Fall 2020 Grading Changes

Sent: December 10, 2020

Dear colleagues,

In light of the ongoing challenges for students and their families during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, on Monday December 7 the Academic Senate passed and President Papazian approved the following grading changes for the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters (F20-2, University Policy, Grading Changes to Support Maximum Flexibility During the Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic). These changes are intended to minimize the impact of negative grades on students’ long-term academic success, in the context of disruptions to daily life and high levels of stress and anxiety during the pandemic.

  1. All WU (Withdrawal Unauthorized) grades will be converted by the Registrar’s Office to W (Withdrawal). W grades are not included in the GPA calculation, and students will not be considered “repeaters” when they retake a class. Faculty should assign WU grades when students have missed a significant portion of the course (stopped attending and submitting assignments). Instructors can enter 12/7/20 for the last date of attendance for WU grades on the grading roster.
  2. All F grades will be converted by the Registrar’s Office to NC (No Credit) grades NC grades are not included in the GPA calculation. Students repeating a course for the first time after earning NC will be able to enroll in the course three weeks before the start of the semester (F08-2). In the case of academic integrity violations, NC grades will revert to F.
  3. Students eligible for disqualification will not be disqualified at the end of the Fall 2020 semester (see Amendment D to University Policy S16-16, Probation and Disqualification, Temporary Amendment due to the COVID-19 Pandemic). Instead they will continue on probation and be connected with advising staff to help them access critical academic resources and make plans to successfully progress toward their degree objectives.

If you have questions about specific grading situations please contact Associate Dean Melinda Jackson for undergraduate grading questions, and Associate Deans Jeff Honda or Amy Leisenring for graduate student grading questions. If students have questions about how a W or NC grade will affect their financial aid eligibility, veterans benefits, or international student visa requirements, please direct them to the FAQs on the Registrar’s website or the appropriate office (Financial Aid, Veterans Resource Center, International Student and Scholar Services). For your immediate information the FAQs are linked here.

Sincerely,
Vincent J. Del Casino, Jr.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs