Grading Policy

 

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Policy on Grading is to ensure standards of grading at Hudson County Community College (“College”) relating to grade points per credit hour are clearly communicated and consistently applied. Consistent application of grade points per credit hour has important implications for the award of academic recognition, including scholarships, the function of transfer, the disbursement of financial aid, students’ academic progress, and students’ academic standing.

POLICY

The College and its Board of Trustees (“Board”) are committed to the evaluation of students’ academic performance in credit-bearing courses and programs in compliance with clearly established standards that are applied in a consistent manner. They charge the Office of Academic Affairs to promote standards for the application of grade points per credit hour. 
The Board delegates to the President the responsibility to develop procedures and guidelines for the implementation of this policy. The Office of Academic Affairs shall be responsible for implementing the procedures and guidelines developed for this policy.

Approved: October 2021
Approved by: Board of Trustees
Category: Academic Affairs
Subcategory: Grading
Scheduled for Review: October 2024
Responsible Department: Academic Affairs

 

Procedures

Universal Grading

Purpose: The universal grading procedure establishes a standardized grading scale to ensure consistent submission of letter grades and numeric grade ranges across all Schools at Hudson County Community College. This procedure supports consistency and promotes equity, transparency, academic integrity, and transferability.

Scope: This procedure applies to all credit bearing courses offered by the College. This procedure is not applicable for non-credit-bearing courses and for special accreditation guidelines.

Definitions:

Credit-Bearing Course: A course that carries academic credit applicable toward a certificate or degree program.

Non-Credit-Bearing Course: A course that does not carry academic credit, typically offered for professional development, personal enrichment, or skill-building purposes.

Letter Grade: The alphabetic designations (as in A, A-, B, C) assigned to represent a student’s academic performance.

Universal Grading: The College-wide grading scale that aligns numeric grades with corresponding letter grades to ensure consistency across all Schools.

Universal Grading Scale:

  • A: 94-100
  • A-: 90-93
  • B+: 87-89
  • B: 83-86
  • B-: 80-82
  • C+: 77-79
  • C: 70-76
  • D: 60-69
  • F: 0-59

Responsibilities:

Office of Academic Affairs – Approves requests for grading exceptions related to accreditation requirements.  

Faculty – Apply the Universal Grading scale consistently in all credit-bearing courses and clearly communicate grading standards to students through course syllabi.

Effective Date: Fall 2026

Approved: February 2028
Approved by: Cabinet
Category: Academic Affairs
Subcategory: Grading Policy
Scheduled for Review: February 2028
Responsible Department: Academic Affairs

 

Grade of Incomplete

Purpose: The incomplete grade procedure establishes a consistent College process for the assignment, documentation, and resolution of a temporary grade of Incomplete (I). This procedure supports equity, transparency, academic integrity, and timely student progression while ensuring alignment with Hudson County Community grading policies and the Academic Calendar.  

Scope: This procedure applies to all credit-bearing courses offered by Hudson County Community College. 

Definitions:

Grade of Incomplete (I): A temporary grade assigned by an instructor to allow a student additional time to complete the unfinished course work when compelling circumstances prevent completion by the end of the applicable session. 

Applicable Session: The academic period in which a course is offered, including 15-week Terms, 7-week Sessions, 12-Week Quick Term, Culinary (Day) Cycles, and Off-Site Sections, as published in the Academic Calendar.  

Incomplete Contract: Required written agreement between the instructor and the student that outlines the remaining course work, deadline for completion, and conditions for resolution of the Incomplete Grade. 

Procedure:

Eligibility Criteria

An instructor may assign a grade of Incomplete only when all of the following conditions are met: 

  • The student has maintained a satisfactory attendance.
  • The student has completed a substantial majority of the coursework at a satisfactory level.
  • The student has a compelling reason for not completing the course requirements by the end of the applicable session.
  • The student is likely to complete the unfinished course by the established deadline.

Incomplete Contract Requirement

  • An Incomplete grade must be documented using the College-approved Incomplete Contract.
  • The Contract must be completed and signed by both the student and instructor.
  • The contract must specify the remaining course work and the deadline for completion.

Completion Deadline

  • The Deadline for completion of all unfinished course work must be within 21 calendar days from the last day of the applicable session, in accordance with the Academic Calendar.
  • The instructor shall record the specific due date on the Incomplete Contract.
  • No extensions beyond the 21-calendar day limit will be granted. Faculty retain the right to change a grade.

Effective Date: Fall 2026. 

Approved: February 2026
Approved by Cabinet
Category: Academic Affairs
Subcategory: Grading Policy
Scheduled for Review: February 2028
Responsible Department: Academic Affairs

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