March 18, 2020
Dear Boston College Students:
We understand the significant disruption you are experiencing this week. As we begin online instruction on March 19, the University remains committed to supporting your academic success this semester. We realize that this transition will present challenges large and small, and we appreciate you bringing a true Boston College spirit of commitment to your fellow students and the larger community as we navigate together the remaining weeks of the academic year.
To mitigate the impact this transition will have on all students, we have decided to implement several modifications to University academic policy for the Spring 2020 semester.
The changes are as follows:
Academic Policy Modifications this semester
1. The last date to drop a course this semester (without a "W" appearing on your record) is extended to Thursday, April 9.*
2. The last date to withdraw from a course this semester (with a "W" appearing on your record) is extended to the last day of classes, Thursday, April 30.*
* All undergraduate students are expected to maintain full-time status (12 credits or more). If your decision to drop or withdraw from courses would cause you to fall below full-time status, please consult your academic dean, financial aid counselor (where appropriate), and advisor before doing so.
3. We are making changes to our existing Pass/Fail policy that will be in effect for this Spring semester. (More details will follow in communications from Student Services and from individual school's deans). Please note the exceptions that apply to the Connell School of Nursing and the Law School as indicated in #4 and #5 below. At this time, we can announce the following changes:
a. All graduate and undergraduate students will be able to designate courses taken this semester as Pass/Fail through Thursday, April 30.
b. The limit on the number of courses that can be taken Pass/Fail in a single semester is suspended for this Spring semester.
c. Undergraduate courses taken Pass/Fail this semester will not count towards the University's maximum six-course limit on the total number of courses that can be taken Pass/Fail for credit towards a degree.
d. The prohibition on taking a course that is required for core, corequisite, major or minor credit as Pass/Fail is suspended for this semester, and a student can elect to take any such courses as Pass/Fail.
e. Carroll School of Management and Woods College of Advancing Studies courses, as well as study abroad courses, may be taken as Pass/Fail for this semester.
f. The prohibition on taking a course to satisfy a school's foreign-language requirement on a Pass/Fail basis is lifted for this semester.
g. Consistent with existing policy, an undergraduate student who earns a grade of D- or higher will receive a grade of Pass for the course.
h. A grade of Pass will not count towards the GPA calculation, but a Failing grade will.
4. Due to licensing requirements, a number of courses for nursing students may not be taken Pass/Fail this semester. They are:
a. BIOL1320 / 1330: Anatomy and Physiology 2
b. HLTH2206: Principles of Nutrition
c. MATH1180: Principles of Statistics for the Health Sciences
d. NURS2070: Introduction to Professional Nursing
e. NURS2205: Clinical Pharmacology
f. NURS2230: Adult Health Nursing Theory 1
g. NURS3242: Adult Health Nursing Theory 2
h. NURS3244: Childbearing Nursing Theory and Childbearing
i. NURS4250: Child Health Nursing Theory
j. NURS4252: Psychiatric / Mental Health Nursing Theory
k. NURS4260: Population Health Nursing Theory
l. NURS6460: MSE Childbearing Nursing Theory
m. NURS6468: MSE Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Theory
n. NURS6470: MSE Child Health Nursing Theory
o. NURS7490: Physiologic Variables for Nurse Anesthesia I
p. NURS7491: Chemistry & Physics for Nurse Anesthesia Practice
q. NURS7592: Advanced Principles for Nurse Anesthesia Practice
r. NURS7593: Nurse Anesthesia II
s. NURS7693: Nurse Anesthesia V
5. All Law School classes will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis.
Should you experience technical difficulties in accessing your online classes, please contact Information Technology Services. For academic concerns please contact your faculty member or your school's Associate Deans.
Your faculty have been working to prepare for the resumption of classes tomorrow, and we stand ready to support you and them in your academic pursuits during the next two months.
Sincerely,
David Quigley
Provost and Dean of Faculties
Billy Soo
Vice Provost
Akua Sarr
Vice Provost