The University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts said it will pause a pilot program to not give out letter grades for first-year this semester.
University President Domenico Grasso sent a letter Tuesday that said the college will pause the pilot program for further input, analysis and discussion.
Watch below: Previous coverage on University of Michigan pilot program
"The proposal has become the subject of extensive media coverage, much of which consists of distorted narratives about our intentions and, most concerningly, about the academic strength and resilience of our students. It has become clear that the misconceptions and questions raised about the program put the pilot's success at risk," the letter reads. "I worry further that our students could bear the consequences of those misperceptions, including being unfairly portrayed as coddled or unprepared for the demands of a rigorous Michigan education. Nothing could be further from the truth."
Earlier this summer, the university said the LSA college was exploring the pilot program that would either display grades as "pass" or "no credit" on their transcripts.
Students would have still received letter grades and instructor feedback in every course, but final grades would not be recorded on external transcripts or reflected in the GPA.
The plan was to "help first-year students better acclimate to the demands of a University of Michigan education, while supporting their intellectual curiosity, purpose, and well-being."
