Evaluation of Student Learning
Each division course has an official course outline. This course outline has been formally approved through the college governance process and the State Chancellor’s Office. Faculty members are required to teach to the course outline and to follow its evaluation process for student learning. Pursuant to the official course outline, all students are required to be evaluated by multiple measures.
Final Examinations (Board Policy 6160)
Pursuant to BP 6160, final examinations of at least two hours are required for all credit courses. Every final examination must be given on the scheduled date and time. Final examination schedules are generally printed in the back of the schedule of classes for the semester and are posted online. The date and time of exams should be incorporated into your class syllabus. Click onto these sites to access the Final Examination Schedule for Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 (not posted yet).
Students can petition to take a final examination early by completing the Petition for Early Final Examination form available online. It is up to the discretion of the instructor as to whether or not this petition will be accepted. Click here to access the "Petition for Early Final Examination Form."
Grading Policy (Board Policy 5300)
The State Legislature mandates a grading policy for all California community colleges. In compliance with this mandate, the South Orange County Community College District has established the following:
A….Excellent I….Incomplete
B….Good W….Withdrawal
C….Satisfactory IP….In Progress
D….Passing RD….Report Delayed
F….Failing CR….Credit
NC….No Credit
All students who are officially enrolled in class by the end of the drop period must receive a grade. The end of the drop period varies from class to class. The drop date is listed on your class roster and is the date referred to as “Last Day to Drop.”
Use of Incomplete Grades:
Faculty may issue students an Incomplete Grade “I” only when:
- The student is receiving a C or better;
- The student cannot complete the course due to an unforeseeable emergency, and justifiable reasons; and
- It is the end of the term with only a week or two of class left.
The faculty member is expected to meet with the student before issuing the “I”. The student must understand the conditions in which the “I” will be removed and agree to complete this obligation. The “I” may be made up no later than one year following the end of the term in which it was assigned. The faculty will complete an Incomplete Grade Report (NCR paper) for “Incompletes” and submit this form with his or her grade documents to the Office of Admissions and Records. The student will receive a copy of the “Incomplete” form by mail.
Please remember that approximately 80% of all “Incompletes” will turn into the grade to be assigned in lieu of its removal. When a student receives an incomplete grade, he or she must make up any class assignments under the direct supervision of the instructor and through independent efforts outside of the class environment. The student will not be allowed to make up class assignments by attending any of the “missed” classes the following semesters.
Grade Submission
Online Grade Submission Process - E-signatures
You must submit grade documents within five (5) working days of the completion of the course or by the official due date as noted through the College. Follow the steps below to access the online grade site.
Access the Saddleback College home page (www.saddleback.edu)
- Select MYSITE to My Work
- Click onto Faculty Services to Submit Grades
The Office of Admissions and Records no longer requires your hand written signature after you submit your grades online. However, you must submit the following documents to the Office of Admissions and Records by the official due date.
- Positive Attendance Roster (These rosters are required only for special classes. Spreadsheets with all pertinent information will be accepted in lieu of permanent rosters.)
- Any student “Incomplete Grade Report” forms
Positive Attendance Accounting Procedures:
If your class is listed as a Positive Attendance class, please click here for information on how to process your attendance records for Fall 2008 and/or Spring 2009.
Grades will not be processed until all necessary forms have been received.
Due Date for Grade Documents:
The following grade documents (daily attendance records for positive attendance classes and incomplete grade forms) must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records on or before the official due date. You may also mail in your grade documents to the following address. Use only OVERNIGHT mail to guarantee the safe and timely arrival of these documents.
Address for Overnight mail process:
Jane Rosenkrans
Office of Admissions and Records
Saddleback College
28000 Marguerite Parkway
Mission Viejo, California 92692
Posting of Grades:
Posting of grades according to student identifiable information is not permitted due to federal privacy regulations. Grades are available to students at MySite as soon as you submit them and they are scanned into the system.
Grading and Attendance Records
You must maintain accurate grade records for your classes. These records serve to document the process by which a student earned a particular grade in the course. Along with the course syllabus, this thorough documentation allows for verification and reconstruction of a student’s grade should a dispute arise at a later date. It is advisable that you keep the grading and attendance records for at least a year after the end of the semester.
Grade Grievance
By law, the instructor is solely responsible for grades assigned; no instructor may be directed to change a grade except in certain narrow circumstances authorized by the California Education Code, Section 76224 (a).
When a student believes that the district grading policy has not been followed and/or his/her faculty member has made an error in grading, the student should seek an informal resolution.
As part of the informal process, the student should:
Step 1 - Discuss his/her concern with the appropriate course instructor.
Step 2 - After discussing his/her concern with the appropriate course instructor, the student may opt to meet with Dr. Flanigan, Division Dean for Social and Behavioral Science. Prior to scheduling a meeting with Dr. Flanigan, the student must complete the Student Grade Concern form and attach to this form any supporting information and documentation to substantiate the grade concern. Once the student's written documentation is submitted and received by Dr. Flanigan, a meeting with the student and Dr. Flanigan will be scheduled. This must be done no later than 45 days after the student knew or should have known the grade in the course. Prior to the scheduled meeting between the dean and the student, the faculty member will receive a copy of the grade concern form and all supporting documentation. The dean will discuss the grade concern first with the instructor before meeting with the student.
To access the Student Grade Concern form, please click here.
Step 3 - If the students is unable to resolve his/her grade concern on the informal level as outlined above, the student may elect to pursue a formal grade grievance pursuant Board Policy 5505. This must be done no later than 45 days after the student knew or should have known the grade in the course. To initiate the formal grade grievance process, the student must complete the Statement of Grievance and submit it to Dr. Flanigan for processing. In both the informal and formal process, the faculty member named in the grade grievance will receive copies of all documentation and review this concern with the dean.
Grade Changes
Once grades have become official, an instructor has the right to change a student’s grade by completing and submitting a Grade Change Card to Admissions and Records. These cards are available in the Division Office or in Admissions and Records.
A grade change may be made as an alternate method to issuing a student an incomplete grade or to correct an instructor's error.
Student Conduct
Students at Saddleback College are responsible for their conduct and for respecting the rights and privileges of others. Saddleback College students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the functions of the college as an educational institution and to respect and obey all civil and criminal laws. Failure to adhere to the standards as established by the Board of Trustees for South Orange County Community College District is just cause for disciplinary action.
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