Q: How has Scripps College responded to COVID-19?
A: This spring, Scripps College undertook a series of critical measures to protect the safety of the Scripps community in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The health of our students, faculty, and staff was paramount as we developed a careful, timely, and empathetic response to the rapid changes posed by this outbreak. Information about the ways we have navigated those changes on behalf of our campus community is available here.
Q: Why is the College moving its classes to a virtual environment and asking students to not return after spring break?
A: These actions are being taken in the interest of the health and safety of our own community, as well as the wider community, as we try to minimize the spread of coronavirus.
Q: Will the College remain open?
A: The College will be open, and the business of the College will continue, but the campus will be closed to the public. Our staff and faculty will be hard at work throughout the course of this period. Many of them will be working remotely, yet they will be available and may be contacted by email.
Q: How will Scripps respond to any confirmed COVID-19 cases within the community?
A: The College will conduct contact tracing and will notify any members of the community who may have been in close proximity to a diagnosed community member without identifying that community member by name. The Dean of Students will meet with students to reinforce the importance of social distancing and good hygiene practices, and to urge them to contact Student Health Services if they feel ill. The College remains in close communication with Los Angeles County Public Health officials and will follow their guidance to minimize the risk of further spread of the virus.
Q: How can I learn more about the coronavirus?
The most up-to-date information regarding prevention and other facts about the virus are located on the CDC website.
Information about the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) for Scripps College regarding the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) is available here.
Q: I receive financial aid. Will my package be impacted by my taking classes remotely?
A: If a student finds they are in financial need, please work with your Primary Contact Dean to discuss funding options. Financial Aid is available to work with students on an individualized basis. Students should email Financial Aid at [email protected] or visit the Financial Aid webpage for more information. For questions regarding Student Accounts, students can email Estefany Gutierrez-Castellanos at [email protected] or visit the Student Accounts webpage.
A PDF of the grading policy is available for download here.
Q: What is Scripps College’s grading policy for spring semester 2020?
A: Effective April 30, 2020, the Scripps College faculty endorsed the following grading policy for spring semester 2020:
- Pass (Pandemic) / No Record (Pandemic) is the default grading;
- Pass (Pandemic) grade is PP; equivalent to D or higher for spring 2020
- No Record (Pandemic) grade is NRP; courses graded NRP will not display on the official transcript
- Letter grading is available upon request by any Scripps student for any course except those originally designated as Pass/Fail (e.g., PE, independent internship); these will inherit PP/NRP grading scheme
- Grade of PP or letter grades A-D will satisfy all major, minor, and general education requirements for Scripps students
Scripps College unofficial transcripts for spring 2020 semester shall bear the notation “COVID19 Grade policy exceptions”; this notation is not displayed on official transcripts. Scripps College official transcript key will be updated to indicate grade of PP for spring 2020 is equivalent to a D or higher.
Q: Why was the grading policy changed for Spring 2020?
A: Like many colleges and universities, Scripps College transitioned all classes to online formats in mid-March. This change was sudden and accompanied by moving most students out of campus housing and returning students from study abroad sites around the globe. Consequently, faculty and students face numerous challenges to effective teaching and learning, not the least of which are new living situations, uneven or unstable internet connections, family support obligations, illness, and limited access to usual academic support services and resources. The Scripps College Faculty changed the usual grading policy in recognition of these challenges and to help reduce stress and uncertainty related to the global health crisis. In allowing changes to grading policy and other regulations for spring 2020, the faculty considered different grading systems and strived to be responsive to student and faculty needs.
Q: How do I receive a letter grade?
A: The default grade is Pass (Pandemic) (PP)/No Record (Pandemic) (NRP). If you want a letter grade, you must contact your instructor to confirm you want a letter grade and request that from the instructor You must make this request by May 26; after May 26 all grades are final.
Q: How does the “Pass (Pandemic)” grade work? Does it affect my GPA?
A: A PP grade (Pass [Pandemic]) indicates earned credit for the course and will appear on student transcripts. As indicated in the policy, a PP grade will count for all major, minor, and general education (“GE”) requirements, including senior thesis. A PP is defined as D or higher for spring 2020, has no impact on the student’s grade point average, and is subject to the standard repeatability policies set by the College.
Q: How does the “No Record (Pandemic)” grade work? Does it affect my GPA?
A: NRP (No Record [Pandemic]) grades will not display on the official Scripps College transcript. Students will not receive academic credit for any course for which they receive an NRP grade and the course can be repeated in a future semester. Courses for which students receive NRP grade have no impact on the student’s grade point average.
Q: I understand that I can request letter grading for my courses, but what if I want one or more PP/NRP grades? Can I get PP/NRP in one course and letter grades in others?
