Thursday, April 9, 2020
Dear Students,
We are writing today to share revised grading policies available to you during this unprecedented semester of study. We will also provide updates on academic and student services that you can now complete online. Thank you for your patience as we work through these issues.
Grading. In addition to the traditional 4.0 grading scale, Wilkes will offer a satisfactory/pass/withdraw (S/P/W) option during the spring 2020 semester. This scale is optional for all students and can be requested on a course-by-course basis.
- Satisfactory – grades of 2.0 or higher will be listed as “S”
- Pass – grades of 1.5 to 1.0 will be listed as “P”
- Withdrawal – students with a grade of less than 1.0 can withdraw from the course with a “W.” You will need to retake the course if it is an academic requirement.
- Satisfactory – grades of 3.0 or higher will be listed as “S”
- Pass – grades of 2.5 to 2.0 will be listed as “P”
- Withdrawal – students with a grade of less than 2.0 can withdraw from the course with a “W.” You will need to retake the course if it is an academic requirement.
For courses requiring a prerequisite, students may petition for the instructor to waive the prerequisite.
We understand that for many of you, utilizing the S/P/W option is a big decision. We recommend that you talk to your advisor so that you can make an informed choice. Advisors will then work with the Registrar’s Office to ensure that your request is processed. It is important to note that satisfactory/pass/withdraw grades are not calculated into your overall GPA. You can begin the process by visiting the ____ page.
This plan is designed with flexibility in mind. You can opt-in now or at a later time when your academic progress becomes clear. Students intending to graduate in May 2020 will have until May 15 to confirm a satisfactory/pass/withdraw in lieu of a numerical grade. All other students have until May 29. Please know that you will also be able to reverse your chosen grading option by the dates noted above.
This option is not suitable for all majors. As a result, students in our education, nursing and pharmacy professional programs are exempt from this policy. A message from your dean will communicate grading details for each academic program.
Incomplete grade extension. The deadline for incomplete grades being changed to zeroes has been extended. The new incomplete grade deadline for the spring 2020 term is July 6. This will provide you with four additional weeks to complete any unfinished work before incomplete grades change to zeroes. If more time is needed, please consult with your instructor. Students receiving an incomplete grade in any spring course will have until July 31 to choose the satisfactory/pass/withdraw option for that particular course.
Changing your academic major, minor or concentration. To complete these actions, you may use the electronic change forms found on the Registrar’s page. You will be prompted to log-in to the portal and, when completed, forms will automatically be submitted to your advisor and the appropriate University offices for processing. You will receive an email confirmation once your request is approved. With questions, please contact advising@wilkes.edu.
Transfer credit request. Current students wishing to transfer credits to Wilkes from another institution may use the electronic transfer credit request form found on the Registrar’s page. The form will be automatically sent to the department chairperson of the course. You will receive an email confirmation once the form is processed. With questions, please contact registrar@wilkes.edu.
GPA adjustment. Students who would like to request to remove grades earned in majors they are no longer pursuing may use the electronic GPA adjustment form on the Registrar’s page. Please note that only one form may be used per course. Your request will be automatically sent to your course instructor and the appropriate University offices for processing. You will receive an email confirmation once your request is approved. With questions, please contact advising@wilkes.edu.
Monetary adjustments. Details on monetary adjustments will be shared on Monday, April 13. Please monitor your Wilkes email account for this information.
We know that this has been an incredibly stressful time for you and your families. Some of you may have family members working on the front lines of this illness. Others may have family members battling it. Please know that we are here to help support you in any way that we can. If you feel that there are circumstances preventing you from completing your assignments, please get in touch with us at terese.wignot@wilkes.edu or jonathan.ference@wilkes.edu.
Sincerely,