i5

3.

• FROM: REGISTRAR

•

DATE: JULY 18

)

1966

The enclosed is being sent out prior to the regular agenda of Senate

so that you may have an opportunity to consider the issues raised and

discuss

them with your colleagues before the Senate meeting on August 1st, Please

• bring these papers with you to the meeting.

If there is any further information you think I may be able to supply,

please call me.

•

• •

• D. P. Robertson

---

• • -

•

M

S

A HISTORY OF GRADING SYSTEMS AT SThION FRASER UNIVERSITY

by D. P. Robertson

1.

On February 18, 1965, the Board of Governors acting on behalf of Senate approved

a grading system proposed by the Registrar (Norman Barton). This grading system

was published in the first volume of the University Calendar and in the revision

to that first volume. (see-History 1, attached)

2.

On December 2, 1965, the Faculty of Science approved a motion, unopposed,

recommending to Senate the adoption of a four point scale for the calculation

of averages.

3.

The Registrar, (D.P. Robertson) presented a grading system to the joint meeting

of Faculty on January 19, 1966. (see History 2)

The joint meeting accepted recommendation #2 and turned the other recommendations

down by a vote of 24 to 27.

4.

On January 24, 1966, the Senate approved the modifications to the original

is

grading system as recommended by the joint meeting of faculty for publication

in the 1966-67 Calendar. (see History 3)

5.

The President appointed a President's committee to consider and make recommen-

dations regarding grading and scholastic standings. The Registrar was named

chairman and there were two representatives recommended by each Dean. The

committee met on a number of occasions and considered numerous grading systems.

On the approval of the President the committee's report was submitted to the

three faculties. (see History 4)

The faculties of Education and Science approved the recommendations of the

Committee.

The faculty of Arts decided by a vote of 9 to 8 to submit a1ternatve

recommendations to the Senate. (see History 5)

6.

The Senate approved the recommendations of the President's committee at its

meeting of May 2, 1966.

7.

The Registrar distributed the supplement to the* Calendar (see History 6) to all

students, Secondary schools, other Canadian Universities, and the B.C. Department

of Education.

8.

On June 3, 1966, the faculty of Arts passed a motion 24 to 1 requesting the

Senate to reinstate the Grades A- and C+.

9.

On July 4, 1966, the Dean of Arts presented a paper to Senate (see History 7)

.

and the Senate voted in favour of rescinding its motion of May 2nd to approve

the President's Committee report.

July 18, 1966.

2

---

4

I,.

--

,-

•

HISTORY I

4

Standing and Credit

•

1.

Themark for each course will be entered on the student's

record

by a letter grade:

First Class $tani:1ing, A+, A, A-;

Sccouc

l;iss Standing,

B+,

B,

B-;

Pass Standing, C+, C;

Standing Granted, T;

Failure, F;

•

.

Special Conditions, X;

2.

The letter grade T, Standing Granted, will be entered on the

record when a student obtains a mark just short of the C grade

and when, in the opinion of the examiner, the student shoi.ild

•

not continue studies in the subject.

The student will not be

•

allowed to take further courses in the subject.

3.

The letter grade X, Special Conditions, will be entered on the

record when conditions exist which prevent the examiner from

making a standard evaluation of the student's work, e.g. when

a student, for medical or compassionate reasons, cannot write

the examination, or for medical reasons misses a large portion

of the semester.

When such a student can provide proof of

•

•

medical or compassionate reasons for his action he may be

•

granted a deferred examination, and may be granted permission

•

to write the examination in the subject when

it is

next regularly

•

scheduled, without repeating the course.

•

•

Page 75

•

•

•.••.;

Calendar Vol I 1965

•

•

• •

S . ...

:••••

July 18, 1966

---

HISTORY 2

'd

TO: Joint Meeting of Faculty

FROM: Registrar

SUBJECT,: Procedure tO Determine Scholarship Standings

The following is recommended for adoption as a procedure to determine

scholarship standings.

S

Elimination of the fine structure (Al-, A-, etc.). This will allow

a 4-point scale which is the scale most commonly used on the North American

continent. The Faculty of Science has recommended the elimin3ion of the

fine structure to Senate.

•

Recommendation 2

Elimination of the X grade; substitution of D for the present T:

substitution of Def. for the present D.

