Is New University of Michigan Grade Policy Helping or Hurting Students?
Letter grades will still be kept internally, while outside audiences will see only pass or no credit as the university tests a new approach to first-year adjustment.
- The University of Michigan announced that starting in fall 2027, first-semester students in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts will receive pass/no credit grades, though letter grades remain recorded internally for academic standing and scholarships.
- Intended to help first-year students transition to college, the experiment allows them to take academic risks without fear that a difficult first semester will permanently impact their GPA.
- Criticizing the policy, Zachary Marschall, editor-in-chief of Campus Reform, argued shielding students from consequences leaves them unprepared for workplace challenges. "University of Michigan is failing these students," Marschall said.
- Advocates like Robert Talbert, executive director for the Center for Teaching Excellence, and Susan Blum of Notre Dame support the experiment, viewing it as a step toward de-emphasizing grades across higher education.
- Describing the move as "swaddling," Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute called for "ratcheting up rigor" in coursework, highlighting broader national debates on balancing student mental health with academic accountability.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Grades Get in the Way of Learning. A Worthy Experiment.
Making space for student self-regulation is good, actually. The University of Michigan recently announced that starting in fall 2027, first-semester grades for first-year students in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts will be reported as pass/no credit. Letter grades will still be recorded internally, but external audiences will only see whether or not credit was earned.
Will pass/no credit curb stress or lower standards? UMich’s new grading policy draws fire
First-semester students in one University of Michigan college will receive either “pass” or “no credit” marks next fall instead of traditional letter grades to help “curb the mental health crisis,” sparking widespread backlash and prompting a national debate. “While LSA students will still receive grades and instructor feedback in every course as they always have, final grades will not be… Source
University of Michigan Drops First-Semester Grades to 'Curb Mental Health Crisis'
"In order to salve the mental health of freshman students, the University of Michigan has implemented a Pass/No Credit system for new students to improve their mental health," writes Slashdot reader Ol Olsoc. "The process, called 'Grade Covering,' is aimed at helping with the mental health crisis th...
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