In response to the extraordinary circumstances brought about by the global pandemic CoViD-19, the faculty and administration of the American University of Rome have resolved to adopt a temporary grading policy for undergraduate courses in the Spring 2020 semester. This temporary policy is designed to address student concerns and to encourage continued dialogue between faculty and students, while also maintaining current grading policies as required by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
It is essential for students to read this document thoroughly and consult with their advisors before opting for alternative grading in order to weigh the benefits and risks involved in the options.
Alternative Grading Policy for the Spring 2020 Semester
- All students will receive standard letter grades in all enrolled courses by the posted deadline (May 18, 2020) except in courses from which the student has withdrawn or has petitioned for an Incomplete (see below).
- In consultation with his/her advisor and/or program director, an undergraduate degree-seeking student may elect to convert any grade C or higher to a Satisfactory (recorded as S on the transcript) in up to two courses.
- Grades of C-, D, or F will be recorded as letter grades on the student’s transcript, as these grades are not considered evidence of satisfactory work and the specific grade a student receives determines whether the course can receive credit within a specific major or program (see below).
- Between May 19, 2020 and May 27, 2020 students may request to convert an eligible letter grade to a Satisfactory by filling out an Alternative Grading Petition, to be available during that period through the Registrar’s Office.
- Courses receiving a Satisfactory grade will not be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative career GPA nor term GPA.
- Following the submission of the Alternative Grading Petition, the Satisfactory (S) grade will replace the letter grade in the student’s official academic record, which includes the transcript and the course grade roster.
General Information
- All transcripts that include the Spring 2020 semester will bear a transcript note indicating the extraordinary circumstances encountered (CoViD-19) during the Spring 2020 semester, whether or not a student opts for alternative grading.
- Alternative grading is available to all undergraduate degree-seeking students regardless of academic standing.
- No student will be suspended from the University based on their grades from the Spring 2020 semester. Academic probation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine the best course of action for the individual student.
- Undergraduate students are still required to have completed 120 credits and to maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in order to be eligible for graduation.
Frequently Asked Questions for Students
If I opt for alternative grading, will the course still count for my major, minor, and/or General Education requirements?
Yes. Any course receiving a Satisfactory (S) grade will count for credit, and will satisfy any major, minor, or General Education minimum grade requirements.
If I receive a C- or D, will the course count for my major, minor, and/or General Education requirements?
Courses receiving these grades will follow the existing AUR grade policies. Students do receive credit for courses with a C- or D grade, but the satisfaction of requirements depends on whether the course is a Core course for the major or not (only one C- in a student’s career is permitted for major Core courses) or if the course requires a particular minimum grade to proceed to the next level (ITL 101, ENG 101, and ENG 102 require a C- or better). Students with a C-, D, or F in a course may retake the course in the next available semester and only the higher repeated grade is computed in the cumulative GPA.
If I opt for alternative grading, will I be able to convert my grade back to a letter grade if I need to in the future?
No. The Satisfactory (S) grade will permanently replace the letter grade in the student’s official academic record.
I am thinking about applying for graduate school sometime in the future. Can I opt for alternative grading?
Yes, but you should consult with your advisor to be aware of the requirements specific to the discipline. It is not possible to predict precisely how such alternative grading will be evaluated in the future. Some institutions consider a D sufficient to receive a Pass (P) grade, however many graduate schools do not consider a D grade as demonstrating adequate competency, especially in Core courses. For this reason, and to align with existing grading policies, AUR is making use of the Satisfactory designation (C or better) instead of Pass (D or better).
I have US federal financial aid – am I allowed to opt for alternative grading?
Yes. US federal loans will not be affected this semester for students who opt for alternative grading for up to two of their courses. However, loan students should be aware that according to the current guidelines issued by the US federal government, there is no specific flexibility being offered by way of the Pass/Fail option for loan students. Every semester loan students are evaluated for satisfactory academic progress (SAP), a requirement of the Title IV program whereby each loan student must maintain a cumulative GPA no less than 2.0 and a ratio of attempted credits/earned credits no less than 67%. If a loan student opts for alternative grading, the financial aid officer would still need to use the GPA assessed even if not published in order to ensure that students can be confirmed for adequate satisfactory academic progress. It is recommended that you contact Zoe Johnson before you decide to opt for alternative grading to make sure you understand the impact of the decision on your loan status.
I have Veterans’ Affairs benefits – am I allowed to opt for alternative grading?
Yes. VA students will maintain their Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits if they opt for alternative grading but the financial aid officer must report the classes for which this has been chosen to the VA directly once the semester is complete. It is recommended that you contact Zoe Johnson before you decide to opt for alternative grading to make sure you understand the impact of the decision on your VA benefits status.
How does alternative grading relate to the Incomplete grade policy?
Students may petition for an Incomplete grade if they are unable to complete the requirements of a course or courses within the scope of the normal semester, typically due to illness or other extreme circumstances (CoViD-19 included). A student petitioning for an Incomplete in a course or courses at the end of the Spring 2020 semester would not be receiving a letter grade by the end of the semester, and thus would not be eligible for alternative grading for the course(s) in question. Only courses that have received a letter grade by May 18, 2020 are eligible for alternative grading.
If I opt for alternative grading, will I still be eligible for the Dean’s List in Spring 2020?
No – any student opting for alternative grading would not be eligible for Dean’s List standing in Spring 2020. However any student who received Dean’s List standing in Fall 2019 may apply their extra class benefit to the Fall 2020 semester (provided this benefit was not already applied in the Spring 2020 semester).
I am on academic probation and I am worried that I may be suspended as a result of my performance this semester. How can alternative grading help me?
The alternative grading policy does not provide an explicit benefit to students on academic probation, but the University will protect the status of students at risk during this time. No student will be suspended from the University based on their grades from the Spring 2020 semester.
What do I need to do to opt in for alternative grading in a course?
Nothing at this time. You will receive additional information from the Registrar at the end of the semester about the Alternative Grading Petition.