X -

Students will be required to file with the Registrar,

•

medical certificates, etc., to substantiate requests for

• deferred exams in cases where they failed to write for

• •. these reasons. Such requests and supporting documents

must be filed within 4 days of the date of the examth-

.ation. The Registrar will consult with the departrnert

concerned and a Def. grade may be granted. Where the

department does not wish to grant a deferred exam, an

N grade will be given.

•

T - The ambiguity associated with this grade this past semester

suggests it is not a useful grade to retain.

D - This grade is commonly used to signify the bottom of the

scale before an outright failure is recorded. It is

suggested departments may wish to stipulate that a

in a pre-requisite is an insufficient standing to all.cw

the student to carry on in the subject. A "D" grade is

• •

usually not transferrable as a credit from one institution

to another.

Recommendation 3

Adoption of a 4-point scale, grade points, and grade point average as

• follows:

S

a) Numerical values are assigned to letter grades.

•

S

.

.

• B-3)

•

•

C - 2 )

- Passing Grades

•

D-l)

F,N,Def - 0 )

S

•

•

.

•

-2-

•

.'•

---

- 2 -

3pd &i/

•

)

History 2 (cont'd)

b)

Grade points are assigned to each course by multiplying the

numerical value by the. semester hour value for the course.

c)

A

grade point average is computed by dividing the total

number of grade points by the total number of semester

hours.

Example

Letter Grade

Numerical Value Semester Hours Grade Point

Course

A

.

4

3

12

Course 2

A

.

4

3

12

Course 3

B

3

3

9

Course

C

2

.3

6

Course 5

C

2

3

6

15

45

Grade Point Average 45 = 3.0

15

V

This allows us to assign a meaningful, commonly used, over-all

standing for a semester without requiring specific percentage points from

the faculty.

Recommendation 4

•• .

Establish the following scale for over-all scholarship standings.

V

..

SFU Grade Point Average

First Class

3.2 - 4.0

Second Class

2.6 - 3.1

Pass

1.0 - 2.5

Recommendation 5

.

Credit for the Semester

Full-Time Students

.

V

1.

A student taking 12 semester hours or more must achieve a grade

H

point average of 1.0 to secure any credit for any course In the

semester. A student achieving less than 1.0 will be ocunted as

failing the semester; the semester hours attempted will be

added to the divisor in the cumulative grade point average, but

there will be 0 semester hours credit added to the dividend.

Part-Time Students

2. A

student taking 11 semester hours or less must achieve a grade

V

point average of 1.3 to secure any credit for any course in the

• semester. A student achieving less than 1.3 will be counted as

failing the semester; the semester hours attempted will be

added to the divisor in the cumulative grade point average, but

there will be 0 semester hours credit added to the dividend.

V)

- 3 -

---

History 2 (cont'd.)

- 3 -

M

Recommendation 6

Standings Required for Continuance at the University

1.

Students will be allowed to continue with a cumulative grade

point average less than 1.0 for two semesters only. If the

cumulative grade point-average

is less

than 1.0 for the third

time the student may be required to withdraw, although the

•

committee may exercise dIscretion.in those cases where the

•

current semester grade point average is 2.0 or more.

S

total number of grade points earned since

attending the University.

* Cumulative Grade Point Average = total number of semester hours attempted

since attending the University.

2.

Notwithstanding the above, students will be allowed only two

occasions where the semester grade point average is less than

1.0. On the third occasion the student may be required to

withdraw.

3. In

addition to 1 and 2 above the individual departments may

• require certain standings in their subject for major and honor

students. Failure to meet these departmental requirements ay

result in a request to withdraw from the major or honor progtar,

•

at the discretion of the department.

•

4. To be eligible for graduation the total grade points must e

equal to twice the total semester hours ever undertaken at the

University. For students who were admitted with no advanc? or

•

•

transfer credit, this means the total grade points for a Ccr!eral

Program degree must total at least 240; for an Honors prograr

degree, at least 272. In both cases the cumulative grade point •

•

average on graduation must be at least 2.0.

•

•

S

•

S

•

S.

S

---

History.2 (cont'd.)

- 4 -

.

Attachment to Recommendation for Procedure to Determine Scholarship

Standings

Examples

..

Recommendation 5, Item

'l

.'

'. Numerical

Semester

Grade

Example 1

Letter Grade

Value

Hours

Point

Course 1

D

1

3

3

2

D

1

3

3

3

D

1

3

3

4

D

1

3

.

3

5

.D

1.

