NEWS | NOVEMBER 2, 2005

Plus Minus Grading System
Grading system report analyzed
The task force’s report lists advantages, disadvantages and is available online.

The Shorthorn: Scott Russell Student Congress Vice President Zac Sanders, left, presents a petition signed by more than 2,500 students at the Undergraduate Assembly meeting on Tuesday. The petition was signed by students who oppose the proposed Plus Minus grading system.

By Elaine Marsilio
The Shorthorn staff

Administrators, faculty and students discussed Tuesday the UTA task force’s report, which presented the advantages and disadvantages of a Plus Minus grading system.

The report is available on the Office of the Provost’s Web site.

“This gives us an opportunity to continue now that all have had the opportunity to view the report,” Provost Dana Dunn said.

Student Congress President Josh Sawyer and SC Vice President Zac Sanders presented their views on the system and answered faculty questions.

Science Dean Paul Paulus said students and faculty in his college were concerned about increased hassles and complaints.

But some in the college think the system would increase precision in grading, and some also wondered why a majority of other Texas universities don’t use it, he said.

Management associate professor Gary McMahan, a member of the task force appointed by Dunn, said at the meeting that university faculty and administrators should consider how the university community wants to be viewed if the grading system were used here.

The Shorthorn: Manikandan Sachidanandan Business junior Earle Thompson makes a comment during the Undergraduate Assembly meeting on Tuesday. The meeting was held to discuss the Plus Minus grading system, and members of Student Congress presented their petition.

McMahan said UTA is not among the almost 80 percent of Carnegie research institutions using the system and that the implementation here would be similar to “follow the leader.”

“That is really a key point to think through — who we are, how we define ourselves, and how we evaluate our students, and how we reward our students,” he said. “I want to be able to show there is a difference between my 83 students and my 89 students.”

Dunn said research has shown that overall grade inflation would not exist with the system, but instead it would be on an individual student basis where half the GPAs would go up and half would go down.

Honors College Dean Robert McMahon said students worried about their GPAs should know that employers look at a graduate’s campus involvement as well as other factors in addition to one’s GPA. If the system were implemented, the average student should not have any trouble, he said.

“We are talking about very minute changes for students,” he said.

Associate Provost Michael Moore said all faculty will be questioned about implementing a Plus Minus grading system here through paper or online surveys in the coming weeks.

“The next thing we are sure about is that we will be talking to the faculty via some sort of poll or opportunity to gain feedback,” Moore said after the meeting.

He said there is no clear process of which governing body would make recommendations to President James Spaniolo. He added that the Undergraduate and Graduate assemblies would most likely be asked to comment on their views of implementing a Plus Minus grading system.

Dunn and Spaniolo will then discuss the accumulated feedback and make a decision.

CLARIFICATION

Thiss story should have stated that the Plus Minus grading system was discussed at the Undergraduate Assembly meeting and that no vote was taken.

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