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Highlights

Salem State announces that students will receive funds to offset housing, meal plan, and parking charges for the periods not available during spring 2020 due to coronavirus; anticipated date is May 1.

Students will be issued a letter grade for the spring semester that will be converted to a Pass/No Pass grade by the registrar’s office. Students can choose to have their letter grade appear in their transcripts by notifying the same office by May 28.

Spring 2020 Reimbursement Update

We hope that your family and you are well. We’re reaching out to you regarding the university’s plan to provide relief from this semester’s unused housing, meal plan, and parking expenses, given the move to remote learning.

Salem State is committed to doing the best we can for you, however, we are awaiting details of the newly signed Federal legislation that will fund this reimbursement. The university will provide you with additional information about the payment timeline and method just as soon as we can.

The adjustment will be applied to any outstanding balance owed to the university first and students who received a housing grant will have their award amount adjusted as well.

Adjustments to tuition and fees will not be made because the semester is being completed through remote instruction. Resident students whose petition to remain on campus was approved are not eligible for an adjustment. We encourage you to check your student account online through your navigator account. 

Wishing your family and you good health,

Bonnie Galinski

Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and the Student Navigation Center

Pass/No Pass Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses (spring semester 2020 only)

In response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the delivery of courses, the current “Pass/Fail Credits” policy shall be suspended. In its place shall be the following temporary “Pass/No Pass” policy.

Faculty members shall enter a standard letter grade for each student enrolled in their class, with the understanding that grades of A through D- shall be automatically converted by the university registrar to a grade of P (pass) and that grades of F shall be automatically converted to a grade of NP (no pass).

After course grades have been posted (May 18, 2020) students shall reserve the right to change their P grade to the letter grade assigned by the faculty member (e.g, A, A-, B+). The initial deadline for students to notify the university of their decision to exercise this option shall be May 28, 2020. Subsequent notifications to exercise this option shall be submitted to the university registrar as determined by a future policy. Once exercised, the option to revert to a letter grade cannot be reversed.

This temporary process shall not infringe upon each instructor’s right and responsibility to assess each student’s academic performance and to assign each student an appropriate grade. Also, the faculty of any academic department may request that a subset of courses offered by their faculty be exempt from the temporary P/NP policy.

A note to the transcript shall read as follows: “In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the spring semester 2020, the university adopted a temporary grading policy whereby students were automatically assigned course grades of Pass/No Pass and subsequently afforded the option to have their grade reported with a standard letter grade. Students for whom a grade of P/NP is reported shall be held harmless.”

We recognize that many members of our community will have significant questions about how this grading system will work for individual students, and in the coming days we will be posting a guide online for students, faculty and advisors with additional guidance for students in their decision-making process.

Additionally:

• The deadline for withdrawing from a spring 2020 course has been extended to Friday, May 1, 2020 for all students.
  
   
• Students who document that their health or the health of an individual under their care has impeded their ability to complete course requirements by the end of the semester, but who wish to do so at a later date, may request of their course instructor a grade of incomplete (I). Per current university policy, instructors retain the right to exercise their discretion when granting a grade of I, with a concomitant understanding that the health and safety challenges faced by students and their families this term have been extraordinary. 

As we move forward together, please take good care of yourselves and each other.

David Silvia

Provost and Academic Vice President