3

3

15'

15

•

•

Grade Point Average 15

1.0

•

•

15

Student retains credit for all courses - earns total of 15 semester

hours credit.

Numerical

Semester

Grade

•

Example 2

Letter Grade

Value_

Hours_ Point

Course

D

•

1

3

3.

2

D

1

3

3

3

D.

•

1

3

3

4

D

1

3

3

.5

F

.

.

0

•

3

3

15

12

•

•

Grade Point Average 12

=

.8

15

Student receives no credit for. any courses

—

earns total of 0

• .

semester hours credit.

•

S

.

•

.

•

•

:.

.

:

•

•

0 .

•

.

.

.

.

.

I

---

SA

L

History 2 (cont'd.)

- 5

Recomm.datjon 5, Item 2

Numerical

Semester

Grade

Example 1

Letter

Grade

Value

. Hours

Point

• Coursél

C

2

3

6

2

C

2

3

6

. 3

F

.0

3

0

.9

12

•

.

Grade Point Average 12

= 1.3

9

Student retains

credit

for courses passed -

earns total of

6

semester hours

credit.

Numerical

Semester

Grade

Example 2

Letter Grade

Value

Hours -

Point

Course

.0

2

3

•6

•

.2

D

1

•

3

3

•

.

3

p

0

.

3

0

9

9

•

Grade Point Average 9

=

1.0

Student receives no credit for

any courses -

earns total

of 0

semester hours credit.

• .,

•

•

i•

•;

.

.;

•

•

•

---

•

?dP

i'A

i-'-

History 2 (cont'd

)

- 6 -

Recommendation 6, Item i

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

C

••

C

D

C

D

F

C

F

F

C

•

F_

F

F

Grade Point

0

0

1.6

Average

Cumulative Grade

0

0

.5

May be required

Point Average

(on probation)

to withdraw for reason

of 3 consecutive occasions

where cumulative C.P.A.

• less than I

...

•.

'•

If semester 3 had

been

C

C

C.

C

G.P.A.

2.0

'Cum

C.P.A.

.7

the

cumulative C.P.A. would

still

be less than 1.0

but

the semester C.P.A. of 2.0

would indicate to

the

committee that the student

is picking up and

could be allowed to continue.

.

July 18, 1966.

f•.

---

M

HISTORY 3

Standing and Credit

.

i.

The

mark for each course will be entered on the student's

•

record by a letter grade:

•

First Class Standing,

A+, A, A-

Second Class Standing, B+, B, B-

•

Pass Standing, C+, C, D

Failure, F

•

Deferred, Def.

Did Not Write, N

A)

The letter grade, Def., will be given when a physician's

certificate or other document substantiating a request for

a deferment on medical or compassionate grounds is received

•

•

by the Registrar within four days of the date on which the

examination was to have been written and when such deferment

•

•

•

is agreed to by the instructor involved.

•

b)

The letter grade N is given when a student registered for 'a

•

•

:

course and did not write the examination and did not with-

draw before the set date.

An N is considered an F for

• •

purposes of scholastic standing.

1966-67

•

.•

•

:

•

Calendar Vol II

•

•

•

• July 18,

1966. •

S••

•

•;

.•

•

---

HISTORY4

President's Committee on Examination Grading and Scholastic Standings

PROPOSED GRADING SYSTEM AT SFU

A. Grading Scale -

S

Letter Grade

Pts. for Internal Use

Pts. for External Use

S..

A+

4.5

4.0

A

4.0

4.0

•

B-f.

3.5

3.0

B

3.0

3.0

B-

.•

2.5

3.0

C

2.0

2.0

• C-

1.5

20

D

1.0

1.0

F

Def.*

Instructors would submit

vert to Columns 2 and 3.

of marks. Column 2 would

ship and Awards Committe

the four categories used

0

0

O

0

0

0

letter grades from Column 1. The Registrar would con-

Columns 1 and 3 would appear on the student's statement

be a "private" calculation to provide to the SFU Scholar-

a each semester a list which makes finer distinctions than

in Column 3.

Questions:

(a) Why not just use Column 2? The Committee was of the opinion that the use of

Column 2 "inside and Column 3 "outside" satisfied both sides on the contro-

versy over the degree of exactitude possible in marking. And, it does no

damage to the student if all faculty strive to use the full range of grades

available knowing that the fine structure of grade points is only for internal

purposes.

