To implement the decision of renewing the regulation of the Academic Marks, Grades and Honours of our University, in accordance with the internationally accepted standards, this in order to better correspond to the needs and to the reality of the Pro Deo State University as an international University in the present times, it was decided to implement a new and updated Regulation of the Academic Marks, Grades and Honours for the courses of our University conferring an Academic Degree;

In the sequence of the approval by the Pedagogical Council, Scientific Council and Curator's Board, successively, in virtue of the powers conferred upon us as Rector Magnificus and as President of the Curator's Board, by the present Act we approve the following rules :

REGULATION OF THE ACADEMIC MARKS, GRADES AND HONOURS

ARTICLE 1- From the present day on, the following will be the REGULATION OF THE ACADEMIC GRADES AND HONOURS for the courses conferring an Academic Degree of the Pro Deo State University.

ARTICLE 2 – Definition of Grade and Mark -  A Grade designates a number, letter, or symbol indicating a student's level of accomplishment, being a Mark the number of points equivalent to a certain Grade. 

Paragraph 1 – Each Faculty or Department of our University will have the obligation of adopting the the Marks Scale of 0 to 100 or of 0 to 20 to be used in all Disciplines of the courses under its supervision in accordance with the present Rectorial Act. In exceptional cases another scale may be used after dully authorized by the Rector in the sequence of a justified request  presented by the Professor of a Discipline.

ARTICLE 3 – Definition of Academic Honours -The Honours of the Pro Deo State University, as of the majority of the Universities in different countries, are given in Latin and comprehend two main types of Honours:

Paragraph 1 - The honours rendered to the personal merit of a prominent person, to his high achievements in Life in a specific field of Science or of activity, or in favour of the Society in general, either as a recognition of the support given to the University. 

To these persons the Rector of the University can award a special Honour known as “ Honoris Causa “ Doctorate, after having consulted the Faculties or Departments concerned if this applies,  and the Curator's Board, and of having waved the usual Academic Requirements such as Matriculation, Residence - when included in the course -, Study and the passing Examinations of disciplines.

Paragraph 2 - The Honours rendered to the academic merit, studies, knowledge, research and works of the students candidates to an University Degree, who obtain in their examinations, thesis or dissertations high Marks and Grades.

As other international Universities, our Pro Deo State University, for a better and more clear understanding of its Grades by people or entities of all nations, besides the conferring the Honours in Latin, also confers in Latin language the Grade achieved by the candidates to Bachelor, to Master and to Doctorate Degrees, as follows 

Grade F – Improbatur ( means " Failing " or "Not Accepted"); In case the candidate attains a mark below 50% of the points, or 49 points, or less, over 100.

Grade D – Approbatur ( means "Accepted" or "degree requirements have been satisfied"); In case the candidate attains a mark of 50% or more of the points, or of 50 points, or above, over 100.

Grade C - Lubenter Approbatur ( means "Willingly Accepted"); In case the candidate attains a mark of 65% or more of the points, or 65 points, or above, over 100.

Grade B - Cum Laude Approbatur ( means "Accepted with Honour "); In case the candidate attains a mark of 70% or more of the points, or 70 points, or above, over 100.

Grade A - Magna Cum Laude Approbatur ( means "Accepted with Great Honour "); In case the candidate attains a mark of 80% or more of the points, or 80 points, or above, over 100.

Grade A + - Summa Cum Laude Approbatur ( means "Accepted with Highest Honour"); In case the candidate attains a mark of 90% or more of the points, or 90 points, or above, over 100.

Grade E - Egregia Cum Laude Approbatur ( means " Accepted with Outstanding Honour" ); Conferred only to candidates who attains a mark of 95% or of 95 points, or above, over 100.

NOTE: The percentage above-mentioned is for the case of a Professor of a certain discipline, instead of using a scale of 0 to 100, uses a scale of 0 to 20 or any other scale, and in this case the percentage rate is used.

EXAMPLE:

Mark Range	Grade	Honour
95 - 100	E	Egregia Cum Laude Approbantur
90 - 94	A+	Summa Cum Laude Approbantur
80 - 89	A	Magna Cum Laude Approbantur
70 - 79	B	Cum Laude  Approbantur
65 - 69	C	Lubenter Approbantur
50 - 64	D	Approbantur
Below 50	F	Improbatur

ARTICLE 4 -  For these honours the Rectory followed, in general lines, the criteria used by the Harvard University, USA, since 1869, mentioned in the Annual Reports of the President and Treasurer of the Harvard College in 1877 as follows:

"... the Faculty then prepared regulations for recommending candidates for the Bachelor's degree, either for an ordinary degree or for a degree with distinction; the grades of distinction being summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude. The degree summa cum laude is for those who have attained ninety percent on the general scale, or have received Highest Honours in any department, and carries with it the assignment of an oration on the list of Commencement parts; the degree magna cum laude is for those who have attained eighty percent on the general scale, or have received Honours in any department, and carries with it the assignment of a dissertation; and the degree cum laude is to be given to those who attain seventy-five percent on the general scale, and to those who receive Honourable Mention in any study together with sixty-five per cent on the general scale, or seventy per cent on the last three years, or seventy-five per cent on the last two...."

[Annual Reports of the President and Treasurer of Harvard College, 1877–78]

The present Act was done at the Rectory in the State of New York and in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in use by this Office this 23th day of the month of March of the year of our Lord of 2011.

RECTOR MAGNIFICUS