When special or unusual circumstances occur, the instructor may postpone assignment of the student's final grade in a course by use of an Incomplete grade (i.e., I grade). The I grade may be given only when: the student (a) has completed approximately seventy-five percent of the course requirement but is unable to complete the class work and/or take the final examination because of illness or another extraordinary reason; and (b) has completed work that is of a passing grade; and (c) in the instructor's judgment, can complete the required work without repeating the course.

Provided these conditions are met, the student may request an I grade.  Upon the student's formal request, the instructor may elect to give an I grade to allow the student additional time to complete work missed due to extenuating circumstances but such an I grade does not guarantee a passing grade in the course.

An I grade shall not be assigned in instances solely due to student's procrastination, poor performance, or outside circumstances not related to the student's course load or unexplained absences. An I grade shall not be assigned for thesis or dissertation hours.

To assign an I grade, the course instructor submits an I grade for a given student during final grade submission and indicates the alternative grade (i.e., the grade that will be assigned should the course not be completed). If an I grade has not been changed by the last day of classes of the next semester (excluding summer term), it automatically defaults to the alternative grade (or an F, if no alternative grade is indicated).

a.  An I grade assigned in a Fall semester or Fall Intersession must be resolved by the last day of classes of the next Spring semester. 

b.  An I grade assigned in a Spring semester, Spring intersession, or Summer semester must be resolved by the last day of the next Fall semester.

Under extraordinary circumstances that may preclude a student from completion of course requirements during the allotted timeline, an extension of the timeframe for resolution of the I grade may be considered and/or permitted. The student must initiate the petition in writing with the appropriate documentation. This petition must be accompanied by a letter of justification from the instructor of record. The petition must be endorsed by the chairperson of the student's academic department and approved by the dean of the academic college before it is submitted to Academic Affairs. The approved extension will be on file with the student's department, academic college, the Division of Graduate Studies (for graduate students), Academic Affairs, and the Office of the Registrar and Records.

Unresolved I grades assigned to a student prior to Fall 2004 are considered permanent I grades. If a student has an extraordinary circumstance that precludes the student from completion of course requirements, the dean of the student's college may authorize that the I grade become permanent. Such unusual circumstances might include, but would not be limited to, withdrawal of the student from the university because of prolonged medical problems, or death or resignation of the faculty member. 

All University faculty, staff, students, student organizations, and volunteers are expected to comply with all federal and state laws, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning policy and bylaws, and University policies, including but not limited to this stated policy to help ensure that the University maintains the integrity of grades and academic records, as expected by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.