Engineering Students:
I know there has been a great deal of uncertainty about how you will be graded since the University switched to entirely online classes.
Tonight you heard from Acting Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Susan Collins that an alternative grading policy will be put into place for all undergraduate courses. The full message is below.
We recognize how much world events have impacted you, and feel it is in your best interest to adopt a flexible scheme.
For this term only, all undergraduate courses will transition to an alternative final grade policy in which faculty enter traditional letter grades, but students receive either “P” (Pass), or “NRC” (No Record Covid) on your permanent transcripts. This policy includes any required courses for your degree. Provided you achieve a “P” in a required course, or the equivalent of a C-, it will count towards your requirements.
Many of you work very hard to make great grades, or need to demonstrate proficiency for an upcoming job or graduate school. As a result, you may feel disappointed that this new grading scheme will not count towards your GPA. In light of this, students will have an opportunity to uncover and convert their “P” to a letter grade. This process will be described in greater detail next week.
I will note that many universities across the country are following a similar model, so this alternative system is unlikely to damage your long-term prospects. Everyone else is in the same boat, and this is only one semester in your college career.
We will have more to share in the coming weeks. But please do not hesitate to reach out to me for help. My virtual office hours are listed on the Student Resources page of the College’s COVID-19 site.
Stay well,
Joanna Millunchick
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Message From The Provost:
Dear students and faculty,
I’m writing tonight to share a brief but important message regarding undergraduate course grading policies for the Ann Arbor campus for the remainder of the winter term.
Due to the unique academic and personal challenges our students are experiencing this semester in regard to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all undergraduate courses will transition to an alternative grading policy in which faculty enter traditional letter grades, but students receive either “Pass,” or “No Record Covid” on their permanent transcripts.
Students who receive a “Pass,” or “P,” will receive the full course credit. The grade cut-off for a “P” will be the same as the traditional grade minimum for students to receive course credit, which is a C-.
Students who are interested will be able to request that their “P” for a course be converted to a letter grade through a process that will be described in greater detail in the weeks to come. Such requests must be made by July 1.
Students who receive “No Record Covid,” or “NRC,” will receive no course credit, but their grade point average will not be affected. Language will be added to transcripts explaining the university’s policy this term.
This new policy also applies to undergraduates enrolled in graduate courses, but would not apply to classes graded before March 10.
Lastly, the university will institute a more flexible withdrawal policy, allowing students to withdraw from a course up until April 21 and not have the course appear on their transcript.
We plan to share additional information regarding graduate and professional coursework grading policies next week.
While other institutions across the nation have adopted similar policies on grading, it is undoubtedly an unprecedented step for the University of Michigan. But these are unprecedented times, and I appreciate your flexibility.
You should expect to receive additional information and guidance from your school or college next week. In the meantime, remember that https://coronavirus.umich.edu/ is our hub for all news and updates regarding the ongoing COVID-19 situation.
Please take good care of yourselves, and those around you, during this challenging time.
Susan M. Collins
Acting Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs