Spring 2020 Grading Policy Changes Due to COVID-19
In April 2020, Law Center faculty voted to make the following grading policy changes due to COVID-19. Changes to calculations for honors cutoffs can be found here.
J.D. Students
All Spring 2020 grades for J.D. students will be mandatory Pass/Fail. Notation added to all transcripts for Spring 2020: Mandatory P/F due to COVID19.
Important Notes
- This rule will apply to all classes, including classes for which the J.D. pass/fail option is ordinarily not permitted. It will apply, for example, to first-year classes, classes that meet the Professional Responsibility requirement, upperclass legal writing requirement seminars, supervised research projects, LL.M-only classes, and classes for which a faculty member elected not to make the pass/fail option available.
- Pass grades for Spring 2020 will not count against the 7-credit cap for elective pass/fail.
- All prior pass/fail elections for Spring 2020 will be erased and those elections will no longer count against the 7-credit cap.
- Pass grades are not calculated into a student’s GPA.
- Failing grades are calculated into a student’s GPA.
LL.M., SJD, Graduate Non-Degree Students
LL.M., SJD, and graduate non-degree students received letter grades for Spring 2020 courses, but could elect to convert any passing letter grade (equal or higher than a D) to a “Pass” after reviewing their final Spring 2020 grades. Notation added to all transcripts for Spring 2020: Optional P/F for Spring 2020 due to COVID19. The Pass selection period is May 29 – June 12. Final letter and Pass grades will be posted to students’ transcripts on June 15.
Important Notes
- Mandatory Pass/Fail courses are not eligible for Pass selection (search the online Curriculum Guide to see if a course is mandatory Pass/Fail). Students who opt not to change their letter grades may have Pass grades reflected on their transcript for mandatory Pass/Fail courses.
- Pass grades are not calculated into a student’s GPA.
- Failing grades are calculated into a student’s GPA.
- Courses selected for a Pass grade count towards LL.M. degree requirements.
- If a Pass grade is not selected for a course, the letter grade received will be posted on the student’s transcript.