Last spring, Towson University students abruptly moved to remote learning because of the novel COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, we were given the option to either choose a letter grade for select classes or to choose the pass/fail option for any class, regardless of major requirement. This saved many students from even more undue hardship than they may have already been experiencing. Now, in the current fall 2020 semester, a majority of classes are still online, and not back to normal, but yet the grading system is back to normal letter grades.
The current conditions in America regarding COVID-19 have yet to substantially improve from the spring or summer. Many students and families are still jobless, homeless, and under an incredible amount of stress. Some students with different learning styles struggle to learn complex material through an online medium, and it is not fair to them to have their GPAs suffer due to events out of their control. Many students who have managed to find work find themselves working full time hours alongside being a full time student to make ends meet, and are struggling to balance their lives with school during this unprecedented time.

Currently, the pass/fail option may only be used on Core classes that do not count towards a student's major or minor. 
We as students are asking the Towson University Office of the Registrar to extend the option to choose between a letter grade or pass/fail for any courses this fall, just as we had this past spring semester. The COVID-19 pandemic is certainly not over in the U.S. and Towson students at large are finding it more difficult to learn, student teach, intern, or perform clinical rotations this semester than the last. Pass/fail grading should be extended so that those who wish to use it have the option to do so.
If the university was able to see that students needed this support in the spring when only half the semester was virtual, there is no reason why anything should change this fall because the COVID-19 pandemic is clearly not over in the United States.

Thank you for your support and your time. Go Tigers!