Educational
Policies for Pandemic and Evacuation Emergencies
The following general
educational policies may be utilized in the rare event of a pandemic or other
emergency, in which students, faculty and staff must be evacuated from campus
and might not be able to return for extended periods of time. Under such
circumstances, PLU policy states that the University will successfully complete
the academic term, even when classes cannot physically meet. It is understood that small percentage
of courses may not be able to be successfully completed and may result in
IP grades. These courses might include clinical rotations,
internships, practicums and other such experiential courses that
rely on agency and community partnerships.
If a pandemic or other emergency occurs at the beginning of
a term prior to the published “last day to add” date, or between
terms such that a new term cannot be started, the University reserves the right
to cancel the term and/or to make necessary adjustments to the University
calendar to accommodate the term. This
may include alterations to the January term or Summer terms, shortened or lengthened regular
semesters or other adjustments.
The University may elect to note a special designation
on the transcript for any semester affected by a campus evacuation.
In the unfortunate event that a faculty member is
unable to return to campus following a pandemic or other evacuation emergency,
the Dean of the respective unit, or his or her designee, in consultation with
the Provost, is responsible for ensuring that courses taught by the faculty
member are completed and that grades are awarded. To this end, the Dean of each unit should develop and execute a
reasonable plan that will ensure the successful completion of the courses and
the assignment of final grades within his or her unit. This may include the temporary
redistribution of courses among available faculty. Such School or Division
plans should be on file in the Provost’s office, and are
to be updated every five years. Plans may include
detailed information on a department’s expectations governing course completion and alternative
instruction, interpretation of P/F grade options within the
major, specific
syllabi expectations etc. All School
and Division plans must align with the University policies governing
pandemic and evacuation emergencies.
If a campus evacuation occurs following the mid point
of the semester, and a return to campus is not possible prior to the end of the
term, the academic term may be considered complete on the designated Withdrawal
date for that term. At that point each
faculty member may issue regular grades, or may elect to utilize Pass/Fail grades
for the class at his or her discretion.
Final grades would not be due until the regularly published grade
deadline for the term. If the campus is
fully reopened prior to the Withdrawal deadline, the regular semester calendar
remains in effect.
If a campus evacuation occurs at any other point
in the term, prior to the midpoint of the term, regardless of
whether or not a return to campus is possible, faculty will complete the
term and issue grades in accordance with the regularly scheduled semester. Each faculty member may issue regular letter
grades (including “I”), or may elect to
utilize Pass/Fail grades for the class at his or her discretion. Final grades will be due on the regularly
published grade deadline for the term.
If “I” grades are issued to individual students, the clock governing
their conversion to letter grades would begin on the first day in which the
University is reopened for classes, and would be extended by the number of days
that the University was evacuated plus an additional 6 weeks. The “I” grade is not to be used in mass.
The completion of courses during a pandemic
or evacuation emergency in which the University remains declared as “open” is expected. Plans for completing
course work are at
the discretion of each individual faculty member, with respect to established
School or Divisional policies, however work requirements may not encumber
upon the following regular semester.The issuing of
regular grades is encouraged if at all possible.
Courses normally using the IP grade option may
exercise this option during a campus evacuation period when circumstances
prevent the completion of the essential course work (internships, practicum
etc). For these courses, the clock
governing IP grades would begin at the close of the first full long term,
following the semester affected by the evacuation, in which the University is
fully reopened for business.