U of S should enact pass-fail system

In this time of pandemic, Saskatchewan residents are looking after their neighbours. The University of Saskatchewan is exacerbating the negative effects on students’ lives and futures.

Most other universities have instituted a pass/fail system, including the U of R, allowing students who completed the work to pass, without jeopardizing their academic standing or forcing students to drop and retake courses.

The U of S abandoned its students by closing Access Equity services, causing students to lose accommodations needed for assignments/exams. They didn’t consider students without access to technology/internet, causing students to drop their entire term. They charged retroactive fees to nursing students. Some professors added assignments, made final exams longer and more intensive, or did not contact their students at all. This hurt students, making it more difficult to succeed.

Having completed more than 80 per cent of the semester, it is reasonable to expect fair, equitable treatment, despite changes made to the university’s operations. The university, motivated by greed, has ignored students’ requests. Why let students pass classes, when they can pay to take them a second time?

I am calling for the implementing of an optional pass/ fail system at the U of S and a retroactive pass awarded to all students who were passing their classes when the semester moved to remote learning on March 16, regardless of their current grade or enrolment in the class. A retroactive pass honours the work they have completed, and respects that many students could not continue to work as normal during this global pandemic.

James Kernaghan, Saskatoon