Important Information: New Pass/Fail Policy and Academic Calendar Dates
(Corrected)
March 21, 2020
Dear Students,
I know the past weeks have not been anything like what you thought your spring semester at Brandeis would be. The rapid move from in-person to online teaching, combined with the closure of the library, research labs, and studios, has profoundly affected the nature of your Brandeis experience this semester. Working with our academic committees and deans we have adopted the following changes in Brandeis policies to help ameliorate at least a few of these challenges that you are facing. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your academic advisor, school dean, or me if you have any questions about the following modifications to our academic policies.
New Pass/Fail Option for Spring 2020 Semester
Undergraduates will be allowed to cover Spring 2020 grades that are C- or higher with a “P”. There will be no cap on the number of Spring 2020 courses that can be covered with a “P”, and the use of a “P” for Spring 2020 courses will not count toward the overall cap of 4 that undergraduates are allowed in their career.
All other restrictions on the use of “P” grades will still apply:
-
Only one course graded with a “P” may be used to fulfill a general university requirement, regardless of whether the student chooses this option in Spring 2020 or in another semester.
-
A “P” grade may not be used towards University Writing Seminars, digital literacy, writing-intensive and oral communication requirements. No more than one course (and never the final one) in a language sequence may be taken pass/fail if the language is being offered in satisfaction of the world languages and cultures requirement.
-
Courses taken pass/fail will not satisfy major or minor requirements.
Once grades are posted for Spring 2020 courses, undergraduates may email passfail@brandeis.edu to request covering the grade with a “P” (if the grade is a C- or better). Graduating seniors must make the request by Monday, May 18, 2020. All other undergraduates must make the request by October 15, 2020.
Important Calendar Changes for This Semester
-
The last day to add a Module 2 course is now March 30.
-
The last day to drop a course with a W (undergraduates) and the last day to drop a course or change to an audit (graduate students) is now April 13.
-
The April Passover Break is amended so that there will be no university exercises including scheduled instruction time, assignments, or exams from Noon April 8 – April 10 as well as from April 15-16
-
Early registration in the School of Arts and Sciences for Fall 2020 will run from April 21-24.
Your faculty have been heroic in quickly re-imagining their courses for an online platform. Some faculty have found the move to online easier than others and I suspect quite a few may be grateful for a few constructive suggestions from you on how to improve their teaching in this new online mode. We are all learning together on this front! We also recognize that you no longer have the privilege of sharing the same on-campus access to secure, reliable, widely accessible, high-speed internet service. Emergency funds continue to be available for students who face unanticipated needs due to these changes. Students who wish to access the fund can email emergencyfunds@brandeis.edu.
The loss of community as we now physically distance from each other is palpable, and the ongoing concern we have for those at risk for their lives from COVID-19 is shared by all in the Brandeis community. In addition, it is difficult to process the reality of so many people around the world who have had their livelihoods snatched out from underneath them in almost an instance. I have no easy answers for you other than to urge you to think of innovative ways to reach out and provide mutual support to all in need at this unprecedented time. I know that with your Brandeis education and values you are prepared to take on this global challenge.
Be safe and send some virtual hugs to friends and family after you read this note,
Lisa
Lisa M. Lynch, Provost