March 31, 2020

Temporary Policies in Response to Emergency Shift to Distance Learning Spring 2020

Dear ArtCenter Students and Faculty,

We understand that students will be adjusting to new ways of learning in light of current circumstances, and the College is committed to supporting them through this journey. The following policy guidance has been created to address issues raised by ArtCenter’s emergency shift to distance learning.

Please remember: all ArtCenter policies remain in effect (discrimination, harassment, retaliation, Title IX, safety, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, Standards of Conduct, Ethics and Professional Conduct, Information Technology use, etc.). More information on the College’s policies can be found at: http://www.artcenter.edu/about/get-to-know-artcenter/policies-and-disclosures/overview.html.

Attendance
Students will use their personal digital devices to connect to their instructor and peers using the College’s Learning Management System DotED. All remote-learning technology will be embedded within DotEd. Weekly course sessions normally will be taught live online by instructors according to the date and time scheduled. (Note: online sessions may be recorded by the instructor for student reference. Recordings are accessible only to those students enrolled in the course. Recordings will be destroyed at the conclusion of the course.) Attendance will be taken at the start of each video session, and the instructor’s class attendance policy is in effect. Student participation on the video platform is required; if a student has difficulty with access to an appropriate digital device (which has a reliable camera and microphone), or internet access, students should contact the instructor directly, and also notify the department chair. Students who are in conditions that prohibit synchronous participation during the scheduled class time may access course recordings and their attendance will be noted at that time of course access.

Grading

Letter grading and Pass/No Pass
After careful discussion by campus constituents including ACSG, Faculty Council, Chairs Council, the Student Academic Policy Committee, and executive academic leadership, ArtCenter will retain its letter grading scale. While we are not changing our grading structure, we recognize that there could be possible complications due to the remote learning environment, including but not limited to, communication difficulties and limited access to materials and/or devices, and that some flexibility may be necessary.

There may be circumstances under which assigning a letter grade would be difficult and a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grade for a class may be appropriate (for example, a class that is usually very oriented toward shop production). Students should discuss individual circumstances with their instructors. Faculty with questions on grading coursework, about the P/NP grading option, or about assigning final grades should consult their department chair.

Incomplete Grades
While the circumstances within which we are all learning are extraordinary, we encourage students and faculty to complete classes unless the faculty, in consultation with the department chair, determines that it is not possible to complete a modified plan to complete the class before May 2, 2020.

There may be specific circumstances under which the coursework cannot be completed during the spring semester dates, and an Incomplete for the class may be necessary. This includes not having access to facilities for making work which is dependent on those facilities or not having access to their coursework online. The College will create the opportunity for the student to complete that work at another time during the summer and/or fall semesters with appropriate financial accomodations.

An instructor can only assign the Incomplete grade when the majority of the classwork for the course has already been completed with passing grades. In accordance with ArtCenter’s policy, Incomplete grades may only be arranged with the approval of faculty member and the department chair. Specific deliverables and timeline of work should be arranged as part of the process of arranging for an Incomplete. The work necessary to resolve Spring 2020 incompletes should be completed by the end of the Summer 2020 semester. If circumstances would prevent a student from completing their work by the end of Summer 2020, an extension to the Fall 2020 term may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Consultation with the faculty member and department chair in advance is mandatory to determine if an extension can be granted due to lack of faculty, course, or essential resource availability in the proposed term of the extension.

Students, their departments, and their advisors should be mindful of the time and effort required to finish course work necessary to resolve Incomplete grades while also continuing with future semesters’ classes so as to keep their workloads manageable.

Academic Probation
Academic Probation will not be enforced Spring 2020 term. Due to these exceptional circumstances, Spring 2020 final grades will not negatively impact students’ academic standing, including those already on any level of Academic Probation. If students on Academic Probation achieve grades that will positively affect their status, including returning them to “good academic standing,” the College will apply those grades to the benefit of those students. If students on Academic Probation do not positively change their status, they will remain at the same level of Academic Probation that they were assigned at the start of the Spring 2020 term. Enrollment Services will convert all “D” grades (D+, D and D-) to a grade of “P” (Pass), and all failed grades (F and N) to “NP” (No Pass).

Wishing you the best in your continued learning and teaching this semester.

Sincerely,

Karen Hofmann
Provost
ArtCenter College of Design