Courses Made Optionally Pass Credit/No Credit by Provost for Spring 2020 Semester

Frostburg State University students were alerted to a change in undergraduate course grading for the Spring 2020 semester by email on Tuesday, March 24. The announcement was made by Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Elizabeth A. Throop:

In light of the unprecedented move to online education this spring, we are making changes to our grading policies for this semester to provide you with more options. This term, if you choose, you may select to switch from a regular letter grade (A-F) to a Pass for Credit (PC)/No Credit (NC) grade. This is a bit different than Pass/Fail grading. A PC grade is just like a P grade—we have just changed the grading symbol for record-keeping purposes. But a No Credit (NC) grade is different from an F grade. An NC grade means you will not receive credit for the course, but it will not count against your GPA and you will not have an F on your transcript. If you are comfortable with the grade you think you will earn, you do not need to do anything.

A longer explanation of the change, as well as a FAQ guide accompanied the announcement. 

In layman’s terms, the change in course grading allows for students to choose for themselves whether the letter grade they earn, or a PC, or an NC appear on their transcript. Classes will, for the most part, continue online with modifications determined by the individual professor. At the end of the term, letter grades will be assigned to a student’s work and sent to the registrar, as always. The only change will be that those students who have requested a PC or NC grade will have that designation placed on their transcript, rather than the letter grade. This has implications for a student’s grade point average  

Frostburg is not the first institution in the University System of Maryland to adopt this practice. On Monday, March 23, the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) emailed students to announce a similar change, though the UMBC plan extended the deadline to choose PC/NC further out than Frostburg’s Friday, April 17th deadline. 

Prior to Provost Throop’s announcement, a petition of FSU students sought to ask the administration to offer optional pass/fail for students. 

The petition, which reached nearly 1,250 signatures as of press time, was signed by students, faculty, staff, community members, and parents. Many left comments justifying their signatures. 

Valerie Rivers-Bethel wrote, “this semester for students in schools has been like no other time in our recent history. This should be made as an option for students because of this circumstance.”

“This [semester] is too disruptive to expect ‘the best presentation of our potential,’” wrote David Lohff. 

“Students deserve academic equity,” wrote Smitha Mahesh. 

Indeed, the petition spoke to a need for academic equity. “Many students will not be learning in abusive home environments, some have become full-time caregivers for younger siblings who are not in school, others face financial uncertainty, and all students are experiencing dramatic changes that could impact their mental health,” wrote the petitioners.

The petition cites The Chronicle of Higher Education which called for colleges and universities to make courses pass/fail in an op-ed by Allison Stanger.

Prior to the announcement, faculty and staff had begun to react to the petition and proposed change. 

Holly Clark, a Student Development Specialist in the TRIO Student Support Service office, said she was “intrigued” by the idea of courses being optionally pass/fail.

“I certainly think it would relieve some of the stress for students who now find themselves living and working in less than ideal circumstances. I’ve had multiple students already contact me with concerns they won’t be able to work to their normal ability at home and one who is ready to just drop everything because of her home environment. The pass/fail option would help some of those students for sure,” Clark said.

Holly Veith, Director of Disability Support Services, echoed Clark’s sentiment, “Many of my students are facing additional difficulties and experiencing worry and anxiety over how the semester will play out. I know that our faculty are working hard to plan given the difficult circumstances, and I think the Pass/Fail option would be a great way to bridge the gap.”

Dr. William Wetherholt, a professor in the Department of Geography, advocated for a flexible grading scheme. “For some students, this is likely an ideal situation to salvage what they can of an incredibly disruptive semester,” he said. 

He further assured his commitment to student learning, however, “All I can control right now is providing an online environment for my students that is as informational, flexible, and organized as possible.  We’re all in this together.”

Following Provost Throop’s announcement, students took to social media to praise the decision saying, “good job Frostburg” and “I like this option Frostburg.”

Faculty also expressed satisfaction with the change. 

Tracy Edwards, the Coordinator for the Sustainability Studies minor and Lecturer in the Department of Geography, said she was “thrilled” that FSU is supporting this decision, “and looks forward to communicating the information with [her] classes.” 

Dr. Eleanor McConnell in the Department of History agrees that this is a good idea and a “social justice issue.” She cites that many other colleges are considering similar measures and that the options laid out by the Provost “is the way to go.” 

Provost Throop says that her decision was in response to “an unprecedented situation” and felt that “flexibility all around is crucial.”

“My focus is on student success, always!” she says, “and I think the FSU faculty is similarly focused.”

Ultimately, students should contact their academic advisor about whether to accept a PC or NC grade for the semester, as each student has a highly individualized circumstance which may include financial repercussions. Moreover, a student may determine which courses they receive a letter grade and which they receive an PC/NC for. Thus, it is vital to schedule a virtual appointment with advisors well before the Friday, April 17 deadline.