University of La Verne undergraduate students may take any or all of their classes for credit-no credit through the spring 2021 semester. This option amends the normally limited credit-no credit option for the third semester in a row, in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning situation.
Matthew Witt, professor of public administration and vice president of the faculty senate, said the intention of this option is to mitigate some of the stress and uncertainty that students are facing at this difficult time.
Witt said students should also consider how the credit-no credit options will affect their grade point average in course work that might be relevant to graduate school applications.
The decision to extend the credit-no credit option was approved by faculty. It was made in consideration of a survey by the Associated Students of ULV, which made clear the challenges La Verne students have been facing learning in the remote environment. Some students do not have a quiet place to take their online classes, and many are feeling the loss of peer connection, the survey found.
According to a study done by the department of industrial and systems engineering at Texas A&M University, 138 students out of 195 students indicated increased stress and anxiety due to the pandemic. This can negatively affect grades.
Provost Jonathan Reed wrote in in a recent email to all students that graduate students who would like to take classes for credit-no credit will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis depending on their program requirements.
The deadline for credit-no credit declarations this semester is May 21.
For more information on credit-no credit options visit laverne.edu/advising or email at advising@laverne.edu.
—Sarah Van Buskirk
Sarah Van Buskirk is a junior journalism major and the 2022-2023 editor-in-chief of the Campus Times. She has previously served as sports editor and staff writer.