At the request of the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS), and following consultation with the Office of the Provost, the Office of General Counsel, and the Undergraduate Council, the Academic Council approved establishment of a GP (Grade Pending) grade. The GP grade is to be used exclusively when an academic misconduct case remains unresolved at the time final grades are due. 

Under previous policy, an Instructor of Record (IOR) must assign the grade a student would have earned without applying an academic sanction or grade penalty based on suspected academic misconduct while a review of the matter by SCCS is pending. Addressing Academic Misconduct 

Under this new policy, instead of submitting a substantive letter grade while a case is pending, IORs will assign the temporary grade of GP(Grade Pending), indicating that a conduct review is in progress and that no final academic evaluation has yet been recorded. 

Criteria and Process for Using the GP Grade 

• When an IOR files or intends to file an academic misconduct incident report with SCCS that is not or will not be resolved prior to submission of term grades and that will potentially change the student’s final letter grade, the instructor should record the GP grade for that student.
• The IOR will also submit a default grade that would replace the GP grade should the student be found not responsible for academic misconduct. This grade should reflect the work of the student as if they did not commit academic misconduct. The default grade exists in the background and would not be submitted until the case is resolved.·
• The IOR must submit an academic misconduct incident report no later than three (3) calendar days after the grade submission deadline for the term.
• The GP grade is required only when the potential academic sanction could change the student’s final letter grade. If the student’s final grade will not be changed as a result of a finding that they are responsible for academic misconduct, the IOR should submit the final grade as usual while also submitting an academic misconduct incident report with SCCS.
• The GP grade functions solely as a placeholder and does not represent academic performance.
• Once the case is resolved, the GP grade will be replaced with the final grade submitted by the IOR through the normal grade change process, consistent with the outcome of the case.\

Impacts of the GP Grade 

• The GP grade mirrors the administrative effects of an Incomplete but is distinct in purpose. While GP is in place:
• The course carries no earned credit
• The course does not calculate into GPA
• The course does not satisfy prerequisites
• The course does not count toward academic standing or satisfactory academic progress

To mitigate negative impact, SCCS and the Registrar will prioritize timely resolution and grade replacement once adjudication concludes.