Page 1 |
Save page Remove page | Previous | 1 of 8 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
This page
All
|
Loading content ...
Clarion. Vol. 62 No. 8 Bethel College 3900 Bethel Dr., St. Paul, MN 21 November 1986 Registrar proposes 'NC to 'F grade policy change by Laurie Port On November 18, an open hearing was held to discuss the grading policy changes proposed by Registrar Chet Duck. Duck has recommended the change of policy, "as consistent with high academic standards, ease of administration, and widespread national practice," according to the most recent statement on the new policy. One of the. major issues at hand was the reinstatement of the F grade in place of the present use of NC for the incomple- tion of a course. Under the new grading system, students who do not complete course requirements will receive an F rather than an NC for their performance. In the present system, an NC does not contribute credits toward graduation, but neither is it detrimental to students' grade point averages (GPS). With the reinstatement of the F, a 0.0 will be averaged into the number of attempted course credit hours for each F received, as a 4.0 is for an A or a 3.3 for a B+. An F performance in a course will contribute no courses toward graduation, but it will be used in the GPA calculation. The policy change was recom- mended to the APC (Academic Policy Committee) by Duck, who said that he had heard "enough comments from the faculty in favor of the F" to implement the change. Although the F will lower GPAs, the new policy will allow for the retaking of any course, regardless of the grade. Only the last attempt will be put into a student's GPA, although the previous grade will also remain on the transcript. John Bower, Director of Social Work, said that one drawback to this policy is that if a course is not offered again, the retake policy is of no real value. In citing reasons for the change, Duck said, "The NC has had tremendous negative effects on some of our graduates. In the clearing house of law and medical schools, all grades are converted to one standard in order to be consistent. Bethel's NC is undefine- able outside our community; if it were given for a reason other than a straight filure, they (those outside Bethel] would still count it as a failure." "If they count it as an F anyway," Duck continued, "we might as well be honest and say it's an F. Not to include a failing grade is misleading." Duck asserted that Bethel adheres to a standard measure ment for credit hours, and that it would be "dangerous to be unique in currency [not having an F count as 0.0 in a GPA]." When asked if he thought the F grade might be too harsh, Duck replied, "It's not punitive; it just reflects reality." Not all the faculty agree with him, G.W. Carlson, associate professor of history, is "strongLy against" the switch from NC to F for several reasons. Carlson suggests that1 the reinstatement of the F will be very damaging to students who are academically dismissed who ever want to try again at Bethel. "Some students will have a difficult first year," he said. "They just aren't ready for the discipline of college, but then they turn around. If we bring the F in and count zeros in GPAs, the best advice we can give to these people is 'don't come back."' Because, the GPA is cumulative, returning students can't start their GPAs over, according to Carlson. "This makes it almost impossible to get it GPA] up in time for graduation," he said. "I've been on Student Progress Committees where, because of the F, students didn't make it back." "An NC is a sufficient statement of the incompletion of a course," said Carlson. "Students know they have failed, and it is on their record." Assistant Professor of Philosophy Don Postema finds a "curious inconsistency" in that failed course credits don't count toward graduation, but are used against students in their GPAs. "It seems like double dealing to me," he said. "We need grace built into the grading system," said Postema. "The NC has been that grace. There are times when you can't measure up to other's standards. It's not that students are failures as people — it just means they don't fit into the system." The purpose of the new policy is to tighten academic standards. Assistant professor of Art Wayne Roosa said, "We should leave the mercy on the failing end by leaving the NC as an option to redeem oneself, while tightening up the criteria for A's and B's in terms of preserving academic excellence." Roosa continued, "This should be the institution's spirit—to light the fire under the motivated students by showing them what an A really is." Les Arasmith, Associate Professor of Economics, spoke in favor of the F as a grading alternative. Arasmith said that there is widespread misuse of the NC. Students will opt for an NC over a D so that it will not be detrimental to their GPAs. "Those who do failing work deserve a failing grade," he said. Arasmith responded that along with the reinstatement of the F will be a generous amount of time to drop a class without failing. Up to the tenth week, under the proposed policy, students may drop a course at no penalty to their record or to their GPA. Should the policy be accepted, it will go into effect next year. A final faculty vote will be held on December 2. Guest speaker Ballard tries to piece "Hunger Puzzle 99 by Kenneth Wiering "I have come in a critical lime in the history of the world," announced Jerry Ballard who took the podium for last Friday's Convocation chapel. With a promise that he wouldn't preach a typical chapel message, he proceeded to give "The Hunger Puzzle," twelve pieces of sometimes confusing facts. Ballard is chief executive for World Relief, an organization affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals. Like World Vision, Compassion International and Food for Hunger, World Relief supplies food and develops programs for food production. Their slogan for the 1986 Thanksgiving campaign is, "There is enough if we care enough." Ballard