As a child, did you dislike when your parents made family decisions without your consent?
For example, after a religious awakening, my mother decided we would no longer celebrate Christmas. Thus, my childhood suffered.
Students may have a similar feeling toward the Faculty Senate regarding the proposed grading scale change and the alteration of class start times implemented this fall.
Should students have more of a say in policies affecting them? I think so.
The Faculty Senate recently voted 26-14-4 in favor of a plus-minus grading scale that would change how students’ GPAs are calculated. Professors will have the option of adding a plus or minus sign to letter grades if Academic Affairs approves the system. Thus, a student who earns a B would receive 3.3 quality points toward his or her GPA instead of 3. But sorry over-achievers, there is no A plus.
In a recent meeting, finance professor and the bill’s author Don Chance said the time is perfect to implement the resolution as the school transfers to a new PAWS system. The bill could be applied within two years, he added.
The University also implemented a new class start time policy for the fall and spring semester. This change resulted in classes starting on the hour and half hour, as opposed to the previous way of starting 10 minutes after the hour. Classes now end ten minutes prior to the next hour.
How are students reacting to these changes?
The resounding argument against implementation of the bill is, “If it isn’t broken, why fix it?”
An online poll conducted by The Daily Reveille shows 81 percent of voters oppose the plus-minus grading scale. The majority of students I spoke with said they feared the new system would affect their GPAs. Students also said they are appalled by the lack of influence they have in a policy that directly affects them.
“I would not be for it, I always manage to barely scrape by with the grades that I get,” said Dexter Ellis, biochemistry sophomore. Ellis noted that he sees no problem with the new class time change.
But Catherine Joseph, biology freshman, is one of few students who welcomes idea of a plus-minus grading scale.
“We used the scale at my high school,” Joseph said.
The plus-minus grading scale, in theory, gives students an added incentive to work harder. It also gives professors flexibility when dealing with borderline grades. But, as suggested by a professor, what if we did away with the outdated alphabetical scale altogether?
Instead of using alphabets, wouldn’t it be simpler to use percentages? Grades are already listed on Moodle as percentages. It would save instructors valuable time if they didn’t have to convert points to percentages and then to a corresponding alphabet.
I grew up using a grading system in the Caribbean and it worked quite effectively. Classrooms are quite competitive and a high percentage looks much better on paper than an A letter grade with a plus or minus attached.
This would solve the dilemma of students getting by on only the effort needed to achieve a desired letter grade. It is unfair for a student who earns a high A to receive the same letter grade as another who did just enough to get into the percent range. A percentage-based scale would help solve that dilemma.
Whatever the outcome, the plus-minus scale is sure to face some opposition from Student Government.
“We are going to fight that it isn’t passed,” said Student Body President Taylor Cox. “The student voice needs to be heard.”
