OCU officials recently decided to offer a credit/no-credit option for the spring semester due to the remote learning adjustment caused by COVID-19.
In the March 30 email to the campus community, officials said as they remain focused on the health and safety of the campus community during the COVID-19 pandemic, they will be offering a new credit/no-credit option for current students.
“It is important for students to consider the possible implications of electing the credit/no-credit option (e.g. on admission to graduate programs or external competitions). Your academic advisor is ready to assist you in exploring your best option,” the email read.
The credit/no-credit option will be available to undergraduate and graduate students.
For undergraduates who choose the credit/no-credit option, all course grades of C (2.00 GPA) or higher will be listed as grades of CR (Credit). For graduates who choose the credit/no-credit option, all course grades of B- (2.75 GPA) or higher will be listed as grades of CR (Credit).
Dr. George Sims, interim provost, said officials began discussing the possibility of a credit/no-credit option after the decision was made to move classes online for the remainder of the semester.
“A number of students raised the question during President Burger’s town hall video conference on March 23,” Sims said. “That’s how it first came up.”
Sims said he passed on the question to the Dean’s Council during a daily meeting.
“Ever since this emergency started, I have been meeting with the Dean’s Council every day by video conference,” Sims said. “We started talking about it after the town hall. The members of the council had various opinions about it. Based on our discussions, Charlie Mennot, who is our Registrar, and I drafted a proposal.”
Sims said the proposal was then passed on to the Academic Programs and Standards Committee, where a number of amendments were made. The committee adopted the proposal and sent it to be considered by the Academic Council, who approved it after making additional amendments.
“The final step was sending the proposal to President Martha Burger, who ultimately approved it,” Sims said.
Reid Powell, political science sophomore, said he believes the credit/no-credit option is appropriate in this case.
“I think the policy is a great idea, considering the circumstances we have found ourselves in,” Powell said. “Most universities, from what I’ve seen, are implementing options for students, which is amazing for students who may no longer have access to the resources they had at school, or those who are essential employees and now have to work many more hours than they normally would.”
It is important for students to know the difference between credit/no-credit and pass/fail systems, Sims said.
“The most significant difference is that with a credit/no-credit system, there will be no effect on your GPA if you choose that option and fail the course,” Sims said. “With pass/fail systems, a failing grade would affect your GPA. In everyday language, it’s easy to say that we’re offering a pass/fail option, but there is actually a difference.”
Sims said a major topic of discussion in the committees was whether the credit/no-credit option would apply to all campus programs, or just those whose accreditation requirements and professional standards would allow it.
“There are several programs that have accreditation standards that make it difficult, such as those with licensing exams that require documentation of graded courses,” Sims said.
Sims said another focal point of discussion was whether the option’s availability would be based specifically on students’ majors or departments as a whole.
“We decided that it depends on which department is offering the course,” Sims said. “For example, any history course offered would fall into the credit/no-credit option. So, if you are a student whose major itself isn’t available for credit/no-credit, you could still apply that to any history course you take. Basically, it’s the courses that are eligible or ineligible, not the students.”
Sims said students can choose whether or not to apply the credit/no-credit option up until the end of the term, after final grades are submitted.
“Some argued that students should have to choose before seeing their final grade,” Sims said. “We went back and forth on that, but this is what we decided would be best.”
Powell said allowing students to see their final grades before making final decisions may inspire them to work even harder in their classes.
“I think it might give students more of an opportunity to do their absolute best,” Powell said. “Many people are having financial or emotional problems, or really any problems that may prohibit them from doing as well as they would like to in their classes. This option gives them a way to feel less stressed about those situations, and gives some comfort knowing that they can do the best they can with the ability to later assess their grades and go from there.”
Powell said having extra time after the final grades are posted may give students an opportunity to speak with professors and advisors before making their final decisions.
“After the final grades come out, they could possibly have necessary conversations that help them to decide whatever is in their best interest for both the current moment and their future endeavors,” he said.
Sims said choosing credit/no-credit will not affect students’ GPAs, academic scholarships or financial aid.
“Students should speak with their advisors to figure out the specific possibilities of how choosing this option could affect them, when it comes to graduate schools or other future situations,” Sims said.
Sims said offering a credit/no-credit option is in students’ best interests.
“We think this is an unprecedented event, and we don’t know how it will end up,” Sims said. “In the end, we decided that the best thing to do would be to offer an option that doesn’t penalize the student.”
A website where students can formally make their decision regarding the credit/no-credit option will go live within a couple weeks, Sims said.
“The policy is in place, but the mechanics are still being worked out. Everyone should look out for upcoming announcements about that,” Sims said.
Powell said he believes the administration handled this issue in a timely manner.
“This is something nobody has ever faced before,” Powell said. “The university’s administration has had a lot to deal with, and it takes time to make things happen and to put all these new policies and procedures in place in order to make them as effective as possible, and to impact students in the best way they can.”
The OCU credit/no-credit policy can be viewed at https://www.okcu.edu/uploads/administration/provost/credit-no-credit.pdf .
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