By Yi-Fang Vicky Lin
On-line Forty-Niner

A proposal that would alter Cal State Long Beach’s grading system under review by the Educational Policies Council.
 
The revision of the grading system would include the “plus” and “minus” grading options into the current five-letter marks. The scheme is currently used by all of the Cal State University campuses except for Long Beach, Fresno and Fullerton.
 
Teresa Wright, associate professor of political science, who is in favor of the revision said, “Overall, I think it gives professor a more subtle method, more accurate of reporting student achievement.”
 
The new grading method would allow the distinction between an 89 percent student and an 80 percent student, she said.
 
“Students who tend to score at a higher range of each grade are harmed by the current system and would benefit from the new system,” Wright said.
 
Contradictory to Wright’s view, Kent Merryfield, a mathematics professor at CSULB argues the new system would only complicate the grading process without tangible benefits.
 
“It is an illusion that the assessment of student achievement can be made precise enough to justify the distinctions among a dozen or so possible grades, as opposed to the current five,” Merryfield said.
 
As far as the students’ points of view, Associated Students Inc. President Danny Vivian said he believes students are opposed to the new grading system.
 
“I feel that students are against this and have been maintaining that position,” he said.
 
According to Mary McGraa, assistant to the chairman of Academic Senate, the Educational Policies Council will take faculty members’ opinions into consideration before any decision is reached. An advisory ballot has been sent to instructors and is expecting to gather faculties’ examinations toward the policy by March 14.
 
“This issue is only at its very beginning stage, we don’t even know whether it is going to be passed or not at this point,” said McGraa.
 
David G. Huckaby, chairman of Educational Policies Council said the proposal was initiated by College of the Arts.
 
“The goal seems mostly to spread out the official grades of especially those students making an A or B,” Huckaby said.
 
He said in order for the new policy to be fully implemented, the proposal must receive approval by votes from both Educational Policies Council and Academic Senate, and final endorsement from CSULB President Robert Maxson.
 
“Once the EP Council has finished its deliberations, we will vote on the matter,” Huckaby said. “I do not know whether or not it will pass, but the vote will be far from unanimous.”
 
Academic Senate Executive Committee, Craig Smith, said the Academic Senate would recommend the revision to executive level after the debate of the issue took place.

Calendar

Display Ads