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Dear Governors State University Student,
I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe, as you follow Governor Pritzker’s “Stay-at-Home” directive. We know that Illinois will be sheltering in place until at least April 30.
When we welcomed the New Year in January, we never imagined the challenges we are facing this spring. The faculty and staff of Governors State University recognize your diligence, integrity, and flexibility.
To match your can-do spirit, we are announcing today a temporary adjustment to University Policy 26, Section III. L.—Pass/No Pass/No Credit—along with a later date for requests for this grading option. In addition, the University has modified the instructions for requesting an incomplete grade (Policy 26, Section III. F.)
These changes pertain to Spring and Summer 2020. While some of you are adjusting to new modes of course delivery, we want to reduce stress wherever we can, as you engage in the highest quality remote instruction.
The following are guidelines for students for the temporary modifications to Policy 26:
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY
Pass/No Credit Grade Options
· Students can request to change their course grade option from a letter grade to a grade of P (pass)/NC (no credit) for any GSU approved General Education course or for any program elective course.
· Students must consult with their Academic Advisors before making this decision. This request must take place prior to May 1, 2020 for Spring 2020 semester, and prior to August 3, 2020 for Summer 2020 Session. Students, in consultation with their Academic Advisors, will decide whether switching to a P/NC grade is the appropriate choice. Advisors will then inform the University Registrar of the approved decision.
· Although the Junior Seminar and Senior Capstone courses are part of the GSU General Education curriculum, they are also program level courses required for degree completion. A request for a P/NC grade for either of these courses must be approved by the Program Coordinator and the course instructor. The request must be made prior to or by May 1, 2020, for spring semester, and by August 3, 2020, for summer session.
· By selecting the P/NC option a grade of P will be posted for letter grades of A, B, or C. Grades of D or F will be posted as NC for the General Education courses. Program level courses may have accreditation requirements that identify different letter grades as equivalent to a pass (e.g. A or B will = Pass; C-F = No Credit). When seeking approval for the P/NC option for program level courses as identified in Policy 26, the student should be aware of these variances.
· Courses taken as Pass/No Credit will meet pre-requisite requirements for upper level courses and permit students to enroll in such courses with a grade of “P” so as not to lengthen progress toward degree completion. This is consistent with the joint Guidance Statement of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), and the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) regarding transfer of IAI coursework during the COVID-19 outbreak.
· Students currently on academic probation during the Spring 2020 semester will be allowed to take courses as Pass/No Credit and extend their probationary period by one semester (through fall semester 2020).
· GSU transcripts will include information on the transcript key to indicate the extraordinary circumstances encountered in the Spring 2020 semester and Summer 2020 Session.
GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Request for an Incomplete
· The process for requesting a grade of Incomplete will remain as stated in Policy 26 Section F, with the exception of expanding the due date. Your course instructor will set the due date, which can be set beyond the typical two-weeks after the last day of the term.
· In the event that the incomplete course work cannot be completed by the posted date agreed upon between the student and course instructor, the student must request an extended incomplete, with a new end date for the extended incomplete identified by the course instructor. All incompletes must be changed to a letter grade prior to graduation.
Request to Withdraw from a Course
· Beginning Tuesday, April 13, 2020, students will have the ability to withdraw from a Spring 2020 class as identified in Policy 6. Students should consult with their Academic
Advisors before taking this action. The deadline to withdraw from individual spring 2020 classes has been extended to Friday, May 1, 2020, 8AM.
I wish you the best of luck to you as you complete the Spring semester and get ready for summer study. The lessons you are learning this year will prepare you for other twenty-first century challenges.
Sincerely,
Dr. Elaine P. Maimon, President
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