*

The letter grade, Def., will be given when a physician's certificate or other

document substantiating a request for a deferment on medical or compassionate

grounds is received by the Registrar within four days of the date on which the

examination was to have been written and when such deferment is agreed to by

the instructor involved. The Def. grade may be removed when a new grade is

established; the method Of establishing the new grade is a matter between the

instructor and the Registrar.

•

** The letter grade N is given when a student registered for a course and did not

write the examination and did not withdraw before the set date. An N is con-

sidered an F for purposes of scholastic standing.

-2-

---

Ritory 4 (corit'd.)

5.

3iH/4

K

rçi7)

While some fine structure is essential for the purposes of the Scholar-

ship and Awards Committee the four point scale is certainly the most

commonly used in North America and there appears to be some virtue in

helping our students to appear reasonably "normal" on their transcripts.

(b) Will it not be puzzling, to studnts as well as others, if a man with

5(A+) comes out with the same grade points as a man with 5(A)?

To some degree, it may be puzzling, but no more so than that the very

•

same thing occurs under every conceivable system of grading except per-

centage points or some similar ultra-fine.-structure. All this proposal

does is draw attention to this possibility and give a lift to the student

with 5(A+) which would not be possible with mere A's. In addition, the

man with 5(A+) does appear ahead of the man with 5(A) on the Scholarship

list.

B. A grade point average is computed by the Registrar by dividing the total

number of grade points by the total number of semester hours.

Example:

Numerical

Semester

Letter Grade

_Value

Hours

Grade Point

Course

A

4

3

12

Course

A+

4

3

12

• Course3

B-

3

3

9

Course

C

2

3

6

Course

5

F

0

4

0

16

39

Grade Point Average 39 = 2.44

C.

Standings for the Semester

16

The Committee recommends that no rigid determination be made of the grade point

average required for First Class, Second Class and Pass Standing at this time.

The Committee recommends that for the time being the Scholarship and Awards

Committee determine for its own purposes and for the purposes of government

awards what the cut-off points are for each semester.

D.

Credit for the Semester

The Committee recommends that any semester hours credit gained by granted to the

student regardless of the standing in the course, or number of courses passed, or

the grade point average.

E.

Standings required for continuance at the University

The Committee recommends that students receiving a grade point average less

than 2.0 be placed on "probation" and that further action to be taken in such

cases be determined by the Senate Committee on Admissions and Standings.

- 3 -

---

/I ':-'

3

History 4 (Cont'd..)

F. Standings Required for Graduation

The Committee recommends that the minimum requirement for graduation be a

grade point average of 2.0 computed on the courses used for credit towards

the degree, and in addition there may be further requirements established

by departments for their major and honors program.

- C. The Committee was asked by the Committee of Heads to make a recommendation

regarding the re-writing of papers. The Committee recommends that, except

in the case of a Def. grade, a student not be allowed to re-write (or write,

in the case of receiving an N grade) a paper unless he re-registers for the

course and participates in the course as required by the instructor.

Respectfully submitted,

•

C. L. Bursill-Hall. (Sub.B.E. Newton

- Arts)

P. Copes - Arts

R.J.C. Harper - Education

K. E. Rieckhoff - Science

• •

D. P. Robertson - Chairman (Registrar,

•

.•

S. Stratton - Education

•

D. C. Tuck - Science

July 18, 1966.

•

•

I..?

---

'A4

q(c /

k

HISTORY 5

TO:

Senate

FROM: Faculty of Arts

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE GRADING SYSTEM PROPOSED BY THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE

ON EXAMINATION GRADING AND SCHOLASTIC STANDING.

Amendment 1: It is proposed that Columns I and 2 of the Committee's proposal be

changed to read as follows:

.

S

Letter Grade

Pts. for

Internal Use

4.33

(or

4.3)

A

4.0

•

A-

3.66

(or

3.7)

B4

F

3.33

(or

3.3)

B

3.0

B-

2.66

(or 2.7)

OF

2.33

(or

2.3)

C

2.0

C-

1.66

(or

1.7)

1.33

(or

1.3)

D

1.0

D-

0.66

(or 0.7)

F

0

Def*

0

**

0

*

The letter grade, Def., will be given when a physician's certificate or other

document substantiating a request for a deferment

,

on medical or compassionate

grounds is received by the Instructor within four days of the date on which

the examination was to have been written. The Def. grade may be removed when

new grade is established; the method of establishing the new grade is a

matter between the instructor and the Registrar.

