COVID19 has changed everything. Since switching our college courses to remote, the students at the University of Arkansas believe that we should receive the option for pass/fail, this fall 2020 semester. We kindly would appreciate this change and believe that it will help us succeed for the future ahead of us.

        For many courses an online class is not ideal, both for the teacher and the student. For me personally and for others as well, the switch to a virtual learning environment has been extremely difficult. I am a visual learner and need to be able to ask frequent questions or even the possibility of something to be explained in another manner. It helps when the class has an open discussion on a topic or to have a friend to discuss something you are unfamiliar with, to clear it up. Having recorded lectures, unstable internet connection and an unfit learning environment makes it difficult for this to happen. It is especially stressful when you send a professor an email with your concern or something you're lost with and they don't get back with you. An abundant amount of students are having to learn from home or somewhere that is difficult to take an exam properly or study thoroughly. As for many, some are living with loud families, fraternity/sorority members, screaming children and many other living conditions. This not only causes an excess amount of stress, but it is extremely difficult to learn in these environments. It is nearly impossible to expect someone to give their 110% effort when they're having to put these conditions above their education. We do not believe that it is fair or just to change our curriculum and expect us to do just as well in these courses. I know for myself and many others that I have had an overwhelming amount of work piled on, more so than we ever had in an in person class. As well as -some of- the professors grading more difficultly/unfairly. COVID19 is a major change that nobody could have foreseen and this should not negatively affect the outcome of our GPA’s. We as college students are doing to best we can and doing everything we can in order to succeed.

      The students at the university of Arkansas are proud to call ourselves razorbacks. We are thankful for the precautions our university has made in order to protect its students. However, nobody could have guessed that this virus would become so dangerous and greatly affect each of our lives. This being said we believe it is only fair to change our classes to pass fail and give everybody an equal learning opportunity. Some people thrive in courses online and others greatly struggle without the in class resources we had before. These students that signed below believe in the University of Arkansas and want everybody to have an equal learning opportunity, as we all go through these hard times together. (credit to
Presley Hope)

With all do respect, the students at the University of Arkansas.