Pass

We’re reaching the point of no (academic) return—the last day to P/D/F a class is this Thursday, March 23. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to P/D/F, we’ve got you covered here.

We’ve all experienced that moment: You bomb your first midterm and immediately question your ability to survive the class. Then you frantically search for the last day you can opt for a P/D/F grade. Well, that day is today, so if you’ve been planning to P/D/F a course ever since your first exam, it’s time to finalize your decision.

Barnard Student Government Association is working to draft a proposal with a modified version of the pass/D/fail policy to submit to the Committee on Instruction at its meeting next Monday.

Effective this fall, Barnard students who have elected to use the Pass/D/Fail option for a class will now be able to uncover their grades.

The Columbia College Student Council passed a resolution Sunday night calling for a policy to require first-semester first-years to take all non-Core classes pass/D/fail in their first semester.

The transition to college isn't an easy one. But the resolution that the Columbia College Student Council passed on Sunday—requiring students in their first semester to take all non-Core classes pass/D/fail and lowering the first-semester credit limit to 18—has real potential to reduce some of the stress of that transition. Cushioning the blow of potentially sub-par academic performance during the first semester will impact different types of students in vastly different ways, helping some and possibly hurting others, but we believe that the benefit to student wellness outweighs the possible detriments. This policy, if accompanied by other institutional changes, would be an important step toward alleviating the high-stress culture that exists across the University.

You planned your classes perfectly this semester. You got that seminar (four credits, heck yeah). You got that lecture (three credits). You got that class with dreamy Shamus Khan (four credits). You're sorted and—wait. That's only 11 credits. You need at least 12. What do you do? Panic sets in.

It might be past the midterm date, but a weighty question still looms in your mind: Will I be able to pass this class without sustaining trauma and/or minimal grief?

Deadlines are looming to drop classes for this semester. Feeling stumped when it comes to the dilemma of what to drop, pass/fail,or stick with? Spectrum's here to help you out in this time of dire need with this trusty Choose Your Own Academic Adventure quiz.

As she prepares to take over as interim dean of Student Affairs, Terry Martinez is already formulating her priorities for the next academic year.