Office of
Academic Records

COVID-19 Grade Information for Spring 2020

FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE:
•   Pass/No Credit Grade Change
•   Advisor Approval for Pass/No Credit Grade Change

*UPDATE: In response to the feedback following the April 3 announcement of the pass/no credit option approval, Andrews University administration decided to extend the pass/no credit option to online and extension courses taken spring 2020. 

In this period of fear and uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand that you may have concerns about how you will transition to remote learning and, ultimately, how successful you will be in completing your spring semester 2020 coursework. After reviewing the actions of a growing number of institutions that have instituted emergency grading protocols, Andrews University’s administration and faculty have approved a pass/no credit option for students.

As a result, graduate and undergraduate students may elect, in consultation with their academic advisor, to receive a pass/no credit grade to apply to any spring 2020 course(s) that currently use the standard letter grades (A–F). *The pass/no credit option can be applied to main campus, online or extension course(s) but excludes self-paced distance courses with a section of 901. The conversion of the letter grade to the pass/no credit scale is:

Letter Grade Pass/No Credit Grade (UG) Pass/No Credit Grade (GR)
A, A-
B+, B, B-		 Pass (P) Pass (P)
C+, C, C- Pass (P)

Determined based on 
program standards & accreditation
*D
F		 no Credit (NC) No Credit (NC)
  • Undergraduate students: Students electing this option and receiving a “C-“ grade and higher will be issued a “P” grade. Students electing this option and receiving a grade of “D” or “F” will be issued an “NC” grade. A “D” grade counts toward degree completion for general education (ACE) and general electives courses.
  • Graduate students: Students electing this option and receiving a “B-“ grade and higher will be issued a “P” grade. Students electing this option and receiving a grade of “D” or lower will be issued a “NC” grade. Since graduate programs have differing program standards and accreditation, a student receiving a grade of a C+, C, C- will need to consult with their program.

Spring 2020 Grade Options: While the pass/no credit option is now available, we encourage you to consider all grade options available to you. A summary of your options is noted below, and additional details with corresponding deadlines are found below:

  • Withdraw from the course (W) - option only available through April 14
  • Request an incomplete contract from your instructor (I)
  • A deferred grade (DG) is available for approved practicums, thesis and dissertations as noted in the bulletin
  • Receive the earned letter grade (A–F, S/U)
  • Elect for a pass/no credit grade with your advisor (P/NC)

Considerations: As you weigh the above options in light of the transition to remote learning, it is important for you to be aware of the implications before making a decision.

  • All grades will be listed on the transcript
  • Is there a minimum number of credits needed for you to maintain your status (full-time or half-time)?
    • International students require full-time status
    • Financial aid eligibility
  • Does this grade impact my GPA?
    • The following grades do not impact your GPA: AU/UA, P/NC, S/U, W
  • Does this grade count towards my total credits?
    • The following grades do not count towards your total credits: AU/UA, DG/I, F, NC, U, W
    • A “D” grade will count towards total credits on your transcript; however, the “D” grade may not count towards degree completion. If a “D” grade is earned, students may need to retake the course if the minimum grade requirement is higher than a D (see degree completion).
  • Does this grade count towards degree completion? What is the minimum grade needed in order to count towards my major, cognate, ACE, degree?
    • Consult with your academic advisor.
    • The following grades do not count towards degree completion: AU/UA, DG/I, F, NC, U, W
    • For undergraduate students, a “D” grade counts towards degree completion for general education (ACE) and general electives.
  • Does this grade negatively impact my satisfactory academic progress and financial aid eligibility?
    • Consult your Student Financial Services advisor to determine how this relates to your financial aid package.
    • Grades AU/UA, DG/I, F, U, W will negatively impact financial aid eligibility.
  • Is the course required for my degree? Is it a prerequisite? Will it impact the timely completion of my degree?
    • Refer to your academic bulletin for program requirements.
    • For questions regarding your program requirements or prerequisites, consult with your academic advisor.
  • Other considerations:
    • Percent of work completed
    • Strategies to raise grade: tutoring, etc.
    • Unforeseen circumstances
    • Stress level
    • Recurring grade issues

