Temporary Academic Policy Change Spring 2020

The S/U option must be declared, in writing via the appropriate form, by May 6, 2020 at 5:00pm to the Office of the University Registrar. Due to the nature of this temporary policy, the following should be noted:

• Any student may opt to change any regularly graded course to S/U
• The S/U option may be used with courses required for the major (for Spring 2020 only)
• The S/U option can be applied to any course being used to satisfy the Integrative Core requirements specified in the “Requirements for a Degree” section of the 2019-2020 Catalogue.
• The S/U option may be used for courses required in the minor.
• Academic work completed at the “C” or higher level will be graded “S”; work completed at the “C-” level or below will be graded “U.”
• S/U grades are not included in a student’s grade point average.
• The Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory option is not available to Mount Union students in the following situations: Study Abroad courses unless this is the only manner in which the course is offered by the host university, courses taken as transient at another institution unless that institution has instituted a temporary pass/fail option, courses taken as part of the College Consortium (Acadeum), or any course taken as part of a consortium or partnership with the University of Mount Union that is not a native Mount Union course.
• “S” graded courses cannot be retaken for repeat for change of grade. “U” graded courses can be retaken only to earn an A/F grade. Courses traditionally graded S/U are excluded.
• S/U graded courses will not be included in the Spring 2020 Dean’s List calculation. Students must have at least 12 credit hours of regularly graded courses in order to qualify for the Dean’s List.
• PRIOR to graduation from Mount Union, when the student officially changes majors or applies to a graduate or professional school requiring A/F grades for courses originally pursued on an S/U basis, such student may, by petition to the Academic Policies Committee, request that an A/F grade replace the S/U grade on the academic record. The student’s grade point average will be adjusted accordingly.  Once changed from S/U to A/F, a grade cannot be returned to the S/U status. S/U grades cannot be changed to A/F grades once a student graduates or is no longer a student at the University. Courses already designated as S/U under normal circumstances, and as outlined in the Catalogue, may not be converted to A/F graded courses.
• Students should consult with Student Financial Aid and the Business Office when considering the S/U option, as it may impact certain scholarships, grants, and other financial assistance.

Download PDF of the Spring 2020 Temporary S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) Policy

Applicable to students who withdraw from a course after the first week and no later than 5:00pm on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Withdrawals processed by the end of the first week are not recorded on the official academic record.  Withdrawals processed after the first week but by 5:00pm on Wednesday, May 6, will be recorded as a “W” on the student’s official academic record.  A student withdrawing after May 6, 2020 and during the final exam week for any reason – other than medical or non-academic hardship – will receive grades of “F” which will be used in computing the cumulative grade point average.  Note: For courses that are taught only in the second half of the semester, the withdrawal deadline will be the same.
 

“W” is also applicable when a student, with the approval of the Dean of Students of the University, withdraws from a course anytime during the semester for a verified medical or other verified non-academic hardship.  A “W” is not calculated in a student’s grade point average and the course can be repeated for change of grade at Mount Union or as a transient course at another institution (with approval). As always, students should consult with Student Financial Aid and the Business Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Download PDF of the Spring 2020 Temporary “W” (Withdrawn) Policy

Should you choose the temporary and extended S/U or “W” options, you must do so by submitting the appropriate form to the Office of the University Registrar by May 6, 2020 at 5:00pm. Once approved, your instructor will assign a grade of “S” for satisfactory or “U” for unsatisfactory versus the traditional A/F grade for the course.

No. The deadline to elect the S/U or “W” options is Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 5 p.m.

For a grade of “S,” you will earn the credits assigned to the course. A grade of “U” is not passing and therefore you will not earn credit for the course. A “W” grade is a withdrawal and you will not earn credit for the course. However, both “U” and “W” grades do count toward your attempted credit hours.

Academic work completed at the “C” or higher level will be graded “S”; work completed at the “C-” level or below will be graded “U.” Graduate programs and some undergraduate programs may have different grading scales. You should consult with your department chair or program director for specifics on any variations to the above notations.

You should consult with your academic advisors, department chairs, and program directors prior to choosing this option. Electing the S/U or “W” option could have serious impact on your future educational and professional plans, including the potential implications of the notation on your transcript for licensure and graduate school admission, prerequisites for other courses, transfer to other institution, scholarship and grant requirements, and financial aid. Taking the S/U or W grade will impact Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) completion rate. You should consult with Student Financial Aid and the Business Office regarding any potential impacts on tuition and student financing.

Neither the S/U option nor the “W” option have any impact on your GPA. Earning an “S,” while passing, does not have quality points associated with it. For this reason, even a passing “S” grades will not impact your term or cumulative GPA. Earning a “U” grade will factor into a student’s GPA in the same manner as the “F” grade. If you are a student on a current academic probation or a student working to increase your GPA for athletic eligibility, you should reach out to the Center for Student Success for additional information on how the S/U or “W” options will impact those situations.

