UMD Offering Students Pass/Fail Option Due To Coronavirus

COLLEGE PARK, MD — Unless a student opts for a letter grade for the spring semester, all undergraduate classes at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) will receive pass/fail grades, according to a letter from UMD Senior Vice President and Provost Mary Ann Rankin. The decision was made as part of UMD's response to the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

After Gov. Larry Hogan recommended the University System of Maryland close for the rest of the semester on March 19, its board decided undergraduate instruction would be done remotely through the spring term. Commencement ceremonies will be canceled to comply with the governor's order that groups of more than 10 people may not gather for events.

The following is verbatim guidance from Rankin's letter:

All undergraduate courses in spring 2020 will be graded pass/fail unless the student elects to receive an earned grade for the course.

• All undergraduate courses in spring 2020 will be graded pass/fail unless the student elects to receive an earned grade for the course.
  • Students will have the opportunity to choose to receive an earned letter grade in each class and may make that choice until the last day of spring semester classes. A new website is being created for this purpose.
  • The limit on pass/fail credits for the semester will be waived. Spring 2020 pass/fail courses will not count against the 12-credit pass/fail limit in a student's overall record.
  • The requirement for a C-minus or better in major, concentration, and Academic Writing courses will be waived for the semester.
  • The requirement that General Education courses be graded will also be waived.
  • Students on academic probation who do not elect to accept course grades will be continued to the next semester, since they cannot bring up their GPA with P grades.
  • The university moving to P/F grades will not jeopardize a student's financial aid eligibility.
• At the University of Maryland, a P includes any grade above an F. Students who barely pass a class should be aware that they may not be adequately prepared for subsequent courses that rely on prior knowledge of a subject.
• A P does not contribute to a student's GPA but an F does. Courses passed with a P do not count for GPA-based recognition, such as deans' lists or Latin Honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude) at graduation.
• Students should consult with their academic advisors about any possible consequences for graduate school admission, employment, scholarships, athletic eligibility, or other opportunities that might be affected by a decision to choose pass/fail vs a letter grade.
• The last day of classes, May 12, 2020, is also the last day to drop a course with a "W".
• A note will be included on student transcripts indicating the unusual circumstances prevailing in spring 2020.

Rankin encouraged students to continue visiting keeplearning.umd.edu for guidance and resources on how to switch to learning online.

Related:

• MD Coronavirus: Child Care Programs To Close Except One Type
• MD Casinos, Racetracks Ordered Closed By Gov. Hogan
• MD Coronavirus: Public Schools To Close, National Guard Activated