Follow-up information about changing your P/D/F elections

 

Dear Students,   I am writing with additional information about how you can make changes to your spring 2024 P/D/F elections.   As a reminder, if you are graduating in May 2024, you can make P/D/F changes until 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22. If you are not graduating this month, you can make these changes until 9:00 p.m. on Friday, September 13. Please note that these extended deadlines apply only to spring 2024 P/D/F elections. (You will not be able to modify your P/D/F elections for previous terms.)   All changes to your P/D/F elections can be made in SSOL. This includes: • Electing the P/D/F option for a class (either before or after the grade is posted) using the P/D/F selection tool in SSOL.   • If your instructor assigned a grade of C- or better, you will essentially be “covering” that grade with a grade of P on your transcript. Reminder that a C- is the minimum grade for a P; grades of D or F are unchanged by P/D/F status. • If a class does not have the P/D/F option in SSOL, you are still allowed to take it P/D/F (as long as it’s not a senior capstone course or a course required for teaching certification); just use this form to elect the P/D/F option.   • Removing / revoking the P/D/F option for a class (i.e. changing a previously elected p/d/f to normal letter grading) • If a grade has not yet been assigned, you will do this in the P/D/F selection tool in SSOL.  • If a grade has been assigned, you will do this by “Uncovering” the grade in SSOL. You can see the letter grade that you received by going to the P/D/F Grading tab in SSOL. • Special note if you wish to uncover a grade of P and then use your P/D/F option for a different class: Be sure to start this process at least one day before the deadline: You will need to “uncover” the grade one day, and then go back to SSOL the following day to elect P/D/F in the other class.    After 24 hours have passed, we highly recommend that you verify on your Barnard unofficial transcript in Student Planning (selfservice.barnard.edu) that your spring 2024 grades appear as you intended.     If you have any questions or notice any discrepancies, please contact the Registrar’s Office immediately at registrar@barnard.edu. This is especially time-sensitive for graduating seniors whose transcripts must be finalized in order for degrees to be officially awarded.   If you need assistance deciding how to use your P/D/F options, please do not hesitate to be in touch with your adviser or class dean.   Sincerely,   Jennifer Simmons Registrar

Office of the Registrar, Barnard College

3009 Broadway, New York, NY

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University Convocation 2024: For Students, By Students!

The Countdown Begins! We're excited to celebrate the Class of 2024 this Wednesday, May 15, on Morningside campus. Encourage your peers to register for University Convocation 2024: For Students, By Students before it closes on Tuesday, May 14, at 9:00 a.m. Know a fellow graduate who didn't get to register? Bring them along and direct them to the triage table at the entry point for assistance.    Don't forget! On the night of Wednesday, May 15, from sunset until 2:00 a.m., the top of New York’s iconic Empire State Building will be lit blue in your honor. Join the rest of New York City as we celebrate Columbia’s Class of 2024!

Additional celebratory commencement event: Baccalaureate service this Sunday

This Sunday, May 12th, is the first of many graduation-related celebrations: Baccalaureate 
Service.

What/when/where is it???


What?
Baccalaureate is a multifaith service celebrating the completion of each undergraduate's academic career.  It is a rare opportunity this year to be on Columbia's campus with students from all of Columbia's undergraduate schools.  Barnard students who register using the link on the Baccalaureate website by the Friday, May 10 deadline will be admitted with their BCID to the Columbia campus to attend this event on Sunday. Featured speakers will include fellow Barnard students.

When & Where?
Sunday morning, May 12, Saint Paul's Chapel. You will assemble in your regalia in advance and process in together, led by Dean Grabiner -- everyone who RSVPs will receive detailed information.

Who can go to Baccalaureate?
Graduates in regalia who RSVP by Friday and arrive in plenty of time with BCID on Sunday morning.
If you don't RSVP in time, you can watch the livestream on the Baccalaureate website.

It's a very beautiful interfaith event.

Senior FAQ: I am confused about the May 10 special deadline for graduating seniors to "revoke" a p/d/f election -- what does this mean????

