12-15-25: Fall 2025 Regular Term and 8W2 Session Final Grades

TO: All Faculty and Staff
FROM: Shavonne McKiever, Registrar
DATE: December 15, 2025
RE:  Fall 2025 Regular Term and 8W2 Session Final Grades

As we approach the end of the Fall 2025 term, we want to share important information about final grade submission to ensure grades are submitted accurately and on time for both the Fall 2025 regular term and the 8W2 session. This memo outlines the procedures for submitting final grades, highlights key deadlines, provides instructions for accessing CUNYfirst, and lists available support resources. Please review the memo carefully to avoid any delays and ensure compliance with academic policies. Faculty members who do not adhere to the deadline may be required to submit the final grades in person.

Final Grade Submission Dates

We strongly encourage you to submit grades as early as possible to avoid delays that may impact students’ financial aid, academic standing, and graduation eligibility. Please note that failure to meet the submission deadline may result in administrative actions.

 🚩 Important Administrative Reminders

CUNY Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is required for all university applications. All John Jay students, faculty, and staff must use CUNY MFA to access key university systems. Without the CUNY MFA, faculty members will be unable to access CUNYfirst to submit their final grades.

Ø  If you need assistance setting up your CUNY MFA, or have any other questions about the MFA process, please contact the John Jay Helpdesk by email helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu, by phone 212-237-8200, or in person on floor L2 in the new building.

Brightspace Grade Import Feature: In Spring 2025, the Brightspace Grade Import tool was made available. We kindly request that you refrain from using it for the time being.

• Please review Dean Sidman’s announcement for more details: Grade Import from Brightspace – Please Avoid for Now.

🚩 Key Reminders When Submitting Grades

1. Submit Grades for All Students: Students enrolled in internships, independent studies, and cross-listed courses. Be sure to check all of your rosters.

• Refer to the CUNY Grading Table: Grading Table PDF.

2. Accessing and Posting Grades in CUNYfirst: Please click here for a step-by-step guide for entering final grades in CUNYfirst.

3. Withdrawal Non-Attendance (WN) Grade Request New Feature: In the rare event of an error, and a student is marked as attending, the new "Add a WN Grade" feature allows faculty members to update a student's grade to WN (Withdrawal Non-Attendance). This indicates that the student did not participate in any academic-related activities for the current term.

• The process for adding a WN grade is similar to the WN Reversal process. It requires submitting the Add WN Grade form, followed by approval from the department chairs or their designees and the registrar. Once the request is approved, an email notification will be sent to inform all relevant stakeholders, and the VOE roster will be updated. 

• To submit a request to add a WN grade, select the "Add WN Grade/Update VOE" option. The form will require the following information:

  1. Course & Student Information: Course details and student ID.

  2. Reason for Adding the WN Grade: A detailed reason for adding the WN grading.

  3. Acknowledgement: Complete the attestation.

4. WU Grade - Withdrew Unofficially: A grade of WU is to be assigned to students who participated in an academic activity related to the class at least once, stopped participating, did not drop the class or receive approval for an incomplete, did not otherwise officially withdraw from the course, and did not complete enough work for the instructor to be able to calculate an earned grade using the criteria delineated in the course syllabus. An ‘F’ grade should never be given in place of a ‘WU’ grade. 

• The WU is non-punitive and does not impact GPA.

Assign a WU only if the student stops participating and does not complete the course.

5. WA Grade - Administrative Withdrawal: The grade of WA is assigned by the Office of the Registrar when a student fails to comply with the College's Proof of Immunization Policy. The grade of WA is not computed in the grade point average. WA grades may affect student eligibility for financial aid.

• Students who did not meet immunization requirements have already been assigned a WA.
• Do not enter grades for these students.

6. Academic Integrity: If you suspect an academic integrity violation, contact Jennifer Dobbins, the Academic Integrity Officer, at jedobbins@jjay.cuny.edu, and submit the required report through the Provost’s Office.

 How to Enter and Submit Final Grades in CUNYfirst: Step-by-Step Instructions for Faculty

You may view the directions for entering grades in CUNYfirst here. 

• Note: Once final grades are submitted and posted on CUNYfirst, they cannot be changed using the grade roster. In the event of necessary grade changes, faculty members may submit a Change of Grade request through the "Grade Change Forms" tile in the Faculty Center of CUNYfirst. 

If you need any assistance or have questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at gradechange@jjay.cuny.edu. We're here to support you.

 Need Help? 

• CUNYfirst Access Issues: Contact DOIT Helpdesk at x8200 or helpdesk@jjay.cuny.edu.
• Grade Roster Issues or Questions: Contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@jjay.cuny.edu

 Thank you for your attention to these important deadlines and your commitment to making informed decisions about your academic journey. We wish you continued success throughout the remainder of the semester. 

We wish you a wonderful holiday season.

Sincerely,

Shavonne McKiever,
Registrar
Office of the Registrar