Campus family
I am very proud of the way you have all worked hard and adapted quickly to make the best of the challenging situation we have faced this semester.
We are committed to helping you finish your courses successfully. After much discussion and carefully reviewing proposals, surveys, and votes from both the Student Senate and the Faculty Senate, we approved an alternate grading policy that allows some flexibility in the way your grades are reported for undergraduate courses in the Spring 2020 semester.
“Credit/no credit” option
After your professors have entered your final grades for the semester, you will have the option to change your letter grade on to a “credit” or “no credit” option depending on your grade in that course.
Here’s the breakdown:
- “Credit” = A, A-, B+, B, B-, C
- “No Credit” = C-, D+, D, D-, F
Reasons to choose the “credit/no credit” option
It’s about your GPA. The “credit” grade will give you credit for the course, but won’t impact your GPA. So if you received a “C” grade for a class, switching your grade to “credit” would give you credit for the course, but it won’t lower your GPA like a “C” grade might.
Similarly, if you received a “D” or “F” in a course, you could opt for the “no credit” option. You would not get credit for the course, but it would not negatively impact your GPA.
Reasons NOT to choose the “credit/no credit” option
A “credit/no credit” grade option will not work in every case, and you’ll need to discuss your options with your academic advisor to make sure you make the choice that is best for you. Once you change a grade to “credit/no credit,” you won’t be able to switch it back.
Here are some reasons to stick with a letter grade:
- If you are taking a prerequisite course for a professional or graduate school that requires a certain letter grade for admission, they may not accept a “credit” grade in place of a letter grade.
- Some careers require certain letter grades for licensure. For example, some states don’t issue a nursing license if “credit/no credit” grades are recorded on a transcript.
- Choosing a “no credit” option for a course means you might have to retake the course if it is required for your degree program.
- A “credit/no credit” grade may not be recognized if you choose to transfer to another college.
How to request a “credit/no credit” grade
Your professors will complete grading and assign a final letter grade for your courses as usual. After you review your grades, you may choose to petition to switch any of your courses to a “credit/no credit” grade.
You first need to consult with your academic advisor or program director to make sure that changing your grade is the best option for you. You’ll then need to connect with the Records Office to fill out the appropriate paperwork. You have until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, to petition to change a Spring 2020 undergraduate course grade from a letter grade to a “credit/no credit” grade.
You can read the policy here.
Moving forward
I know the semester has been challenging, and this alternate grade policy may not be the outcome that all of you were hoping for. Many students and faculty spent a lot of time reviewing all the options and in the end, we believe this option provides the right balance between allowing flexibility in the face of all the upheaval of this semester while still maintaining the academic integrity of a Union College education.
You are all in my prayers as you finish up these last couple of weeks in the semester. I know God will bless as you prepare for finals.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Blessings to you,
Vinita Sauder
President, Union College
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