Dear Students,
I’m hopeful that your studies continue to go well. Please know that our faculty and staff are focused and working hard to support you and have your best interests at heart as we have all shifted to this unique situation.
Representatives of faculty governance, the deans, and I have been working diligently to develop policy changes in response to the uniqueness of the Spring 2020 semester.
Students will have the following class Pass/Fail (P/F) options for the Spring 2020 semester.
- The P/F grading option will be available to students enrolled in all undergraduate courses until Wednesday May 27, 2020 for Spring 2020 ONLY.
- Students may choose the P/F option for courses that use the normal grading mode (A - E) as follows:
- Any “All College Elective” where the course does not satisfy a specific requirement in the student’s degree program may be taken Pass/Fail;
- Any specific requirement where satisfactory completion only requires passing (D- or better) may be taken P/F; this includes courses that satisfy General Education and courses in certain majors/minors where C- is not required for the course;
- Courses where achieving a C- or better is required for the student’s degree program may NOT be taken Pass/Fail.
- If the student changes their major in the future to one where any course they received a P in spring 2020 requires a C- or better, we will revert to the grade awarded when the course was taken.
- Students who violate the Academic Integrity Policy will not have the option to opt for a P/F grade in that course.
Faculty will still assign a normal letter grade (A – E) at the end of the semester. Students will have the option to change the posted grade to a P/F. Academic programs will be communicating with their majors/minors regarding how this temporary policy change should be considered in relation to program requirements.
A temporary form to select the P/F option for a class in the Spring 2020 semester will be developed and made available to students on the Registrar’s website.
Taking a course as a P/F option may have implications on your future goals relating to graduate school, employment, etc. As such, it is extremely important that students make this decision with all of the relevant information. If you are considering taking one or more of your courses as a P/F option, please contact your academic advisor and discuss in order to fully understand the implications. Other issues to consider when considering P/F options include:
- Students will not be eligible for President's and Dean's lists if they have too many P/F grades. Current policy requires that students must have a minimum of twelve (12) graded credits to be eligible for President’s or Dean’s lists. We will maintain this current policy.
- There is a potential for students to have a zero Term GPA if they choose P/F for all of their courses. This can have Academic Standing implications causing the student to DQ or go on AP. We will permit such a student to return in fall 2020. There may be an impact on students getting TAP or PELL. Students must consider this very carefully before attempting to use the P/F option for all their courses.
- Based on guidance from Student Accounts and Financial Aids, there is no issue when a P grade is awarded as long the course satisfies a requirement, such as allowing progress toward completing 120 credits required for graduation.
- SUNY Oswego scholarships will not be affected by P/F decisions made by students during the Spring 2020 semester.
- Certain accrediting bodies may not accept P/F grades. Students should look for information from their programs and be in contact with their academic advisors regarding how this may affect their decisions.
- It is unclear at this point how certain graduate schools, programs, and employers may accept P/F grades. The best advice here to be in communication with your major academic advisor and get their input.
As already communicated, the course withdrawal date was extended to May 8, 2020. The withdrawal fee is also waived during this timeframe.
SUNY Oswego is putting all academic dismissals on “pause” for this semester. No one will be dismissed from the college for academic reasons. Students who may be struggling, please know we are here to help you be successful. The following are some of the resources available to you to help you succeed.
- Faculty and Staff – Your faculty and staff all want you to succeed. Even if we cannot physically be together we continue to be available through a range of remote and virtual means. Please call and/or write if you have questions or concerns about a range of issues including course issues, career options, and more.
- Advisement Center is here to help you in areas of academic planning and student success strategies
- Office of Learning Services (OLS) will provide you with tutoring in a range of courses; support through the Writing Center
- Counseling Services Center can provide virtual services and help
- Career Services can also provide virtual services and help related to career exploration and preparation
Please refer to this link for additional resources.
I’m extremely proud of how you have risen to this challenge. It has been an interesting semester for all of us to say the least, and I look forward to seeing you all back on campus when the current health crisis has subsided.
Remember we are #TogetherOz!
Scott R. Furlong
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs