Opt-in S/U policy to continue, first-years not eligible for Dean’s List

Duke announced changes to Trinity College of Arts and Sciences’s grading policy for the fall 2021 semester.  

Trinity Dean Martin Smith wrote that Trinity would continue the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory policy from spring 2021 in an email sent to Trinity undergraduate students on Monday morning, 

Students enrolled in a normal course load will be allowed to register for an unlimited number of classes for grading on an S/U basis if they receive approval from their instructors and academic deans. Students who are underloading cannot enroll in any voluntary S/U courses, and students in overloads of five or more course credits can only take one voluntary S/U course. 

The updated policy allows voluntary S/U courses to be counted for Trinity graduation requirements, and courses taken this semester will not count against Trinity’s limit of four such courses during a student’s undergraduate career.  

Individual departments can decide whether to count voluntary S/U courses for major, minor or certificate requirements. 

Smith also announced that Trinity would reinstate their Dean’s List this academic year, but first-years will not be eligible for inclusion. In a departure from previous semesters, students enrolled in one voluntary S/U course will now be eligible for Dean’s List if they are enrolled in at least three graded courses. 

The policy updates are available in more detail on the Trinity website. 

The Chronicle reached out to Smith for comment, but he did not respond in time for publication.