As the University works to accommodate virtual learning, many key academic dates and deadlines have been adjusted for the spring 2020 semester and beyond. With everything from pre-enrollment to commencement pushed back from their usual times, here’s a guide to keep track of all the changes.
Spring 2020 Semester
Instead of adopting a universal “satisfactory/unsatisfactory” grading scheme, Cornell opted to extend the last day to drop a course without a “W” indicated or change its grading basis to S/U to May 12, the last day of online instruction.
The University said this decision hopes to “provide the maximum amount of flexibility possible, without penalty, to empower [students] to make the decisions that are best suited to [their] situation.”
The new exam period for the semester will take place from May 16 to May 23, ending a week later than originally scheduled.
Median grades for classes will not be posted on student transcripts and the Dean’s List has been suspended across all schools for the spring 2020 semester.
President Martha E. Pollack committed to holding a commencement ceremony for graduates and their families in Ithaca. However, a date or time has not yet been announced as Cornell continues to monitor the progression of COVID-19.
Graduates will still receive their degrees on time.
For prospective first-year students, the deadline to commit to Cornell’s offer of admission is still May 1. Meanwhile, over 300 universities have extended their deposit deadlines either to or past June 1.
Summer 2020
Cornell’s in-person Reunion Day for 2020 will be replaced with virtual programming for all alumni on the weekend of June 5.
Pre-enrollment for fall 2020 classes has been postponed to mid-to-late June, after the semester is complete and final grades are posted to academic transcripts.
Lisa Nishii, vice provost for undergraduate education, wrote in an email to the Cornell community that the decision to delay course registration was made as “[they] have repeatedly heard from students that pre-enrollment is a stressful process.”
The deadline for submitting final grades has been extended to June 10 for faculty, with final grades to be released to students by June 15.