Completion of INC (Incomplete) and NE (No Final Examination) Grades at the Undergraduate Level for Second Semester SY 2021-2022 (LS ADAA Memo)

TO:                  Faculty Members of the Loyola Schools

                        Department Chairs and Program Directors

                        LS Undergraduate Students

FROM:           (SGD) Josefina D Hofileña, PhD

                       Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

SUBJECT: Completion of INC (Incomplete) and NE (No Final Examination) Grades at the Undergraduate Level for Second Semester SY 2021-2022

As we are at the end the Second Semester SY 2021-2022, please be reminded of the guidelines covering INC (Incomplete) and NE (No Final Examination) grades, as found in Section T.2 of the 12 February 2022 memo, UPDATED: Academic Policies Adapted to Fully Online and Flex Learning, Second Semester SY 2021-2022

    a. The grade of INC (Incomplete) is given “in extraordinary circumstances meriting consideration by the instructor...when a major course requirement (except the final examination) has not been submitted” (2021 LS Undergraduate Academic Regulations Section V.5). A major requirement “refers to midterm and final examinations, or any other course requirement that constitutes twenty percent (20%) or more of the final grade in the course” (Section V.3).

    b. The grade of INC should not be given for missed minor requirements. Minor requirements should be completed within the academic term. Any  extensions to deadlines for minor requirements should fall within the academic term and should thus not be a reason for issuing the temporary grade of INC.

    c. If a student fails to take a final exam as scheduled, the temporary grade of NE (No Final Exam) -- and not INC -- should be issued. Requests for a make-up final exam may be approved if the failure to take the final exam was due to some grave reason (e.g., physical illness, medical and psychological conditions, and family or personal emergencies, etc.) or if the student was representing the University or the country in an official capacity. In making a request for a make-up final exam, the student should present relevant supporting documents (2021 Revised LS Academic Regulations Section V.4).

    d. Students who receive INC/NE grades should immediately coordinate with their instructors for the timetable for the submission of the missing requirement or the schedule of the make-up final exam.

    e. Unless otherwise announced, undergraduate students’ INC and NE grades should be completed within two (2) weeks after the release of grades. Requests for an extension to this deadline must be endorsed by the concerned instructor and department chair/program director and approved by the ADAA. If an INC/NE grade is not completed within the two (2)-week period, the instructor should compute the final grade by any method deemed just and submit a completion form to the Office of the Registrar.

    f. Any INC/NE grades issued to undergraduate students that are not completed by the last day of the following semester will be automatically converted to F (Failure) without need of prior notification to the students concerned.

    g. INC/NE grades may not be issued for INTACT, bridging, and basic courses,  all of which are graded on a Satisfactory (S)/Unsatisfactory (U) basis. As a yearlong formation program offered in the students’ First Year, INTACT should be completed before students move on to Sophomore year. Bridging courses gauge a students’ readiness for college and their development of time management skills and study habits. It is thus important to assess if students can complete these courses on time. Students assigned to bridging and basic courses should complete these before they begin their regular courses.

In view of the above, faculty members are reminded that they should give a grade to each student officially enrolled in their course within the deadline stipulated by the Registrar. Students should note that there is a clear distinction between the grades of INC and NE.

Below is the procedure for the completion of INC and NE grades: 

    1. Final grades for the Second Semester SY 2021-2022 will be released on AISIS on Saturday, 04 June 2022. All INC and NE grades must be completed within two weeks after the electronic release of grades. The two-week period for the completion of INC and NE grades is from 04 to 18 June 2022.

    2. For NE grades:

        a. The relevant documentation to justify the absence from the final exam should be submitted to the instructor. Students who will submit medical certificates in support of a missed final exam should seek the endorsement of the Office of Guidance and Counseling (for psychological conditions) or the Office of Health Services (for acute illness or chronic medical conditions). 

        b. Upon receipt of the documentation, including any endorsement from OGC or OHS, instructors may evaluate if the student’s reason falls within the justifiable reasons stated in Section T.2(c) of the of the 12 February 2022 memo, UPDATED: Academic Policies Adapted to Fully Online and Flex Learning, Second Semester SY 2021-2022. If so, instructors may already schedule the make-up final exam with their students, without requesting approval from the ADAA. For questions or concerns, instructors may email the Office of the ADAA (acadservices.adaa.ls@ateneo.edu). 