Federal regulations require the University of Mount Union to establish Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards for students receiving federal financial aid. In order for a student to continue receiving federal financial aid, the student is required to meet three standards of academic progress each academic year:

• Completion Rate (at least 67% of the credit hours attempted are earned)
• Cumulative GPA (see handbook for minimum GPA requirements per credit hours attempted)
• Maximum Timeframe (must complete degree within 150% of the published length of the program)

A “W” is counted as an unearned attempted credit. This may prevent a student from meeting the required completion rate and maximum timeframe. The full policy can be found in the 2019-2020 Catalogue or by contacting Student Financial Aid. Students should consult with financial aid if they are utilizing federal financial aid before choosing the “W” option.

Prior to graduation from Mount Union, when you officially change majors or apply to a graduate or professional school requiring A/F grades for courses originally pursued on an S/U basis, you may, by petition to the Academic Policies Committee, request that an A/F grade replace the S/U grade on your academic record.  If your petition is approved by the Committee, your grade point average will be adjusted accordingly.  Once changed from S/U to A/F, a grade cannot be returned to the S/U status. S/U grades cannot be changed to A/F grades once you graduate or are no longer a student at the University. Courses already designated as S/U under normal circumstances, and as outlined in the Catalogue, may not be converted to A/F graded courses.

The S/U option may be used with courses required for the major (for Spring 2020 only). The S/U option can be applied to any course being used to satisfy the Integrative Core requirements specified in the “Requirements for a Degree” section of the 2019-2020 Catalogue. The S/U option may be used for courses required in the minor.

It’s possible that taking a course as an S/U could impact your ability to move off of probation. For instance, if you were to take all of your courses for an S/U grade, your GPA would not be impacted either positively or negatively, and you would remain on probation as you move forward. Depending on your current GPA, it is also possible that taking the letter grade you earn for a course (i.e. C+) could raise your cumulative GPA (if you sit at a 1.9 for instance). If you are on probation or working toward improving your GPA, please reach out to your advisor or the CSS to complete a GPA calculator and discuss the impact of an S/U grade on your status prior to making a final decision.

It’s possible that taking a course as an S/U could impact your ability to move off of probation. For instance, if you were to take all of your courses for an S/U grade, your GPA would not be impacted either positively or negatively, and you would remain on probation as you move forward. Depending on your current GPA, it is also possible that taking the letter grade you earn for a course (i.e. C+) could raise your cumulative GPA (if you sit at a 1.9 for instance). If you are on probation or working toward improving your GPA, please reach out to your advisor or the CSS to complete a GPA calculator and discuss the impact of an S/U grade on your status prior to making a final decision.

The Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory option is not available to Mount Union students on Study Abroad unless this is the only manner in which the course is offered by the host university, courses taken as transient at another institution unless that institution has instituted a temporary pass/fail option, courses taken as part of the College Consortium (Acadeum), or any course taken as part of a consortium or partnership with the University of Mount Union that is not a native Mount Union course. If you are a graduate student in the following programs, the S/U option is not available to you: Master of Education, Physician Assistant Studies, and Doctor of Physical Therapy.

S/U graded courses will not be included in the Spring 2020 Dean’s List calculation. You must earn  at least 12 credit hours of regularly graded courses in order to qualify for the Dean’s List. Please refer to all Dean’s List requirements for further eligibility.

While the transferability of credits is at the discretion of the receiving institution, though it is likely S/U grades will not be transferrable.

You can find the Spring 2020 S/U Option form here.

You can find the Spring 2020 “W” Option form here.

For additional information regarding these temporary policies, students should contact the Office of the University Registrar at 330-823-6018 or by emailing registrar@mountunion.edu.

Quick Guide Questions for Students and Advisors

If the student can answer “yes” to any of these questions, the student should not choose the S/U option.

1. Are you currently working to increase your cumulative GPA or increase earned credits for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to regain athletic eligibility?
2.  Are you currently working to increase your term and cumulative GPA to come off of Academic Probation?
3.  Are you retaking a course you previously failed?
4.  Does the class you're taking require a particular grade to move forward in your program?
5.  Do you need to improve your GPA to maintain a scholarship?
6.  Do you need to maintain a certain number of credit hours with regularly graded courses for a scholarship or grant?
7.  Are you trying to make the Dean's?
8.  Are you planning to transfer (we hope not) to another college/university?
9.  Are you taking a Study Abroad course through USAC?
10.  Are you taking courses as transient at another institution?
11.  Are you taking courses through College Consortium (Acadeum)?
12.  Are you taking a course that is part of a consortium or partnership with the University of Mount Union that is not a native Mount Union course, such as ROTC?
13.  Are you a student in one of the following programs at Mount Union: Master of Education, Physician Assistant Studies, or Doctor of Physical Therapy?