Dear
Students,
I am pleased to share that the Faculty approved a Credit/No Credit
(CR/NC) grading option for this semester. We hope this option will alleviate
some of the stress and concern about your courses given the switch to online
classes. An overview of this option and the supporting details
are provided below. This information will also be available via
a link in the FAQ on www.hendrix.edu/coronavirus.
OVERVIEW
After
final grades are turned in, students will have the option of making changes to
letter grades to Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) for each of their
courses. There will be time available for students to consult with their
advisors before making changes so that students think carefully about any
future implications of these changes.
STUDENT
PROCEDURES AND TIMELINES
- For seniors,
grades will be available online after the due date of May 14.
- For all continuing students, grades will be available online after the due date of
May 18.
TEMPORARY
GRADING CHANGE FOR SPRING 2020 SEMESTER
At
the conclusion of the Spring 2020 semester, students will have a short period
of time in which they can change grades in individual courses with letter
grades of A, B, C, D, and F to
grades to CR and NC according to the
following rules:
- Changes can be applied to any graded course completed
during the Spring 2020 semester.
- Changes can be applied to one or more courses.
- Grades of A, B, C,
and D can be converted to grades of CR.
- Grades of F can be converted to grades
of NC.
- Changes cannot be made by graduating seniors if the
changes would keep them from graduating.
- CR/NC grades
will continue to have no effect on GPA calculations.
- Converted grades of CR may be used to
satisfy major, minor, and Collegiate Center course requirements that
usually require a letter grade.
- Converted grades of CR may be used to
satisfy W1, W2, and Odyssey requirements that
usually require a grade of C or better.
- For capstone grades:
- Guidelines for Latin Honors and the Dean’s List will
remain as they are. However, both lists will not be computed until after
all grade changes have been made.
- Once converted, CR/NC grades
cannot be changed back to letter grades.
CAVEATS
FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ABOUT CR/NC GRADE CHANGES
Before
deciding to change any grades from letter grades to credit only grades,
students should carefully consider the following potential implications for
their academic records. Students should consult the Office of Financial Aid and
their advisors before proceeding.
- State Scholarships with GPA Requirements. The state scholarships with GPA requirements are the
Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, the Governor’s Scholarship, and
the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship. GPAs are reported to the state
at the end of the spring semester. Students should keep their GPA
requirements in mind as they make decisions about converting courses from
letter grades to credit only because these decisions will change the GPA.
Currently, the state is planning to waive these requirements for this
academic year, but the details are still fluid. Students will need to
check with the Office of Financial Aid for the latest decisions on this
from the state.
- Private or Federal Scholarships with GPA Requirements. These types of scholarships vary
widely. Students will need to check with the Office of Financial Aid about
specific details.
- Hendrix GPA Graduation Requirements. Hendrix has not waived any
graduation requirements (for this or future years) involving
GPAs. Graduation continues to require a 2.0 GPA on all courses
counted for the B.A. degree and a 2.0 GPA on all courses counted towards a
major or a minor. Students should carefully consider the implications
of these GPA requirements when deciding about changing any grades to
credit only.
- Latin Honors and Dean’s List. Hendrix has not waived any
requirements for graduation with Latin honors or the Dean’s
list. Latin honors are determined by final GPAs and the Dean’s list
requires the completion of no fewer than four whole credit courses with no
grade other than A. Students should carefully consider the
implications on these honors when deciding about changing any grades to
credit only.
- Post-graduate programs (e.g. medical school, dental school, law school,
Ph.D. and Masters programs, and other competitive graduate programs). Many
competitive post-graduate programs may have specific courses for which
they require a letter grade or they may have a policy that they
recalculate GPAs by replacing a CR grade with either a C or
the lowest grade that is allowed (which in the current case for spring
2020 for Hendrix would be a D). Currently, it is very
difficult to know what programs are or are not waiving those requirements
for the future. Students should consider the implications of these
requirements when deciding about changing any grades to credit only.
- Academic Probation. Students on academic probation are strongly
encouraged to consult the Office of Academic Success when deciding about
changing any grades to credit only.
- Private Company Discounts. Students should also keep in
mind any discounts they might receive based on GPAs. A common one is
a grade discount for automobile insurance policies.
Thanks,
Terri Bonebright,
Ph.D.
Executive Vice
President for Academic Affairs and Provost