A: Yes. The default grading scheme is PP/NRP, but some students may prefer letter grading. Students may receive PP/NRP in some classes and letter grades in other classes. The spirit of the grading policy changes is to provide options for students that recognize their strengths and support their success.
Q: What if I want to withdraw from a course?
A: The deadline to withdraw from a course is unchanged; it remains May 6. Notify the Registrar via email if you wish to withdraw from a course. A GPA-neutral grade of “W” will be recorded on your transcript.
Q: Will the Scripps grading policy apply to classes I am taking at other Claremont Colleges?
A: Yes. The grading policy follows the student, not the instructor or the college. This means that our grading policy applies to all Scripps students, regardless of which college is offering the course. Likewise, students from other Claremont Colleges who are enrolled in Scripps classes will be graded according to the policies determined by their home institution.
Q: How will faculty know my grading policy?
A: Faculty members will receive guidance from the Dean of Faculty and Registrar about the different grading policies and how to record grades for their students at the end of the semester. The different grading systems will be part of the grade input process, so faculty across all of the colleges will be aware of the system to use for Scripps students.
Q: How will Pass/No Record grades impact Latin honors?
A: Latin Honors at Scripps is determined solely by final cumulative GPA; Pass/No Record grading has no effect on a student’s GPA.
Q: How will Pass/No Record grades impact major honors?
A: Discuss carefully with your adviser if you’re pursuing honors. Pass/No Record grading WILL satisfy a major or minor or GE requirement for spring 2020, but department honors may still require letter grades. Changes to honors requirements are the purview of the department.
Q: How will Pass/No Record grades impact Dean’s List?
A: At this time there is no change to the requirements for Dean’s List for spring 2020 (11.0 GPA in at least 4.0 letter-graded courses).
Q: I plan to study abroad in the fall. What happens if my plans change? Can I register for classes?
A: We understand your plans may change for fall due to Covid-19, so you may register for 5C courses for fall as an alternate plan. You may participate in fall 2020 pre-registration. Be sure to discuss your plans with your adviser so they can clear you on the portal. Also, confer carefully with SAGE regarding your program participation.
Q: I was studying abroad this semester. How will my courses be graded?
A: The SAGE office partners with the Registrar’s Office while you are abroad. SAGE students were notified earlier this month of the following:
- Your program or host university will send the SAGE Office a transcript or grade report that reflects your program/university grading policies, as they are not governed by Scripps’ policies.
- The SAGE Office will submit your program transcript along with the SAGE form you completed, indicating your chosen grading option, to the Registrar’s Office. Your spring semester courses, credits, and grades will be listed on your Scripps transcript, as you have requested per the spring 2020 Scripps College grading policy.
- Pass/No Report grading provisions and revised deadlines apply to all students to SAGE participants as if they were in Claremont.
- Scripps will no longer require letter grades on your program transcript. If your program has moved to (or allows you to opt-in to) a Pass/No Report or some other similar system, this will translate to the equivalent Pass/No Report grades at Scripps.
Questions about specific study abroad programs and grading policies can be directed to [email protected].
Q: What about a grade of Incomplete? Do I need to petition?
A: The incomplete policy at Scripps is unchanged for spring 2020. Incompletes are the discretion of the instructor, and do not require a petition (except Senior Thesis. If you are a graduating senior and are considering a thesis grade of incomplete, contact the Registrar). Please reach out to the instructor of the course to determine a course completion plan and your instructor can assign an incomplete.
The due date for the incomplete will be the 10th instructional day in the fall or an earlier date at the discretion of the instructor. If you need additional time, petition CAR for an incomplete extension.
For spring 2020 graduates: You are free to take advantage of the incompletes, but please note, it could delay the conferral of your degree. Students who are unable to complete the outstanding requirements by the tenth instructional day of the fall semester, will be eligible for fall 2020 degree conferral and will follow the normal timelines. For summer graduates, all work must be submitted by the 10th instructional day of the fall semester and degrees are conferred in October. For fall graduates, all work must be submitted by the end of the fall semester and degrees are conferred in January. If work has been completed and the student is waiting for their degree to be conferred, please feel free to reach out to the registrar’s office for a verification letter that all degree requirements have been met and degree is pending conferral.
Q: I’m a senior and I’m concerned about meeting my graduation requirements. What should I do?
A: We understand these are difficult times and we are here to help you. Please contact your instructor and your adviser to talk about your challenges. You can also reach out to your Primary Contact Dean who can help you navigate your options and resources. We will work with all those individuals to do everything we can to help find a path to graduation based on your individual circumstances.
