While Universities are extending Pass/No Credit options for their students, these courtesies are rarely extended to graduate students. We love to talk about student support until it applies to those who are the backbone of teaching and research. THREAD 1/8

The @UArkansas policy is a great example. All undergraduate students are allowed to petition for P/NC, but grad students are at the mercies of their departments. When given the opportunity to extend meaningful support to it's graduate students, the U of A punted.

Who do you think is keeping online courses running? Who is grading? Who is holding office hours? Who is providing academic and emotional support?

Graduate students. They are your first responders, keeping your undergraduates afloat.

Worse yet, these decisions were made entirely without the input of affected students.

@UofAGPSC surveyed graduate students and issued a statement. It was entirely ignored.

There are were no students on the COVID committee nor were they consulted in this decision making process.

Graduate students are already in precarious financial situations. Throw in a global pandemic, how do you think they're fairing now?

Grad students could now be supporting unemployed partners, homeschooling children, caring for parents.

And they don't deserve leniency?

In one college in particular, tenure and promotion clocks have been extended by a year.

But the faculty overwhelmingly voted not to extend P/NC to graduate students.

God forbid faculty extend the courtesies given to them to their employees.

The faculty and administrators who are making 6 figures per year cannot possibly understand the needs of a graduate student making $13,200 per year during an unprecedented global pandemic.

And their failure to empathize is inhumane.

Graduate students are your first responders, the front line workers for higher ed during a global pandemic.

The lack of support they're receiving from @UArkansas and other universities is absolutely shameful.