Columbia School of Engineering has altered Pass/D/Fail academic accommodations and policies for the rest of the Spring 2024 semester in light of protests on and off campus.

On Wednesday afternoon, Columbia Engineering undergraduates received an email from Dean Shih-Fu Chang and Vice Dean for Undergraduate Programs Barclay Morrison that announced Spring 2024 SEAS alterations for switching courses from letter grades to Pass/D/Fail.

The email first acknowledged “recent difficulties faced by students” at the current moment, citing that the new updates were drafted with assistance from the Engineering Student Council, the Dean’s Office, and the School’s Committee on Instruction.

Within the new accommodations, SEAS undergraduates can now alter one course from a letter grade to Pass/D/Fail regardless of what academic requirement the course counts towards. Courses covering both major and core requirements can be counted as P/D/F with credit. Additionally, the option to Pass/D/Fail a class has been extended until April 29, the last day of Spring 2024 classes for undergraduate students. The email also highlighted that the existing option to Pass/Fail a non-technical elective course remains, given that the course is greater than or equal to 3000-level.

The email also gave specific advice about how students should proceed if they wish to switch a course to Pass/D/Fail, underscoring that this decision may affect “future plans” with individual students’ transcript-requiring pursuits, such as “internships, jobs, or post-graduation education.” Standard deadlines for P/D/F uncovering apply with a deadline of June 1 for graduating seniors.

Email sent from Columbia Engineering Dean Shih-Fu Chang to Columbia Engineering students at 3:39 pm on Wednesday, April 24: 

Dear Columbia Engineering Undergraduate Students,

In acknowledgment of the recent difficulties faced by students, and in consultation with the Engineering Student Council, the Dean’s Office and the School’s Committee on Instruction have approved the following academic accommodations for the spring 2024 semester:

  • SEAS undergraduate students will be allowed to take one (1) ongoing course Pass / D / Fail this semester, with no restrictions on the type of course (e.g. core, non-tech elective, or major requirement).  The P grade will count toward the course’s respective requirement.
  • The deadline to choose the Pass / D / Fail grading option is extended until the last day of classes (April 29). 
  • This option to Pass / D / Fail a course this semester is in addition to the existing undergraduate option to P/F a non-technical elective course (the latter needing to be >=3000 level per the existing SEAS policy).

To exercise the P/D/F option this semester, first try to choose the P/D/F grading option in SSOL.  If that is not available, please send an email to your Center for Student Advising advisor with the complete course information.

We hope that these accommodations will provide our students flexibility for dealing with the added stressors of this semester.

Please note that it is critically important that you understand the potential implications of choosing the P/D/F option on future plans that may require those points counting toward graduation requirements or other plans that may require a transcript, including internships, jobs, or post-graduation education. Additionally, given the sequential nature of the Columbia Engineering curricula, electing to P/D/F a course could have an impact on your success in future classes.

The standard deadlines to uncover the grade will apply.  Note that graduating seniors have until June 1 to uncover the grade.

You are strongly encouraged to speak with advising deans in the Center for Student Advising before exercising this option or to your faculty advisor if the course under consideration could count toward your major. 

Success of your education is the highest priority for all of us. We appreciate the collaboration with ESC on such matters of importance and impact to our undergraduate student population.

Best wishes for a successful semester,

Shih-Fu Chang
Dean

Barclay Morrison
Vice Dean for Undergraduate Programs

Mudd via Columbia