SUBJECT:

Summer 2020 Temporary Extension of the Deadline to Drop a Course with a W

Dear Colleagues,

Given the fast pace of Summer Session and the temporary requirement that all courses be offered remotely, the Academic Senate approved extending the deadline for an undergraduate student to drop a course with a W grade for Summer Session I, II, and Special Sessions. The extension will give undergraduate students additional time to adjust to the pace and format of the course before they are required to make decisions about whether to remain enrolled.

This limited-term exception for Summer Session moves the deadline to drop a course with a W grade from what is equivalent of the end of Week 6 in a regular ten-week academic term to the equivalent of the end of Week 9 (i.e. 90% of term completion). It aligns the deadline for undergraduate students with the deadline already in place for graduate students. The Senate encourages instructors and instructional assistants to make clear that students should consult with their department and college advisors and financial aid advisors about their individual circumstances prior to making changes to their Summer course schedule.

*For Summer Session I: The deadline to drop a course with a W is extended to July 28, 2020.

*For Summer Session II: The deadline to drop a course with a W is extended to September 1, 2020.

*For Special Sessions: The deadline to drop a course with a W is extended to the date when 90% of the Special Session is completed.

Additional Considerations for Summer Instruction:

*Other limited-term policy exceptions approved by the Academic Senate to temporarily change San Diego Senate Regulations relating to course grading options and extending the deadlines for adding courses and dropping courses without a W grade were limited to Spring 2020 only and do not apply to Summer Session. It remains up to individual departments and colleges to decide whether to make an exception to their requirements and allow students who opt to take a course on a P/NP or S/U basis to apply it towards major or degree requirements.

*It is the purview of individual instructors to make decisions about what is best for their courses and for their students. As noted during Spring Quarter, final exams cannot be waived per policy. However, instructors continue to have significant flexibility regarding finals, as long as expectations are applied consistently and communicated clearly to students. Guidance provided by the Academic Senate on allowable flexibility for finals is available at: https://go.ucsd.edu/2XNJcAq

*For more information on remote instruction, assessment and proctoring, please visit the Teaching + Learning Commons' webpage:
https://digitallearning.ucsd.edu/instructors/remoteinstruction/index.html.

Thank you for your continued efforts to support our students' educational experience and their ability to continue their academic progress during these unprecedented times.

Stay well.

Maripat Corr Chair, San Diego Divisional Academic Senate Steven Constable Vice Chair, San Diego Divisional Academic Senate Geoffrey Cook Chair, Educational Policy Committee, San Diego Divisional Academic Senate