Grades of A+ through D-, and the grade of P, are passing grades. Grades of F, F+ or WF are failing grades.
|Definition of Grades and grade points:|
|A+ = 4.33||B+ = 3.33||C+ = 2.33||D+ = 1.33||F+ = .33|
|A = 4.00||B = 3.00||C = 2.00||D = 1.00||F = .00|
|A- = 3.67||B- = 2.67||C- = 1.67||D- = .67||WF = .00|
|AU - Audit||P - Pass (equivalent to a D- or better)|
|I - Incomplete||W - Withdrawal|
|IP - In Progress|
In all first year courses, with the exception of Legal Writing, the following grade curve is mandatory. In all upper level, multiple section courses taught by more than one professor in the same year, the following grade curve is presumptive.
|Cumulative %||A- and above||15 to 25%||20%, plus or minus 5%|
|Cumulative %||B+ and above||40 to 50%||45%, plus or minus 5%|
|Cumulative %||B and above||70 to 80%||75%, plus or minus 5%|
|Cumulative %||C+ and above||85 to 95%||90%, plus or minus 5%|
|Cumulative %||C and below||5 to 15%||10%, plus or minus 5%|
|Cumulative %||C- and below||0 to 10%||5%, plus or minus 5%|
The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction sponsors The CALI Excellence for the Future Award. The CALI Award recognizes academic excellence achievement by law students in their studies. The award is given to students who receive the highest score in a course as determined by the instructor.
All law-related classes, courses and seminars delivered by the law school are eligible. There are no restrictions on the number of students registered in the course. There is no limit to the number of awards any one student can win. More information about The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction, or the CALI Excellence for the Future Award, can be found at www2.cali.org.
Processing of Grades
Grades are due to the Office of the Registrar three weeks after the date of the last examination. Ordinarily, grades are processed as they are received and post within two to three days. If the course falls under the mandatory or presumptive grade curve, grades are analyzed accordingly. If the grades meet the curve, they are processed. If not, grades are given to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for discussion with the appropriate faculty member. After the discrepancy is resolved, grades are processed. Once grades are processed, they are available to students through SUOnline.
If a grade is incorrect due to a mathematical error on the part of the grader, the grade may be corrected at any time by a written statement from the faculty member to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Grade changes based on substantive re-evaluation may only be made by a faculty member to correct a serious and egregious error or as a result of an official determination of the student’s violation of the Student Conduct Code by the Conduct Review Board. In order to make such a change the faculty member must submit a written petition to be voted on during a faculty meeting by the career faculty. The petition must state that the proposed change is necessary to correct a serious and egregious error. An example of a serious error might be if a professor did not read a part of an exam. Petitions must be approved by a majority of the career faculty voting at the meeting.
First year class rank is published after the spring semester once all grades have been processed. It is re-calculated and published again after summer first year grades are processed. First year class rank includes only first year classes taken within the normal 1L year. Upper level classes taken during the second summer term are not included in the first year rank.
Class rank for upper-level students is published after the fall and spring semesters once all grades have been processed. Upper level class rank is based on the student's cumulative GPA.
Preliminary graduate class rank is published after the fall semester for students who graduated in August or December. Final graduate class rank is published after the spring semester and includes all students who graduated in August, December or May of the academic year.
Fall 2015 Official Class Rank Ranges
Fall 2015 Second Year Class Rank Ranges
Top 10% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.608
Top 25% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.404
Top 50% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.220
Top 75% includes students with a GPA at or above 2.942
Fall 2015 Third and Fourth Year Class Rank Ranges
Top 10% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.645
Top 25% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.459
Top 50% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.257
Top 75% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.019
Preliminary 2015-2016 Graduate Class Rank Ranges
Top 10% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.666
Top 25% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.464
Top 50% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.277
Top 75% includes students with a GPA at or above 3.039
The Dean's List is comprised of the top ten percent (10%) of the current year students by year according to yearly grade point average.
Beginning with the May 2011 graduating class, graduation honors will be as follows:
|Top 2% of the Graduating Class||summa cum laude|
|Next 8% of the Graduating Class||magna cum laude|
|Next 23.3% of the Graduating Class||cum laude|
The grade point average cut-offs that correspond to the percentages for each honors level will be published on a yearly basis on the Law School's website and in the Student Handbook. In calculating the grade point average cut-offs, we will use the average GPA data from the prior three academic years. Once published following the spring semester, the grade point average cut-offs will be applicable for the following August, December and May graduating classes.
For August 2015, December 2015 and May 2016 Graduates, the grade point cut-offs will be as follows:
|3.83||summa cum laude|
|3.64||magna cum laude|