Office of the Assemblies

Dear Joe,

 

Thank you for conveying to me Resolution 59: Support of the Universal S/U Grading System for the Remainder of the Spring 2020 Semester.

 

I appreciate the concern the Student Assembly expressed about the impact of COVID-19 on students and the assembly’s desire to alleviate stress by adopting a universal S/U grading policy for the semester. However, the provost, as noted in his April 5 communication to undergraduate students, after carefully considering this proposal and input from the Faculty Senate, decided to maintain a choice-based grading system that offers maximum flexibility without penalty rather than impose a single solution for all students.

 

For the spring 2020 semester, the deadline for students to drop or change the grading basis of a course has been extended to the last day of instruction, May 12. Between May 13 and the last day of the semester, May 23, students will be able to petition to change the grading basis of any course or withdraw with a W notation on their transcript.

 

I can assure you that all options were considered and that the final decision was informed by a careful assessment of a wide range of factors. It is important to recognize that some of these factors are unique to Cornell and do not apply to the other colleges and universities that adopted universal S/U or P/F grading policies.

 

Thank you again for your concern and for your understanding of the complexities of this decision.

 

Sincerely,

Martha Pollack

 

Martha E. Pollack

President, Cornell University

300 Day Hall

Ithaca, NY 14853

Tel: 607-255-5201