said the most crucial problem facing World Relief is money. World Relief used $5 million in donations this year. He spoke to students who would be "turned loose on the world outside." He asked, "Will the world be a better place because of your presence in the world or will you simply be another drain on the world's dwindling resources?" With simplicity he presented 12 points to untangle. One piece of the puzzle concerns Martha's perfume. In this biblical story, why isn't the money going to the poor? Another piece describes 18 million starvation related deaths each year. And while Scripture claims that there will be plenty if one plans carefully, it also instructs not to plan and "take no thought for tomorrow." Ballard also described the war and famine prediction as a puzzle piece. The concluding piece explained that kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship. After the audience had stood for a moment of silent prayer, Ballard lhanked God "that in Him we have the answer." Ballard also visited Dr. Robert Kistler's "Environment and Humanity" class, and Dr. Paul Wilson's "International Economics." In Dr. Kistler's class he presented Ending Hunger, a pictoral and statistical source concluding that the problem of hunger could be eradicated within twenty years. "I'm not optimistic but neither am I fatalistic," said Ballard. Questions from the students prompted him to say that World Relief seeks long term solutions and that technology is critical to that goal. During a question and answer period in "International Economics," Dr. Wilson asked about the predominance of political questions. Ballard then described how World Relief functions best at a micro- level, alleviating pockets of poverty. But the political situation in Ethiopia he described as binding. "Why can't highly intelligent PhD types understand that this (collectiviza- Ballard to p. 3
Object Description
Description
Title | Page 1 |
Alternative Title | The Bethel Clarion |
Edition (Vol. No.) | Vol. 62 No. 08 |
Date Published | November 21 1986 |
Decade | 1980 |
Academic Year | 1986 - 1987 |
Frequency | Weekly |
Notes | This project has been financed in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota through the Minnesota Historical Society from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. |
Digital Collection | The Clarion: Bethel University's Student Newspaper |
Digital Publisher | Bethel University |
Editor | Gunnarson, Lynn |
Contributors | Tibstra, Laura J. (Associate Editor); Morley, Paul (Copy Editor); Stenlund, Rebecca (Feature Editor); Velasco, Al (Sports Editor); Best, Brad (Editor's Assistant); Carhart, Mike (Photographer); Barrett, Mike (Business Manager); Kix, Loren (Advertising Manager); Ball, D. Michael (Production Director); Thorson, Michelle (Production); Block, John (Graphics); Lilly, Ann-Margaret (Staff Writer); Henning, Chris (Writer, Photographer); Simpson, Jon L. (Staff Writer); Steinle, Karla (Staff Writer); Wiering, Ken (Staff Writer); Abbott, Julia (Columnist); Clark, Tim (Sports Writer); Bozon, Gretchen (Staff Writer); Nord, Angie (Staff Writer); Port, Laurie (Staff Writer); Moore, Marvin (Staff Writer); Carlson, Kim (Staff Writer); Olund, Kyle Lennart (Staff Writer); Mundt, Nancy (Sports Writer); Whitney, Jill (Photographer); Bumgarner, Jeff (Staff Writer); Youngberg, Pam (Staff Writer) |
Location |
United States Minnesota Saint Paul |
Time Span of Publication | Newspaper published from 1921 through present day |
Copyright | Reproduction or distribution of these files is permitted for educational and research purposes with proper attribution to the Bethel Digital Library. No commercial reproduction or distribution of these files is permitted under copyright law without the written permission of Bethel University Digital Library. For questions or further information on this collection, contact digital-library@bethel.edu. |
Type | text |
Format | image/jpeg |
Physical Dimensions | 11.5 x 14.5 |
Original Collection | Printed paper copies of original newspaper in the collections of the Bethel University Library and the History Center: Archives of the Baptist General Conference and Bethel University. |
Original Publisher | Bethel College |
Transcript | Clarion. Vol. 62 No. 8 Bethel College 3900 Bethel Dr., St. Paul, MN 21 November 1986 Registrar proposes 'NC to 'F grade policy change by Laurie Port On November 18, an open hearing was held to discuss the grading policy changes proposed by Registrar Chet Duck. Duck has recommended the change of policy, "as consistent with high academic standards, ease of administration, and widespread national practice," according to the most recent statement on the new policy. One of the. major issues at hand was the reinstatement of the F grade in place of the present use of NC for the incomple- tion of a course. Under the new grading system, students who do not complete course requirements will receive an F rather than an NC for their performance. In the present system, an NC does not contribute credits toward graduation, but neither is it detrimental to students' grade point averages (GPS). With the reinstatement of the F, a 0.0 will be averaged into the number of attempted course credit hours for each F received, as a 4.0 is for an A or a 3.3 for a B+. An F performance in a course will contribute no courses toward graduation, but it will be used in the GPA calculation. The policy change was recom- mended to the APC (Academic Policy Committee) by Duck, who said that he had heard "enough comments from the faculty in favor of the F" to implement the change. Although the F will lower GPAs, the new policy will allow for the retaking of any course, regardless of the grade. Only the last attempt will be put into a student's GPA, although the previous grade will also remain on the transcript. John Bower, Director of Social Work, said that one drawback to this policy is that if a course is not offered again, the retake policy is of no real value. In citing reasons for the change, Duck said, "The NC