Michigan Ross Announces Changes to Grading Policy for Winter Term 2020

After moving to virtual learning environments due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ross School of Business is adapting its grading and assessment policies for winter term courses. Michigan Ross also is extending the late drop deadlines for classes to April 21, the last day of the semester, in line with the University of Michigan. 

For full-term winter 2020 and winter B 2020 courses, Ross will use a system where the default grade will be pass (“P”) or no record COVID (“NRC”). Faculty will enter traditional letter grades, but students will receive either “P” or “NRC” on their permanent transcript. 

The grade cutoff for a “P” will be the same as the grade minimum for students to receive course credit. Students who receive an “NRC” will receive no course credit, but their GPA will not be affected. An “NRC” in a core class must be repeated for graduation; electives with an “NRC” can be repeated.

Up until July 1, students will be able to view their final grades and choose to unmask grades on a class-by-class basis, which means the actual letter grade will appear on their transcript and the grade will contribute to their GPA. This is a one-way choice that cannot be undone. 

Honors eligibility will be calculated with winter 2020 grades that are unmasked and without “P”/”NRC” grades, and honors will be awarded to students who qualify under either of these methods. 

For both core and elective courses, Ross faculty will modify the standard distribution (standard undergrad distribution; standard graduate distribution) by changing the cutoff proportions for each grade by 10 percent. 

“In making the changes, we are living up to the ideals of Michigan Ross — maintaining the standards and academic integrity of our programs, ensuring equity among our students, and enabling our students to earn grades that allow them to graduate and also earn special distinctions,” said Scott DeRue, the Edward J. Frey Dean of Michigan Ross. “We aim to make sure we take care of our community members as they learn to navigate what is a new territory for all involved.” 

All grade policies and criteria for honors will revert back to the standard Ross approach after the winter 2020 term, although longer-term adjustments may be made as the situation evolves.

Faculty and staff will share further information on how the grading policies impact their individual courses and programs in the near future. For more information and FAQs, visit: https://ro.umich.edu/records-registration/covid-19-winter-2020-grading.