AA/14/AS/21/UEPC - Extension of 30/AS/20/UEPC Temporary Modification to University Grading Policies as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Effective Fall 2021

Whereas: Only 45% of residents of Stanislaus Country and only 49% of residents of San Joaquin County are fully vaccinated (as of 8/16/21); and

Whereas: Positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 and its subsequent variants are rising across the nation, in California, and in Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties; and

Whereas: By order of the President, in-person instruction and the re-population of campus for Fall 2021 has been delayed to October 1 “[i]n response to notable increases in COVID-19 cases locally due to the Delta variant of COVID-19, and the need to reduce potential exposures on campus.”; and

Whereas: The State of California continues to be impacted by extended wildfire seasons due to growing evidence of climate change expected to result in longer fire seasons with fires in the future that will be larger and more destructive; and

Whereas: Institutional data has shown that the CR/NC option has not harmed students’ progress toward degree;

Resolved: the CSU Stanislaus Senate shall update section “i” of AA 30/AS/20/UEPC Temporary Modification to University Grading Policies as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic  to include Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022; be it further

Resolved: all departments and programs shall keep a record of letter grades for each course to allow a grade change if necessary.  These records shall be kept for a period of at least five years; be it further

Resolved: this policy should be revisited each year until there are no longer pandemic conditions according to CDC and WHO and/or the long-term/consequential natural disasters impacting the work and learning environments of this campus have been mitigated through other policies or actions.

Rationale:  We, the students, faculty, staff, and administrators of the California State University, Stanislaus, continue to learn and work under extraordinary conditions.  We see anecdotal, news, and scientific reporting of the impact COVID-19 (and its variants) are having on students, colleagues, and their families, as well as the disruptions brought about by the increasingly expansive wildfire season and the associated hazardous air quality. 

CSU Stanislaus institutional research does not suggest the option is detrimental to student learning.  Less than 9% of students have utilized that grade modification option. The highest usage was during the most chaotic semester of the pandemic, Spring 2020.  Since that time less than 7% of students have utilized the option. 

• % of Undergrads with at least one grade option change to CR/NC
  • Spring 2020    8.5%
  • Fall 2020         5.7%
  • Spring 2021    6.9%

This change is warranted to emphasize the need to maintain the records for five years.

Given the stress and anxiety caused by the special circumstances that continue to impact our educational and work lives, we need to continue to ensure each of us retains our humanity and our humility in the face of the varied ways these special circumstances impact us based on our social locations, histories, and identities. 

We recognize we cannot achieve perfect equity but we can try.  This resolution is one way in which we can work together to ensure that our students have the greatest opportunities to deal with the challenges they face while achieving their educational goals. 

 

Related Policies and Procedures: AA 30/AS/20/UEPC Temporary Modification to University Grading Policies as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic   

Review History: Approved by the Academic Senate on September 21, 2021

Approved by President Ellen Junn on October 15, 2021

Academic Affairs Division has the primary responsibility for this policy.

Attachment(s): AA/14/AS/21/UEPC Extension of 30/AS/20/UEPC Temporary Modification to University Grading Policies as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic  

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