Dear colleagues,
As we continue into our third week of remote instruction, I want to thank you for your continued commitment to our students and to each other.
I know this is a difficult time in both our work and home lives, and I want to make sure that you feel encouraged and are being supported. To help us gauge how well you are doing in the current environment, please fill out this very short pulse survey. It will help my office make any necessary additional adjustments.
I also want to update you on action the Faculty Senate took yesterday to expand temporary changes to the university’s academic policies to support our undergraduate students.
Students will now be able to opt in to a satisfactory/credit/no-credit grading option for almost all undergraduate courses this semester. This is in addition to the satisfactory/no-credit option for any graduate-level course that allows it.
For undergraduate students, the grade of satisfactory (S) will apply to a final grade of C or higher. The grade of credit (CR) will apply to a final grade of C-minus through D-minus. The grade of no-credit (NC) will apply to a final grade of F. Students can choose on a class-by-class basis to use the A–F or the S/CR/NC grading scale without affecting their UT Knoxville GPA, institutional scholarships, or HOPE Scholarship. Students will be able to select the S/CR/NC option for the spring semester in the online registration system beginning Monday, April 13, and will have until 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 22 to make that selection.
These decisions can impact a student’s financial aid and veterans benefits. If you have an undergraduate student who is considering dropping your class or switching to the new grading scale, please encourage them to consult their academic advisor and One Stop Student Services before doing so. Graduate students should consult with their major professor and director of graduate studies.
More information about this and other temporary changes to our academic policies and how these updates may impact your students is available on this FAQ page.
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs RJ Hinde will host two Zoom-based town hall meetings this week where advisors, student success staff, and faculty can ask questions about these temporary changes:
I know there are still many questions as we face the uncertainty of the coming weeks and months. I want to assure you that the university’s administration is closely monitoring the situation in our community and nationwide, and we will make the best decisions with the best information possible.
Above all, we are committed to the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and broader community.
David Manderscheid
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor