Policy Author: Academic Affairs
Responsible Office-Department: Office of Academic Affairs
Effective Date of Policy: September 8, 2026
Policy Narrative
Daemen University is committed to providing students with timely and meaningful feedback regarding their academic performance. Progress Grades serve as an early indicator of academic standing and support coordinated intervention by faculty, advisors, and student support offices to promote student success.
All undergraduate courses shall utilize Progress Grades in accordance with this policy. Faculty are required to submit Progress Grades for every enrolled student during the published Progress Grade reporting period. Progress Grades are intended to reflect student performance based on graded coursework completed by the reporting deadline and are not final course grades.
Faculty shall maintain current student grades in the university’s learning management system (e.g. Blackboard) and clearly communicate to students, through the course syllabus, the proportion of the final course grade represented by the Progress Grade.
The University will use Progress Grades to facilitate proactive academic advising and student support outreach.
Purpose of this Policy:
The purpose of this policy is to:
- Provide students with timely information regarding their academic progress.
- Promote transparency regarding academic performance.
- Encourage early intervention for students experiencing academic difficulty.
- Establish consistent institutional expectations for Progress Grade reporting.
Scope and Applicability of this Policy:
This policy applies to all undergraduate courses offered by Daemen University, regardless of instructional modality.
Definitions:
Progress Grade – A midpoint evaluation submitted as a letter grade of a student’s academic performance based on graded work completed by the Progress Grade reporting deadline. Midterm grades should be submitted to the Student Information System usually as a letter grade.
Progress Grade Reporting Period – The dates established each academic term by Academic Affairs during which Progress Grades must be submitted.
Proposed Procedures for Policy Implementation:
The University shall replace the term Midterm Deficiency with Progress Grade in all institutional policies, procedures, and communications.
Faculty are responsible for:
- submitting Progress Grades for all students during the designated reporting period to the Student Information System;
- maintaining current grades within the Learning Management System’s Gradebook; and
- informing students through the course syllabus of the approximate percentage of the final course grade represented by the Progress Grade.
The Student Success Center and Academic Advisors shall utilize Progress Grades to coordinate timely outreach and connect students with appropriate academic support resources. Academic Advisors are required to communicate with all students who have earned a grade of C- or below at the time Progress Grades are submitted.
Procedures governing Progress Grade submission, student outreach, and institutional responsibilities are maintained by the Office of Academic Affairs.