U-M pauses plan to shield freshman grades
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A U-M flag on the Michigan Union building in 2025. Photo: Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images
U-M has put on hold a plan to shield thousands of freshmen's first-semester grades following weeks of national backlash.
Why it matters: Colleges are searching for ways to address students' mental health, but U-M's experience shows how quickly those efforts can collide with concerns about academic rigor.
Driving the news: U-M president Domenico Grasso this week directed the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts to pause the grade-covering pilot, which was scheduled to begin in fall 2027, to allow for more input, analysis and discussion.
What they're saying: Grasso said extensive media coverage included "distorted narratives" about U-M's intentions and the "academic strength and resilience" of its students.
- He worried students could be unfairly portrayed as "coddled or unprepared" for a rigorous U-M education.
Catch up quick: U-M pitched grade covering as a way to reduce academic pressure, support student well-being, and encourage freshmen to take intellectual risks.
- The plan would replace first-semester letter grades on LSA freshmen's external transcripts with pass/no-credit marks.
- Students would still receive grades and professor feedback, but the grades wouldn't count toward their GPAs.
Flashback: When Axios first covered the proposal in August, we asked U-M how it would respond to critics who said the policy could reduce academic motivation or rigor. The university declined to answer the question.
- Axios readers overwhelmingly criticized the idea.
What's next: It's unclear whether the pilot will ultimately move forward.
- Regent Sarah Hubbard told the Detroit News that stakeholders raised numerous questions and concerns and that the proposal needs to go "back to the drawing board."
- U-M declined to say Wednesday when the pause might be lifted or whether a fall 2027 launch remains possible.