The University Insider is The Daily’s first faculty and staff-oriented newsletter. This weekly newsletter will give U-M faculty and staff the ability to see the most important issues on campus and in Ann Arbor — particularly those related to administrative decisions — from the perspective of an independent news organization. It will also provide a better understanding of student perspectives.
In an email sent to students Friday morning, Interim Provost Susan Collins provided updates to students on grading plans for the remainder of the winter semester.
According to the email, the Rackham Graduate School will adopt alternative grading, including a more flexible withdrawal policy and a “Satisfactory” or “No record Covid” grading system. Collins also elaborated on her March 20 announcement, reiterating that undergraduates will have until July 1 to decide to unmask Pass/No Record Covid grades, through a process on Wolverine Access that will be announced toward the end of the term.
“The Registrar’s Office will provide a means to make these requests through Wolverine Access Student Business,” Collins wrote. “During the grade-conversion process, students will have the opportunity to see their letter grade prior to deciding whether to reveal the grade and have it included in their GPA calculation.”
Collins acknowledged the difficult transition to online instruction for both faculty and students and expressed gratitude to the University of Michigan community for adjustments made over the last two weeks.
“The policy changes I’ve shared in this message have been implemented to acknowledge the pressures students are facing and to offer as much flexibility as possible as they continue contributing to the teaching, research and patient care missions of the university,” she said.
In an email Monday, University President Mark Schlissel announced that classes scheduled for spring and summer semesters would also be conducted online.
Schlissel acknowledged that certain programs could be subject to cancellation as they cannot be adequately delivered remotely.
“This decision aligns with our ongoing efforts to respond to the pandemic, by maintaining this critical part of our mission while encouraging social distancing,” Schlissel wrote. “In conjunction with our provost’s offices, I ask schools and colleges to prioritize offering programs and coursework that allows current students to keep working toward their degrees and not fall behind.”
Daily News Editor Ben Rosenfeld can be reached at bbrosenf@umich.edu