has had tremendous negative effects on some of our graduates. In the clearing house of law and medical schools, all grades are converted to one standard in order to be consistent. Bethel's NC is undefine- able outside our community; if it were given for a reason other than a straight filure, they (those outside Bethel] would still count it as a failure." "If they count it as an F anyway," Duck continued, "we might as well be honest and say it's an F. Not to include a failing grade is misleading." Duck asserted that Bethel adheres to a standard measure ment for credit hours, and that it would be "dangerous to be unique in currency [not having an F count as 0.0 in a GPA]." When asked if he thought the F grade might be too harsh, Duck replied, "It's not punitive; it just reflects reality." Not all the faculty agree with him, G.W. Carlson, associate professor of history, is "strongLy against" the switch from NC to F for several reasons. Carlson suggests that1 the reinstatement of the F will be very damaging to students who are academically dismissed who ever want to try again at Bethel. "Some students will have a difficult first year," he said. "They just aren't ready for the discipline of college, but then they turn around. If we bring the F in and count zeros in GPAs, the best advice we can give to these people is 'don't come back."' Because, the GPA is cumulative, returning students can't start their GPAs over, according to Carlson. "This makes it almost impossible to get it GPA] up in time for graduation," he said. "I've been on Student Progress Committees where, because of the F, students didn't make it back." "An NC is a sufficient statement of the incompletion of a course," said Carlson. "Students know they have failed, and it is on their record." Assistant Professor of Philosophy Don Postema finds a "curious inconsistency" in that failed course credits don't count toward graduation, but are used against students in their GPAs. "It seems like double dealing to me," he said. "We need grace built into the grading system," said Postema. "The NC has been that grace. There are times when you can't measure up to other's standards. It's not that students are failures as people — it just means they don't fit into the system." The purpose of the new policy is to tighten academic standards. Assistant professor of Art Wayne Roosa said, "We should leave the mercy on the failing end by leaving the NC as an option to redeem oneself, while tightening up the criteria for A's and B's in terms of preserving academic excellence." Roosa continued, "This should be the institution's spirit—to light the fire under the motivated students by showing them what an A really is." Les Arasmith, Associate Professor of Economics, spoke in favor of the F as a grading alternative. Arasmith said that there is widespread misuse of the NC. Students will opt for an NC over a D so that it will not be detrimental to their GPAs. "Those who do failing work deserve a failing grade," he said. Arasmith responded that along with the reinstatement of the F will be a generous amount of time to drop a class without failing. Up to the tenth week, under the proposed policy, students may drop a course at no penalty to their record or to their GPA. Should the policy be accepted, it will go into effect next year. A final faculty vote will be held on December 2. Guest speaker Ballard tries to piece "Hunger Puzzle 99 by Kenneth Wiering "I have come in a critical lime in the history of the world," announced Jerry Ballard who took the podium for last Friday's Convocation chapel. With a promise that he wouldn't preach a typical chapel message, he proceeded to give "The Hunger Puzzle," twelve pieces of sometimes confusing facts. Ballard is chief executive for World Relief, an organization affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals. Like World Vision, Compassion International and Food for Hunger, World Relief supplies food and develops programs for food production. Their slogan for the 1986 Thanksgiving campaign is, "There is enough if we care enough." Ballard said the most crucial problem facing World Relief is money. World Relief used $5 million in donations this year. He spoke to students who would be "turned loose on the world outside." He asked, "Will the world be a better place because of your presence in the world or will you simply be another drain on the world's dwindling resources?" With simplicity he presented 12 points to untangle. One piece of the puzzle concerns Martha's perfume. In this biblical story, why isn't the money going to the poor? Another piece describes 18 million starvation related deaths each year. And while Scripture claims that there will be plenty if one plans carefully, it also instructs not to plan and "take no thought for tomorrow." Ballard also described the war and famine prediction as a puzzle piece. The concluding piece explained that kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship. After the audience had stood for a moment of silent prayer, Ballard lhanked God "that in Him we have the answer." Ballard also visited Dr. Robert Kistler's "Environment and Humanity" class, and Dr. Paul Wilson's "International Economics." In Dr. Kistler's class he presented Ending Hunger, a pictoral and statistical source concluding that the problem of hunger could be eradicated within twenty years. "I'm not optimistic but neither am I fatalistic," said Ballard. Questions from the students prompted him to say that World Relief seeks long term solutions and that technology is critical to that goal. During a question and answer period in "International Economics," Dr. Wilson asked about the predominance of political questions. Ballard then described how World Relief functions best at a micro- level, alleviating pockets of poverty. But the political situation in Ethiopia he described as binding. "Why can't highly intelligent PhD types understand that this (collectiviza- Ballard to p. 3 |
Language | English |
Tags
Comments
Post a Comment for Page 1