The University of Wyoming added another installment to the COVID-19 saga, and some students are not quite sure what to make of it.
On March 26, the Board of Trustees approved a change to allow students to shift from conventional grading to a “S/U” system in light of all the changes taking place with regards to classes. S/U is an abbreviation for satisfactory/unsatisfactory, a system which mirrors the pass/fail system at many other universities.
At UW, the S/U system is mostly used as “an option for UW students to take courses in subject matter areas outside their majors and related fields so that their academic experience may be broadened, without harming their grade-point averages” according to a UW press release posted on March 26.
“We believe the optional ‘S/U’ or ‘pass/fail’ grading strategy will ease the necessary transitions into remote course delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic, relieve undue stress and promote strong engagement,” said UW Provost Kate Miller.
Students will have until April 17 to submit requests to change from conventional grading to “S/U grading under the new policy, which applies to all undergraduate and graduate coursework, not just elective courses” the press release stated.
This is not a flick-of-the-switch transition however. Students are required to consult with, and gain approval from, advisors and instructors in order for this change to take effect. This option will be limited until April 17, with more information to be found on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
University of Wyoming student and graduate teaching assistant Madi Clark represents many student mindsets when they express mixed opinions on the new grading option.
“As a student, I was at first relieved when I read about the option to use S/U. I’m in a challenging class this semester that covers a subject I’ve always struggled with. I was having a hard time with it in person, so when the announcement was made to change to online the rest of the semester I panicked about that class and being able to pass it, let alone get a good grade in it,” Clark said.
In the end, her decision as a student was helped by her instructors.
“I contacted the instructor about changing to the S/U grading and they were very reasonable and comforting, explaining that they know I put in effort and do my assignments, and as long as I continue doing that my grade will reflect it. So, I ended up not changing to the S/U for that course,” Clark said.
As an instructor, however, her implementation of the S/U system has yet to be needed.
“As an instructor, I have not had any students request a change to the S/U [system]. That being said, they still have until April 17 to notify me if they want to change. A majority of the points for the class I teach come in from the final assignment, so I let my students know and I try to reassure them that they can get a good grade in my class as long as they do their best on the final assignment,” Clark said.
Only time will tell how many students decide that a pass/fail is a better system than the previous letter grade system. After all, things have certainly changed a bit with classes being online and human interaction becoming an extreme sport.
But Clark said she is confident this is the right option for the university to be providing.
“I do think this a fair option for the University to implement for students during this time when many are faced with unprecedented changes and challenges. I think it has to be analyzed on a case-by-case and class-by-class basis to decide if it’s the best option for a student,” Clark said.
While this situation is temporary, it is important to remember that both students and instructors are struggling to adapt to this complicated system. After all, this is the only time in recent memory that entire student populations have been herded into online classes.
“Many courses are not close to being the same online as they would have been in person the rest of the semester. The class I teach is hands-on and requires human interaction to receive the full experience. A couple of [the classes I take] are the same way. Though it’s better than having to call off school completely and I’m sure students are still learning, this situation is not ideal, and I look forward to the day when we get to be back in our full classrooms,” Clark said.
Until that day comes, everyone will just have roll with the sneezes.
