Undergraduate Catalog 2020/2021 Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 Addendum In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the university made several Drop Period academic policy and process changes during the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. This addendum documents those changes. Each section Standard Policy below contains the standard policy and where it is located in the catalog, Under Schedule Adjustment and Drop Period (p. 78) as well as the Fall 2020 and/or Spring 2021 related policy and process change(s). The drop period for undergraduate students will begin at the close of the schedule adjustment period and terminate at the end of the tenth week of Absences classes for the fall and spring semesters. Consult the academic calendar at http://registrar.umd.edu/deadlines.html for dates. Standard Policy Fall 2020 Change Under Absences (p. 64) The deadline to drop a course with a W was extended to November 30, Absences from courses in which in-class participation forms a significant 2020. part of the work of the course (such as lab or discussion courses) shall be handled by instructors in accordance with the general policies of their Spring 2021 Change academic units. The deadline to drop a course with a W was extended to May 11, 2021, the last day of classes. An excused absence is an absence for which the student has the right to receive, and the instructor has the responsibility to provide, academic Final Exams accommodation. Standard Policy Excused absences must be requested promptly and must be supported by appropriate documentation. Excused absences do not alter the Under Assessment (p. 65) academic requirements for the course. Students are responsible for There shall be a final examination and/or assessment in every information and material missed on the day of absence. Students are undergraduate course. Exceptions may be made with the written approval within reason entitled to receive any materials provided to the class of the department chair or other appropriate unit administrator. during the absence. Students are responsible for determining what course material they have missed and for completing required exercises in a Fall 2020 Change timely manner. The expectation that every undergraduate course will have a final exam is Spring 2021 Change waived. Students are not obligated to provide documentation from the University Spring 2021 Change Health Center, from their physician, or from another source to verify their The expectation that every undergraduate course will have a final exam is inability to perform course activities as per expectations, or missed due waived. dates for assignments. Marking System The student should contact the course instructor (using the communication method specified in the course syllabus), explaining Standard Policy the absence or due dates missed, and a statement that the information is Under Marking System (p.69) accurate and that they recognize the expectations in the University of Maryland Code of Student Conduct (V-1.00[B]). Instructors may prefer The mark of P is a student option mark, equivalent to a grade of D- or that students use this template to certify their absence or missed due better. This grade is not used in any computation of quality points or dates. Upon presenting the self-certified note for documentation, students cumulative average totals at the end of the semester. The student must should coordinate with their instructor on the best path to keeping pace inform the Office of the Registrar of the selection of this option by the end with the course, making up work and completing alternate assignments. of the schedule adjustment period. If absences or missed work impact a student’s ability to complete Spring 2021 Change coursework according to the defined course schedule, the instructor and student are encouraged to develop alternative plans for the student to Students earn a mark of Pass with a grade of C- or better. The deadline to complete the course within the semester. If that is not feasible, after a switch the grading method for a course to Pass/Fail was also changed conversion with the course instructor, the student should consult with an from the end of the schedule adjustment period to 10:59 pm EST on academic advisor to discuss administrative options: dropping the course, May 11, 2021. The deadline to switch grading method for non-standard withdrawing from the course, and resulting changes in the student’s path courses was the last day of the non-standard course listed in the to a degree. If the student has already registered for the next semester schedule of classes. courses, they may need to reconsider this plan with the help of their Pass-Fail Grading advisor. Standard Policy Under Pass-Fail Grading (p.70) The following Pass-Fail policy was approved by the Board of Regents for implementation beginning with the Spring 1989 semester: 1. To register for a course under the pass-fail option, an undergraduate Students may not choose the Pass-Fail option when re-registering for a must have completed 30 or more credit hours of college credit with course or re-register for a course in which a grade of "I" has been noted. a GPA of at least 2.0. At least 15 of these credit hours must have Spring 2021 Change been completed at the University of Maryland, College Park with a University of Maryland GPA of at least 2.0. Students who repeated a course in Spring 2021 and used the pass/fail grading method as a result of the university's switch to pass/fail grading 2. Courses for which this option applies must be electives in the can still receive credit for that course. student's program. The courses may not be college, major, field of concentration, or general education program requirements. For repeated courses that are considered for forgiveness, the higher grade will be used in the GPA calculation. For the purpose of the repeat 3. Only one course per semester may be registered for under the pass- policy, a P is considered higher than the following grades: D-, D, D+ or F. fail option. If a student received a grade of C- or higher on their previous attempt, that course would remained in their GPA calculation. If the P grade is the 4. No more than 12 semester hours of credit may be taken under the higher grade, the P grade itself did not factor into the student's GPA; the pass-fail option during a student's college career. previous grade just would no longer be included in the GPA calculation. 5. Students may not choose this option when re-registering for a course. For repeated courses that are not considered for forgiveness, the P grade 6. When registering under the pass-fail option, a course that is passed does NOT factor into the GPA as per established university pass/fail will count as hours in the student's record but will not be computed policy and the GPA continued to include the previous letter grade received in the grade point average. A course that is failed will appear on the with its credit and quality point values. student's record and will be computed both in the overall average and Transfer Credit the semester average. Standard Policy 7. Students registering for a course under the pass-fail option are required to complete all regular course requirements. Their work Under Transfer Credit (p. 79) will be evaluated by the instructor by the normal procedure for letter grades. The instructor will submit the normal grade. The grades A+, Generally, college-level courses completed at regionally-accredited A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D or D- will automatically be converted by institutions will be acceptable and awarded transfer credit, provided the Office of the Registrar to the grade P on the student's permanent the course is similar in level, scope, content and expected learning record. The grade F will remain as given. The choice of grading option outcomes to courses offered at the University of Maryland and a grade of may be changed only during the schedule adjustment period for "C-" or higher is earned. courses in which the student is currently registered. Spring 2021 Change UMD will award transfer credit for a course where the student earned a Spring 2021 Change mark of Pass and the Pass is equal to a letter grade of "C-" or higher. Once In Spring 2021, students were able to select up to 7 credits to be graded verified, the Pass will meet the minimum grade requirement for General as Pass/Fail for any undergraduate class as opposed to just one course Education and major/minor requirements. for the semester. Students earn a mark of Pass with a grade of C- or better. Students who earned a D+, D, D-, or F will have that grade on their If a transfer course is completed at a public institution of higher transcripts whether or not they opt for Pass/Fail. Previously, the mark of education in the State of Maryland, where the mark of Pass is equal to P indicated a grade of D- or better. a D- or higher, the pass will meet the minimum grade requirement for General Education. Verification that the passing grade was a C- or higher The deadline to switch the grading method for a course to Pass/Fail was will be required before a course can fulfill a major/minor requirement. also changed from the end of the schedule adjustment period to 10:59 pm EST on May 11, 2021. The deadline to switch grading method for non- standard courses was the last day of the non-standard course listed in the schedule of classes. Additionally, the requirement that pass/fail courses not be college, major, field of concentration, or general education program requirements was also waived for Spring 2021. All LEP gateway courses, benchmarks, major and minor requirements will be met with a mark of Pass. LEP gateway requirements that normally require a B- or higher (Engineering: PHYS161 & MATH141; Government and Politics: GVPT170 [or GVPT241 if AP credit is granted for GVPT170]; and Psychology; PSYC100 [or PSYC221 if AP credit is granted for PSYC100]) can also be satisfied with either a grade of 'Pass' or a C- or higher only if completed in Spring 2021. Repeat Course Guidelines Standard Policy Under Repeat Course Guidelines (p.69)