Official Updates from USFFA

April 1, 2020
Message from President Poole regarding Pass/ Fail Policy

Dear Friends,

Last Friday, along with everyone else, I received the notice that the University administration approved a policy to allow students to choose a Pass (P) grade for some or all of the classes they are taking this semester. It so happens that the policy was released just as my colleagues and I were in an all-school School of Management Zoom meeting sharing with our dean our perspectives about a “proposed” pass/fail policy. In that moment, we were all surprised to learn that the policy that we thought we were helping to shape had already been determined.

I am disappointed that a policy of this nature was established before obtaining widespread input from faculty. While the USF Faculty Association had urged the University to follow the lead of other institutions across the country and convert all courses to pass/fail, we were not involved in the development of the current policy in any meaningful way. 

Immediately after receiving the notice, I reached out to Provost Cannon and expressed my disappointment in the way this was handled. He immediately and sincerely apologized for the oversight. While we appreciate the apology, the impact of this mistake is nevertheless felt widely across the faculty -- especially given the importance of rebuilding trust between our members and the university leadership. We expect better and we look forward to discussing how we can develop more effective systems of consultation with Provost Cannon at our Policy Board meeting this week.

I acknowledge we are navigating the rapidly changing landscape of COVID-19, and recommendations and orders are literally changing minute-by-minute. I recognize the University is operating in crisis-mode and extreme pressure is felt by students, families and other stakeholders to provide answers and calm fears. However, how can the University say that it supports shared governance without actively demonstrating this by working with faculty – especially during a time such as this? 

This latest issue is evidence that no matter how good the words or intentions, if there are no structures or processes in place that systematically bring faculty to the table, we will continue to be overlooked in developing policies that impact our work. 

So, what do we do?

We have to continue to double-down on ensuring that the recent changes to University leadership translate to meaningful shifts in the way the University operates its academic affairs and how leadership engages with librarians and faculty. 

We need to keep pressing University leadership to demonstrate how the recent changes will be marshalled towards lasting and effective institutional structures which allow our members and other stakeholders real input into academic decision-making and development at USF.

The future of USF depends upon our involvement. As Strategic Enrollment Management’s call for our help in this newsletter suggests, they need us! Our ongoing critical contributions need to be recognized. We deserve a seat at the table.

The months ahead are going to be difficult as we face immediate threats to our work-lives and well-being. However, our solidarity is going to be our best defense.

We will need you as we move forward.

In solidarity,

Sonja