University of Michigan pauses plan to stop issuing grades
PUBLISHED Sep 30, 2026, 7:56 PM ET
The University of Michigan has officially paused its controversial pilot program that would have replaced traditional letter grades with a pass or no credit system for first-semester freshmen in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Announced in August, the initiative was designed to ease the academic transition and mitigate student anxiety. Under the proposal, professors would have continued evaluating assignments privately without impacting foundational grade point averages. However, intense national debate, media scrutiny, and widespread public feedback prompted university leadership to halt the rollout ahead of its scheduled implementation. Critics argued the policy risked lowering academic standards, while supporters emphasized student mental health and resilience. President Domenico Grasso noted that the polarized public narrative threatened the program's success. The university has stepped back from the cultural crossfire to reassess the policy's framework, leaving its future uncertain amid ongoing debates over higher education grading standards and undergraduate mental health pressures.
By Ayesha A. | JQJO News
Coverage of Story:
From Left
Michigan pauses freshmen grade policy after swaddling backlash
The Independent HuffPost The New York Times The Washington PostFrom Center
University of Michigan pauses freshman grading pilot program
Associated Press Detroit Free Press CBS Detroit Michigan Public WEMU Dearborn.org MLive WOOD-TV WZZM13 The Chronicle of Higher Education The Hill Axios Politico USA Today Lansing State Journal Grand Rapids Press MLive Flint MLive Kalamazoo Chicago Tribune NPR Bloomberg Forbes Time NewsweekFrom Right
University of Michigan halts pass no credit grading pilot
The Detroit News Campus Reform The Wall Street Journal Townhall The Detroit News Online
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