(A message from Dr. Bruce Barnhart, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs)

To our students,

On Monday, March 30, all Cal U classes will be back in session. And for the first time in the University’s history, all graduate and undergraduate students will be learning entirely online or via some other form of distance learning.

This situation is unprecedented – but it shouldn’t be worrisome. To ease concerns about grades in this new environment, Cal U is making a Pass/No Credit option available for your courses.

Here’s how it will work:

1. Faculty will grade your coursework as outlined in the course syllabus. In other words, your professor will give you a final letter grade (A, B, C, D or F) for your course.
2. You can apply for Pass/NoCredit grading before you see your final letter grade, or up to one week after your final letter grade is posted.
3. You must complete a P/NC Grade Request Form for each course to request the change to Pass/No Credit grading for that course. The form to use is here and also available on the Cal U website on the Current Students Resource page. (Look under Academic Resources for the “Request Pass/NC Grade Form.”)
4. Your faculty adviser or department chair and the College dean must approve your P/NC request. (Note: Some courses cannot be graded Pass/No Credit because of accreditation requirements or other reasons.)
5. Once final grades are received in the Registrar’s Office, those with Pass/No Credit requests that are approved by your faculty adviser/department chair and dean will be converted to P/NC grades. Grades of A, B, C and D will be converted to Pass; grades of F will be converted to No Credit.
6. A grade of NC (No Credit) will not adversely affect your GPA.

Some of you have taken online courses before. For others, this will be a new experience. We understand that changing to a new style of learning may present some challenges, but your professors are ready to lend a hand. If you are having difficulties, please let them know right away so they can advise you.

Cal U is committed to working side by side with you to make this semester as productive as possible. We want to give you every opportunity to continue making progress toward an important goal – earning your Cal U degree.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Bruce Barnhart,
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs