, even if that institution has given credit for courses so challenged. No transfer credit will be granted for experiential learning, although department faculty may allow registration into upper level courses based upon portfolios, auditions, or other department criteria. Such placement will not, however, constitute credit toward the minimum number of courses required for the degree, major, or minor.
8. International students requesting credit for college or university work completed outside the United States prior to admission may be required to pay for an official evaluation of the official foreign transcript through a service or agency recommended by Scripps College.
9. Credit for courses taken in affiliated programs through Scripps Study Abroad and Global Education (SAGE) will be determined by the Scripps Registrar in accordance with established guidelines and procedures. Credit for courses completed as part of an official Scripps Study Abroad and Global Education program is considered resident credit, and will be itemized on the Scripps official transcript, and computed in Scripps grade point averages. More information is available in the Study Abroad and Global Education and Registrar Offices.
10. Following initial entrance to the College, Scripps students will not be allowed to transfer credit from a semester program at a college or university abroad or one with which Scripps has a formal exchange program unless enrolled through Scripps. Summer course work abroad, as indicated on an official institutional transcript, will be considered for transfer credit only when offered through a comparable United States college or university liberal arts program or through a program with which Scripps is affiliated during the fall and spring semesters. Students must petition in advance to the Committee on Academic Review for any exception to this summer abroad transfer credit policy with a written recommendation from the Director of Study Abroad and Global Education.

Online Course Policy*

Successfully completed online courses will not be considered for transfer credit unless they meet either of the two criteria identified below.

     1. The courses are on the UC ASSIST (http://www.assist.org/web-assist/welcome.html) list of approved courses; OR:

     2. The courses were completed through a comparable liberal arts college or university program; and have been approved for transfer credit by the chair of the relevant department or program at Scripps College.

Courses meeting either of these two criteria will be evaluated as follows:

• Only courses graded C or above (not including C–) will be considered for transfer credit. Pass/fail or credit/no credit grades must be equated to C by the sending institution and will be elective credit only, not meeting any general education, major, or minor degree requirements at Scripps.
• All transfer credit will be translated into equivalent Scripps course credits. One Scripps course is equivalent to four semester units or six quarter credits. To calculate approximate transfer credit, divide the total number of transferable semester units or quarter credits by four or six, respectively.
• *The College will accept no more than the equivalent of two Scripps courses from online courses as transfer credit toward the Scripps College bachelor’s degree. Courses approved as transfer credit may be applied toward general degree requirements and as elective credit upon initial evaluation at admission. They may only be used toward major or minor requirements when approved by faculty in the department of the major or minor as listed on an approval form. 

Exceptions to the above guidelines will be considered on an individual basis by petition to the Committee on Academic Review with applicable department faculty review and recommendation. Questions regarding credit and transferability of courses should be directed to the Registrar.

*Effective Fall 2020: In light of circumstances related to COVID-19 pandemic, the Scripps Faculty approved a policy change through Fall 2023 to permit new and continuing students to earn a maximum of the equivalent of 16.0 Scripps courses of transfer credit from regionally accredited colleges and universities in fulfillment of a Scripps degree, whether the mode of delivery was in-person or online.​ There is no distinction for transferability as it relates to entrance type (i.e., transfer student of first time first year), and no distinction for transferability as it relates to mode of delivery (i.e., in -person, online, hybrid, etc.). The College reserves the right to revisit this policy exception prior to Fall 2023. 

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate

Students who have taken Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate high school courses followed by matching examinations will receive one elective course credit for achieving exemplary scores; no additional credit will be granted for subscores. (For example, a Calculus AB subscore of 4 or 5 on a Calculus BC exam will not earn credit, regardless as to whether or not the student earned a 4 or 5 on the Calculus BC exam to which the subscore is attached.) For Advanced Placement courses and examinations, scores of four or five on the examination will be considered for credit. For International Baccalaureate courses and examinations, scores of five, six or seven on higher-level examinations will be considered for credit. A maximum of four such elective course credits will count toward the degree, but may not be used toward the 16-course residence requirement. Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate examinations in the same subject with only one matching high school course will be considered as one.

The appropriate Scripps academic department will determine waiver of major requirements or placement into advanced courses based upon Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses and scores. The Scripps mathematics general elective requirement will be met with scores of 4 or 5 in AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus BC. No other general education requirement, major, or minor requirement can be satisfied by AP or IB credit. Elective credit granted for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate in any other subject or discipline will not meet other general education requirements.

College-Level Examination Program

Scripps College will consider granting transfer credit for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) Subject Examinations for which students have also completed the Optional Free-Response Section. Students must petition to the Committee on Academic Review to receive credit and must provide the committee complete documentation:

1. CLEP Subject Examination scores and a copy of their free-response essay(s).
2. A recommendation (based on the above-referenced score and essay) from a Scripps faculty member representing the appropriate department.

