As students continue to struggle to the adjustment of coursework and hybrid learning due to COVID-19, SMU and President Turner should offer to opt for a Pass/Fail option for the Fall 2020 semester. This Pass/Fail option would count towards major and minor requirements, however, would not result in a positive or negative effect towards GPAs.

Students face the disadvantage of being unable to demonstrate their full learning capabilities with the absence of fully in-person attendance of lectures, discussions, office hours, and tutors. Virtual learning has resulted in a detachment between students and a traditional education that normally involves more interaction with our learning. Collaboration is an element of learning that SMU strongly believes in and an element that students are unable to take advantage of, restricting the ability to fully understand the course material.  

Additionally, the stress and anxiety caused by uncertainty due to COVID-19 restrictions are one of the several reasons SMU should consider the well-being of their students with regard to their education and experience as a Mustang. 

SMU students have been flexible with their learning capabilities for the last school year. They deserve to have flexibility with their coursework as the end to these uncertain times are unpredictable. This option would strongly benefit as well as encourage SMU students as the struggle to adjust to new learning conditions continue.   

Listed below are a few, but not all, universities enacting a Pass/Fail policy:

USC, UT, Michigan, UMass, Northwestern, University of Michigan, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, Penn State, Tulane, Lehigh, UPenn, Miami University of Ohia, University of Colorado Boulder, George Washington University, Georgetown, University of Virginia, Columbia, Harvard, and NYU. 

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

SMU Student Body