Confidentiality of Student Records

See policy C.4 which can be viewed at the Library or on-line.

Information obtained from students as part of the application and registration process is confidential, as is the student's academic record and information on library use and counselling files. This information is in the custody of the Registrar, Dean of Student Services and Dean of College Resources and is not to be released except on the authorization of the Registrar, Dean of Student Services or Dean of College Resources or designate.

Only those administrators, faculty and staff who have a legitimate need to view them as a part of their normal duties will be permitted access to student records. All employees are expected to respect the confidentiality of the student information with which they work.

Students may authorize, in writing, release of any information contained in Kwantlen files with the exception of documents submitted in support of their application or for transfer credit. Registrar, Dean of Student Services or Dean of College Resources or designate may release information from student records without student authorization:

a) To the Ministry of Advanced Education, Technology and Training or their agents for the purpose of statistical analysis or research, provided that the student is not named or otherwise identified

b) To government departments or their agents where Kwantlen is required by law to provide the requested information, or

c) Pursuant to a valid court order, search warrant, subpoena, summons, or request by a law enforcement agency.

Where information is released under (b) or (c) above, the Registrar, Dean of Student Services or Dean of College Resources will send written notice to the student's last known address, stating what information has been released and to whom it has been released.

Students are entitled to receive a copy of their academic record and an explanation of any information contained therein upon receipt of a written request to the Office of the Registrar. The information will only be released upon presentation of photo identification.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

The principles underlying this legislation are to make public organizations more accountable to the public and to protect personal privacy by:

giving the public a right of access to records in the custody of, or under the control of, Kwantlen;

• giving individuals a right of access to, and a right to request correction of, personal information about themselves;
• specifying limited exceptions to the right of access where disclosure would result in harm to a third party;
• preventing the unauthorized collection, use, or disclosure of personal information; and
• providing for an independent review of decisions made under the Act

Under the Act, Kwantlen University College must provide a legal right of access to records in the custody of, or under the control of Kwantlen, while at the same time prevent the unauthorized collection, use or disclosure of personal information. Responding to requests for access to records, while at the same time protecting individual privacy, is a basic responsibility of Kwantlen University College.

Kwantlen University College gathers and maintains information used for the purposes of admission, registration and other fundamental activities related to being a member of Kwantlen's community and attending a public post-secondary institution in the Province of British Columbia. In signing an application for admission, all applicants are advised that the information they provide and any other information placed into the student record will be protected and used in compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Guidelines and procedures to deal with the handling of requests for access to records under the Act are freely available to all members of the public.

Information which has been routinely provided in the past, will continue to be available to the public, with the exception of personal information.

The President makes the final decisions on access to information held by Kwantlen University College. Decisions on access can be appealed to the Information and Privacy Commissioner through a request for review process.

Grading System

See policy C.20 which can be viewed at the Library or on-line.

The following grading system will apply to courses in which a letter grade is assigned.

Grade	Grade pnts	Cnvr. Scale	Definition
A+	4.33	90-100	Exceptional achievement
A	4.00	85-89	Outstanding achievement
A-	3.67	80-84	Excellent achievement
B+	3.33	76-79	Very good achievement
B	3.00	72-75	Good achievement
B-	2.67	68-71	Good achievement
C+	2.33	64-67	Satisfactory achievement
C	2.00	60-63	Satisfactory achievement
C-	1.67	56-59	Marginal achievement.This grade does not permit student to pursue another course for which the graded course was a prerequisite
D	1.00	50-55	Minimal achievement. This grade does not permit student to pursue another course for which the graded course was a prerequisite
F	0.00	0-49	Unsatisfactory achievement. Student did not meet minimum course requirements.

The following grades are not used in grade point average calculations.
Grade	Definition
I	Incomplete. Course requirements to be completed within specific time.
W	Withdrawal. Approved withdrawal from course or program.
AUD	Audit. Student attended classes but was not evaluated.
CIP	Course in progress
DEF	Deferred. The course duration does not correspond to the usual semester or term duration, hence not grade assigned.
MAS	Mastery. Student has met & mastered a clearly defined body of skills & performances to required standard
NCG	No Credit Granted. Student has not met the required standard for the course and/or not participated to the required level in course activities.
EXP	Experience. Student has participated at the required level in course activities.
AEG	Aegrotat. A pass standing based on satisfactory term marks but student has been unable to complete all course requirements due to disabling illness or other circumstances.
TRF	Transfer Credit. Student granted transfer credit based on successful completion of equivalent course at another institution.

Calculation of Grade Point Average

Definitions

Quality points. A value determined for each course by multiplying the semester credit hours by the grade points for the assigned grade.

Grade Point Average (GPA) - A value determined by dividing the total quality points by the total semester credit hours. Term and cumulative grade point averages will be reported on all transcripts and statements of grades.

Term GPA (TGPA) - The grade point average for all coursework completed in one term only. The TGPA is the sum of the quality points earned in a term divided by the total number of semester credits hours earned in that term.

Cumulative GPA (CGPA) - The grade point average for all coursework completed at Kwantlen in which a letter grade was assigned. For repeated courses, only the higher grade is used in this calculation. The CGPA is the sum of the quality points earned in all terms of enrolment divided by the total number of semester credit hours earned in all terms.

