"The grading changes aim to "address grade inflation and promote rigor across our curriculum," according to an email sent to faculty in the Communication, Professional and Computer Skills (CPS) department from business writing course coordinator Polly Graham, which was obtained by Inside Higher Ed. "During the COVID-19 pandemic, [CPS] grades elevated, and in recent years, grades have remained high. In recent semesters, some instructors have awarded 100% A's in standard (i.e., non-honors) sections, and others have awarded extraordinary numbers of A+'s and incompletes," the email said."
"Instructors of standard, nonhonors courses must make the GPA of each section average between 3.3 and 3.5, and honors course GPA averages must fall within 0.2 points of the "section's cumulative student GPA," the email stated. Faculty members should not round up final grades "even if the student's grade is very close to a higher letter grade," and each instructor will complete two check-ins with CPS leadership-one before and one after midterms-after which "formative support will be provided to faculty as requested or needed.""
CPS instructors must eliminate grade rounding, remove the A-plus grade option, and keep average section GPAs between 3.3 and 3.5 for the fall semester. The changes aim to address grade inflation and promote rigor after elevated grades during the COVID-19 period, including some sections with 100% A's and many A+'s and incompletes. The policy was issued without faculty discussion or approval and currently applies only to CPS courses; CPS is staffed entirely by lecturers without tenure protections. Faculty must not round up final grades and will complete two leadership check-ins, before and after midterms, with formative support available.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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