University Adopts New Grading System
Elementary Education major Mary Bustillos recently interviewed Dr. Ben McArthur, vice president for academic administration, regarding the new grading system that includes plus and minus grades. The new system will go into effect in fall semester, 2011.
Bustillos: Did you recently have a staff meeting regarding the grading system?
McArthur: That is true. The Academic Policies Committee makes policy, then it gets ratified by the entire faculty.
Bustillos: How long has this school used the current grading system?
McArthur: Oh, you got me there. From the very beginning I suppose; as long as they have been giving A’s, B’s, and C’s.
Bustillos: What prompted the change now?
McArthur: Well, a recognition that we’re the only Adventist college that doesn’t have plus-minus grading. One might say that is a distinctive feature in us; however it should suggest that the academic world finds value in a more refined grading scale. Virtually all graduate and medical schools use this type of grading system. It seems as though we should come into the light. This is where the trend is going. We have found no other school that has gone back to the former way of straight letter grading. It all goes one direction.
Bustillos: What is the benefit for the students?
McArthur: Two things actually: one for the student and one for the institution. You get a more precise evaluation of the student than A, B, C, D, and F. Well, you can do it that way if you want to do it that way. However, it is better and more accurate reflection of accomplishment to have a finer gradation. It is just fairer and more accurate way of grading. The second is that it motivates the students to improve themselves. Therefore, this inspires students to study extra for test in order to attain a higher grade. We want to find every means possible to motivate students and help their GPA.
Bustillos: Why wait this long to change the grading system?
McArthur: There was talk about it five years ago. Colleges are used to doing things in traditional ways. We just decided to implement plus-minus grading. Once students experience this, they’re going to like it. They’re going to wonder why we haven’t done this all along.
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Pastor Jim Landelius
December 14, 17:27Eric Michaelson
December 14, 18:31Peter Gust
December 18, 05:08Agoki, Chris
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