Savanna Hoffman
In 2020, students at the University of Washington demanded that Black students be given grading leniency, citing that they were too busy fighting for [their] rights and dealing with the emotional toll of the ongoing fight for racial justice. The university agreed, advising professors to pass Black students on the basis of race. This decision was met with both support and criticism, with some arguing that the university was promoting 'anti-white' and 'anti-academic' values. The university's decision highlights a broader conversation about the impact of systemic racism on education and the need for accommodations to level the playing field for marginalized students.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Students' demand | Black students should not face difficult exams and time constraints |
| Reason | Black students are too busy fighting for their rights |
| University's response | Advising professors to pass black students on the basis of race |
| Petition | More than 26,000 signatures |
| Email sent by McNichols to her students | Everyone will receive full points for the remaining homework chapters |
| Email sent by Victor Balta | Asking staff to consider that some are being affected more than others |
| Email to UW President Ana Mari Cauce and faculty | Requesting to change some final grading policies |
| Reason | Black students are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and stress produced by the killing of their peers |
| Email template for professors | "I am willing to work with black students individually to come up with a plan that best fits their needs alongside the demands of this class" |
| Message from Dean Stacey to Faculty | Recommending that final examinations be made optional |
| Faculty will not be held accountable | For their grade distributions (e.g. higher medians) for spring quarter 2020 |
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What You'll Learn
Students demand grading leniency for black students
In 2020, students at the University of Washington demanded that black students be given grading leniency during finals because they were too "busy fighting for [their] rights to sit down and study". The demands included extensions on deadlines, waiving grades on assignments, and giving students the option to keep their current grade and forego further assignments. An online petition that gathered over 26,000 signatures called for professors to "give Black students a break!". The petition stated:
> You need to encourage and demand professors to accommodate their black students during this time. If UW truly understands our pain, UW will be a part of alleviating it.
The University of Washington appeared to agree with the demands, with UW Senior Director of Media Relations, Victor Balta, sending a message to all university instructors asking them to “consider that while we are together as a community, some are being affected more than others”. UW Psychology Professor Nicole McNichols also supported the move, saying:
> Obviously, I support the petition and absolutely believe the accommodations it requests should be honored by all faculty. Students need all of the support and compassion we can afford to give them right now.
The University of Washington was not alone in considering the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing civil unrest within the country on black students. The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington also recommended that faculty make their final examinations optional and encouraged faculty to make their choices in grading with students' best interests in mind. In addition, Dean Stacey of the College of Arts and Sciences sent a message to faculty urging them to accommodate the needs of their graduate students and to proactively reach out to determine whether they required extensions or other academic accommodations.
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University agrees to accommodate black students
University of Washington Agrees to Accommodate Black Students
In 2020, the University of Washington agreed to accommodate Black students by advising professors to grade Black students with leniency and to pass them on the basis of race. This decision was made in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, civil unrest in the country following the murder of George Floyd, and the disproportionate impact of these events on the Black community.
Student Petition
A petition started by Mihret Haile on Change.org asked professors to "give Black students a break!" The petition gathered over 26,000 signatures. It called for professors to provide accommodations to Black students, such as granting deadline extensions, waiving grades on assignments, or giving students the option to keep their current grade and forego further assignments. The petition highlighted that grades "would not be a true reflection of many students' capabilities" due to the stressful events occurring at the time.
University Response
The University of Washington agreed with the petition and supported accommodating Black students. UW Senior Director of Media Relations, Victor Balta, sent a message to university instructors, asking them to consider the varying levels of impact the community was experiencing. He encouraged instructors to be "especially responsive to the needs that your students, especially those who are members of the Black community, may have for accommodations."
Instructor Actions
Instructors at the University of Washington took steps to accommodate Black students. For example, UW Psychology Professor Nicole McNichols sent an email to her students, informing them that everyone would receive full points on remaining homework chapters and that they could opt out of taking Exam 3. She expressed her support for the petition and the accommodations it requested.
College of Arts and Sciences Recommendations
The College of Arts and Sciences at UW also provided recommendations to faculty, suggesting that final examinations be made optional and that final exam grades only be counted if they raise a student's grade. They emphasized that compassion should take precedence over rigor in grading during this challenging time.
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Professors asked to consider the impact of the pandemic and civil unrest
In light of the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing civil unrest in the country, students at the University of Washington are calling on professors to grade black students' finals with more leniency. An online petition with over 26,000 signatures asks professors to "give Black students a break!" The petition states that black students should not face difficult exams and time constraints because they are too "busy fighting for [their] rights to sit down and study".
