1. Why is the University transitioning to submitting
grades online?
Students will benefit from web-based grade entry since grades will be
available for students to view the day after the faculty member submits
grades rather than having to wait for several weeks for the processing of
'bubble sheets' to be completed.
Submitting grades directly via the web instead of using "bubble sheets"
is faster, more cost effective and efficient for the University because
there is less room for error. Many faculty members now use computer-based
grade files (e.g. Excel or Wsord) rather than paper grade rosters. Submitting
grades on-line will be more consistent with many computer based files, making
the grading process more cost effective and efficient.
There is both a direct and indirect cost savings in submitting grades via
the web. First, the University will not need to print the "bubble sheets"
nor will they have to pay to have the sheets scanned. There will be no need
for manual entry for bubble sheets that are unable to be scanned (i.e.,
completed in pen, coffee spilled on it, folded, names added to the roster).
Faculty who use a separate computer-based grade file should be able to save
time by uploading their grade file rather than transferring the grades to
a bubble sheet.
2. When does submitting grades via the web go into effect?
Beginning spring semester 2003, all courses are required to submit
final grades via the web. Changes in final grades will still be submitted
to the Office of Financial Aid and Registrar via paper.
3. When will the system be available for use?
The web grading system will be available starting on the Monday of the
last week of instruction for the semester. The exact date that the grading
system will be available for use will depend upon the campus where the course
it taught, as academic calendars vary by campus. The web grading system
will be unavailable from 4:00 - 5:30 am, Monday-Saturday and 4:00 am -12:30
pm, Sunday for system backup. Do not try to log into the system at this
time, you will not be able to access the system and get an error message.
Instructors of courses that are offered during the first seven weeks of
the term will have access to the system Monday of the last week of instruction
of the 7-week session.
4. How will grades be submitted via the web?
Submitting grades via the web is very simple. First you will need to
connect to the web grading system. You will need your Internet ID (X.500
Username) and password to log into the web grading system. Your Internet
ID is the prefix before the @ sign in the University assigned E-mail address.
For many people this is the first five letters of their last name and three
digits. Passwords are individually set. (See phone numbers below if you
need assistance with your Internet ID or password).
After you have logged into the system, you will need to select the correct term. Next you will be prompted to choose the
course for which you wish to submit final grades. Your choice of courses
will be based on the courses for which you are listed in PeopleSoft as the
instructor of record. Once you have chosen the appropriate course, you will
be given a list of students officially registered for the course. At this
point you can begin entering your final grades for each of the students
listed on your grade roster or you can upload your grades from a separate
grade file.
Supplemental grades or grade changes are to be submitted on the web. However,
grade changes or early/late grades prior to fall 1999 must be submitted
to the Office of Financial Aid and Registrar via the Change of Grade form.
These forms are available in most departmental offices on each campus or
from the registrar's offices.
5. Is there assistance available if I need help?
Yes.
If you have problems with your username or password for the x.500 system,
contact
Crookston
(218) 281-8000
Duluth
(218) 726-8847
Morris
(320) 589-6391
Twin Cities
(612) 301-4357
If the x.500 system will not allow you into the web grading system, contact
(612) 301-4357
On the Duluth campus, if you experience problems while you are in the web
grading system or are having difficulty using the system, contact Ginger
Johnson at (218) 726-8806 or gjohnso2@d.umn.edu. You may also obtain help
from the Twin Cities campus, Student Records Tec Team
at (612) 625-2803 or techteam@sossgw.stu.umn.edu.
6. What if when I log into the system my class is not
listed?
Class lists for individual faculty come from a central PeopleSoft database
listing of instructors of record. Being included on this list is what gives
instructors access to student photos and email address for all student,
including those who have asked to have their directory information suppressed.
If your class is not listed, then the database does not include your name
for the class.
If you are not listed as an instructor of record, you will need to contact
your department head/secretary to ask that they update the information in
the central database. Once this information is updated in the system, you
will need to re-log into the system. Updated instructor of record information
will not be "real-time." The web grading system will be updated
twice a day, once at noon and once in the evening, to capture new instructor
of record information.
7. What if I teach classes on more than one campus?
Once you log into the web grading system, you will see a list of all
of the classes that you are teaching for that semester regardless of the
campus on which it is taught. So if you are teaching a course on both the
Twin Cites and Duluth campuses, you will see both courses in your list.