Q: When is Senior Thesis due?
A: Scripps approved a May 4 deadline for all Scripps students enrolled in Senior Thesis in spring 2020. Please turn in your thesis directly to your readers in whatever format they require by May 4. Students who do not meet the May 4 deadline for thesis should discuss with their readers their plan to complete the work. Readers may extend the thesis deadline but are not required to do so. Keep in mind, though, that a grade of Incomplete for thesis must be approved via petition to CAR, because that will jeopardize the student’s graduation.
Q: If I elect Pass/No Record grading for all of my classes this semester, will I be put on academic probation for having a GPA lower than 6.0?
A: Pass/No Record grading is available to all Scripps students for all classes for spring 2020, and it won’t jeopardize anyone’s academic standing.
Q: I’m on academic probation this semester, what if I don’t meet my probation requirements?
A: The Scripps faculty voted to place a moratorium on initial probation, suspension and dismissal based on spring 2020 semester GPA only, so students currently on probation who don’t meet their requirements will not automatically be subject to suspension or dismissal. Existing probation may be carried over to the next semester, but the Committee on Academic Review (CAR) considers each student’s academic standing individually. Any student currently on probation should notify the Committee if they have reason to think they’ll fall short of their academic goals this semester. Our 6.0 GPA rule applies under normal circumstances (it’s our baseline for good standing) and rest assured, CAR is keenly aware that this is not a normal semester.
Q: My grades are usually fine, but this semester might be different. What if my GPA is less than 6.0 this semester?
A: The Scripps Faculty voted to place a moratorium on initial probation, suspension, and dismissal based on spring 2020 semester GPA only.
Q: I want to take summer school but my local college only offers online courses. Can I get credit?
A: Spring 2020 and summer 2020 online transfer courses will continue to count toward elective credit but also can satisfy general education requirements and/or (with adviser approval) major/minor requirements. The online courses must meet transfer credit criteria of an equivalent undergraduate liberal arts course which complements our curriculum, offered by regionally accredited colleges and universities, in which letter grades of C or better are earned. Normally credit is allowed up to 2.0 Scripps equivalent courses. During spring 2020 and summer 2020, students seeking more than 2.0 equivalent courses via online transfer credit must petition CAR to consider each request on a case by case basis, not to exceed a maximum of the equivalent of 4.0 courses which is considered a normal Scripps course load in a semester. Other standard transfer credit policies apply.
Q: What if I still have questions? Who can I contact for more information?
A: Students are encouraged to talk to their adviser and course instructors about their courses and grading policies for this semester. Questions also can be sent to the Registrar’s Office.
Spring 2020 SAGE Participants
Q: How do I request my SAGE refund for Spring 2020?
A: To request a refund, students must complete the Refund of Credit Balance – COVID19 form and email it to the Student Accounts Office using their Scripps College email address. This form allows you to designate the distribution of the credit balance as follows:
- Receive the full credit balance as an electronic deposit. There are no fees from Scripps College for using Direct Deposit and enrollment is simple. Click here for enrollment instructions.
- Apply the entire credit balance or a portion of the credit balance toward payment for a future term.
- Donate all or a portion of your credit balance to the Scripps College COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to support unexpected costs to the College due to the extraordinary circumstances of the global coronavirus outbreak.
Q: Where can I find my refund amount?
A: The amount of the refund can be found on CASHNet.
Fall 2020 Information for Accepted Students
Q: Will Scripps students be allowed to participate in SAGE programs this fall?
A: Scripps students will be able to participate in any Fall 2020 programs that remain open for the fall term. Many programs are designing flexible schedules to allow for with the maximum time in-country and to reduce the need for the time-consuming process and expense of obtaining a student visa.
Q:What happens if my program is cancelled?
A: In some cases, SAGE may be able to help with an alternate program, depending on program availability at the time of cancellation. Scripps has allowed students to pre-register for classes being offered from Claremont as a back-up option for Fall 2020. Contact [email protected] with any questions about pre-registration and [email protected] for any questions about room selection.
Spring 2021 SAGE Applicants
Q: When is the deadline to apply for SAGE programs for Spring 2021?
A: The application deadline to study away for Spring 2021 has been extended to June 1, 2020, for priority consideration. The application has been shortened for this deadline and students will obtain faculty approval of classes later this fall. The first step to applying is to attend a SAGE Information session. If you have already attended the mandatory Information Session, click here for an advising appointment and to receive the necessary paperwork.
Q: How do I arrange to attend a SAGE Information Session?
The schedule of Information Sessions is listed on the SAGE website. Students can RSVP for already scheduled Information Sessions here, or suggest a convenient time for a new session.