November 18, 2020

Dear Faculty and Staff,

Please be advised, the following email communication was sent to all undergraduate and graduate students earlier today.
Dear Students,
In recognition of the unique circumstances this semester has placed on everyone, and in response to resolutions passed by the New York City and Westchester faculty councils, Pace University is once again offering the pass/fail grading option for Fall 2020 courses. Please read this letter carefully before making a decision. You must consult with your instructors first and your academic advisors and the Financial Aid Office where appropriate to determine what choices are the most appropriate for you. Student-athletes must also consult with Claudia Stabile or Matt Anthony if they wish to choose a pass/fail grade.  
 
All pass/fail decisions become final after 11:59 p.m. ET on December 15, 2020.

Pass/Fail Grades
Based on resolutions by the New York City and Westchester faculty councils, we have developed the following policy regarding pass/fail grades:
  • Pass/fail is not a workable option for students in some schools and programs (e.g., College of Health Professions and the School of Education) because of licensure and accreditation requirements. If you are a student in either school, please carefully check with your instructor and academic advisor before selecting any pass/fail options. 
  • If you were on academic probation prior to the Fall 2020 semester or if you have not previously earned any letter (AF) grades, the pass/fail option may affect your financial aid eligibility.  
  • Be sure to consult with your instructor(s) before choosing pass/fail to ensure it’s a good option for you.
  • You must notify your instructor(s) in each course for which you wish to choose a pass/fail grade no later than Tuesday, December 15, using the COVID-19 Pass/Fail Form. The choice to move to a pass/fail grade in a course will be final after December 15, 2020.
  • Pass/fail grades will be an option for both undergraduate and graduate students. For undergraduate courses, a letter grade of D or above will earn a “pass.” For graduate courses, letter grades of C or above will earn a “pass.” Any pass/fail grades earned during this semester will be annotated to indicate that you chose this option due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Things to Consider: 
  • Is selecting pass/fail for a major class wise, or should I keep the grade?
  • If I am applying to graduate school, will my schools of choice accept a pass/fail grade?
  • If I need to transfer credits to another school, will a pass/fail be acceptable?
  • Did I confer with my instructor(s) before selecting the pass/fail option in each class?
  • If appropriate, did I confer with the Office of Financial Aid about whether this could adversely affect me?

If you have any further questions before choosing a pass/fail grade to ensure it’s a good option for you, you should reach out to your academic advisor

Academic Integrity Code:
As we head into the final weeks of our fall semester, we want to remind you that everyone is expected to uphold our Academic Integrity Code. It is important that you continue to exercise honesty and ethical conduct as you complete your academic assignments and exams. The work you submit should be yours, and you should not be sharing exams or answers to exams in any capacity.

As a reminder, our remote learning period begins on November 25. Unless your exam was held earlier, all final exams will be conducted remotely from November 30 to December 5. Good luck on your exams and have a relaxing and safe winter break. We look forward to seeing you back on our campuses in the spring. Until then, take care and stay well.
Sincerely,
Vanya Quiñones, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Hillary Knepper, PhD
Interim Associate Provost for Student Success
See our Return to Campus website for additional communications from Pace University. For the Elisabeth Haub community, please refer here for the most up to date information.