Virtual celebration and more
Dear Spring 2020 Graduates, Family, and Friends:
Given the extraordinary circumstances we find ourselves in this semester, the University of Iowa will provide two ways to celebrate the achievements of our spring 2020 graduates:
- A spring virtual commencement live-streamed on commencement.uiowa.edu, and
- The opportunity to walk in the fall 2020 or spring 2021 ceremony.
Hosting a virtual ceremony gives our graduates and their families a much-needed end-of-semester celebration while also protecting the health and safety of the Hawkeye community.
Like traditional commencement, each college will organize a virtual celebration that reflects its unique role on campus. These celebrations will include messages from university leadership, Board of Regents leadership, and other speakers, along with recognition of individual graduates.
The UI will also send a package to each of its graduating students that, among other items, will include a commemorative commencement program that recognizes their achievement during this unique and challenging historic moment.
Spring 2020 graduates who participate in the virtual ceremony may still take part in an in-person ceremony in fall 2020 or spring 2021, and graduates who would like to purchase their cap and gown can do so through the Hawk Shop website.
By the end of the semester, spring 2020 graduates will have faced not only the usual trials and tribulations of attaining a university degree, but also will have overcome the unprecedented situation of rapidly transitioning to online learning in the midst of a global pandemic—no mean feat. We are so very proud of all of you, and grateful for how quickly you’ve adapted.
Thank you for the great fortitude you’ve demonstrated during this crisis.
See you at the ceremonies!
Bruce Harreld,
President
Montserrat Fuentes,
Executive Vice President and Provost
For more information, please visit commencement.uiowa.edu.
Spring 2020 Grading Options for Undergraduates
Considering Pass/Nonpass Grading? Things to Think About
Advisors from across campus have pulled together information for students to consider when deciding whether to choose Pass/Nonpass grading. Please find the basics below. Students are encouraged to check their college’s website for grading information specific to the college.
- A grade of C- or greater will translate to a P grade.
- Any grade lower than a C- will translate to N, and no credit will be awarded.
- Neither the P nor the N will affect a student’s GPA.
- Students interested in the P/N option will be able to opt in through MyUI. That page will be available no later than April 20. Students have until May 8 to make their choice for each of their courses.
- Students may find it helpful to wait until they have completed more graded work and exams before making a decision.
- Students should talk with their academic advisor to discuss their options and situation.
UI Libraries
Emergency temporary access to copyrighted books
Effective immediately, and until normal access to physical collections resumes, UI students, faculty, and staff have online access to a large portion of the University Libraries’ print collection—volumes that would have been difficult to access from library facilities that are closed due to COVID-19.
Reading access to digitized copies of print volumes has been granted to the UI by HathiTrust, a not-for-profit, collaborative digital library that holds more than 17 million volumes digitized from academic and research libraries. The UI Libraries, in collaboration with the Big Ten Academic Alliance, is a founding member of HathiTrust.
This means that any books available through HathiTrust that are also in the UI Libraries’ collections will be available online without the additional step of requesting a digital scan. HathiTrust’s online collection contains nearly half of the UI Libraries’ book collection, and HathiTrust has provided detailed instructions, including how to use the service on a phone or tablet.
For help with access to these and other digital resources, please contact UI Libraries.