University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law
Mandatory Pass/Fail Grading for Spring 2020 Courses
(1) All courses in the Spring 2020 term will be graded on a pass-fail basis.
(2) Credits awarded in courses which are currently taken pass-fail will be counted for purposes of the limitation on pass-fail hours in Faculty Rule 10(D). All other pass-fail credits awarded under this rule will not be counted for purposes of the limitation on pass-fail hours.
(3) All students will be evaluated by the instructor as if this rule were not in effect. The instructor will assign a letter grade for each student in the course (unless the course is already designated pass-fail in the catalog). The registrar will substitute a grade of “P” for any grade other than “E” or “I.” The grades of “E” or “I” will not be changed by this rule. The grading information reported by the instructor of each course shall not be communicated to the student. The student will receive only the grade of P when the student is determined to have passed the course. The award for the highest grade in the class will not be awarded in any class for the Spring 2020 semester.
(4) All requirements for class attendance and participation remain unaffected by this rule.
(5) When providing transcripts to students who completed courses during the Spring 2020 semester, the Registrar shall provide a statement to students explaining that, because of the unprecedented effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the College of Law faculty with University approval required that all courses be graded on a pass/fail basis.
(6) Notwithstanding the terms of other faculty rules, the conditions imposed on students readmitted to the College who are not in good academic standing are suspended for the Spring 2020 semester because of the unprecedented effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
(7) Students will be informed that they have the academic right under University Senate Rule 6.1.3.2 "to receive fair and just grades." This rule states that "[s]tudents have the right to receive grades based only upon fair and just evaluation of their performance in a course as measured by the standards announced by their instructor(s) in the written course syllabus at the first class meeting." College of Law faculty have decided, based on the emergency conditions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and its unprecedented impact on the College, University, and community, that mandatory pass-fail grading for all courses is the fair and just method for evaluating student performance in all such courses. If any student believes that the grade received is not a fair and just evaluation, the student has the right to appeal the grades received. That appeal will proceed without the student being advised of any of the letter grades that were awarded, because such an appeal would relate to the award of the grade of pass or fail, rather than the particular letter grade. The student will receive the letter grade awarded if the student prevails in this appeal. In that event, the student would retain the right to appeal the letter grade received.
Adopted by the faculty of the College of Law, March 26, 2020; approved by the University Senate, March 30, 2020.