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Tiered grading for pass/fail considered
by Shana D. Lebowitz
Features Editor
News | 11/14/06
Posted online at 6:02 AM EST on 11/14/06
/ Last updated at 9:14 PM EST on 11/14/06
The debate over changing the pass/fail system has expanded over the last month, with the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee now considering various changes to its grading scheme in an effort to encourage students to take pass/fail courses more seriously, according to UCC officials.
While some faculty and students support raising the standard for passing courses, others said changes are unnecessary and run counter to the University's liberal-arts philosophy.
Currently, undergraduates can take up to four pass/fail courses, but must receive at least a D- in them in order to receive credit and not have the grades factored into their grade point averages.
Most notably, officials are considering a tiered grading system for students taking classes pass/fail.
The Justice reported last month that the UCC was considering raising the minimum coverable grade to a C-. Students would still receive credit for grades in the D range, but would be unable to cover the grade.
But in recent weeks, UCC has considered a tiered grading system that would act as somewhat of a compromise between the two main sides of the debate.
Under the new changes being considered, a grade of C- or higher would qualify as "satisfactory," below a C- would be "unsatisfactory" and if a student receives below a D-, the student's transcript would read "fail," said Ariel Strauss '07, the Student Union's senior representative to the UCC.
Eighteen percent of students are taking at least one course pass/fail this semester, University Registrar Mark Hewitt said. Around 10 D's are covered up each semester for students in pass/fail classes-only 7 percent of all covered grades.
Strauss said a grade of "unsatisfactory" is a good compromise because the D wouldn't be uncovered, but it would still send a strong message to the student.
"If [a grade] was listed as 'unsatisfactory' on the transcript, I think it would still be a big disincentive not to take [a class] seriously, but it also wouldn't have that penalizing impact on the GPA," Strauss said.
While some faculty and students support raising the standard for passing courses, others said changes are unnecessary and run counter to the University's liberal-arts philosophy.
Currently, undergraduates can take up to four pass/fail courses, but must receive at least a D- in them in order to receive credit and not have the grades factored into their grade point averages.
Most notably, officials are considering a tiered grading system for students taking classes pass/fail.
The Justice reported last month that the UCC was considering raising the minimum coverable grade to a C-. Students would still receive credit for grades in the D range, but would be unable to cover the grade.
But in recent weeks, UCC has considered a tiered grading system that would act as somewhat of a compromise between the two main sides of the debate.
Under the new changes being considered, a grade of C- or higher would qualify as "satisfactory," below a C- would be "unsatisfactory" and if a student receives below a D-, the student's transcript would read "fail," said Ariel Strauss '07, the Student Union's senior representative to the UCC.
Eighteen percent of students are taking at least one course pass/fail this semester, University Registrar Mark Hewitt said. Around 10 D's are covered up each semester for students in pass/fail classes-only 7 percent of all covered grades.
Strauss said a grade of "unsatisfactory" is a good compromise because the D wouldn't be uncovered, but it would still send a strong message to the student.
"If [a grade] was listed as 'unsatisfactory' on the transcript, I think it would still be a big disincentive not to take [a class] seriously, but it also wouldn't have that penalizing impact on the GPA," Strauss said.
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