The SIU Carbondale Faculty Senate voted against signing on to a proposal to grade the current semester on a pass/fail basis instead of traditional grading.
The proposal from the Undergraduate Student Government included the option for pass/fail grading, as well as requesting additional academic advising and more training for instructors and staff. The proposal also included requests for a mental health survey to be done on campus, and for University Housing to analyze the success of students based on various factors, including major and socioeconomic status.
Undergraduate Student President Isaiah Overton said the proposal comes as students are struggling with a return to in person learning, mental health challenges, and ongoing gun violence in the community. He says he and other students are disappointed in the vote.
"Students are saddened by their decision, they do not feel supported, they do not feel heard by faculty members. It felt like the faculty senate only focused on one portion of that resolution, they didn't read the entire resolution as a whole, I also don't believe that there was enough discussion time," Overton said.
Faculty Senate President and Professor Yeuh-Ting Lee said while the senate rejected the proposal, they hope to work with students to find a way to address their concerns.
"We would like to consider hosting a forum or a town hall meeting or forum, which in the meeting or forum we are going to invite many faculty and students to have open discussions and talk about other options and how shall we work it out, because I'm sure we can work together, we are here to support students," Lee said.
The final decision on the proposal will come from University administration.
