Columbus State University students showed an improvement in grades for the Spring 2020 semester, despite facing unprecedented challenges related to COVID-19.

The proportion of A grades achieved by students increased from 45.9% in Spring 2019 to 52.4% in Spring 2020. Meanwhile the failing or withdrawal (DFW) rate decreased from 14.5% to 11.2%.

“I am incredibly proud of our students for finishing the semester strong, despite the extraordinary circumstances they faced,” said President Markwood. “I also would like to thank our kind, compassionate, and dedicated faculty and staff who worked tirelessly to support and encourage students through this tough time. These grades are a testament to the strength and determination that characterizes our CSU family.”

In consideration of those students whose lives were upended by COVID-19, CSU created two new grade codes for Spring 2020 use. They are I9 (incomplete) and W9 (withdrawal passing). These codes recognize instances when a students' academic progress was adversely affected by COVID-19 related hardships. This helped maintain qualifying students' financial aid eligibility by excluding eligible unproductive grades from the determination of a student's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) until they are able to recoup a productive grade by July 31. Eligible students who completed the semester unsatisfactorily may also appeal to have those grades changed to a W9. 

Student-athletes also marked an exceptional semester with 58% of the 236 athletes completing the semester with a 3.0 or higher.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSU announced on March 16 that all classes would move online for the remainder of the semester. While remote instruction continues through summer semester, CSU will return to in-person instruction for fall semester and is now planning for that return.