On March 16, 2020, the University System of Georgia requested that all public institutions transition to online instruction for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. Savannah State University followed suit by taking the necessary precautions to protect their student population. As a student body, we understand the severity of the situation and the necessity for prompt action. We express our appreciation for all efforts to make the transition smoother for all parties involved.

However, with all the effort put into making the move as flawless as possible, there is still a multitude of concerns to be alleviated within our community, some of which can be addressed by the administration. So, we are reaching out to request a shift in the university grading policy to ease some of these concerns.

Due to this emergency relocation taken in precaution against COVID-19, Savannah State has thrown students and faculty alike into foreign circumstances. Suddenly, students without food security, internet access, and/or reliable housing are expected to perform at the same level as students who have stable situations at home. Others may be caring for family members who are at grave risk during this time or may be immunocompromised themselves. 

In addition, some household situations are not conducive to learning environments, for students to effectively and efficiently learn and adjust to these big changes. Those who do not have access to the proper technology will be under immense anxiety and psychological pressure that is not being taken into account by Savannah State’s administration. These psychological pressures will make these online classes extremely difficult to learn the content, in addition to performing well on course work and exams. 

Other universities have already begun to recognize the impact that this global pandemic has on students' abilities to participate in academia. An increasing number of them --including MIT, Duke, and UNC-- have moved forward in implementing changes in their grading systems to lessen the burden of these drastic life shifts on our peers. We ask that Savannah State follow suit. 

As COVID-19 spreads through our communities, we call on Savannah State’s administration and the USG to prioritize educational equity, student health, and community wellbeing by modifying the grading system for the Spring 2020 semester. For these reasons and many others, we ask for an opt-in pass/fail grading option in which all classes would still count for major, minor, prerequisite, or concentration requirements. We urge Savannah State to strongly consider allowing each student to decide which classes they believe should be graded using a pass/fail option. 

We understand that this may seem like a drastic measure for some students, but any non-leniency plan will actively discriminate against marginalized students. Creating an opt-in pass/fail option will provide the much-needed relief to students in this unexpected turn in the semester.