The following limitations apply:

1. No more than the equivalent to a total of eight Scripps courses will be granted for CLEP or CLEP in combination with the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs.
2. No credit will be granted for CLEP scores for examinations of like content to a transfer course from another college or university.
3. No credit will be granted for CLEP General Examinations or for Subject Examinations submitted without the Optional Free-Response Section.
4. Students must take appropriate on-campus examinations for placement in Scripps College language or mathematics courses. CLEP credit will not be granted for an equal or higher level than Scripps placement examination results.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend all classes and not to be absent without adequate reason. The regulation of class attendance is ultimately the responsibility of the faculty. It is particularly important that students attend those classes immediately preceding and following vacation periods.

Reading Days

The Wednesday prior to finals week is designated the last day of classes. Thursday and Friday of the last week of classes each semester are designated as Reading Days. Classes are suspended, but professors may hold study sessions, critique sessions, or reviews during normal class times. No new material may be introduced at these sessions and no exams given except to second semester seniors.

Final Examinations

Each semester closes with a period of final examinations. The final examination schedule is standardized for the five undergraduate colleges.

1. Examination times for “arranged” classes, as well as for classes which meet at times different from the Standard Class Times must be scheduled by mutual agreement of the instructor and the students; classroom space must also be specially arranged.
2. Final examinations will be in the same rooms assigned for regular class work unless other arrangements are made with the Registrar’s Office. In the event that another room is used, the instructor will announce the change.
3. To be counted as work completed in the course, all papers, reports, drawings, and other assigned material must be submitted to instructors before the scheduled date of the final examination, unless an earlier deadline is given.
4. In the spring semester, seniors completing requirements for graduation must take final examinations during the last week of regularly scheduled classes.

In addition, the following applies to Scripps:

1. Students must petition to the Committee on Academic Review to request a change in the examination from the scheduled time.
2. In order to protect students from the excessive academic pressure of being examined during the last week of classes, faculty are urged to give their final examinations within the published final examination period. If, for emergency reasons, the final examination has to be given earlier, the examination must be confined to the hours during which the class is scheduled to meet.
3. Because grades in the spring semester for graduating seniors must be reported to the Registrar on the last Reading Day, seniors completing requirements for graduation may not take final examinations during the regular examination period.

Petitioning Process

A. Petitions to the Committee on Academic Review

Students who seek an exception to academic policy or procedure must file a petition for the Committee on Academic Review.

1. To petition exceptions to any published deadline including change in registration or drop.
2. To enroll for independent study or independent internship credit.
3. For waiver of, or exception to, any stated academic regulation.
4. To enroll in six or more courses in any one semester.
5. To participate in a Scripps/Claremont Graduate University or other accelerated program.  (See Combined Degree Programs in Enrollment and Special Programs  section of Catalog.)
6. To postpone required first-year courses, including Core I, and Core II, as well as Core III (Core Courses ) in fall of the second year.
7. To change a scheduled examination.
8. To receive transfer credit for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) Subject Examinations.
9. Appeal of a decision by the Committee on Academic Review with respect to academic Probation, Suspension, or Dismissal; must be submitted within ten (10) days following email notification to the student of the decision that is the subject of the Petition.

The Online Petition form may be accessed from the Registrar’s web page and must carry the signature of the student’s adviser and, where relevant, of the supervising instructor.  Statements from the faculty member(s) involved and academic adviser are required, indicating whether and why the faculty and adviser support or do not support the petition.

Once the Committee on Academic Review (CAR) has made its final decision on a petition, a student may appeal the decision on one or more of the following grounds:

• (i) the procedures set forth by the College to adjudicate petitions were not properly followed by CAR;
• (ii) new information relevant to the case has since become available; or
• (iii) CAR’s interpretation of the relevant College policy or policies was erroneous.