8. I teach a large class, do I have to turn in all the
grades at the same time?
The web grading system allows you to assign some grades to students on
your roster and then save the roster to continue working on it at a later
time. The web grading system will not permit you to submit a partially completed
grade roster to the Office of Financial Aid and Registrar.
9. I am responsible for the lectures in a course with
a number of required recitation (laboratory) sections. Which part of a course
is considered the graded component and who is responsible for submitting
the grade?
Generally, the lab section is considered the graded component for a course.
This means that you need to make sure that the correct person is assigned
as the instructor for this portion. Unless you want someone else to enter
the grades for this section, the person assigned as the instructor of record
will be responsible for entering the grades for this portion of the course.
10. Can my Teaching Assistant (TA) enter final grades
for a course?
Yes, if your TA is entered into PeopleSoft as instructor of record for
the course or section he or she can enter and submit the final grades. You
can also have your TA assigned as a 'proxy' for a course and then he or
she can enter and submit the grades.
11. What if I don't want the instructor or TA entering
the grades for the course?
The web grading system does allow for a person to be listed as the instructor
of record but for this person to be disallowed from entering grades. Your
departmental support staff can set up this feature.
12. If a proxy is established, does the proxy have
sole authority to enter grades?
Anyone who is listed in PeopleSoft as an instructor of record and who
has not been disallowed from entering grades will have access to enter grades.
13. If there is more than one instructor of record
for a course, does each one have authority for grade entry?
Yes, anyone listed in PeopleSoft as an instructor of record and who
has not been disallowed from entering grades will have authority to enter
grades. Once grades have been submitted to the Office of the Registrar,
grade changes must be made via the Supplemental Grade Report/Change of
Grade web page.
14. Can I designate someone else to enter grades?
Yes, the web-grading system has proxy access. This means that someone
else can be given rights to access your class roster and submit the grades
to the registrar via the web. Proxy access must be set established prior
to entering grades in order for the proxy to be able to access the system.
In cases where bubble sheets are currently completed by departmental staff,
arrangements can be made for these same individuals to have proxy access
to the web grading system for those courses. On the Twin Cities campus,
the department head/secretary sets up proxy access. On the Crookston campus
your academic department chair must approve your proxy and have the proxy
access established in the system. On the Duluth campus, proxy access will
be approved by the department head. The web grading system will audit who
has proxy access and what grades are entered by that access.
15. Will I see the grading basis for the students in
my classes?
For courses that are taught on the Twin Cities, Morris and Crookston
campus a student's grading basis will display on the student roster for
the course. The Duluth Educational Policy Committee has requested that this
information not be displayed for their courses, and therefore it will not.
16. Will I be able to use +/- grading?
Yes, the UMD grading policy remains the same, therefore, +/- grading
is still in effect.
17. What happens with S-N grades?
The grade submission system will automatically convert a letter grade
(i.e., A, B-, C, etc.) to the corresponding S-N grade. In accordance with
UMD Grading Policy (link) the system will automatically convert any grade
of C- or better to an "S" grade and any grade lower than a C-
to an "N" grade. If an instructor has chosen to make a grade higher
than a C- as necessary to earn an "S" he or she must enter the
"S" or "N" grade on the grade roster. The system will
not allow S-N grades to be submitted for courses in which this grading option
is not available for students.
The Duluth campus has chosen C (2.00) level work to be the required grade
to earn an "S." For courses taught on the Duluth campus the system
will automatically convert the appropriate letter grade of C or better to
an "S" and anything lower than that grade to an "N."
18. Why are some of my grades already completed on
my roster and I can't change them?
Grades for students who are auditing ("V" grade) will automatically
be attached to the student. Also, students who have withdrawn from the course
will have a "W" grade attached to their name. (There may be other
special and limited circumstances (i.e., students called to active military
duty) where grades have been assigned early). Arrangements for these cases
are usually handled through the department.
19. Once the grades are entered and submitted, can
I make changes on-line?
No, once you have submitted the grades to the Office of the Registrar
you cannot change the grades using the Web Grading web page. If you submitted
a grade in error or discovered an error in calculating a student's grade,
you need to submit the new grade via the Supplementary Grade Report/Change
of Grade web page.
20. Will the system let me know if I am missing any
student grades?
