It’s been over a year since the Credit/No Credit Option was announced. The CR/NC Option has allowed students to receive credit for a class without it affecting their GPA for both Spring and Fall 2020 semesters. However, in March, Provost Alan Utter sent a short email to students announcing that the CR/NC Option would not be available for Spring 2021. This decision has sparked a chain of posts on the A-State student app about the CR/NC Option, as well as a petition to “Urge A-State To Reverse Its Decision On The CR/NCR Policy.”
The CR/NC Option allows students to change a grade of A, B, C or D to a CR grade, and an F to a NC. CR/NC is not added into a student’s GPA, so if a student knows they will receive a C or D in their class they can choose to convert those grades to CR to keep the low grades from affecting their GPA.
On paper, this is a good idea, but there are some issues, as pointed out in a document by the Neil Griffin College of Business. Departments can still look behind the CR grades to view actual letter grades, which means that even if you take a CR in a class to avoid a D grade messing up your GPA, you can still fail the class and have to take it again. “The university establishes CR/NC grading but doesn’t override certain program requirements of each college,” the document states.
In the email which announced the CR/NC option, Dr. Kelly Damphousse, chancellor, mentioned that “Grades of CR/NC will not affect GPA, but may affect things like scholarships, progression in course sequencing and entry into graduate or professional school.”
In Provost Utter’s email there is no explanation given for why the CR/NC Option was not renewed this semester. In the petition begging for the renewal of this option, petition starter Christan Huggins said he was told that “A-State’s decision to not reinstitute the CR/NCR policy was based on the fact that no transitions had occurred to solely online (sic).” More information on this decision, Huggins and the petition can be found on page 1A.
I have never used the CR/NC option, nor do I plan to. I usually only take one gen ed a semester, and the rest of my classes are either automatic A’s (a perk of being a music major) or are required for my degree.
That said, clearly a lot of students are relying on this option. As of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 928 people had signed the “Urge A-State” petition. Many left comments explaining their need for the CR/NC option. Some mentioned issues with teachers who struggled to use and adapt to technology like Blackboard and Zoom, while others mentioned the mental strain of living through a pandemic and taking classes online.
“It is extremely mindless to not offer CR/NC this semester,” says petition signer Bethany Crum, “as students are still affected by the (COVID-19) pandemic. Most of us are taking a majority of our classes online and have had to endure a huge change concerning our college experience. Although it seems as though online classes are simple, the student body essentially has to teach itself when partaking in virtual learning. This semester has been hell. Consider having some compassion for your students.”
Nevertheless, I would like to mention that the pandemic isn’t over. The end is in sight, but it’s not over. We’re still taking our classes online. We’re still struggling with mental, physical and financial hardships. Nothing has changed since fall semester, so why should the CR/NC option change? It’s like removing your parachute while you’re still 2,000 feet above ground. It’s like ending the mask mandate before the disease the masks are protecting you from has been eradicated. Next semester, when things are in person, I can agree with removing the CR/NC option, but ripping it out from under the student body now seems out of touch with our needs, not to mention needlessly cruel.
Have an opinion about the Credit/No Credit Option? Send your thoughts to heraldopinion1921@gmail.com. Responses will be added to this article.
Categories: Opinion
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