The University of Washington sent an email to professors asking for more leniency during finals, specifically for black students. Victor Balta, US Senior Director of Media Relations, asked staff "to consider that while we are together as a community, some are being affected more than others". Balta also wrote that professors should be "especially responsive to the needs that your students, especially those who are members of the Black community, may have for accommodations as we conclude the school year".
The University of Washington is advising professors to follow the petition's request. UW Psychology Professor Nicole McNichols told Campus Reform that she supported the move: "Obviously, I support the petition and absolutely believe the accommodations it requests should be honored by all faculty. Students need all of the support and compassion we can afford to give them right now". McNichols emailed her students to say that everyone would receive full points on the remaining homework chapters and that the lowest exam score would be dropped.
The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington has also recommended that faculty make their final examinations optional. They encourage faculty to make their choices in grading with students' best interests in mind, and to recognise that many students cannot do their best work under the present circumstances.
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Instructors will not be penalised for low student evaluations
In June 2020, students at the University of Washington circulated a petition calling for professors to give Black students a break with grading leniency during finals week. The petition, which was addressed to UW President Ana Mari Cauce and faculty, argued that Black students were disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and the stress produced by the "blatant killing of their peers by people set to 'protect and serve'". The petition also requested the cancellation of all finals and assignments for the remainder of the quarter, as well as increased leniency when using the Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory grading system.
In response to this, the University of Washington sent an email to professors asking for more leniency during finals. The email, sent by U.S. Senior Director of Media Relations Victor Balta, asked instructors to "be especially responsive to the needs that your students, especially those who are members of the Black community, may have for accommodations as we conclude the school year". Balta also acknowledged that while the UW community was together, "some are being affected more than others".
In an email to her students, UW Psychology Professor Nicole McNichols expressed her support for the petition. She wrote that "everyone will receive full points for the remaining homework chapters, which are being put into review mode", and that she had "decided to drop everyone's lowest exam score". McNichols also encouraged her colleagues to "be willing to work with Black students individually to come up with a plan that best fits their needs alongside the demands of this class".
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Students are fighting for their rights and coping emotionally
In 2020, students at the University of Washington (UW) circulated a petition calling for grading leniency for Black students. The petition, which was addressed to UW President Ana Mari Cauce and faculty members, argued that Black students were disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and the stress caused by the "blatant killing of their peers by people set to 'protect and serve'". The petition also highlighted the ongoing civil unrest in the country following the death of George Floyd. As of June 2020, the petition had gathered over 26,000 signatures.
The petition made specific requests for accommodations, including granting deadline extensions on assignments, waiving grades on assignments, and giving students the option to keep their current grade and forego further assignments. Additionally, it called for increased leniency when using the Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory grading system. An email template for professors to use when announcing accommodations circulated online, stating: "I am willing to work with Black students individually to come up with a plan that best fits their needs alongside the demands of this class."
In response to the petition, UW Senior Director of Media Relations Victor Balta sent a message to all university instructors, asking them to consider the varying levels of impact the community was experiencing. He urged instructors to be ""especially responsive to the needs that your students, especially those who are members of the Black community, may have for accommodations as we conclude the school year." Balta's message included specific examples of accommodations, such as extra time to finish assignments or providing a 'final examination optional' pathway.
UW Psychology Professor Nicole McNichols also voiced her support for the petition, stating: "Students need all of the support and compassion we can afford to give them right now." McNichols sent an email to her students, informing them that everyone would receive full points on the remaining homework chapters and that the lowest exam score would be dropped. She also gave students the option to opt-out of taking Exam 3.
The College of Arts and Sciences at UW also recognised the impact of the circumstances on students' ability to perform academically. They recommended that faculty make their final examinations optional and encouraged them to make grading choices with students' best interests in mind, prioritising compassion over rigor. Additionally, they acknowledged that spring 2020 grades may not accurately reflect students' academic abilities and should be viewed in the context of their overall academic record.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, in 2020, the University of Washington advised professors to pass black students on the basis of race. This was in response to a petition that amassed over 26,000 signatures.
The petition asked for professors to "'give Black students a break'" by providing grading leniency to cope emotionally and alleviate their pain.
The University of Washington supported the petition and advised professors to accommodate their black students. An email sent by UW Psychology Professor Nicole McNichols to her students stated that everyone would receive full points on the remaining homework chapters and that the lowest exam score would be dropped.
The students welcomed the University's decision and believed that it was a step towards supporting and showing compassion for black students.
This incident occurred in 2020 amidst the coronavirus pandemic and the civil unrest in the country following the death of George Floyd. Black students were disproportionately impacted by these events, and the University of Washington recognized the need to respond to this moment of crisis.
