(Originally published on December 4, 2020)
In recognition of the continuing difficulties resulting from the global pandemic, the Emory College Faculty Senate has voted to allow for limited additional flexibility in academic relief options for students in both the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters. For the spring 2021 semester, students will have a similar option for changing one course from graded to S/U until the end of classes.
The purpose of allowing students to change grading basis at this late date is to provide relief to students who have struggled this semester due to the circumstances related to the pandemic and online learning. Since S/U grades are not counted in the grade point average, it can ease the stress of a particular class this semester. If you apply this to a course you originally planned to use as a GER, you would then need to take a different class to fulfill that GER in the future. This process may apply for some major classes too—taking a class this semester as S/U and replacing it with another class towards the requirement in a future semester (please check with your major advisor before completing the form). The intent here is to help provide short-term academic relief for a course that is not going well this semester while upholding the degree requirements on the long-term.
There are several medical schools and health professional programs who have a Covid-19 pandemic special notice on their website that reads taking a pre-requisite pass/fail for the Spring/Summer/Fall 2020 and possibly even into Spring 2021 will not be held against an applicant, but we cannot speak unilaterally for all programs. Each medical school or health professional program will have the ability to independently be flexible or maintain traditional standards for prerequisites as it pertains to accepting pass/fail grades. In addition, some major requirements do not accept pass/fail for science classes. It is advised to keep your grade in a course, specifically science courses, to maintain progress for graduation and graduate admission requirements. Each student must do what is best for them.