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Controlling grade inflation at Princeton
The percentage of A-range grades awarded at Princeton classes has fallen below 40%, as an article in today's Daily Princetonian reports. This is the result of an effort begun in 2004 by the university's Faculty Committee on Grading to reduce the number of A's given out in both the humanities and engineering departments, with the goal of lowering the percentage to 35%. The ultimate objective of the policy is to restore integrity to the grading system and to ensure that the letter on a student's transcript actually says something about the quality of his or her academic work--which is difficult if nearly half of students receive grades of "A" in their classes.
While this approach has not been without criticism--some professors have pointed out that the policy can restrict the freedom of individual faculty members--the Committee deserves credit for recognizing the problem posed by ever-increasing grade-point averages and deciding to do something about it. For more ideas on how colleges and universities can tame grade inflation, see ACTA's recent trustee guide, Measuring Up: The Problem of Grade Inflation and What Trustees Can Do.
Posted by Sandra E. Czelusniak on September 23, 2009 at September 23, 2009 11:26 AM
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