While some colleges have shifted to a pass/fail grading system and others have decided to cancel finals altogether, PNW plans to stick to its final exam schedule – and to award traditional grades in classes.

The university has final exams scheduled to take place from May 4 to May 9.

“There was already a discussion about moving to a pass/no pass grading, which was rejected by the administration,” said Anthony Elmendorf, chair of the Faculty Senate.

Some students are still hoping examinations will be called off.

“Finals should be canceled because having to do finals online really questions a lot of people’s academic integrity,” said junior Gretchen Kasper. “It’s way too easy to cheat online.

“I also don’t want to fail when my professor is no longer actually teaching me and I don’t have the ability to ask questions because there’s no discussion,” she said.

Sophomore Sam Grimler had similar feelings.

“I really hope all my finals get canceled because I know there is no way I can do as good as I could have if we still had face-to-face, in-person contact and discussion,” Grimler said. “I feel really stressed about school, I truly feel I am at a disadvantage. Sometimes the professors are not clear in their instructions and sometimes I feel they post so many assignments all at once.

“It is so difficult having to keep up with everything and always stressing about if I missed an assignment post or did not do an assignment right,” he said.

Some students have resigned to the idea of taking their finals.

“I don’t think any professor is going to agree to cancel a final,” said Daniel Jacobo, a sophomore mechanical engineering major. “But I really hope they are lenient towards their grading because I believe they should understand this transition is not easy for them or us.”