Starting March 23, 2020, Appalachian State classes will be change to remote instruction or an "online" setting. In addition to this, students with on-campus housing will be forced to move out of their residences. All students were notified of this change over the course of one week, therefore we were given almost no time to prepare for these changes. 

These changes come with a great deal of stress, especially for those students with difficult living situations outside of school (such as lack of access to internet or an unsuitable working environment). Additionally, with the COVID-19 crisis, the possibility of illness may also hinder students' abilities to complete their classes. Finally, online classes are very different from in-person classes, and many students may struggle to adjust to this drastic change. 

Because of the magnitude of these changes and how quickly they occurred, we believe that it would be beneficial to make this semester pass/fail to promote the wellness of the student body. In these stressful circumstances, students must be able to prioritize their personal needs just as much as their education.