Dear Students:

These extraordinary times are presenting us with unintended yet outstanding opportunities to learn and grow. We know that such rapid shifts can bring added stress and anxiety. You, your faculty, and your University are all adapting and changing, with one unerring commitment, to support student acquisition of new, valuable, and applicable knowledge. As we are all feeling stress, Viterbo surveyed faculty and adjuncts on the best way forward with grading courses this spring.

Viterbo has a Credit/No Credit (as opposed to a Pass/Fail) Policy. Having examined multiple options Viterbo will make a one-time exception to our current Credit/No Credit (Cr/NC) policy, permitting students to change to Cr/NC for eligible courses. The exceptions are only for spring 2020 semester. Please read below for process and specific information about the policy. Students are strongly advised to speak with your advisor(s), faculty and coaches to consider the pros and cons of this option.

The following policy change has been made as a service to our students in response to course delivery method adjustments due to Covid-19. By providing multiple options when it comes to how your course is graded, we hope to alleviate some of the stress you may be feeling in these uncertain and difficult times and allow you to focus on what we are here for as a University - learning.

WHO: The Cr/NC policy modification for this semester applies ONLY to undergraduate courses

HOW: Undergraduates, including Adult Undergraduate/Bachelor Completion Students, may apply for Cr/NC grades for their undergraduate courses (graduate courses not allowed) by sending an email from your Viterbo email account, to CRNCrequest@viterbo.edu by May 8, 2020. Please be sure to list only the classes for which you are requesting the Cr/NC option. In other words, unless a course or degree is ineligible for the Cr/NC option, you can list one or all of your classes. For a number of reasons (accreditation, licensure, etc.), not every course will be eligible for Cr/NC.

WHEN: By May 8, 2020. Changes will not be accepted after that date.

WHAT else do I need to know:

• Your instructor will continue to grade your assignments as normal. For courses where you opt-in to the Cr/NC option, you will earn Credit if your final grade is a C or higher. Grades of C/D or below will not earn Credit.  All other academic policies remain unchanged as they apply to credits earned to graduate and grades required for credits in a major.
• For NURS courses you must earn a grade of C (at 80%, as per the School of Nursing Handbook) for Credit to be awarded.
• Cr/NC does not impact your GPA, positively or negatively. You will not increase your GPA if you earn Credit. This may be important to consider for honors or specific scholarships. You will not decrease your GPA if you earn No Credit. If you earn an F or NC, you will need to replace the credits to graduate.
• It is very important to consider your options carefully, and be aware of the course/degrees that cannot use the Cr/NC option. Change requests are final and may not be reversed at a later date. Discuss Cr/NC options with your advisor(s) to consider: programs that require a specific GPA to earn a degree, graduate school applications and if you are currently on academic probation.
• Cr/NC does not mean less work, fewer assignments or less learning. Faculty will still assess performance but the pressure to earn a 95 or 75 will be lessened. You will still need to pass the class, as per our policies (see below).
• If you wish to continue on the standard letter grade system for any of your courses, you do not need to take any action for these courses.

We are still finalizing with departments which courses will NOT be eligible for Cr/NC.  This list will be finalized by the end of the week – and will be found at this website (some course exceptions are already listed, but please check back to see if there are changes). https://www.viterbo.edu/registrar/creditno-credit-exceptions

Please talk to your advisor before you make a decision about credit/no credit. 

Thank you for the ways you are staying in touch and adapting to this environment.  Just a reminder that all offices at Viterbo are set up to assist you remotely.  Let us know how we can help.

I hope you are well.
Glena