    3. Once the student has submitted the missing requirement or taken the make-up final exam, the instructor should submit the completion form within a reasonable period of time.

    4. If an INC/NE grade is not completed within the two (2)-week period, and the student does not have an approved request for an extension to the deadline, the instructor should compute the final grade by any method deemed just and submit a completion form to the Office of the Registrar.

    5. Students who wish to request for an extension to the two-week deadline for the completion of INC/NE grades should accomplish the Request for Extension of INC/NE Grade Form: https://go.ateneo.edu/LS-UG-Extension-INCNEGrade-2ndSemSY21-22 on or before Saturday, 18 June 2022.

        a. Before accomplishing the form, students should contact their instructor via email and seek an endorsement to the request. The students should provide the instructor with any supporting documents.

        b. The form asks for the following information:

            * the reason for the request for an extension to the completion of the INC/NE grade
            * the deadline for the submission of the missing requirement to the instructor (for INC) or the date of the make-up final exam (for NE)
            *a copy of the student’s email correspondence with the instructor showing the instructor’s endorsement of the request for extension  and the instructor’s approval of the deadline for the submission of the missing requirement or the schedule of the make-up final exam
            *relevant documentation in support of the request for the extension. As mentioned above, medical certificates should be endorsed by the Office of Guidance and Counseling or the Office of Health Services.

        c. The Office of the ADAA will forward the request to the chair/director of the offering department/program for endorsement/non-endorsement.
        
        d. Upon receipt of the chair's/director's response, the ADAA will evaluate the request and inform the student, teacher, chair/director, and the Office of the Registrar via email about the decision on the request. 

Please note further the following implications of INC/NE grades:

    1. LS academic regulations require that students meet a minimum QPI for their year level in order to be promoted to the next. The following minimum yearly QPI requirements must be met at the end of the school year: 

        a. First Year: 1.80
        b. Sophomore Year: 1.90
        c. Junior Year: 2.00 
        d. Senior Year: 2.00* 

        *For students enrolled in five-year undergraduate degree programs and irregular Seniors (i.e., those who enroll in additional terms/semesters to complete degree requirements)

    2. Although INC/NE grades are temporary, students who do not meet the above-mentioned minimum Yearly QPI will not be cleared to enroll in SY 2022-2023. 
        a. Once INC/NE grades are completed and the adjusted QPI shows that a student has met the Yearly QPI requirement, the student will be allowed to enroll. 
        b. However, if the INC/NE grades are completed beyond the registration period, a student will have to postpone enrollment to the next academic term. The student will then have to file for a Leave of Absence for the semester that the student is unable to enroll.

    3. LS regulations further require that to be eligible for graduation, Senior/Fifth Year students must meet the minimum Senior/5th Year QPI of 2.00.

    4. To be eligible to join their graduation ceremonies, graduating students must complete their requirements by Saturday, 18 June 2022. The completion grade must be submitted by the faculty to the Office of the Registrar by Monday, 20 June 2022. Beyond this deadline, graduating seniors with INC grades will not be eligible to participate in the graduation ceremonies even if they meet the minimum required Yearly QPI for graduation.

    5. Thus, even with an extension to the deadline for INC/NE grades, it is in the students’ interest to complete INC/NE grades at the soonest possible time.
    
    6. Students who do not meet the minimum Yearly QPI for their year level have the option to submit an appeal for probation to the Standards Committee. Unless probation is granted, students who do not meet the minimum QPI will not be allowed to continue their studies at the Loyola Schools.
    
    7. Irregular students who incur INC/NE grades should consult the ADAA about how the computation of their QPI is affected.

Finally, please note that INC/NE grades that are not completed by the last day of the following semester will be automatically converted to F (Failure) without need of prior notification to the students concerned.

Thank you very much.