Given the circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and the change to remote classes for the remainder of the spring semester at Moore College of Art and Design, I propose that the administration considers making all Spring 2020 courses evaluated on a pass/ no pass or credit/ no credit basis. The classes this semester should have no bearing on any students' grade point average (GPA) and should allow students to focus on the health and emotional well being of themselves and their families. I also urge the Moore administration to consider evaluating pass/fail credits on students' midterm performance to end the semester entirely.

I propose this for the following reasons:

1. Online Schooling in this capacity is financially and materially inaccessible. Some students may lack access to the required tools to conduct their learning online. It would not be fair to those students to be held to the same standard as those that have access. Simply having free internet access does not cover the necessary materials needed for online schooling. This is especially true for a visual arts-based education where studio supplies that can not be housed in a home setting, computers and other expensive forms of technology like tablets, up-to-date laptops or computers, rentable cameras, etc. are inaccessible.

2. Online Schooling does not compensate for the education, experiences, and skills gained from hands-on based education. Some students may have difficulties learning online versus using face to face instruction. It is not equitable to change the way we have to learn and expect the outcome to be the same as it would have been given normal circumstances. This learning difference could cause, again, the GPA of some students to lower, and lower the quality in education for students. This change in education is a complete shift from the form of education we tend to thrive in as a visual arts community. This productive environment necessary for all art education includes access to in-person guidance from professors, hands-on experiences crucial for any visual arts-based course, and this also includes liberal art courses where students often take trips to view art or meet artists/curators/etc. The quality in our education continuing in this matter will inevitably change for the worse without the resources and intellectual engagement students typically experience at Moore.

3. The transition to online schooling is inconsiderate of students trying to acclimate to new living spaces in response to our forced displacement. In addition to Moore College of Art and Design failing to provide adequate housing and resources for the students they have displaced, the administration is expecting us as students to begin courses days after the majority of the student population will have to move a school years worth of our items back home with little time or notice. Now some Moore students have to experience anxiety from the global epidemic, struggle to find safe spaces to live and stress over schooling. It is very unlikely that many will be able to perform well under these changes in circumstances. This is why it is not only imperative that the administration considers revising the Spring 2020 education plan but the administration needs to provide housing and resources for the students the administration has displaced at this time. At the very least, students and faculty should not have to begin class days after having to move. Under this schedule, there is no given time for us to prepare for the remainder of this "semester."

There are likely more reasons that the switch could cause issues for students that I have not listed here.

To conclude:
I argue that the only solution that will allow for students is to have all classes from this semester have no bearing on any students' GPA and that the pass/fail evaluations be based on students' midterm performances. This solution will provide equity and inclusion for all students, two things the Moore Administration claims to provide to the Moore community. This will also allow students to maintain some sense of normalcy in their respective college careers and allow students to focus on their own personal well being and mental health as well as their families during this time.

Please consider something like this Administration of Moore College of Art and Design. We are all looking to you for guidance in this strange time.

Sincerely,
Laila Islam, concerned Moore College of Art and Design student