Program GPA (PGPA) - The grade point average for all coursework applicable to a specific program. This calculation is used when determining eligibility for graduation and whether a student has graduated With Distinction. The PGPA is the sum of the quality points earned for all required and elective courses in a student's program divided by the total number of semester credit hours earned for that program

Sample GPA Calculation
Course	Grade	Grade Points	Credits	Quality Points
Term 1
ANTH 1100	B+	3.33	3.0	9.99
CHEM 1110	B	3.00	5.0	15.00
CPSC 1103	B-	2.67	3.0	8.01
ENGL 1110	A	4.00	3.0	12.00
Totals			14.0	45.00
TGPA = 45.00/14.0=3.21
Term 2
ANTH 1211	B	3.00	3.0	9.00
CHEM 1210	C+	2.33	5.0	11.65
ENGL 1201	A-	3.67	3.0	11.01
SOCI 1125	B+	3.33	3.0	9.99
Totals			14.0	41.65
TGPA = 41.65/14.0 = 2.98
CGPA = (45.00 + 41.65)/(14.0 + 14.0) = 86.65/28.0 = 3.09

Incomplete (I) Grade

The Incomplete (I) grade is intended to assist responsible students to carry out their commitments and is not intended to encourage students to procrastinate. It is reasonable, therefore, to expect that it will be infrequently used.

Student applications for I grades should be received by the instructor no later than the last day of classes for the term. The following criteria are to be used by instructors in deciding whether to agree to an I contract:

1. Previous work in the course should have been at a satisfactory level

2. The student must have been prevented from completing the course requirements by some abnormal circumstance or juxtaposition of other responsibilities such as:

• embarking on a project whose completion turns out to be more time-consuming than originally contemplated
• an emergency situation such as illness or accident which has prevented the student from completing one or more of the course requirements (supporting documentation may be required by the instructor)

The student should be able to complete an I contract within two (2) to four (4) weeks after it is entered into.

Any I grade is subject to review by the Dean, whose signature is required on the contract.

There is no limit to the number of I grades that a student may carry. However, a student receiving one or more I grades will be allowed to re-register in a subsequent semester only after review of her or his course load by a counsellor, educational advisor or the Registrar or Associate Registrar prior to registration.

Experience Grading System

Certain courses offered by Kwantlen provide an appropriate learning environment, but only the student can assess and decide how much value the course has been. Such courses demand student participation and, provided the student participates, credit will be granted. Because of the nature of this grading system, credits earned in this type of course will not be used in calculating the grade point average.

• EXP Experience. Student has participated at the required level in course activities.
• NCG No Credit Granted. Student has not participated to the required level in course activities.

Mastery Grading System

Kwantlen has designated certain courses as Mastery courses. These courses demand a clearly defined high standard of performance, in which the student must demonstrate complete mastery of all knowledge and/or performance requirements. Because of the nature of this grading system, credits earned in this type of course will not be used in calculating the grade point average.

• MAS Mastery. Student has mastered a clearly defined body of skills and performances to required standards.
• NCG No Credit Granted. Student has not met the required standard for the course and/or has not participated to the required level in course activities.

Passing Grade in a Course

The minimum passing grade for a course in which letter grades are assigned is a D grade. Courses in which a grade of D or better has been achieved may be used to satisfy program requirements for graduation.

The minimum passing grade for a course or module in which letter grades are not used is a grade of Mastery (MAS). Courses or modules in which a grade of MAS has been achieved may be used to satisfy program requirements for graduation.

Minimum Grade Required in Prerequisite Course

In order to enrol in a course or module for which there is a prerequisite course or module, a student must have been assigned a grade of C (or higher) or MAS or AEG or TRF in the prerequisite course or module. Some programs require a higher grade than C for prerequisites to their courses.

Grade Change/Error

A student who believes that an error has been made in recording a final grade should first contact the Records Department in the Office of the Registrar (Surrey Campus). If a recording error has been made, it will be corrected there. If the recorded grade is the same as that submitted by the instructor, the student must contact the instructor to verify the grade. If an incorrect grade has been submitted, the instructor will submit a Grade Reporting Form to correct the error. Upon receipt of the signed form, a correction will be made to the student's academic record.

Grade Change/Appeal

See policy C.5 (currently under review) which can be viewed at the Library or on-line at www.kwantlen.ca/polices for further details.

Only the instructor who assigned the grade may normally change a final grade. If a student feels that she or he has received an inaccurate and/or unfair grade, the student must first contact the instructor (or the Dean responsible for the course if the instructor is unavailable). If the student is not satisfied with the response of the instructor, she or he may appeal the grade through the normal Appeals procedure. Only appeals of final grades will be considered.

Note: A grade appeal must be filed within 20 working days of the issuance of the grade.

Availability of final grades for semester-based courses

Final grades for semester-based programs may be obtained on-line at usually within 5 -7 days following a final examination or following the end of the semester if there is no final examination. Previous grades and transfer credits are also available on-line.

Transcripts

An official transcript is a copy of the student's permanent academic record that is signed by the Registrar and embossed with the Kwantlen University College seal. Partial transcripts will not be issued. Transcripts will only be released upon presentation of photo identification. They will be released to a third party only if a signed letter of permission is provided. A request for an official transcript should be submitted at least 10 working days before it is required. There is a charge for transcripts.

All student obligations relating to fees, library books, rentals or borrowed equipment or other materials must be met before official transcripts will be released.