Peter Atwater, alumnus and adjunct professor at the College of William & Mary recommended Wednesday that students move to “pass/fair” for their classes this semester away from the traditional A-F grading system.
Participating in the third virtual conversation with W&M President Katherine Rowe, Atwater, who founded Financial Insyghts and is an expert in decision-making, said “when confidence fails (we) necessarily have to choose what’s important … right now and right here.” He told students not to wait until May regarding grades, do it now.
Temporary adjustments have been made to the pass/fail policy to allow students to obtain pass/fail grading for one, some or all of their spring 2020 courses. The option must be exercised by May 29.
With students and faculty participating in online learning and teaching, Marjorie Thomas, dean of students, stressed, “this place — William & Mary — matters. It also has provided a sense of a level playing field for our students. The overwhelming majority have never engaged in remote instruction.” Students are engaging more this week, she added, with faculty and staff and “we’re reminding students through communications that we’re here to help you get through this.”
Rowe emphasized that one of the university’s four goals during this crisis is to “keep all employees working — staff and faculty. Virginia higher education is one of the sectors in Virginia that can keep our economy going.”
In that regard earlier this week, W&M’s provost Peggy Agouris said both sessions of summer school will be moved to remote delivery since Gov. Ralph Northam’s stay-at-home order restricts on campus, in-personal experiences at least until June 10.
Existing online summer courses will continue as scheduled and existing on-campus and hybrid courses will be converted to remote instruction whenever possible or canceled if necessary, she said in her memorandum to the W&M community.
Additionally, access to courses that fulfill core requirements will be expanded during the summer and fall terms.
