Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 cases and a declared state of emergency in Ohio, Xavier University officially transferred to online instruction for the remainder of the semester. As students of Xavier University, we respect and support the decisions the leaders of our institution have put in place to maintain the physical health of the student body. However, these changes in the removal of face-to-face instructions and relocation of students back home have created various barriers to maintaining the same academic footings, including but not limited to, lack of accessibility to learning tools provided by the university, financial dilemmas, students’ health, and inability to attend virtual classes. Due to the circumstances of each individual student, Xavier University’s leaders should consider the students’ proposal to provide the OPTION of pass/fail grading for the Spring 2020 semester. 

There are numerous factors that are coming into play as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Each of which could single-handedly have a large impact on a students grades and education. Having the option of pass/fail not only affects the outcome of our semester, but our future as a whole. Damaged GPAs due to Spring Semester 2020 will affect graduate school admissions, medical and law school admissions, internships, and scholarship eligibility.

The first challenge faced by students is the reduced learning tools provided by the university. Many students rely on the in person tutoring services provided by the Academic Support Office. While trying to adjust to new online supplemental resources, many students will struggle to maintain grades they had kept previously, noting a professor will be physically unable to maintain their online course while answering specific questions of every individual student. With the removal of in person classes, vital student resources will be suspended while the expectation of understanding material at the same level will not. 

The next issue faced by students is reduced finances. With the shutting down of businesses, many are suffering from job loss or reduced wages. Whether this applies to the student, or the guardians of the student, lack of income equates to reduced income to afford essential resources during this outbreak, with the last concern pertaining to the need for electronic devices and accessibility to complete coursework. Students without access to a laptop, smart device, or high-speed internet, have no way of completing work or even communicating this issue to their professors. 

The other potential factor affecting grades will be the health of the student and their family. If the student gets sick with COVID-19, the student’s well-being should be placed over any coursework. Additionally, if a family member gets sick, the student may have the responsibility to care for them.  Although students may be physically healthy, state bans on leaving the house for anything other than essential needs and social distancing/ quarantine may have detrimental effects on the mental health of students, causing these students to be unable to keep up with coursework and maintain grades.

Another issue may be the inability to attend live classes (i.e. “Zooms”) due to time zone differences or lack of high speed internet. Many students attending Xavier University are international students or are residents of another area in the United States in another time zone. Live classes may be forcing students to wake at abnormal hours in order to attend Eastern time classes, which would cause impaired understanding of materials. Even for a student with working high-speed internet, many family members may be working at home or completing their school coursework as well, causing wifi server overloads. In addition to causing issues with accessing work, these internet in-accessabilities may cause issues with Academic Support resources that have transferred online such as Remote tutoring and SI services.

As the students of Xavier University, we are aware of the many precautions that have been taken in order to keep our community safe and healthy. Nevertheless, various other institutions have implemented this pass/fail grading option including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Smith College, Middlebury College, Grinnel, University of Michigan, and Northwestern. (Northwestern has even made finals optional as well.) As students, we specifically chose to attend Xavier University for its commitment to excellence and the sense of community fostered on campus. Xavier’s mission is “to educate each student intellectually, morally, and spiritually.” We feel that by providing the option of allowing students to be graded as pass/fail, the university would further demonstrate its moral commitment to students of all situations and backgrounds in this dire time. We are well aware that Xavier University understands its students’ needs and promptly accommodates them, so the student body hopes the leaders of our institution realize this need and provide further accommodations.

For students who feel that they have the resources to complete the rest of their courses at home, I ask you to be the voice for those who cannot. Signing this petition doesn’t ask for you to be graded only as pass/fail but simply be provided the option.

Sincerely,

A concerned student, 

Andrew Michael

•Entrepreneurial Studies - Xavier University, Class of 2021

•Student Government - Student Rights and Identity

*Special credit to Natalie Corrigan of the University of Cincinnati for the original petition this is based on*