Georgia Universities Reject Student Demands for Lax Grading: ‘Reach Higher, Not Lower’

The University System of Georgia, the government agency controlling the state’s 26 public universities and colleges, has rejected student demands for lax grading policies during the Chinese virus pandemic, telling students that they should “reach higher, not lower.” Although Georgia’s universities are maintaining academic rigor, the entire Ivy League has instituted various forms of lax grading policies.

“The University System of Georgia (USG) is aware some institutions around the nation have decided to shift to pass/fail grading after transitioning to remote education,” said the university system in a statement.

“In times of adversity, we should reach higher, not lower,” added USG, “the Maintaining high academic standards is critical to the success of USG students now and in the future.”

Meanwhile, all eight of America’s Ivy League institutions have adopted lenient grading policies over the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic.

USG added that it is “confident” its students will “rise to the challenge” of having their academic performances evaluated with traditional letter grades this spring semester, and that the university system “will do everything its power to help them do so.”

“We trust our faculty to teach and grade students effectively,” affirmed USG.

“Continuing letter grading for the final few weeks of the semester will allow faculty to assess the performance of students in the same manner as they always have,” added the university system.

More than 10,000 people have signed a petition calling for the University System of Georgia Board of Regents to allow them the option to switch to a more lenient, pass/fail grading system this semester, according to a report by the Athens Banner-Herald.

The report added that more than 2,000 students have shared their “stories” highlighting the “struggles” they have faced during the spring semester as part of the movement to obtain lax grading policies.

The University System of Georgia is composed of 26 public colleges and universities in the state of Georgia, according to the university system’s website.

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.