[Pols-announce] Fw: Updates on Instructional and Tenure Questions

Mon Mar 23 14:56:57 CDT 2020

FYI, the latest from the College with some items to consider for instructors of record.

Time line is unclear for some items

DHM

________________________________
From: College Dean's Office <clasdean at ku.edu>
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2020 2:52 PM
To: College Chairs & Directors
Subject: Updates on Instructional and Tenure Questions

Dear College Chairs & Directors

As expected, there are a lot of issues still to consider as we continue the transition from primarily on-campus instruction to remote learning. We want to let you know what is in the works on some of the more pressing and frequently occurring issues we’re involved in right now. You are also welcome to share this information with your faculty.

We are hearing from many of you and members of our faculty about several questions related to grades, credit/no credit, student evaluations of teaching, and course withdrawals; tenure clock; and summer session.

First, there are several university working groups addressing the following issues, which may lead to adjustment to university policy and procedures:

  *   Extending the deadline for students opting for credit/no credit grading (current deadline has passed)
  *   Relaxing various policy restrictions on what might be taken on a credit/no credit basis
  *   Extending the current drop period, which ends April 20 (https://registrar.ku.edu/spring-2020-academic-calendar-category)
  *   Modifying the procedures for student evaluations of teaching
  *   Creating a procedure to extend the mandatory tenure review date for pre-tenure faculty

We anticipate that more news will be coming about these issues in the very near future, and appreciate your sharing ideas and concerns.

We ask that you pay particular attention to grading decisions your faculty may be making, especially before any university-wide or College-wide changes are finalized. Changes in grading policy may have far-reaching and unanticipated consequences, so it’s important that students understand the pros and cons of different options before electing to pursue one over the other. Here are two targeted areas we need you to monitor among your faculty and instructors, before any university decisions are made:

·         Credit/no credit grading: Our impression is that some instructors may be counting on across-the-board credit/no credit grading. As this is not in the best interest of all students, we see it as unlikely that this policy change would be adopted by the university or the College. Some students need to raise their GPA for a variety of reasons (e.g., currently on probation, current GPA is below graduation requirements) or may be required by external groups to receive a grade in specific courses (e.g., for graduate school applications).

·         Incompletes: We’ve heard rumors that some instructors may be considering across-the-board incompletes for all students in a course. This would be a violation of the incomplete policy and would also not be in the best interest of the student for a variety of reasons (e.g., this may preclude from meeting financial aid and scholarship requirements).

In addition to possible grade policy changes, it is important that instructors reconsider their course grading framework to ensure a fair approach during this difficult transition. For example:

·         Instructors may want to adjust grading rubrics to reflect students’ current access to resources, such as the library or museums.

·         Instructors may choose to offer quizzes, exams, and assignments in a “multiple attempt” mode so that students have an opportunity to learn from their mistakes and improve their performance.

·         Instructors may want to allow students to drop a certain number of assignments with low grades or may offer extra credit opportunities to help students who may hit a bump in the road when moving to a new mode of learning.

·         Instructors should also take into consideration the possibility that some students may no longer have access to past notes/materials and determine ways to alter assignments/exams accordingly. We are hearing from students whose study materials are still in their dorms, for example.

There are a variety of changes that instructors can make to support the success of students who may need to earn a letter grade for their course. The Center for Teaching Excellence (cte at ku.edu<mailto:cte at ku.edu>), the Center for Online and Distance Learning (codl at ku.edu<mailto:codl at ku.edu>), and the newly announced faculty consultant network (https://remote.ku.edu/faculty-consultants) are available to help you work through options for your course.

Additionally, we have received several inquiries about students with concerns about internet access. Please consult https://remote.ku.edu/access. Several internet providers are offering reduced price plans.

Finally, some of you have asked about whether summer session will be online only. We are evaluating options and will share more as soon as possible. If you have feedback about summer session that you would like to be considered, please contact Sam Montague, smontag at ku.edu<mailto:smontag at ku.edu>.

Sincerely,
John

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