CUE Recommends Change of Grade Scale

The Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE) is recommending that the current 15-point grading scale be reconfigured to eliminate the numerical gaps at the borders between some different letter grades.

Currently, the numerical distance between A-(14 points) and B+ (12 points) and B (11 points). The committee suggested that the scale be made uniform.

Having this uneven system is just illogical," said Gary J. Feldman, Baird professor of science. He urged the committee to specify whether the gap should be filled by adding a new grade, the A-/B+, or by changing the grading scale.

Although some members of the committee, including Professor of Classics Christopher P. Jones, supported adding the extra grade, a vast majority of the committee voted to endorse changing the numerical equivalents of existing letter grades.

At yesterday's meeting the CUE also decided to oppose adding the mean grade and class size to students' transcripts, an idea that was well-received in departmental discussions of grade inflation last year.

The committee opposed transcript reform in part because it would make grading policy public and could increase competition among students.

"I feel our discussion of adding the means of the classes is increasing the extrinsic pressure in the name of rigor," said Margaret E. Bourdeaux '9?, a student member of the committee. "We're increasing pressures that have nothing to do with learning."

The CUE's recommendations will be forwarded to the Faculty Council, which can decide to endorse those recommendations and send a proposal to the full Faculty, halt formal consideration of the issue or request that a faculty discussion on the issue be held.

Ethnic Studies

The CUE also began a discussion of Ethnic Studies at Harvard yesterday. The talk eventually focused on the issue of whether students should be members of the Committee on Ethnic Studies. The Undergraduate Council has passed a resolution endorsing student membership. The CUE noted that even if student membership is approved, student committee members could not participate in personnel decision.

CUE members discussed three ideas for choosing student members if student membership is allowed: placing the responsibility for student selection with the Undergraduate Council, having Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. knowles make the selections or having the council present a list of students from which the dean would make his selections

The CUE's recommendations will be forwarded to the Faculty Council, which can decide to endorse those recommendations and send a proposal to the full Faculty, halt formal consideration of the issue or request that a faculty discussion on the issue be held.

Ethnic Studies

The CUE also began a discussion of Ethnic Studies at Harvard yesterday. The talk eventually focused on the issue of whether students should be members of the Committee on Ethnic Studies. The Undergraduate Council has passed a resolution endorsing student membership. The CUE noted that even if student membership is approved, student committee members could not participate in personnel decision.

CUE members discussed three ideas for choosing student members if student membership is allowed: placing the responsibility for student selection with the Undergraduate Council, having Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. knowles make the selections or having the council present a list of students from which the dean would make his selections