Process for Electing the Pass/No Credit Option:

  1. Faculty will be expected to submit the standard grades for all classes by Wednesday, May 6.
  2. Following the official posting of grades, students may elect the pass/no credit option for a course(s) which has an A–F grading option  excluding self-paced distance courses with a section of 901.
    • Students graduating May 2020 will have until Wednesday, May 13, to select the option. Once selected, students may not revert back to a letter grade.
    • All other students will need to elect for the option by Monday, June 15. Once selected, students may choose to revert back to a letter grade no later than Tuesday, June 30.
  3. A student should submit the request to their advisor using the COVID-19 Grade Change form, which will be available after grades are posted on May 7.
  4. Advisor approval may be dependent on the considerations noted above specifically as they relate to accreditation, prerequisite, program standards and degree completion.

Spring 2020 Grade Options

Consult with Advisor/Instructor

(click here to download a PDF version of this table)

Deadline to Choose Option Options Grade Listed on Transcript Things to Consider Before Making a Decision What Do I Need to Do?
Tuesday, April 14 Withdraw from a course W = Withdrawal
  • Non-attendance
  • Too far behind
  • Low grade and cannot reasonably recover
  • Heavy course load
  • Course not required
  • Maintain full-time/half-time status for international students or financial aid
  1. Student completes Drop/Add form to withdraw with a W.
  2. Advisor and instructor approval required on form.
  3. W grade automatically assigned through the system based on registration status.
Change from credit to audit AU = Satisfactory Audit
UA = Unsatisfactory
  • Attended at least 80% of the class and with expectation to do so until the end of the semester
  • Course not required

Availability: Audits are available for any course except private music lessions and independent study courses provided the instructor gives permission to attend.

  1. Student completes Drop/Add form to change from credit to audit.
  2. Advisor and instructor approval required on form.
  3. Faculty assigns AU/UA grade based on attendance in Vault.
Semester Ends: Thursday, April 30

Grade Submission Deadline for Faculty: Wednesday, May 6

Grades Posted Online: Thursday, May 7, end of day		 Course completed and grades submitted by Faculty A-F
S = Satisfactory
U = Unsatisfactory		 Ideal for course and degree completion Faculty assign grades based on student's performance.
I = Incomplete
  • Major portion of the work for the course has been completed
  • Student's work is incomplete because of illness or unavoidable circumstances
  • Incompletes cannot be assigned because of negligence or inferior performance
  1. Students request an incomplete option from instructor if major portion of the work has been completed.
  2. Instructor creates an agreed upon incomplete contract with student: default grade, deadline date, assignments needed.
  3. Instructor submits grades in Vault.

Note: The incomplete fee is waived for Spring 2020.
DG = Deferred Grade
DN = Deferred and Not Completable		 All DGs are required to be cleared before a student can graduate, unless they are DGs earned in another currently enrolled degree.

Availability: DGs are available for courses recognized to be of such a nature that all the requirements are not likely to be completed within one semester. Includes practicums (clinicals, fieldwork experiences, internships) and courses requiring research, such as theses and dissertations.

  1. Instructor submits DG grade and communicates deadline to student.
  2. After the deadline set by instructor, instructor may change the DG to a letter grade (A-F), S/U or DN as appropriate.
Student graduating in May: Wednesday, May 13 New: Elect for Pass/No Credit grade P = Pass
NC = No Credit
  • Academic goals: prerequisites; honors; removal from academic probation
  • Professional goals: licensure, graduate school, other
  • Financial implications: scholarships, veterans, financial aid
Note: For classes being repeated Spring 2020, letter grades from the previous course will be excluded from GPA calculation.

Availability: P/NCs are available for main campus courses with an A-F grading option.

  1. Student completes form to elect for pass/no credit grade.
  2. Advisor approval required.
Note: Once selected, a Spring 2020 graduating student may not revert back to a letter grade. All other students may revert back to a letter grade no later than Tuesday, June 30.
All other students: Monday, June 15

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