Both the NVU-Johnson and Lyndon Faculty Assemblies have approved a motion to allow students to select a pass/fail option until the end of the academic term, meaning the last day of final exams.
“The same thing goes for late withdrawals. Usually, there is a withdrawal period after which you need to go through Academic Status [committee] and appeal for a late withdrawal, and we waved that as well,” said Professor of Writing and Literature Tyrone Shaw, who is also the NVU-Johnson Faculty Assembly chair.
“Even if it only benefits a few students, then why not at this point? This is an extraordinary time. I have never seen students so stressed in my 27 years here,” Shaw said.
He added that Administration, staff and faculty agree that these are extraordinary circumstances, and the University needs to be as flexible as it can be in providing a smooth pathway for students to graduate.
“If the regular policies regarding withdrawals and pass/fail options are an obstacle right now, we ought to take that into consideration,” Shaw said. “Perhaps we ought to consider making this standing policy going forward post-COVID.”
In order to get the option of pass or fail, the student must receive a grade of D- or higher. Whether the University wants to provide this as an option in the future remains undetermined.