Issue date: 3/15/06 Section: Campus News

The College Curriculum Council voted Tuesday against adding pluses and minuses to Brown's grading system. The six-to-seven vote followed nearly an hour and a half of debate on the pros and cons of pluses and minuses.

The CCC drafted six possible changes to the grading system but ultimately voted against sending any proposal for more differentiated grading to the Faculty Executive Committee, the body that sets the agenda for faculty meetings.

Since the FEC is made up entirely of professors, and the faculty as a whole ultimately decides on any changes to the curriculum, the CCC represents the last chance for students to have an official voice in the decision-making process.

The six changes proposed were to add pluses and minuses to all letter grades; to add pluses and minuses but omit the A-plus grade; to add only pluses; to add pluses and minuses to only B's and C's; to use pluses and minuses on internal transcripts only; and to add new grades of A/B and B/C to the current system.

As a result of the vote, the plus/minus proposal will not be brought to the entire faculty by the CCC, but professors still have the power to suggest changes to the curriculum by requesting that the FEC add their proposal to the faculty agenda for a vote.

Dean of the College Paul Armstrong, who chairs the CCC, told The Herald the next step is to inform Dean of the Graduate School Sheila Bonde that the CCC is not proposing anything to the FEC. The Graduate Council has already voted to send the FEC a proposal to introduce pluses and minuses to the Grad School's grading system.

Armstrong said during the meeting that changes to the undergraduate College's grading system would likely be discussed by the faculty if it considers the proposal to add pluses and minuses to the Grad School grading system.

Continued...

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