Draft regarding a
resolution with three recommendations
Background:
At the May 2005 Senate meeting, the Ad Hoc committee (chaired by
Don Lehman) presented its report, and the following resolution. The strike-through and the red-faced font
were added by “friendly amendments”:
Whereas, the Faculty
Senate ad hoc committee on grade inflation has found evidence of significant
grade inflation at the University, and
Whereas, the grade
inflation committee has conducted three open hearings, solicited comments, and
generated discussion across campus, and
Whereas, the most
important mechanism identified for controlling grade
inflation is faculty accountability, and recognizing that grading is a faculty
prerogative, and
Whereas, many faculty
believe that transparency in grade distribution is an important goal, and
Whereas, in most
classes, grade distributions can be made public without violating students’
rights of privacy; be it therefore,
1. Resolved, that the Faculty Senate recommends that chairs and
faculty discuss grade distribution and consider
including it as a part of faculty annual appraisals; and be it further,
2. Resolved, that wherever possible, the distribution of grades in
classes and across departments be made public.
Resolution 1 was amended. The suggested revision was: “Faculty discuss
grade distribution on an annual basis.”
This amended resolution passed: in favor – 44 votes; opposed – 1 vote;
abstentions - 2.
Resolution 2 was also amended – that the phrase “that wherever possible” be deleted, with
the justification being that chairs have this information and can provide it to
their faculty. The vote to adopt
resolution 2, amended, was: in favor – 43 votes; opposed – 6 votes; abstentions
- 2.
2011 Proposed Resolution
Whereas
the Faculty Senate 2005 Ad Hoc committee on
grade inflation found evidence of significant grade inflation at the
University, and,
Whereas
the Faculty Senate voted in May 2005 that “faculty discuss grade distribution
on an annual basis” and,
Whereas
the Faculty Senate voted in May 2005 that “the distributions of grades across
departments be made public” and,
Whereas
many faculty
believe that transparency in grade distribution is important. Be
it therefore resolved that:
Resolution 1: the Faculty
Senate requests that the Registrar’s Office annually provide each unit’s chair
with information about grade distributions for each course and section taught
in that unit;
Resolution 2: the Faculty
Senate recommends that unit chairs discuss grade distributions with faculty;
Resolution 3: the Faculty
Senate requests that the Office of Institutional Research provide public and
timely postings of aggregate grade distributions across units and colleges.