Analysis shows Georgia college students overcame coronavirus challenges

♦ Campuses are preparing to reopen in the fall.

Students in the University System of Georgia didn’t miss a beat during the spring semester despite the disruption of converting to online instruction, according to a systemwide grading analysis released Wednesday.

The proportion of “A” grades awarded during the spring increased from 44.1% in the spring of last year to 52.4%, while the rate of students failing or withdrawing fell from 14.3% to 12.2%.

Citing the coronavirus pandemic, system Chancellor Steve Wrigley announced in mid-march that the system’s 26 colleges and universities would move to online instruction for the rest of the spring semester. The schools’ IT staffs responded by setting up an online system robust enough to meet the need, while faculty worked to convert their courses to online.

Students did their part by achieving academic progress across all subgroups of race and ethnicity as well as for both lower division and upper division undergraduate and graduate courses.

“Our students continue to show resilience and determination in pursuing their studies, and I am grateful for how often they have overcome the challenges thrown at them by COVID-19,” Wrigley said.

“Faculty and staff also worked hard to transition courses to an online format while maintaining their quality. I appreciate their flexibility and remain confident they will continue to do everything in their power to help every one of our students succeed.”

While remote instruction continues through summer semester, campuses across the university system are preparing for students to return for in-person classes during the fall semester.