The Faculty Senate voted unanimously Friday, Jan. 16, to allow C-minus grades to count toward undergraduate major requirements, a policy change aimed at reducing delayed graduations and unexpected costs for students.

Under the previous rule, students who earned a C-minus in a required major course were required to retake the class to remain on track in their program, even if the course was not a prerequisite. The change follows years of discussion among faculty committees and comes after concerns that the policy disproportionately affected transfer students and those nearing graduation.

Julie Granata-Hunicutt, an assistant professor of instruction in the School of Theater and Dance, told the Senate that the change proposed by the Academic Affairs Committee of the senate addressed a “communication issue” that caused inconsistent enforcement across programs. The change is intended to limit financial and academic barriers while maintaining academic standards. 

“It’s not grading standards,”  Granata-Hunicutt said in the meeting. “It’s not about our individual goals as teachers or individual discipline. This is about being clear. If you get a C-minus, it’s a passing grade.”

This policy does not change course expectations or learning outcomes. C-minus grades are defined as satisfactory work and count towards overall degree completion, and this new policy now reflects that by aligning major requirements with existing grading definitions, according to the Academic Affairs Committee.

Most colleges and universities follow a national standard that allows any grade above a D or F to count toward program requirements. Many institutions also track DFW rates, which measure the number of students who earn a D or F or withdraw from a course, the Chronicle previously reported.

The change is expected to ease a long-standing challenge for transfer students, whose C-minus grades often counted as passing at previous institutions but previously required them to retake courses at Columbia. Faculty members said the policy helps reduce unnecessary financial and academic burdens for students who had already completed the work.

Senior music major Alicia Maka said she understands that some may think that it lets students off the hook too easily. 

But she supports the change because “not everybody’s creativity and talent gets reflected academically.”

Rejon Strong, a sophomore music major, said the policy change is a good idea. 

“If you have a C, you have a C, and that should be passing,” he said.

In the following weeks, the policy will be reviewed by the administration and a date for implementation will be set. Advising guidance will be available to students upon registration.

Copy edited by Kate Larroder