Committee on Teaching panel discussion slated

A Committee on Teaching panel discussion – "Should Union Adopt Grading Guidelines?" – will be held Tuesday, Oct. 25, 12:30-1:30 p.m., in Everest Lounge. The panel will address standards and expectations of student performance, an issue highlighted recently by Princeton University's new program to combat grade inflation. 

The Princeton plan calls for no more than 35 percent "A" and "A-" grades in undergraduate classroom courses and no more than 55 percent such grades in junior/senior independent studies and theses by department. 

According to Steve Sargent, department of history chair, at Union last year, "A" was the most commonly given grade (19.6 percent); "A" and "A-" grades together comprised 38 percent of all grades given. In 1998-99, 16 percent of all grades were "As."

Those interested in speaking on the panel (either pro or con), should contact Sargent at sargents@union.edu. 

For more details on the Princeton decision, visit: http://www.princeton.edu/~odoc/grading_information.htm