69传媒

Dear AU Students,听

Thanks to our many discussions with you these past several weeks, we know that you are grappling with the many impacts of COVID-19鈥攊n your personal lives, in your communities, and in your academic work. You have told us that navigating these challenges has become increasingly taxing, that 鈥淶oom fatigue鈥� is real, and that you are feeling increased anxiety about your academic success.听听听

We hear you and want to help release some of those pressures. To that end, and with the concurrence of the Faculty Senate, we have decided to extend a听辫补谤迟颈补濒听Pass/Fail option听to most 69传媒 University students 69传媒听both the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. This partial option would allow:听

• Most undergraduate students to convert听辞苍别听补诲诲颈迟颈辞苍补濒听course from an A-F grade to a Pass/Fail grade (or vice versa)听after听each semester is complete and final grades have been posted;
• Most graduate students to convert听one听course from an A-F grade to a Pass/Fail grade听after听each semester is complete and final grades have been posted.

Undergraduate and graduate students will be able to听exercise this option 69传媒 a set 5-day period after grades post. Once this window is closed, you will no longer be able to execute a grade type change. For Fall 2020 grades, this period will occur in early January. (The University Registrar will provide an electronic form.)听

This decision to allow students to elect the grade type change after the grade has been posted will allow you to make this decision with full information about your progress. We hope that this flexibility will give you听ample time to consider the pros and cons of electing a grade type change and urge you to consult with advisors and faculty听in making your decision. They will help you weigh the impact of one or more P/F grades on your immediate academic profile and progress, as well as on career opportunities in your field of study (e.g., in applications to graduate/professional schools and future jobs).听

Please see below for additional, important details on these new temporary policies. We hope that these Pass/Fail options provide you relief as you navigate your courses 69传媒 this difficult time and urge you to carefully consider the impact of this opportunity for you, personally.听

Peter Starr
Acting Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Jessica Waters
Dean of Undergraduate Education and Vice Provost for Academic Student Services

Wendy Boland
Dean of Graduate Studies

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Undergraduate Students:

During both the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, undergraduate students may exercise the option for Pass/Fail grades in听two courses per semester.

• 笔别谤听current regulations,听one of these P/F grades may be for an听elective听肠辞耻谤蝉别.
• With the policy change, you may听补濒蝉辞听elect a grade type change for听one additional听elective/major/minor/Gen Ed/Core course.
• Both of these grade type changes can be made after the grade for the course has been entered (using a grade type change form that will be available to you after the semester ends, in the beginning of January).
• If you have already opted for Pass/Fail in a course this semester it will count as one of the two permitted Pass/Fail courses for the Fall semester.听You will not be able to select the second course until after final grades have posted.听

Some students may have听unique circumstances听(including, but not limited to, requirements related to the International Accelerator Program, federal aid or scholarship regulations, and probation or progression standards)听that will impact their ability to move a course to Pass/Fail. We strongly encourage you to consult with your financial aid advisor and academic advisor to explore these issues.

We also want to remind you of a prior policy change that provides additional flexibility. In recognition of the challenges students may face this year, the Faculty Senate has approved changes to the previously named 鈥淔reshman Forgiveness Policy,鈥� now entitled the 鈥淐ourse Repetition and Grade Replacement Policy.鈥� In addition to the deliberate name change to remove gendered language, the expanded policy allows undergraduate students to听retake any two AU courses (over the course of their time at AU) in which they have earned a C- or lower for a grade replacement at any point 69传媒 their undergraduate career at AU听(the previous policy limited grade replacement to courses taken in the first 30 credits). The policy has also been expanded to permit transfer students and part-time degree-seeking students to retake a course for a grade replacement. For complete regulation details, please refer to听Regulation 4.4听of the听Undergraduate Academic Rules and Regulations.

Please also remember that, if you have personal or medical circumstances that are impacting your academic progress, you can work with your advisor and the Dean of Students Office to review academic options.

Graduate Students:

During both the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters,听most graduate students may听convert听one听course听from an A-F grade to a Pass/Fail grade after each semester is complete and final grades have been posted. For graduate students in an online program that is comprised of 4 terms or a Fall I and Fall II semester, students will be able to select听one听course across the two relevant terms (for Fall 2020 either Fall I & II or T3 & T4) to convert to a P in the period designated in January.

This option is听not available to students at the Washington College of Law or in the Master鈥檚 Accelerator Program. Furthermore, other students may have unique circumstances (including, but not limited to, federal aid or scholarship regulations, and probation or progression standards) that will impact their ability to move a course to Pass/Fail. We strongly encourage you to consult with your academic advisor to explore these issues.

While the majority of graduate courses will convert a C grade to a P, several courses, such as many graduate capstone courses, explicitly require a grade higher than a C. These courses will continue to require that higher grade in order to receive a P.

Please also remember that, if you have personal or medical circumstances that are impacting your academic progress, you can work with your advisor and the Dean of Students Office to review academic options.