In the current University 

policy, students may take 

up to 30 credits in the 

Pass/Fail grading system, 

with 
some 
exceptions 

for major or distribution 

requirements. A common 

example 
of 
a 
course 

that 
cannot 
be 
taken 

Pass/Fail is the fourth-

semester foreign language 

requirement, which LSA 

students must take for a 

grade to graduate.

Students 
have 
raised 

questions whether certain 

courses requiring letter 

grades will be waived for 

this semester should a 

University-wide policy be 

put into place.

Currently, 
any 
grade 

of C- or above is listed on 

transcripts as a “Pass,” 

while any grade below is 

a “Fail.” Courses taken 

within 
the 
University’s 

current Pass/Fail grading 

system does not affect a 

student’s 
grade-point-

average. 
The 
Pass/Fail 

deadline 
for 
Winter 

semester has passed.

Students have displayed 

mixed reactions to the 

possibility 
of 
moving 

away from a letter grading 

system.

A Change.org petition 

that has amassed more than 

4,500 signatures in six days 

has called on the University 

to offer the option for 

students to elect to take 

courses under the Pass/Fail 

grading system. The petition 

listed the large-scale impact 

of the virus, difficulty of 

remote learning, disruption 

of 
current 
on-campus 

resources and the potential 

for cheating as reasons why 

the University should adopt 

this policy.

LSA 
freshman 
Steven 

Tuckel said he likes the 

idea of moving all classes 

to this grading system, but 

expressed concern for how 

it could impact students 

when applying to upper-

level programs or graduate 

school.

2 — Friday, March 20, 2020
News
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

The 
Washtenaw 

County 
Health 

Department 
released 

a 
statement 
noting 

“community 
spread 

is 
likely” 
as 
seven 

additional people have 

tested 
positive 
for 

COVID-19.

As of 10 a.m. Thursday 

morning, 
14 
people 

within 
the 
county 

have 
tested 
positive 

for coronavirus, a viral 

infection 
discovered 

in Wuhan, China that 

has infected more than 

218,000 people globally.

According 
to 
the 

Health 
Department’s 

website, 
the 
majority 

of the seven new cases 

had 
no 
recent 
travel 

or known contact with 

other confirmed cases of 

COVID-19. The website 

noted 
the 
department 

is working with these 

people — who are all 

adults — to alert close 

contacts to quarantine.

“Evidence 
of 

community spread means 

we will change how we 

respond to local cases, 

especially as the number 

of tests increases every 

day,” Jimena Loveluck, 

health 
officer 
of 
the 

Health Department, said 

in 
the 
announcement. 

“But, we must remember 

this 
is 
exactly 
why 

we 
have 
community 

mitigation 
strategies 

and 
unprecedented 

restrictions 
in 
place. 

Our 
collective 
goal 

remains 
to 
slow 
the 

spread of cases as much 

as possible. Together, we 

can do this. Take every 

possible opportunity to 

practice prevention and 

social distancing.”

Because 
of 
the 

expected 
community 

spread, the county will 

no longer name low-

risk exposure areas and 

residents should assume 

there is a risk associated 

with any public location.

While health experts 

are 
still 
investigating 

how the disease is spread, 

the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention 

recommends 
people 

maintain 
at 
least 
six 

feet between themselves 

and 
others. 
People 

showing 
symptoms 

are encouraged to seek 

medical help.

“Assume 
the 

possibility for infection 

exists, 
as 
it 
does 

with 
many 
common 

illnesses. Most people 

will recover at home 

without medical care,” 

Juan 
Luis 
Marquez, 

Washtenaw 
County 

Health 
Department 

medical 
director, 
said 

in 
the 
announcement. 

“Isolating 
at 
home 

if 
you’re 
sick 
and 

contacting your health 

care provider by phone 

for guidance will help 

prevent 
additional 

spread and make the best 

possible use of critical 

health care resources.”

Washtenaw 
County 

has 
approximately 

370,000 residents and is 

home to the University 

of Michigan and Eastern 

Michigan University.

Multiple Ann Arbor-

run 
buildings 
and 

services have been closed 

as 
Mayor 
Christopher 

Taylor declared a local 

state of emergency. Ann 

Arbor Public Schools are 

closed until at least April 

5.

As of Wednesday, 80 

cases have been reported 

in the state of Michigan. 

The first death in the 

state was also confirmed 

Wednesday at Beaumont 

Hospital 
in 
Wayne 

County.

In response to the 

virus, 
the 
University 

moved all classes to an 

online format beginning 

Monday. Students who 

are able to have been 

asked to leave campus.

Among the 14 cases in 

Washtenaw County, two 

have 
been 
confirmed 

at 
student 
apartment 

buildings 
Vic 
Village-

North 
and 
ArborBLU. 

Another 
person 
who 

tested 
positive 
works 

as a cook in East Quad 

Residence Hall.

Daily News Editor Alex 

Harring can be reached at 

harring@umich.edu.

ALEX HARRING

Daily News Editor

GRADING
From Page 1

The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during 
the fall and winter terms by students at the University OF Michigan. One copy is 
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subscriptions are $275. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription 
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MADDIE FOX/Daily

A student works alone in the Undergraduate Library amidst University closures. This image is taken from a photo essay, titled “Between Caution and 
Panic,” by staff photographer Maddie Fox. 
Community spread of corona 
likely, county health dept says

Number of cases doubles to reach total of 14; Washtenaw officials 
believe local transfer of virus may have contributed to increase

See GRADING, Page 3

