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  3. Grading FAQ for Spring 2020

Grading FAQ for Spring 2020

Some of the information below may be subject to change. While we'll make every effort to keep this page updated, please remember to check you NIU email on a daily basis to ensure you have access to the most current information.

Please note that the College of Law faculty has approved the use of the Spring 2020 grading policy for the Summer 2020 session.

 

What is the NIU College of Law grading system for Spring 2020? After careful consideration the college has decided to adopt a system where students can earn the following grades:
  • Credit with Honors - Instructors can assign this grade to up to 20 percent of the students in a class. This grade can be extended to students who have excelled in classes that would have been graded before the change in policy (i.e. this does not include pass/fail courses such as clinics). Recipients of this grade will receive credit for the course.
  • Credit - This grade will be assigned to students who demonstrate satisfactory mastery of the subject matter. Recipients of this grade will receive credit for the course.
  • No Credit - This grade will be assigned to students who do NOT demonstrate mastery of the subject. Recipients of this grade will NOT receive credit for the course.
    • Students who receive a No-Credit grade in a required course must retake that course.
    • Students who receive a No-Credit grade in an elective course will not earn those credits toward the 90 credits required for graduation.
How will these new grades impact my GPA?Whether you earn a grade of credit with honors, credit, or no credit, your GPA will NOT be impacted.
What about my seminar or directed research classes?Students enrolled in a seminar or directed research and seeking to complete their upper-level writing requirement, will satisfy the upper-level writing requirement only if your professor certifies that your work would have been worthy of receiving a grade of C or better (the minimum grade required to satisfy the upper-level writing requirement).
How will this impact First-Year Probation?For 1L students on probation, normally a student must reach a cumulative GPA of 2.2 by the end of the first year. Because you will not have the opportunity to improve your GPA this semester, we are extending the probationary period to the end of fall 2020. You will need to earn a minimum 2.4 GPA for the group of courses you take during fall 2020 (your term GPA, not cumulative) and a cumulative GPA of 2.2 by the end of your 2L year in order to be in good academic standing.
Will summer school classes count toward my First-Year Probation?No. If we offer courses during the summer that are graded, any grades earned during summer school will not be a basis for a student to be removed from probation before the beginning of the fall 2020 semester, but they will be relevant when the student’s cumulative GPA is calculated at the end of the 2L year.
How will this impact my class rank?
  • 1L students will not have a class rank calculated until the end of the fall 2020 semester. Courses taken during the summer, if any, will be included in the GPA and ranking calculations.
  • 2Ls will not have their class ranks recalculated until the end of the fall 2020 semester.
  • 3Ls will not have their class ranks recalculated. Your class rank as of the end of the fall 2019 semester will remain the same.
How will this impact potential participation in the Academic Support Program?Normally first-year students who have a GPA below 2.4 at the end of the first year are required to take upper level ASP. This requirement will apply to first-year students who had a GPA below 2.4 at the end of their first semester.
What is the impact on required Bar courses?Normally, first-year law students who have a GPA below 2.6 at end of their first year are required to take six bar courses during their second and third year. This requirement will still apply based on the GPA earned at the end of first-year students’ first semester.
How will this impact Graduation Awards?Graduating students will generally graduate with the Latin awards (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) based on their cumulative GPA as of the end of the fall 2020 semester. The administration will also explore the feasibility of taking “Credit with Honors” grades into account when determining whether such awards would be appropriate for students with GPAs very close to the grade cut offs.
What does this mean for final exams?We know there are a lot of questions about the administration of final exams. We don't have answers yet but will be turning to this issue next. We'll provide you with information in the upcoming weeks.

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