Grade Reports
Grades are available on-line using MyMECA&D. Printed grades can be mailed upon request.
Grading System
Letter grades are assigned based on the chart below, and record the level of student performance. Plus and minus grades are computed into grade point averages. Grades are permanent after one year.
4.0 A Excellent (BFA
3.7 A-
3.5 B+
3.0 B Good (BFA)
2.7 B-
2.5 C+
2.0 C Minimum (BFA)
1.7 C-
1.5 D+
1.0 D
0.7 D-
0.0 F Failure
0.0 I Incomplete
0.0 W Withdrawal
0.0 FR Failed & Repeated (Original grade is forgiven.)
Failed And Repeated Courses
A student may repeat a failed course, and the original “F” grade will be replaced with an “FR” (failed & repeated) grade. The “FR” grade will remain on the transcript, along with the new grade earned during the second attempt. Students must notify the Registrar that they are repeating a course to improve their grade. (See Evaluation of Satisfactory Academic Progress for further details.)
If a course must be repeated more than one time due to failure, only one F will be forgiven. Subsequent F grades will remain on the transcript.
Incomplete Grades
Incomplete grades are granted only for mitigating circumstances and are given at the course instructor’s discretion only. The student must make up an “I” incomplete grade within 30 days; otherwise, it becomes an F.
Midterm Grades (BFA Only)
Midterm grades reflect a student’s academic progress at about the sixth week into the semester. Although midterm grades are not part of a student’s permanent record and will not be reflected in the semester grade point average (GPA), they are important indicators of academic performance. Midterm grades are meant to encourage students to get in touch with their instructors and to request academic assistance if it is needed. Students who are achieving a GPA of <2.0(C) at midterm are required to meet with the office of Registration and Academic Advising.
Grade Appeals
To appeal a grade, a student must contact, in writing, the course instructor who issued the original grade. The appeal must include a detailed explanation for the reason of the appeal. If the student is not satisfied with the instructor’s response, they may appeal in writing to the Dean of the College. A copy of the original written appeal and the instructor’s response to the appeal must be included with the written appeal to the Dean. The Dean or their designee will convene an Appeal Committee, which shall consist of one faculty member selected by the student, one faculty member selected by the instructor, and one faculty member selected by the Dean of the College. The committee shall make a recommendation to the Dean of the College. Every reasonable effort will be made to convene this committee; however, if circumstances are such that the committee cannot be organized in a reasonable amount of time, the Dean has the authority to make a final decision independently, after review of relevant materials.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the use without attribution of languages, images, ideas, or the organization of ideas not one’s own. It is considered to be a fundamental breach of basic academic principles and is prohibited in all courses. The development of original thinking and intellectual honesty is regarded as central to MECA&D’s pedagogy. Although in the pursuit of these goals students continually consult existing works, it is expected that they acknowledge the debt owed to others by citing all sources. Unless group work is assigned, coursework is normally completed independently. If books, journals, magazine, or any other sources are reviewed and the ideas or language therein used, they must be cited. Students should consult a reference source on proper notation.
Evidence of plagiarism results in a grade of F for the assignment and may, at the discretion of the faculty, lead to a grade of F in the course. In addition, the Dean of the College may impose further sanctions (such as probation or dismissal). For complete information, see the Student Conduct Code.
Artificial Intelligence & Plagiarism
The un-noted use of Generative Pre-Trained Transfers (Chat GPT) + any and all artificial intelligence such as Chatbots and Open AI (i.e. Dall-E 2; API) are all considered to be Plagiarism and will be treated as such in the interest of the human intellectual development for which MECA&D exists.
Academic Honesty Policy
Honesty is a core value at MECA&D. The members of its academic community both require and expect one another to conduct themselves with integrity. This means that each member will adhere to the principles and rules of the College and pursue academic work in a straightforward and truthful manner, free from deception or fraud.