Registrar's letter to students on amended Spring grading policy - April 8, 2020

Dear Students,

Following our move to online classes FMU is amending grading policies for Spring, Late Spring and Summer I classes.

Undergraduate students will have an option to choose Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) as an alternate to the traditional grading scale (A-F).

Graduate students should talk to their program coordinators regarding the applicability of this policy to professional programs.

Students can choose the new S/U option on a class-by-class basis.  Please note that an S/U grade will not be used in calculating GPAs, but students do earn the credit hours for any course passed with an S.  This may not be desirable if you are trying to improve your GPA.

To opt into a S/U grading system in Spring 2020, students must contact their instructor by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 20.  Decisions made at this point are final and it can’t be reversed for this semester.

Students who want to opt into the S/U system in Late Spring will need to contact instructors by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 15. For Summer I the decision time is 5 p.m. on Monday, June 8.

The choice is exclusively yours, but you might want to discuss this decision with your instructor and/or advisor as it may be to your advantage to stay with the regular grading system.

A grade of “S” will fulfill the grade requirements for all general education courses and will allow you to progress in a sequence of courses as a valid prerequisite. An S grade will be assigned for regular grades of C or above. A “U” grade will be assigned for regular grades of D or F.

This new grading option does not affect a student’s ability to request a W without penalty up until 5 p.m. on Monday, April 27.

FMU optional grade system deadlines

To opt for FMU’s S/U grading guidelines for the Spring semester, for the Late Spring semester, or for Summer I, students must notify instructors by the following times:

• Spring — 5 p.m. on Monday, April 20.
• Late Spring — 5 p.m. on Friday, May 15.
• Summer I — 5 p.m. on Monday, June 8.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Registrar’s Office (843-661-1175 or Registrar@fmarion.edu) if you have any questions.

Regards,

Ann Williams, Registrar