Yes, the web grading system will not allow you to submit a partially
completed grade roster to the registrar. The system will automatically edit
your submissions for valid grades (i.e., convert an A grade to an S grade
if the student has registered for the class on the S-N grading basis). Also,
the system will notify you if there is a problem with the grading file you
are uploading.
21. Can I submit a partially completed grade roster?
No, You must enter a grade for each student on your grade roster before
the system will permit you to submit your grades. You may save the grades
at anytime, but the 'submit' process will not work until all students have
been assigned a grade.
22. Can I get a printout after I enter the grades?
Yes, you can get a printout after you enter your grades. Access the print
command in the "File" menu at the left of the toolbar at the top
of the screen. The graded roster should print to the designated printer
for your computer.
23. Can I enter grades from my computer at home?
Yes, however, as with most web applications the connection from home
may be significantly slower than the connection from your office. If you
do not have a DSL line or another form of high-speed internet access, it
is possible you may have more difficulty accessing and using the web grading
system.
24. What are the browser requirements for using the
web grading system?
The web grading system works best in Internet Explorer. It is preferred
that you use version 5.0 and higher.
If you experience difficulty with browsers, contact the ITSS HELP desk at
(218) 726-8847 for assistance.
25. If I complete only some of the grade
roster will the system automatically save my submissions?
No. You must save your work. When you click on the "save" button
on the grade roster your work will be saved in the web grading system, not
your computer. When you return to complete your grading or if something
happens to break your connection to the web grading system, you can resume
entering grades at the point of your last save. It is recommended that you
save your work regularly.
If you have not used the application in over an hour, the web grading system
will automatically log you out. If you are logged out and if you have not
saved your information it will be lost.
26. Will the system automatically send my grades to
the Office of the Registrar if I have not submitted them by the deadline?
No, you must click the "Submit to the Registrar" button for
your grades to be submitted. The web grading system will automatically display
a warning message on the grade roster when you have entered all of your
grades, saved the file and have not submitted it to the registrar.
27. When is the grade roster generated?
Grade rosters will be generated the Thursday of the second-to-the-last
week of instruction for each semester and will be available for
use the Monday of the last week of instruction for each semester. These
dates will be adjusted proportionately for half-semester classes. Individual
grade rosters can be generated on a case-by-case basis by the Office of
Financial Aid and Registrar at the request of the department head/secretary.
The grade reporting system will be updated twice daily (noon and evening)
with changes to instructor/proxy and student information.
28. What if a student does not appear on the class
roster?
If a student has been attending your class and completing the required
work but does not appear on your roster, then that student is not officially
registered for the class. You will not be able to add students to your
grade roster. The student must register for the class and be graded through
the supplemental grading process. Please refer students to their collegiate office to petition to register for the course.
It is possible that additional students have been registered for a course after the grade roster has been created. If your roster does not agree with the class roster call the Student Records Help line to have the grade roster recreated. This cannot be done if you have already submitted your grades.
29. What if a student on the roster has never attended
the class or turned in any work?
If a student appears on your roster and he or she has not completed any
of the work for the course in all likelihood the student never dropped the
course. If a student has registered for a course and not completed any of
the work the appropriate grade for that student is "F" or "N", in which case you will need to add the "Last date of participation". You may not leave this student's grade blank. You will not be allowed to submit
your grade roster without submitting a grade for each student on the roster.
30. Is a department signature required for each grade
roster?
No, the system does not require departmental signature for submission
of final grades. Instructors should follow their departmental policies regarding
any prior departmental review/approval of grades. Supplemental grades (i.e.,
grade changes) will still be submitted via paper and will require departmental
signatures. Various reports from the Information Management Systems (IMS)
will be used by the department heads to monitor the grading process and
track the submission of grades by the deadline.
31. I teach a seven-week course. Does this policy apply
to me?
Yes, instructors of seven-week courses will need to use the web-based
grading system. For courses offered the first seven-week session the system
will be available for use starting Monday of the last week of instruction.
Courses offered the second seven-week session of the semester will submit
their grades at the end of the semester.
32. Will the system lock me out of submission if the
deadline for submitting grades has passed?
Grade submission will be monitored by department heads and others within
the collegiate units. You will not be locked out immediately following the
posted deadline for grade submission. Although grades are now due 3 business
days after the final exam is scheduled, the system will remain available
through Friday of the first week of classes for the next term.
33. How do I upload a grade file that I have already
created?
The web grading system has the capability to upload grade files from
a variety of formats. For faculty who keep grades in a spreadsheet or a
word processing file, it is easy to create a file that can be uploaded to
submit all grades for a class at once.
Step 1: Modify your existing grade file to include only a student's
ID number and associated grade.
Step 2: To upload your modified grade sheet, you will first click
on the 'upload' button at the top, right of the grade roster in the
web grading system.
Step 3: Once you have clicked on the upload button the system will
automatically open up a dialogue box from which you need to locate your
grade file.
Step 4: Once you have located the file that you want to upload, double
click on it and the web grading system will automatically upload the
grade information to the web grading system. After the grades have been
uploaded, the system will let you know how many of the grades from your
grading file have been uploaded to the web grading system (e.g. 10 of
10 grades uploaded, 8 of 15 grades uploaded), the ID numbers of the
students whose grades were not uploaded will be displayed in this message.
Step 5: For students whose grades did not upload, you will need to
either enter the grade by hand in the empty box next to their name on
the grade roster or change their entry on your grade file and re-upload
the file.
Step 6: After you have verified all grades on the grade roster, you
will need to click the "Submit to Registrar" button to submit
your grades.
Uploading grades from separate files will need to occur on a class-by-class
basis - there is no way to upload all grades from a department or school
at one time.
34. When are grades due to the Office of Financial
Aid and Registrar?
Effective Fall 2003 UMD Policy states that final grades are due to the
Office of Financial Aid and Registrar no later than 3 business days after
the final exam.
Final grades for classes offered during the first seven-week session are
also due 3 business days after the final exam for the course.
35. Why are grades due so soon after the end of the
term?
Students are always anxious to find out their grades for courses. In
addition, several important processes depend on final grades. The impact
of late grades can be very serious. Students can:
face probation or suspension by their college
face probation or suspension of financial aid
lose athletic eligibility
lose scholarships
face delay of graduation
face delay of tuition reimbursement
risk termination of Veteran's Administration benefits
risk loss of honors status
have their admission to a graduate program postponed
lose their good-student insurance discount
lose a job opportunities
for those students who are teachers they may be prevented from professional
lane changes.
36. When will the students' grades be posted?
With web submission of grades, student's grades will be posted to their
records on a nightly basis, so students will be able to view their grades
the next day. Grades submitted on the weekend will be viewable the next
day, also. This means that students may be seeing grades "trickle"
in, instead of seeing all or most of their grades on one specified date.
37. What does "Last Date of Participation" mean?
"Last Date of Participation" refers to the last date a student either handed in work for a course (i.e., assigned homework, quizzes, exams, or papers), or attended a course.
38. Why am I being asked for this information?
The University of Minnesota is required to cancel 50 percent of a student's federal Title IV funds if no course participation can be determined for students who receive all F's, N's, or a combination of them for a term.
39. Do I have to include it for every student?
You need only include a last date of participation for students who earn a grade of "F" or "N."
40. What if I'm unsure of the student's last date of participation?
If you cannot use the last date you received work for the student or the last date the student attended, use the last date of a required quiz, test, or homework assignment. Essentially, use the last date for which you could have recorded participation for the student. If you have recorded no participation or attendance, use the first day of the term.
41. What happens to a student's financial aid if no date can be determined?
Federal regulation requires that the University of Minnesota automatically cancel 50 percent of the student's federal Title IV funds if no course participation can be determined for a term. Again, if you are unable to determine any date of participation please enter the first date of the term.
42. What if the student receives an "I" and then earns an "F" later?
Students who earn an "I" and receive an "F" later will not require a last date of participation be entered. The requirement is only for students who earn an "F" or "N" at the time the grade is first submitted into the system
43. What happens if I don't submit the date?
If you do not record a final date of participation for students earning an "F" or "N," you will be unable to submit your grade roster for the term. Grades are due 3 business days after the final exam.
44. If I submit a date and later learn it is wrong, can I correct it?
Once a grade has been submitted, you will not be able to change the date. Student financial aid is typically processed within two to three days after grades are due so any corrections to the date should be requested as quickly as possible after you submit a grade. If you determine that the date you submitted is incorrect please contact Ginger Johnson at gjohnso2@d.umn.edu as soon as possible.
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