As the second semester of online learning came to a close, student advocates pushed for more lenient grading policies amid the ever-rising unemployment rates, reports of student burnout and the ongoing –– and worsening –– COVID-19 pandemic.
The original legislation would allow students to pass/fail an unlimited number of classes, including classes that count toward degree requirements, and Q-drop classes without adding to their six Q-drop limit. The legislation was approved by the UT Student Government, the Senate of College Councils and the UT Faculty Council, the board that represents UT faculty interests.
However, UT President Jay Hartzell and Daniel Jaffe, interim executive vice president and provost, did not approve the original legislation and instead passed an amended version of the policy, which only allows students to pass/fail three total classes from the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters.
Three pass/fail options is not sufficient for students trying to complete virtual classes during a pandemic with widespread consequences. UT administration needs to expand pass/fail options and make it a priority to listen to students.
Biology sophomore Caroline Seyer and government sophomore Leland Murphy, both of whom are Student Government college representatives, drafted the legislation.
“I think the University’s reasoning for not doing pass/fail in the fall was that we’d been through a semester of this before, but the reality is we haven’t figured it out,” Murphy said. “That safety net of pass/fail really will help students who are facing the worst of extenuating circumstances.”
SG and the Senate argued it was clear from the fall 2020 midsemester survey and student testimonies that adding more pass/fail options was essential not only for students’ academic success, but also their physical and mental health.
“Something is better than nothing, but I was pretty frustrated with President Hartzell and the other admin who went against the Faculty Council because when we asked Hartzell about pass/fail (during the Senate of College Councils’ COVID-19 town hall), he said it was a faculty-governance issue, and he would follow the Faculty Council,” Murphy said.
Student advocates persuaded the Faculty Council that unlimited pass/fail would best serve students’ needs. Nonetheless, Hartzell only approved a three-option pass/fail policy, which does not fully support students.
“I don’t think that many of (the members of the Faculty Council) expected that they were going to easily vote to support the recommendation that students came up with,” said J.B. Bird, director of media relations and newsroom for University Communications. “But the explanations were very compelling.”
The president’s refusal to implement the proposed policy, even after faculty approved it, is frustrating.
“It honestly felt kind of authoritarian,” Murphy said. “What’s the point of having this faculty body when you can just go against their decisions? Why make the policy more selective when so many students are still suffering?”
The administration did not adequately listen to students or faculty, despite the evidence students presented.
“We heard, ‘We’re going to hear the voice of the students,’ and they still made a different decision,” Seyer said.
However, the efforts made by student advocates and the professors who supported them did promote change.
“This experience showed legislative student organizations that if you push really hard, something will happen,” said Issac James, vice president of the Senate of College Councils and Plan II and government junior. “Obviously it wasn’t the change we wanted, but it’s so important to have student voices in those rooms.”
As we continue to deal with the fallout of COVID-19 and the inherent challenges of virtual learning, UT administration needs to listen to the voices of its students more than ever. Students need unlimited pass/fail options as we continue to adjust to a fully online university.
Zaksek is a Plan II and women’s and gender studies junior from Allen, Texas.
