Last updated March 9, 2021

Click here to see the Provost’s full message, A Review of Baruch’s Grading Policy and Extended “W” Deadline

Baruch’s Decision for Spring 2021: Not to Extend the CR/NC Option

Baruch’s Academic Council debated the pros and cons and decided not to extend the policy for the current semester. The critical considerations have been and will continue to be:

• The integrity of Baruch degree programs
• Students’ preparation for upper-level courses
• Competitiveness of Baruch graduates entering the job market
• Competitiveness of Baruch students when applying for scholarships, graduate schools, and internships
• Competitiveness of Baruch students when applying for clinical and professional opportunities in graduate-degree programs
• Academic standards as the cornerstone of student success and the recognition our College earns in the national and regional rankings

“W” Deadline Permanently Extended

Please also be aware that CUNY has also adopted a policy to extend the deadline to withdraw (“W”) from a course until the last day of class in a given semester. That flexibility is available to Baruch students for the Spring 2021 semester and beyond.

I know some of you will be disappointed with the decision not to enact a more flexible grading policy for Spring 2021. While understandable, I assure you that the issue was examined with great care and compassion—and with our students’ future success in mind.

Next Steps: Grading Policy Review

Under the direction of the Academic Council– a body that comprises myself, the two associate provosts, Baruch’s deans, and the vice presidents for student affairs and enrollment management and strategic academic initiatives—Baruch has launched a review of the College’s grading policy in order to develop a permanent Pass/No Credit (P/NC) option for undergraduates.

In consultation with faculty, staff, and student representatives, Marxe, Weissman, and Zicklin will begin the process of designing and establishing an undergraduate P/NC policy. The process will be guided by the schools’ curriculum committees that include faculty members and student representatives who have voting privileges. The P/NC policy in each school will undergo review through the appropriate governance approval processes and be permanently added to the school’s grading policies in the future.

Our Commitment to Your Success

Our students’ academic, personal, and professional success is our top priority. The College currently offers extensive services for academic support, professional advancement, emergency funding, and counseling. As part of the grading policy review process this spring, the Academic Council charged the schools and student services areas to develop accommodations and support services that offer additional relief from recognized hardships due to the pandemic. We will communicate these offerings as they are developed but in the meanwhile, I ask that you reach out to the office of the Dean of Students for any assistance you need.

Click here to see the President’s full message, Fall 2020 Credit/No Credit Policy

Credit/No Credit Policy

For the Fall 2020 semester only, Baruch College has adopted a temporary policy to permit students to elect CR/NC grades with some course exceptions, as noted below.  The opt-in period for CR/NC is December 24, 2020 – January 12, 2021.

• Exclusions apply to all students enrolled in the courses listed below, regardless of their School or major/minor.
• The CR/NC grade option permits a student to convert a course grade between B+ and D- to a grade of “CR” and a grade of F to a grade of “NC.”
• Neither the CR nor the NC is included in the calculation of the student’s GPA. The CR grade will allow the student to earn credit (for credit bearing courses) but is not factored into the GPA.
• If the student elects an NC grade in place of an F then it is not factored into the GPA, and the student will not earn the credit.
• A course with a grade of CR earned at one CUNY institution will transfer to another CUNY institution.
• Period to elect CR/NC:  December 24, 2020 – January 12, 2021.
• Students may not opt for a grade of NC to replace an F that is received as the result of an academic integrity violation.

For further information, check the CUNY site here.

Need your questions answered, email Credit.NoCredit@baruch.cuny.edu.

How to Opt-In CR/NC on CUNY First

For more information, click here.

1. Log-In

• Go to home.cunyfirst.cuny.edu.
• Go to Student Center.
• Click View Grades.

2.  Select CR/NC Option

• Select Opt-in Grade CR/NC for classes you want to opt-in.
• Confirm that you want to Opt-in.
• Click Submit.

3. Review Grades/GPA

• Review your grades.
• Confirm that your CR/NC grade(s) have been applied correctly.

Extended Deadline to Withdraw

To allow students additional flexibility, Baruch College extends the “last day to withdraw from a course with a grade of W” to Tuesday, December 15, 2020.

Marxe School of Public and International Affairs

• All Marxe courses, both Graduate and Undergraduate, are included in the CR/NC option

Weissman School of Arts and Sciences

• All courses in the Graduate program in Mental Health Counseling are excluded.
• Graduate courses in Mathematics and Undergraduate courses at or above the 3000 level in Mathematics are excluded.