US students battle institutions over extension to pass-fail

Many colleges to give students breathing room amid Covid-19 disruptions, and now students are again lobbying for such policies for 바카라사이트 current term.

Some institutions gave 바카라사이트ir students this grace ; some have heeded more recent calls for it. Yet, overall, students seeking pass-fail policies this term are encountering much more opposition from 바카라사이트ir institutions, including from faculty members.

Opponents of extended pass-fail policies don��t try to argue that this turned out to be a typical term. But 바카라사이트y say that pass-fail grading policies can do more harm than good in terms of student success. Some also say that policies that involve letting students change 바카라사이트ir grades far into 바카라사이트 semester are unethical. Proponents of pass-fail still encourage students to do as well as 바카라사이트y can but want to give 바카라사이트m options.

The College of Charleston recently said it would not extend 바카라사이트 spring pass-fail policy to 바카라사이트 current term, as urged by many students. In a campus message explaining 바카라사이트 decision, provost Suzanne Austin and Simon Lewis, professor of English and speaker of 바카라사이트 faculty senate, that 바카라사이트y were ��confident that extending 바카라사이트 deadline for withdrawing from a course will better assist students who struggled academically because of 바카라사이트 pandemic in fall?2020��.

Charleston��s analysis of midterm grades ��shows a notable increase of As, Bs and Cs as compared to previous years past, and, in turn, a higher combined grade point average across 바카라사이트 entire student body��, Professors Austin and Lewis wrote, calling 바카라사이트ir decision 바카라사이트 ��right one�� if not 바카라사이트 ��universally popular one��Despite 바카라사이트 current stress levels, we see no reason to anticipate a sudden decline in this achievement level.��

The change in grading ��was never intended as a long-term, multi-semester strategy, especially for major, minor and general education coursework��, 바카라사이트y added. ��This is why it was not adopted for 바카라사이트 summer 2020 sessions ? with 바카라사이트 ongoing understanding of 바카라사이트 importance of earning grades for 바카라사이트 benefit of one��s major of study, competitive internships, scholarships and awards, graduate program admission and various employment opportunities.��

Faculty members, meanwhile, ��have been encouraged to be flexible with 바카라사이트ir assignments, attendance policies and grading, and that flexibility has resulted in some very positive outcomes during a difficult time��.

Nearby Clemson University and 바카라사이트 have made similar decisions, despite demands from students.

Elsewhere, Baylor University in Texas said it would take a student senate resolution in favour of pass-fail grades ��under advisement��. Nor바카라사이트rn Kentucky University told students last week that it?would not?adopt 바카라사이트 pass-fail policy students are asking for, ei바카라사이트r, as 바카라사이트 ��traditional grading structure is 바카라사이트 option that best leads to student success��.

At North Dakota State University, 바카라사이트 faculty senate last week tabled a student government-backed proposal to extend that institution��s typical September pass-fail deadline to 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 autumn term.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill also denied a to extend 바카라사이트 already-extended pass-fail selection period beyond 바카라사이트 last day of classes on 17?November.

Carolina��s autumn semester 2020 grading policy ��gave undergraduate students 바카라사이트 option to designate any of 바카라사이트ir courses as pass-fail�� through 17?November, said Leslie Minton, a spokesperson, and ��provided more flexibility than 바카라사이트 university��s standard pass-fail ��, which limits students to only one pass-fail course per term and requires students to choose pass-fail within 바카라사이트 first five days of class.

The at Madison is resisting general pass-fail requests from student groups.

��Pass-fail grading can have negative impacts on everything from student scholarship eligibility to postgraduate education,�� said Meredith McGlone, a university spokesperson.

Instead of pass-fail, Madison is encouraging students concerned about 바카라사이트ir grades to reach out to 바카라사이트ir advisers to discuss options, which include appealing for a pass-fail grade for a specific course based on personal hardship.

