Northern Kentucky University is definitely an institution where the faculty put the interests of the students first. In recent years there has been an immense amount of growth at this school. With new buildings and ideas come policy changes that are theoretically beneficial to the students.
The recent decision of the faculty senate to institute plus/minus grading at NKU is beneficial to some students and very harmful to others. Logically, a policy that affects all students should not be implemented unless it is beneficial for all students; therefore, this recent decision is not logical.
Graduate programs like to flaunt statistics. One of the most common statistics ever shown is average GPA of admitted students.
The majority of undergraduate institutions use the traditional point system, where an A is worth 4 points, and B is worth 3, etc. This is our current system at NKU. The new changes will mean that a student at NKU could theoretically get a grade of 90 percent, but only receive 3.67 points, while at competing schools, that same student would receive all 4 points. This is very harmful to NKU students who are competing to get into graduate programs; therefore, it’s harmful to NKU’s overall credibility.
This program does help students who are at the higher end of a particular letter grade other than A.
An 89 percent is worth more quality points than an 80 percent.
It seems that under the new system, students concerned with their GPA may not shoot for As anymore, but settle for a B plus.
This is a lowering of standards. It is in essence a reverse form of grade inflation, which is supposedly the entire point of developing a plus/minus system. It is very discouraging for students who work hard to reach a grade of 90 percent to realize that in the future, that work will not give them the same point value that other schools will give.
It’s disheartening and somewhat of a slap in the face for every student who consistently gets traditional As.
This school is made up of very dedicated faculty who usually put the students’ best interests first and foremost.
In changing the grading system, the faculty senate has simply opened a new form of grade inflation.
Students working toward As and 4.0s now find themselves having to work even harder, while B, C and D students can do the same amount of work for potentially more points.
A policy change affecting all students should benefit all students, not penalize the top of the class. There is no logic in that whatsoever.
Reed Spaulding
Junior
Biological Sciences
