To Samford University,

On March 11, Samford students learned that all classes would shift from in-person instruction to online learning. Spring break travel delayed the rate at which many students received this information. Students were rushed to change their semester plans while attempting to hurriedly gather all their belongings in preparation for class.

Finding new housing, unexpected travel, job loss, increased expenses in preparation for social distancing and quarantine, and costs associated with taking care of vulnerable loved ones all consume time and create financial hardships for Samford students. Discontinuing in-person instruction is also challenging because many Samford students have never taken online classes, and lack of access to WiFi coupled with technological difficulties complicate this transition. 

We understand that this situation must be stressful for Samford’s staff and faculty. We are thankful that our university’s policy makers are working to ease this transition, and trust that the leaders of our community will continue to help guide us through this emergency. We appreciate Samford University President, Dr. Andrew Westmoreland encouragement to “make clear minded decisions, each of us each day, as we face our individual challenges” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help the members of our community meet these challenges, we urge Samford University to update its grading and convocation policies. We ask that at the end of the Spring semester, all SU students be given the option to have any of their courses graded on a pass/fail basis, while still satisfying degree requirements. We also ask that the university make a notation on all student transcripts, indicating that the COVID-19 global pandemic affected grades for the spring semester of 2020. Furthermore, we urge the university to drastically reduce convocation credit requirements while giving students the ability to earn these credits remotely so as to stay on course for graduation.

Students who are split up among time zones, without reliable internet access, saddled with home responsibilities and new expenses, and without in person office hours are at a severe disadvantage, and going through emotional and physical distress. We believe that this change will provide relief to both students and faculty in this difficult time.

Several other universities, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, University of Mississippi, and Smith, have changed their grading policies. We hope that Samford University will also alter its policies, offering students who are disparately impacted by the pandemic an equal opportunity to succeed.

For God, for Learning, Forever

Sincerely,

Niki Brooks and Robert Nikont