Students have a right to know their grades. Can’t I post them or leave their papers in a box for them to pick up at the end of the quarter?

Do not post grades openly by name or social security number. Students must not look at your roster, or see other students’ grades. This violates a student’s right to privacy. There are too many faculty members for the secretary to hand out student papers and exams. Thus, you need to announce to your students a way that they can obtain papers and finals that you do not intend to hand back during class: for example, they might bring a self-addressed, stamped envelope large enough to hold all papers they expect to get back.

How do I turn in grades?

All grades must be turned in to the registration office by 12:00 noon the Monday following Finals Week. The system is decimal grading. Grades can be submitted either by hand-carrying them to the Registrar, or by entering them through Instructor's Briefcase. This is not a division chair, department coordinator, or building secretary responsibility.

How do I turn in grades using web grading?

Web grading is an optional way of submitting your grades. Web rosters are also available online. The address for web grading is: https://sec.highline.edu/wts/ibc/index.html, and it includes instructions. You will need a personal identification number (PIN) to use web grading. If you do not have a PIN or have forgotten your PIN, contact hrstaff@highline.edu or Human Resources staff for assistance.

The same Highline Community College Grading Policies that apply to grades submitted on a paper grade roster apply to grades being submitted through web grading. The same deadline for grades applies to both paper and web grading.

Honors Option:

For students who have participated in an Honors Option and earned a grade of 3.5 or higher, you will need to submit using your paper grade roster. Write an “H” in the grade column and hand deliver it to the Registration Office. It is not necessary to write in the grade.

What if a student complains about his or her grade?

Both you and your students have rights and responsibilities here. To protect you, we strongly suggest that you spell out in your written syllabus exactly how your grading philosophy will work in practical terms: What percentage, if any, you will take off for tardiness, absence from class, late papers or late tests, and reward for extra credit, class participation, helping other students, etc.

Historical precedent, academic freedom and case law may give faculty the right to determine the course content, the pace, the tests, and the classroom rules within reason and consistent with the college catalog and Course Adoption Form (CAF). But case law indicates that make-ups, under certain conditions, must be allowed, and special needs students may be accommodated. If you have questions, ask your coordinator or your division chair. Student documents and records are confidential; please check with Vice President for Student Services before giving to any third party information on any of your students.

What steps should the student with a complaint pursue?

Students at Highline have the responsibility to go first to you with classroom issues, then to the department coordinator, and to the division chair, the appropriate Dean of Instruction (Professional/Technical or Transfer), and then to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. But many of our students instead start with the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the President, or occasionally even a Board Member or legislator. The unhappy students often do not follow bureaucratic procedure. Therefore, please be alert to disgruntled students. Listen to them. Point out the rules in your syllabus. Know where to send them for testing and tutoring. You are not expected to compromise your exit standards. You are expected to be courteous at all times to students regardless of their behavior, and to make clear to them what they need to do to succeed. If you feel a meeting with a student(s) is becoming too confrontational, try to end the meeting before tempers flair. Then consult with your department coordinator or division chair on how to proceed.

Probably not all students can succeed in your class the quarter that you have them because most of the classes we instruct have no set entry standards. Part of your job is to get them to take responsibility for their learning, to connect them to campus resources (such as the Tutoring Center, Access Services, or developmental courses in reading, math, or writing), and to aid them in assuming responsibility for their own successes.

See the Students Rights and Responsibilities web page.

If students withdraw from class, will they receive a failing grade?

At Highline Community College students may officially drop a class without penalty up to the end of the 15th instructional day of the quarter. After this date, students may drop a class, but will receive a W grade on their transcript. In addition, shortly after midterm faculty may withdraw students who have not attended at least half of the class sessions during the first 31 calendar days of the academic quarter. Students withdrawn by faculty will receive the WI grade. After the 9th week students cannot officially withdraw from a class and will receive a 0.0 grade, unless they have made arrangements to take an I (incomplete) grade with their instructor.

Can I give a student an incomplete so that he will not have a failing grade on his transcripts?

Generally, incompletes are the instructor’s decision. An instructor may issue an I (incomplete) grade when a student is unable to complete a quarter because of illness and/or emergency. The student must have completed at least 80% of the total coursework, and have filled out an Incomplete Contract Form, indicating the date of completion, to occur within the following 12 months. Once the course work is completed, the I grade will be converted to numerical or CR/NC. If the contract is not fulfilled, the I grade is converted to the grade earned, as shown on the Incomplete Contract Form. For further information, see your College Catalog. (Copies of all forms mentioned above are included in the appendix.)

What grading system do I use?

Highline uses a decimal grading system. It runs from 0.0 to 4.0 and is spelled out in the college catalog. Also, see the discussion under “Syllabus.”

^ Back to top

Job Opportunities | Employees | Supervisors | Online Services | Payroll & Benefits | Forms

  Training | Policy & Procedures | Highline Home | HR Home |  Site Map | Contact Us

Department of Human Resources | Highline Community College
 2400 S. 240th Street | P.O. Box 98000, M.S. 99-200
 Des Moines, WA  98198-9800
 Phone:   (206) 878-3710, ext. 3812 | Jobline: (206) 870-3751
 Fax: (206) 870-3773 | TTY:  (206) 870-4853