ISSUE

This motion would extend the availability of the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) option for virtually all courses in the Fall 2020 term, in a manner akin to that instituted at the end of the Winter 2020 term.

BACKGROUND & RATIONALE

On 24 March 2020, the university announced a series of adjusted academic measures for the Winter 2020 term, which were “meant to support McGill students in the unprecedented challenge of continuing their term remotely through the COVID-19 crisis.”

Among these measures was to offer “[a]ll students, whether undergraduate or graduate” the option of  “exercis[ing] the S/U option for their courses, provided that doing so would not run counter to any requirements, timelines, or policies set by their respective programs of study or external accreditation bodies” (https://www.mcgill.ca/student-records/adjusted-academic-measures).

This motion would reimplement this policy for the Fall 2020 term to continue to support McGill students in the unprecedented challenge of pursuing a full term of remote instruction during a once-in-a-century pandemic.

This policy would acknowledge the significant and well-documented burden that both the COVID-19 crisis and remote instruction place on students. The COVID-19 Student Impact Survey, a collaboration between Teaching and Learning Services (TLS), Student Services, and Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), revealed that, during the end of the Winter 2020 term, half of McGill students reported not having a quiet place to learn/study; over 2/3 of students experienced difficulties with focusing and paying attention; and more than 70% underwent significant personal stress.^[1] (https://www.mcgill.ca/studentservices/about-us/covid-19-student-impact-survey-results).

Despite the best efforts of Faculty and staff to accommodate these concerns, they have persisted into the Fall term, with recent studies have shown that those in the traditional undergraduate age group are experiencing this crisis as a trauma and are exhibiting signs of PTSD at unprecedented rates. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7263263/) The extension of the S/U option to most courses will surely help reduce the stress under which most students are operating.

This policy would also recognize the challenges faced by faculty in conducting an entire term via remote instruction. Granted, unlike the sudden switch to online instruction that characterized the end of the Winter term, Fall 2020 courses will benefit from the time faculty have had over the summer to prepare for remote delivery. Nevertheless, despite the creativity and ingenuity that has been devoted to this re-tooling, virtually every Fall course has been an experiment, involving forms of instruction that remain unfamiliar for most of our faculty, which has, in turn, impacted students’ stress levels and learning experiences. Extending the S/U option serves to recognize that this term is, in many crucial and unexpected ways, different from those that have preceded it.

At the time of writing, over 105 4-year colleges and universities, across North America have implemented comparable grading accommodations (https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/03/19/colleges-go-passfail-address-coronavirus). Among these institutions is Northwestern University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia University, Harvard Law School, Cornell University, Carleton University, Stanford University, Bishop’s University, including fellow U15 schools such as Queen’s University, the University of Calgary, the University of Ottawa, Dalhousie University, and the University of Alberta.

It is important to note that the extension of this policy does not prevent students from receiving standard letter grades if they wish; this is, in fact, the default option. Moreover, as in Winter 2020, this policy would specify that each Faculty will identify their specific application of the S/U options.

PRIOR CONSULTATION

In the Forums on Student Experience with Remote Delivery held by the Teaching and Learning Services (TLS) and the Office of the Associate Provost (Teaching and Academic Programs), students, while citing the increased workload, Zoom fatigue, technical failures, emphasized the need for such policy to accommodate with the unexpected stress that has been described. In consulting with individual faculties, various faculty representatives, both student and non-student, have heard the first-hand experiences of the unforeseen experiences that add to the stress of course load.  Students referenced the S/U option introduced for Winter 2020 helped alleviate stress then, and thus will have the same impact for this semester.  

A memo was introduced to the Academic Planning Committee meeting of September 17, 2020, which would have extended the S/U grading option into the Fall 2020 term. This proposal was denied by the APC, who cited concerns over unforeseen impacts on C(GPA), the belief that students and Faculty had ample time to prepare for the Fall 2020 term, and that the wellbeing of students would be sufficiently supported by other accommodations. At this time, however, it is apparent that the Fall 2020 term has been and remains unpredictable, and that the wellbeing of students and staff continues to suffer.

SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS

The University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in comparison with other peer institutions, will be determinate of its institutional viability, as stated by the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) at the recent joint Senate-Board of Governors session. Given the compassion and accommodations offered by other competitive Universities across North America, the University’s reputation - both in the eyes of its Community and external observers - is at stake. The University’s handling of this crisis will not be forgotten, and shortcomings will ultimately impact the recruitment and retention of students and staff.

IMPACT OF DECISION AND

NEXT STEPS

Should this motion succeed, the decision of the Senate would be communicated to the McGill Community immediately to allow students and staff, keeping in mind that the Fall 2020 exam period begins on December 8, 2020.

Necessary administrative and academic measures would be implemented by the relevant Offices of the University, mirroring the processes undertaken during the Winter 2020 term. As it was during the Winter 2020 term, each Faculty would identify their specific application of the S/U options.

MOTION OR RESOLUTION

FOR APPROVAL

Be it resolved that Senate approve the following S/U Policy for the Fall 2020 academic term:

“All students, whether undergraduate or graduate, may exercise the S/U option for their courses, provided that doing so would not run counter to any requirements, timelines, or policies set by their respective programs of study or external accreditation bodies. Each Faculty will identify their specific application of the S/U options.

Courses for which the S/U option is exercised this term may count toward a student’s major or minor requirements, and will not count toward the maximum number of credits that a student may designate as S/U (i.e., up to 10 percent of total degree credits).”

APPENDICES

Appendix A: 499th Report of the Academic Policy Committee to Senate (optional)

From Section C) OTHER:

APC was presented with a motion from four members of Senate to “extend the availability of the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) option for all courses in the Fall 2020 term, in a manner akin to that nstituted at the end of the Winter 2020 term”. Senators Frizzle and Nystrom presented the motion to the committee, and a thorough discussion followed.

The committee recognized that the situation for the Fall 2020 term remains challenging for many students and instructors. However, APC committee members noted that:

• Unlike Winter 2020 where there was an interruption part way through the term, the context of class delivery was known well ahead of the start of the Fall 2020 term, and expectations were clear
• Extending the S/U option may have negative consequences for a students’ (C)GPA, some of which may not be fully appreciated at the time S/U is selected; this includes concerns about holding or receiving scholarships, or impacts on future academic pathways or careers
• Student success and wellbeing is of utmost importance, and there are many other ways Faculties and instructor have adapted their courses with this in mind

APC denied the motion.

Link: https://www.mcgill.ca/apc/files/apc/final_d20-01_part_b_499th_apc_report_to_senate.pdf