Change to grading policy for Spring 2020

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your swift consideration of the proposal to adjust immediately the policy on the S/N grading option. Feedback from faculty, faculty governance leaders, academic administrators and staff, along with continuing communications from students, suggests we should proceed with this adjustment in policy. Additional specific details concerning implementation are being worked out, but the general lineaments are as described last night:

First, all students in undergraduate classes on all campuses will have the opportunity to change their grade basis from A/F to S/N (satisfactory/not satisfactory) for an unlimited number of spring 2020 full term and/or B-term (second half of term) courses. In addition, courses taken as S/N during this period will be accepted for major (and minor) requirements.

Second, each school or college will determine whether all of their graduate and professional level courses will include an option for students to change their grade basis from A/F to S/N (satisfactory/not satisfactory) for any number of spring 2020 and/or B-term (second half of term) courses. Final decisions will be the responsibility of the dean of the school or college offering the courses, and should be informed by the nature and needs of their degree programs, accreditation requirements, and norms and expectations.

Again, all students for whom such an option will be available will be reminded that their own decision on this matter may be complex, and they will be strongly encouraged to consult with their program advisors to consider the issues that might bear on a decision to switch to the S/N option.

Sincerely,

Karen Hanson
Executive Vice President and Provost

email sent to all Twin Cities faculty and instructors on Thursday, March 11 at 9:35 p.m.