 

Thank you to those who have been in touch with questions about the current P/D/F rules and deadlines for seniors: particularly about what it means to "revoke" a P/D/F election by May 10 and how this differs from "uncovering," which only continuing students can do.

Detailed information about all the rules and deadlines can be found on the Spring 2024 Academic Policies and Procedures website.

Read on for some clarification of the terminology and deadlines:

May 3 is the deadline to elect the Pass/D/Fail option.  This means changing your grading status from letter graded to P/D/F, where grades of C- or better will show as P and not factor into your GPA, while grades of D or F will appear and function as they normally do.  See the policies/procedures website for full details about what you may and may not take p/d/f.

May 10 is the deadline to revoke a previously elected P/D/F.  This means undoing/rescinding/canceling your original P/D/F request, and reverting to regular letter grading. This is different from "uncovering" (which is explained below and is not available for graduating students) in that you may or may not know your final grade when making this decision. 

If your final grade has been entered at this point, you should be able to view it in SSOL, allowing you to make this decision with all relevant information. 

If your final grade has not been entered by this point, you'll need to make this decision based on your best guess and how you feel about the work you have submitted.  

If you choose to revoke by the special May 10 deadline, please note that this is done using a Slate form, not in SSOL.

Graduating seniors are still not permitted to uncover grades of P elected in the final semester.  For continuing students, "uncovering" takes place after the semester is over and all grades are posted -- continuing may then review the secret grade that is "covered" by a grade of P, and if they like this grade, they may "uncover" it no later than the registration deadline at the start of the following semester. 

Senior FAQ: I need to take an incomplete or a class or two this summer to finish my degree; can I "walk" in Commencement this May?

 

Short answer: in some cases, with permission, if you are already on the list of students approved to participate in Commencement this May

Longer answer (also explained on the Deans Office website):

 

For students within 2 classes (no more than 8 credits) of graduating:

Students expected to complete degree requirements in the summer of that calendar year and who will be within 2 courses (totaling no more than 8 credits) of completing their degree requirements at the culmination of the Spring semester. While such students may participate in Commencement exercises, the degree will not be conferred until October. Approval for anticipated October graduates to participate in the May ceremony in the same calendar year must be obtained from the Senior Class Dean, and students must have a detailed plan for completion of their remaining credits.

Great! How do I get this approval?

1. Email seniorclassdean@barnard.edu, using subject line "permission to walk with credits pending"
2. In your email, please note the total number of credits you still need and when/where you plan to take them.
3. Please do this as soon as you are sure of your plans, so we can add you to the list! The deadline to make this request was March 20, so we can now only approve requests from students who are already on the Commencement list (i.e. because they were previously planning to graduate in May and only now realizing they may need more time).
   

 

For students who will need more than 2 courses/8 credits or need to take classes beyond the summer:

In extremely rare circumstances, a student with more than 2 courses (or more than 8 credits) remaining for degree completion at the end of the Spring semester may be approved by the Dean for Academic Planning and Class Advising to participate in the May Commencement ceremonies. Please note that requests from students who need more than a semester's worth of credit after this May -- or who plan to be enrolled next fall -- are unlikely to be approved.

OK! I get that this may not be approved, but how would I request this special approval?

1. Email htedder@barnard.edu to request permission
2. In your email, please explain any extenuating circumstances and note the total number of credits you still need and when/where you plan to take them.
3. Please do this as soon as you are sure of your plans, so we can add you to the list! The deadline to make this request was March 20, so we can now only approve requests from students who are already on the Commencement list (i.e. because they were previously planning to graduate in May and only now realizing they may need more time).

What if I want or need to participate in next year's Commencement ceremony?

Students whose degrees are conferred in October but who did not participate in the Commencement ceremony of that calendar year may request to the Dean of the College to participate during the ceremony the following May.

New website to help you keep track of academic policy/deadline updates for spring 2024

 

There have been many updates to academic policies and procedures over the past several days as the situation on campus has changed. Therefore, the full details of these updates are available at the following website: https://barnard.edu/spring-2024-academic-policies-and-procedures. 

Note that further updates may be made in the coming days, and I encourage you to check this website for current guidance should any questions arise.