F Grades vs. WU Grades

The distinction between WU and F (or NC) is not about academic rigor; it is about the basis on which a grade is determined. The WU grade indicates that a student failed the course because they did not officially withdraw and completed insufficient coursework, rather than for evaluated academic performance.   

Core Principle

Assign an F when there is sufficient completed coursework to evaluate academic performance, even if that performance is failing.

Assign a WU when a student did not officially withdraw after Census and did not complete enough coursework to allow a normal academic evaluation. A WU is calculated as an F in GPA but indicates failure due to non-participation and failure to withdraw.

Key Definitions

Assign an F (or NC) when:

      • The student completed enough coursework for you to evaluate their academic performance, even if the performance was poor, and
      • The grade is based on demonstrable academic work (exams, assignments, projects, participation, etc.).

An F reflects academic failure, not failure to withdraw.

Assign a WU when all of the following are true:

      • The student did not officially withdraw from the course, and
      • The student stopped attending or participating, and
      • There is insufficient completed coursework to assign a grade based on academic performance.

A WU indicates that the failure resulted from non-attendance or lack of participation and failure to withdraw, rather than from assessed academic work.

When assigning a WU, faculty are required to report the last known date of attendance or participation to the best of their ability.

Examples

• Student attends briefly and submits no assignments or exams: WU.
• Student completes minimal early work but stops participating and does not withdraw: WU.
• Student completes most assignments and exams but earns a failing average: F.
• Student attends irregularly but completes major graded work (enough to assess performance): F.

Flowchart showing grading decision process: If a student has participated or completed sufficient coursework to evaluate academic performance, assign an appropriate grade (including F or NC if necessary). If not, assign a WU grade.

Policy Reference: SJSU Academic Senate Policy S22-6 [pdf]