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GPA cutoff unnerves graduates |
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Tuesday, 27 February 2007 |
by LAUREN LAWSON
News Reporter
A recent proposal to increase the grade point average cutoff for students graduating with honors brought up controversial feelings at the Feb. 12 Faculty Senate meeting.
Some faculty believe increasing the cut off will make the award more prestigious, while others believe it would be unfair to certain departments with “tougher” classes.
“My
view of honors is that it should be something of distinction above
other students,” Kathy A. Smith, center director for the Walker College
of Business, said.
Other options were suggested for consideration at the Faculty Senate meeting.
“I think that a better system would be to take a certain top percent of
students by major within each department instead of GPA alone,” Smith
said.
The proposal itself to raise the GPA cutoff for honors graduates suggests a positive movement for Appalachian State University.
“The perceived need to raise GPA, in my opinion, is recognition that we
have great inflation on campus,” Dr. Don R. Cox, associate dean of the
College of Business, said.
“The motion was proposed because a large amount of students were
graduating with honors, and the prestige to a certain degree was being
diminished,” Cox said.
However, there are problems that could arise from strictly raising the GPA cutoff.
“It is narrowly focused to want to raise standards. There needs to be broader and deeper discussion,” Cox said.
At the Faculty Senate meeting, some said business classes can be more rigorous.
Cox said it is a fact that when looking at grade distribution in the
Appalachian fact book, the average GPA for business is the lowest.
“While some departments might have too many honors graduates, I think
raising the GPA would definitely reduce honor graduates in the College
of Business when we currently have the right proportion,” he said.
According to Appalachian’s 2004-05 fact book, the College of Business had the lowest average GPA at 2.7.
The Reich College of Education had the highest average GPA at 3.65, and the university’s total average was 2.92.
“Right now, the proposal is in the early stages. Any changes that will
possibly occur would only happen no sooner than next year,” Dr. Colin
T. Ramsey, Faculty Senate member and assistant English
professor, said.
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