Letter from the Provost: December 11, 2020

Dear U of A Community:

As we near the end of the semester, I want to give you an update on a couple of important policy changes intended to help students during what has been a challenging year. Following a resolution passed by Faculty Senate this week in collaboration with the Associated Student Government, we have adopted new measures regarding course withdrawals and grading policies for undergraduate students this fall semester:   

  • The university is extending the withdrawal date for courses this fall, so undergraduate students who receive a grade of “C” or “D” can retroactively request to withdraw from the class by March 1, 2021.  
    • This extension is to give students time to evaluate their grades and determine if there are any they wish to change. Students will be required to consult with their academic advisor prior to withdrawing from a class, and we will be providing more information on that process soon. We also encourage students to meet with a financial aid and/or scholarship advisor to explore any possible implications to financial aid. Retroactive withdrawals are permanent and cannot be reverted once processed. 
  • The university is modifying the grading policy for undergraduate students so that all letter grades of “F” for the fall semester will be deemed “No Credit” and not impact the student’s GPA. This will occur automatically and does not require any action by the student.  

More information can be found on  the Provost’s website .   

We understand this semester hasn’t been easy. We hope this helps, and we will continue to do everything we can to foster success for our students moving forward.   

As a reminder, enrollment for the spring semester is currently underway. We still have plenty of seats left in courses regardless of the mode of delivery, whether it be face-to-face, hybrid or remote. If students are unable to find a class in the delivery mode they wish to take, they should contact their academic advisor.   

I encourage you again to finish this semester strong. While we are all facing uncertainty, each of us has the power to control our success. Hang in there, and please reach out to your professors, advisors or the Student Success Center if you need help.   

You can do this!  

Sincerely,

Charles F. Robinson
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs
Professor of History