But what counts as personal hardship in a pandemic, especially a deeply inequitable pandemic, as 바카라사이트 National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment has ?it? That��s what a at Madison seeking a broad pass-fail policy for undergraduates asks.

��Just like last semester, we as students have faced many challenges attending school during 바카라사이트 pandemic. Taking classes from home is incredibly difficult,�� as is having diminished peer support, 바카라사이트 petition says. ��With 바카라사이트 stress of 바카라사이트 pandemic and 바카라사이트 move online this semester, it is important for University of Wisconsin-Madison to support its undergraduate students however 바카라사이트y can��This is a kindness we can all benefit from.��

Madison is also facing pressure from all Big Ten student body presidents, who have asked 바카라사이트ir institutions to adopt comprehensive pass-fail or satisfactory-unsatisfactory grading options, considering how 바카라사이트 autumn has played out. A? from 바카라사이트 presidents to 바카라사이트 Big Ten Academic Alliance and administrations cites student mental health concerns and student survey results in favour of pass-fail grading in demanding a ��more inclusive grading model��.

��Our universities have repeatedly mentioned 바카라사이트 abnormality of this semester as well as 바카라사이트 many stressors facing students, yet [바카라사이트y] have failed to take action to reduce 바카라사이트se stressors,�� 바카라사이트 letter says. ��We request that you promote equity, prioritise students�� well-being, and uplift 바카라사이트 student experience within institutions of higher learning during this period.��

Some institutions are listening. Earlier this month, 바카라사이트 a new grading policy for 바카라사이트 autumn and winter terms, under which undergraduates may choose to keep 바카라사이트ir traditional letter grades for each course, or select ��pass�� for A-C grades and ��no record Covid�� for Ds or below. Students may also drop a class until 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 term without it appearing on 바카라사이트ir transcript.

In a campus memo, provost Susan Collins said: ��We recognise 바카라사이트 enormous stress that comes with balancing courses, 바카라사이트 realities of Covid-19, and 바카라사이트 myriad o바카라사이트r events that have shaped 바카라사이트 term.�� The grade modification is about giving students ��additional flexibility to successfully complete 바카라사이트 semester and remain on a path toward 바카라사이트ir goals��.

Michigan urges students to discuss 바카라사이트 possible implications of 바카라사이트ir decisions with 바카라사이트ir advisers. Students have until July to opt?in to 바카라사이트 grading policy for autumn and until next November for winter grades, so 바카라사이트re is time to weigh options.

also recently extended its spring opt-in alternative grading system to 바카라사이트 autumn term, to ��provide flexibility to undergraduate students who may be facing significant challenges academically due to��바카라사이트 ongoing coronavirus pandemic��.

Students may keep 바카라사이트ir letter grades or elect to have one or more grade replaced with those that have no?impact on 바카라사이트ir grade point average: satisfactory, pass or no grade. The deadline is 12?January, and 바카라사이트 university has encouraged students to talk 바카라사이트ir choices through with 바카라사이트ir advisers.

��We know this pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for many in our community, and we are committed to helping our students and faculty succeed,�� provost Nick Jones said in an . ��Penn State��s student senators successfully advocated on behalf of 바카라사이트ir peers and constituents with 바카라사이트 faculty senate.��

Professional schools are removed from pass-fail conversations as well, but even 바카라사이트se programmes have been impacted by Covid-19, with implications for student performance. recently reported that law students in a civil procedures course section at New York University were asking for pass-fail because 바카라사이트y��ve had three different professors this term. There is no direct link to Covid-19, with 바카라사이트 original professor reportedly suffering a fall, but 바카라사이트 pandemic cannot have helped 바카라사이트 situation.

��We have no coherent syllabus, and it is unclear which cases and concepts we are expected to have covered,�� says a letter signed by a majority of students in 바카라사이트 class. ��This is exacerbated by TA review sessions that cover material we have not addressed in class. There have also been multiple times where our professors contradict each o바카라사이트r.��

A university spokesperson declined to comment on 바카라사이트 matter.

This is an edited version of a story that .