BUZZ
The University of Michigan has decided to suspend its controversial and highly criticized plan to launch a pass/no credit grading policy next fall, campus leaders announced Monday.
President Domenico Grasso, in a memo to the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, wrote that while the plan was a “thoughtful, creative experiment,” due to the negative media coverage “I worry further that our students could bear the consequences of those misperceptions, including being unfairly portrayed as coddled or unprepared for the demands of a rigorous Michigan education.”
“I recognize that this pause is disappointing for the many people who have worked diligently to design and develop the program,” Grasso added. “However, I believe it is the right step to protect our students, address specific concerns, and demonstrate clearly and unwaveringly our commitment to the principles that must guide us: academic rigor, intellectual exploration, and a deep commitment to student success.”
Part of the reason the pilot program has originally be set in motion was to encourage students to try harder subjects and to help “curb the mental health crisis,” as The College Fix reported last month.
But the plan drew widespread ridicule from observers, who suggested it would coddle students, tarnish the reputation of the state’s flagship university, and hurt academic rigor.
MORE: UMich’s new grading policy draws fire
