Summer 2020 Grading Policy for Undergraduates

With input from the Faculty Senate and the Associated Students, and with the approval of the Provost, the University will continue during Summer Session and Summer Quarter 2020 to use the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading system for all undergraduate students, with the student option of requesting letter grades at the quarter’s conclusion.

Requesting letter grades:

Faculty will maintain rank grading (ABCDF) records during Summer, but the default reporting of grades for undergraduate students will be to receive either a P or a NP. Students will have until 07/24/2020, to request their letter grade be reported to their transcript, rather than their P/NP grade. Students may be advised to request their letter grade if required for accreditation or other purposes.

The handling of D grades and F grades:

For undergraduate students in Summer Session and Summer Quarter 2020, all grades of D+ and above will receive a P unless a student requests their letter grade. A grade of D or D- will be recorded as a NP, which will not earn credits or be reflected in the GPA. A student may elect to have a D or D- reported to their transcript, which will earn credits and be reflected in the GPA. A grade of F will be recorded as NP on the transcript, will not receive degree credit, and will not be reflected in the GPA. Departments requesting a different minimum grade for credit may petition their Dean and will announce the course grade rubric before the start of classes. This policy has no bearing on courses graded S/U.

Credit:

A grade of P during summer 2020 will count towards curricular, major, continuation, and graduation requirements.

Rationale:

The coronavirus pandemic led the university to shift to remote learning in spring of 2020, a modality that was new for many faculty and students. These uncharted learning conditions, coupled with the current social and economic instability our students are experiencing, will make Summer 2020 another challenging quarter. This policy offers a simple and consistent approach to assessment which should alleviate student anxiety and encourage a focus on learning.