For purposes of this provision, “new information” is information that is directly relevant to the issue under consideration and could not with reasonable diligence have been located or obtained by the student at the time the student submitted materials to CAR.  Any such appeal must be initiated by submitting a written statement to the Dean of Faculty within five (5) working days following email notification to the student of CAR’s final decision.  The statement to the Dean must set forth the CAR decision being appealed and the reason(s) the student contends the decision should be overturned or modified.  Within five (5) working days of receipt of the appeal, the Dean of the Faculty, in consultation with the Chair of the Faculty Executive Committee (FEC), shall initially determine whether the appeal satisfies the foregoing requirements.  If the Dean decides that the appeal does not satisfy the requirements, the Dean shall inform the student in writing of the appeal’s deficiencies.  If the Dean determines that the appeal satisfies the requirements, the FEC shall consider such appeal at a regularly scheduled FEC meeting.  While the College is in session, such meeting shall be no later than fifteen (15) working days following submission of the appeal.  If an appeal is submitted while the College is not in session or after the last regularly scheduled FEC meeting of a semester, the appeal will be considered at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the FEC during the next semester.  Any members of FEC who participated in the CAR decision that is the subject of the appeal will recuse themselves from the FEC appeal vote. To evaluate such an appeal, the FEC may request additional information from the student and/or the College’s faculty and staff, and the FEC may extend the period to consider the appeal, at its discretion, to accommodate its request(s) for additional information.  In the event the FEC finds merit in one or more bases of the appeal, the FEC, at its discretion, may remand the matter back to CAR to reconsider the matter based upon procedural clarification from the FEC, new information, or policy interpretation clarification from the FEC.  In the event the FEC remands the matter to CAR for further consideration, CAR shall report back to the FEC in writing within ten (10) working days stating whether CAR has modified its position on the matter.  The FEC shall then make its final determination within five (5) working days of receiving CAR’s report. The decision by the FEC with respect to any appeal of a CAR decision is final.

B. Petitions to the Faculty Executive Committee

Petitions are submitted to the Faculty Executive Committee (FEC) for the following requests:

1. To petition that a course fulfill a General Education requirement for which it is not already listed (including courses that meet the Race and Ethnic Studies or Gender and Women’s Studies requirements) or to get approval for a self-designed major (see criteria under “Choices for Majors” in the Degree Requirements and Academic Information  section).
2. To participate in commencement exercises before completion of all graduation requirements:

a. Students who have completed their 3 years of Scripps College requirements in the 3/2 engineering program and students within 4.0 courses of completion do not need to petition to process in commencement exercises. However, they must provide a detailed plan of action for completion at Scripps, consistent with the residence requirement, to the Registrar’s Office not later than the spring senior grading deadline. The plan will be reviewed by the Dean of Faculty and the Chair of the Faculty Executive Committee.
b. Requests to participate in commencement exercises that are not covered in #2a above should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office and will be forwarded to the Dean of Faculty, who will bring the request to the FEC for consideration. Such requests must be received not later than the spring senior grading deadline and explain the reason for the petition in detail. Petitions must include what requirements remain outstanding and a plan of action for how to fulfill these along with the timing for completion.

Forms for General Education requirements may be accessed from the Registrar’s web page and must carry the signature of the student’s adviser and, where relevant, of the supervising instructor. The Registrar will forward the Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement Petition or Gender and Women’s Studies Requirement Petition to the appropriate FEC subcommittee (Academic Policy Subcommittee, Race & Ethnic Studies Committee, or Gender and Women’s Studies Committee), which will forward its recommendation to the full FEC.

Petitions to the FEC are not normally subject to appeal.

Repeating Courses

A student may only repeat a course in which an F grade has been assigned, and courses specifically identified in the catalog that may be repeated for credit. All grades will be included in the cumulative grade point average and will appear on the student’s transcript.

Grade Disputes

The presumption in the administration of grades at Scripps is that the professor alone is qualified to evaluate the quality of the academic work of the student in the course.

When a student has grounds for believing that, apart from questions of academic quality of an individual piece of work, a particular final grade was assigned by the professor in a manner that was arbitrary or discriminatory, or that crucial evidence was not taken into account, the following procedure is available:

1. The student must first discuss the matter with the professor.
2. If the outcome of that discussion is not satisfactory, the student should consult with the dean of students.
3. If there appear to be grounds for further investigation of the situation, the dean of students will consult with the dean of the faculty, who will then contact the professor involved in an effort to bring the issue to a satisfactory solution.
4. If, following these discussions, the claims of the student and professor are still unreconciled, the dean of the faculty will arrange for a group meeting including himself, the dean of students, the professor, and the student.
5. If no satisfactory solution results from this informal meeting, the student will be advised to petition the Committee on Academic Review, which will meet with the student and the professor individually.
6. Should the Committee on Academic Review wish to consider the case further, it will determine its own procedures according to each case. If the committee decides that a grade change is warranted, it will establish procedures for determining the new grade. Procedures could include working with the faculty member on an appropriate change or reassessing the student’s work overall through the semester. In no case will the committee be involved in reevaluating individual papers or examinations. Any issue on disputed grades will usually be settled in the following semester, but in no case later than a year from the time the disputed grade was given. The committee decision is final, and the student and professor will be notified by mail. The committee, at its own discretion, may accede to a faculty member’s wish that it consult colleagues in the discipline.

