WCU Reinstates Its Original COVID-19 Alternative Grading Policy Prior to Finals: Students Can Use For Entire 2020-2021 Academic Year
As the pandemic’s intensity increases, many are coping with added worries and burdens. To lessen high levels of stress experienced by students due to this nationwide disruption, West Chester University is reinstating the original COVID-19 Alternative Grading Policy that it implemented last spring. Effective immediately, this flexible COVID-19 Alternative Grading Policy will be applied to all semesters in the 2020-2021 academic year. One week after grades have been posted for the semester, WCU’s grading policy will allow for undergraduate and graduate students to choose from two available grading options that will enable students to complete the semester successfully without fear of negatively impacting grade point averages (GPAs). The announcement comes before students begin to prepare for final exams.
“The University understands that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues unabated and, in many ways, has increased in its disruption since the start of the fall semester. We realize that the stresses of this reality are causing students to be more anxious and stressed than ever before,” stated an email message sent to WCU students, faculty, and staff on November 12 by WCU President Chris Fiorentino, Provost Laurie Bernotsky, Deputy Provost Jeffrey Osgood, and Chair and Vice Chair of the Curriculum and Academic Policies Council Francis Atuahene and Josh Auld.
“When we implemented the COVID-19 grading policy this past spring, we found that students ultimately ended up performing better when compared to previous springs semesters. Many of us believe that this was because the policy provided students with the opportunity to focus on learning instead of worrying so much about their grades. It is in this context that we are announcing that the COVID-19 Alternative Grading Policy adopted for the spring 2020 semester will be applied to the entire 2020-2021 academic year (fall 2020, winter 2020/21, spring 2021, and summer 2021 terms).”
“Our shared governance groups have come together to support the adoption and implementation of this policy, and we could not be prouder of the faculty and staff who worked to author this document,” the University-wide email acknowledged. “From a procedural perspective, this was approved by the Curriculum and Academic Policies Council Executive Committee, a group empowered to make decisions between the body’s Assembly meetings. The University’s primary shared governance leadership was also consulted, including the President of the WCU Chapter of APSCUF, the Faculty Senate President and Immediate Past President, and the Chair and Co-Chair of the Council of Chairs.”
Highlights of WCU’s COVID-19 Alternative Grading Policy can be found below:
For Undergraduate Students
On a course-by-course basis, and one week after grades have been posted, undergraduate students will have the option to select one of the following grading options:
Option 1:
- A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, and C- will continue to be recorded and will impact a student’s GPA.
Option 2:
- A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, and C- will be recorded as “satisfactory” and will not impact a student’s GPA.
In addition, the following will be applicable for all undergraduate students:
- D+, D, and D- will automatically be converted to “credit earned,” will count as credit earned for the course and have no impact on a student’s GPA. If the course serves as a prerequisite and has a minimum grade requirement for future courses, “credit earned” will not satisfy those minimum grade requirements.
- F will automatically be converted to “no credit earned,” will not count as having successfully completed the course and have no impact on a student’s GPA.
For Graduate Students
On a course-by-course basis, and one week after grades have been posted, graduate students will have the option to select one of the following grading options:
Option 1:
- A, A-, B+, B, and B- will continue to be recorded and will impact a student’s GPA.
Option 2:
- A-, B+, B, and B- will be recorded as “satisfactory” and will not impact a student’s GPA.
The following will be applicable for all students regardless of the option they select:
- C+, C, and C- will automatically be converted to “credit earned,” will count as credit earned for the course and have no impact on a student’s GPA. If the course serves as a prerequisite and has a minimum grade requirement for future courses, “credit earned” will not satisfy those minimum grade requirements.
- F will automatically be converted to “no credit earned,” will not count as having successfully completed the course and have no impact on a student’s GPA. However, an F will still result in an automatic dismissal. Upon petition by the student or the approval of the Graduate Coordinator, the automatic dismissal may be waived.
Learn more about the COVID-19 Alternative Grading Policy
Visit the WCU COVID-19 website