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Pepperdine students, parents, and faculty are encouraged to review and sign this petition. 

What's missing from Pepperdine's modifications: 

• Students should be able to select as many courses for CR/NC as needed (the current revision only allows for up to two classes)
• There should be a note on all transcripts that this semester took place during a pandemic
•  A "C-" should be considered "CR" for credit ("C-" is listed as a minimum passing grade already on most syllabi) 
• Academic probation should be suspended at this time 

What some students are facing: 

• "I don't have fast enough internet for Zoom. I am using a mobile hotspot everyday." 
• "Since [elementary and] high schools are closed I am taking care of my younger siblings while my parents go to work. I've lost my job." 
• "I can't focus on listening to a lecture. Have you seen the news?" 
• "I am home with family, but I spend all day in my room."

What other University administrators are saying:

"The faculty members who endorsed this decision stressed that our normal system of evaluating student work and assigning letter grades is predicated on the assumption that our students have equal access to the normal methods of instruction and the supporting structure of a residential college environment. Those conditions no longer exist," James J. Valentini, Dean of Columbia University, stated. 

What students who are worried about the Cr/NC policy are saying:

We hear the students who want to keep their letter grades—GPA's are important, and we work hard for them. Students who can achieve a letter grade they're satisfied with should be able to keep it; those students likely have an environment where that is possible. But, some students are dealing with burdens that others might not be. It is very possible that some students (or her/his loved ones) will be directly affected by COVID-19. Some students have went home to an environment that is not conducive to academic success. Most students have not taken a college class almost entirely while in self-isolation. The list of possible adversities goes on and on. 

Assigning a letter grade to a student who may not have control over her/his environment is unfair and unrealistic.

March 25, 2020: The Dean of Seaver College announced a modification to the Credit/No Credit grading policy in an effort to ease academic anxiety in this online format.

Giving academic relief plans for this semester is not unique to Pepperdine. Schools like Harvard University, Northwestern University, MIT, Georgetown University, U Penn, and more have made changes to their grading system to account for the stress caused by online classes during this emergency and the widely varying circumstances unique to every student.

A student made a petition* that led to Pepperdine's policy revision which was responded to with a policy revision for the Spring 2020. But there are a few things missing from the revision that need to be considered for it it to be a wholistic, inclusive academic relief plan.

 

*A petition was started by a Seaver College student and garnered 538 signatures from Seaver College students; the petition was created before other colleges took action; this updated petition is signed and supported by the student who created the creator of the previous petition

 

Questions: concernedstudentpeppcovid@gmail.com