By action of the Academic Dean’s Committee, the policies governing grade disputes in cross-registration situations are as follows:

1. A student charged with academic dishonesty in a course taken outside the home college shall be tried according to the procedures for handling such cases in the home institution. Faculty members are obliged to accept the decision of the student’s college and may not impose a penalty should the appropriate hearing panel fail to find guilt. Any student grievance concerning a grade given by an instructor as a result of such a hearing decision will also be handled according to the rules of the student’s home college.
2. All other grievances concerning grades are handled by procedure of the college sponsoring the course.

Dishonesty

Cheating and/or plagiarism seriously violate the principles of academic integrity that Scripps College expects its students to uphold. Academic dishonesty is not tolerated at Scripps and may result in suspension or expulsion from the College. (See the current Guide to Student Life)

Probation

The Committee on Academic Review will monitor the academic progress of all Scripps students. At the end of each semester, the Committee will discuss any student whose semester or cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00 (C) or who, in the judgment of the Committee, jeopardizes progress toward the degree. A student will be placed on academic probation the first time the semester grade point average falls below 2.00 (C). Typically, to meet the terms of probation, a student must achieve a semester grade point average of 2.00 (C) and a passing grade in each full letter-graded course while enrolled full-time in the first subsequent semester of enrollment. The Committee on Academic Review may choose to set additional or course-specific probationary terms. If the student meets all of the terms of probation but the cumulative grade point average remains below 2.00, the student will normally be continued on academic probation until the cumulative grade point average also reaches 2.00 or higher.

The Committee on Academic Review may establish specific probationary terms for any student who, in the judgment of the Committee, may be jeopardizing normal progress toward the degree. Examples of normal progress in jeopardy may include:

• Not having successfully completed the 3-semester Core requirement by the end of the second year;
• Having passed fewer than six courses at the end of two semesters of full-time enrollment; or having passed fewer than 14 courses at the end of four semesters of full-time enrollment; or having passed fewer than 22 courses at the end of six semesters of full-time enrollment; or similar limited progress toward degree completion for part-time students.
• Having a major grade point average below 2.00 in courses submitted on an approved Major Declaration Form.
• Any other obstacles to timely graduation which are identified by the Committee.

Failure to meet all of the terms of academic probation will normally lead to suspension or dismissal from the College (see below). At the discretion of the Committee on Academic Review, a student under exceptional circumstances may be continued on a second and final probationary period.

The decision of the Committee on Academic Review with respect to Academic Probation may be appealed through the Petitioning Process.  Any Petition seeking to appeal a decision regarding Probation must be submitted to the Committee on Academic Review within ten (10) working days following email notification to the student of the decision.

Suspension

The Committee on Academic Review will monitor the academic progress of all Scripps students. At the end of each semester, the Committee will discuss any student whose semester or cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00 (C) or who, in the judgment of the Committee, jeopardizes progress toward the degree. If a student fails to meet the terms of academic probation or completes a second semester with a grade point average below 2.00 (C), the student will usually be suspended from the College. After at least one semester away from the College, a student who has been suspended may petition the Committee on Academic Review for readmission on probation. The Committee will evaluate the petition for readmission based upon evidence that the student will perform successfully if readmitted. Such evidence may include one or more full-time terms of successful academic performance in an equivalent academic environment, academic history, positive changes in health or personal circumstances, and/or recommendations from Scripps or off-campus faculty or other professionals. Such evidence, however, will not guarantee readmission by the Committee. If readmitted, the Committee will define the probationary terms under which the student may continue enrollment. Students who fail to meet the terms of academic probation following readmission will normally be dismissed from the College.

The decision of the Committee on Academic Review with respect to Academic Suspension may be appealed through the Petitioning Process.  Any Petition seeking to appeal a decision regarding Suspension must be submitted to the Committee on Academic Review within ten (10) working days following email notification to the student of the decision.

Dismissal

The Committee on Academic Review will monitor the academic progress of all Scripps students. At the end of each semester, the Committee will discuss any student whose semester or cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00 (C) or who, in the judgment of the Committee, jeopardizes progress toward the degree. If a student fails to meet the terms of academic probation or is otherwise not making satisfactory progress toward the degree, the student will be subject to dismissal from the College by the Committee on Academic Review. Students who have been suspended from the College and unsuccessfully petition for readmission will be subject to dismissal from the College. Only under extraordinary circumstances and after an extended period of more than one year away from the College may a student reapply to the College. 

The decision of the Committee on Academic Review with respect to Academic Dismissal may be appealed through the Petitioning Process.  Any Petition seeking to appeal a decision regarding Dismissal must be submitted to the Committee on Academic Review within ten (10) working days following email notification to the student of the decision.