The University has broken its silence, defending College of Science Dean Kevin Carman’s decision to remove a professor from teaching a course because of abnormally low student grades. The response attempts to justify Carman’s decision by explaining the rationale behind it.University biology professor Dominique Homberger is demanding an apology after receiving a message from Carman while administering the course’s second exam saying she was relieved of her teaching duties because of “a developing situation concerning student grades.”Bill Wischusen — Homberger’s replacement — raised grades for the first exam by 25 percent.The removal has sparked a fierce debate questioning whether Carman’s actions were justified.The response details abnormally low grades and abnormally high drop rate for Homberger’s section.Ninety percent of students in Homberger’s section had a D or F for midterm grades. The response states previous sections had an average of 12 percent scoring a D or lower.The response also points out 53 students had dropped the course at the time of her removal. The average rate of attrition for the class last semester was 13 students per section. “It was the conclusion of Dean Carman that Prof. Homberger’s attrition rate and grade distribution rate were beyond the scope of reasonable expectations for student performance in BIOL 1001,” according to the statement.Homberger said the average from the first exam increased about 20 percentage points, and the midterm grades were based on 128 points of 480 total for the class.Carman’s critics also feel due process should have been allowed because Homberger’s grades for the class were improving. “He was presented with class statistics on March 24, one week before the deadline to withdraw the class,” the response states. “Based on grade distributions, there was a concern that there would be further significant attrition from the class. Therefore immediate action was taken.”Homberger’s allies also contend Carman had no right to remove Homberger because of rules concerning academic freedom and rights to assign grades.PS-44 from the faculty handbook states, “Individual instructors are expected to assign grades equitably and consistently in accordance with the standards established by the faculties of various colleges and schools.”The release states Carman conferred with the department chair and three associate chairs and Academic Affairs which confirmed his right to remove Homberger.The response also challenges the notion this action sets a dangerous precedent.Homberger told The Daily Reveille on April 20 she thinks young instructors will fear being yanked from a classroom if they are not passing enough students or giving enough A’s for the course.”Removal of a faculty member from a class is and should be extremely rare,” the response states. “There is no pattern of removal of faculty members from classes at LSU for the distribution of low grades.”The response also said Wischusen was under no departmental pressure to increase the grades before the drop date, and he had the authority to do so after he had taken over the class.It also states the removal was not in response to student complaints.University spokesperson Herb Vincent compiled the University’s response, which explains the University’s position and seeks to stem some misconceptions over the removal.Vincent and Carman said they couldn’t comment further because it’s an ongoing personnel issue.The response was necessary because of common misconceptions about the situation were rapidly developing, Vincent said.—-Contact Xerxes A. Wilson at [email protected].