** The letter grade N is given when a student registered for a course arid did not

write the examination and did not withdraw before the set date. An N is con-

sidered an F forprposes of scholastic standing.

Amendment 2: Add the letter grade I (Incomplete) to Column I, making it a grade

to be given at the discretion of the teacher and to be converted

automatically into an F (by the Reistrar) after an allotted period

of time.

(Passed by the Facul

t

y of Arts at its meeting of April 21, 1966).

July 18, 1966.

---

I

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;.

HISTORY

m

7

TO: SENATE

FROM: DEAN OF ARTS

June 22, 1966

RE:

'.

ARTS FACULTY REQUEST FOR MODIFICATION OF THE GRADING SYSTEM

1.

At a recent meeting, the Faculty was notified by me of the Senate's accept-

ance of the Grading .

System proposed by the. President's Committee which was

specially set up to make recommendations on this subject.

2.

The Faculty had already expressed, by a marginal vote (9 to 8), its preference

for-a more detailed Grading System, and a correspondingly more detailed system

of numerical equivalents. This preference was considered, but over-ruled, in

the Senate meeting referred to in (1) above, which adopted the recommendations

of the President's Committee.

3.

When it was notified by me of the Senate's decision, the Faculty entered into

a further discussion of the Grading System, and by a vote of 25 to 1 urged

Senate to reintroduce the alphabetical grades of A- and C+. The Arts Faculty

was otherwise ready to accept the details of the Grading System adopted by

Senate.

4.

If we consider the recent comparative study of student grades made by Charles

Hamilton, the difficulty.of interpreting broad grades (A, B, C, D etc.) be-

comes immediately apparent. It exaggerates the gulf between B and C perf or-

mances by omitting the simple fact that many of the B's probably verged to-

wards B-, while many C's verged towards C+. In short, most students in a

course may really have fallen in an unseen, because unrecognized, category

which came between B and C.

5.

The Faculty of Arts felt that the omission of A- and C+ was particularly un-

fortunate because these are perhaps the most critically useful grades: C-i-

might even be the most used grade.

.

6.

The awarding of scholarships, bursaries, etc. frequently requires some fine

distinction to be made between candidates who are in many other respects of

almost identical achievement.

7.

In conclusion, the Arts Faculty feels that the top grade of A and the much-

used grade of C badly require sub-divisions. An unqualified A (M- was thought

to be a contradiction rather than a qualification) will inhibit its user in the

many instances when a student's work attains some A quality without being

squarely A throughout: an unqualified C will produce similar difficulties for

themarker, thus lumping together students who almost made a B grade with students

who did really poorly.

[IJ

0

- 2 -

---

S

History 7 (Cont'd.)

Scale AdoDted

A

A

A..

A-

B

B-.

B

B-

C

C-

C+

D

' C-

F'

D

Def

N

F

Def.

N

A.B. Cunningham

Chairman

July18, 1966.

S

---

Mbq

...

TO: SENATE

FROM: REGISTRAR

RE:

GRADING

DATE: JULY 18, 1966

.The-attached memoranda were among those-received by me following a

request to all faculty for an expression of opinion on the Grading question.

D. P. Robertson

Attached — 5 memoranda

17

---

S

SItMON FJFASER

\i

•

1EGIST1A5 OF'

From.

Registrar

.

Economics and Commerce Department.

Dato .......

Jul

7............

/ IL/

:ii

In response to your memorandum

'

of July 11th, I am attaching a

copy of a memorandum I prepared some months ago. I feel, it

is still relevant.'

A few additional comments are, perhaps, in order. An important

consideration is, I believe, that a grading system should provide

for the maximum degree of realistic

discrimination

amongst the

results of students. The fact that the system I propose allows for.

open

a

d

iscrilnination.by

class

interval at

intervals

the top

of

where

f

ive

there

percentage

are few

points(

students)

with

is

an

sigr'icant here. A simple percentage point grading system is

unrealistic in that few markers can really discriminate between

results that are only one percentage point apart: But I believe

that most markers can

distinguish

results that are five percentage

points apart. In other words, while we cannot distinguish properly

between results of 72 and 73 per cent, we can between 72 and 77

per cent. Of course, there will always be borderline cases between

any two grades. This is a difficulty that no grading system can

circumvent. But in a finer grading system the consequences of

misPlacing a student by one grade are not so severe. There is not

that much difference between a D and a P- or between a B- and a

C+. In a coarser grading system the consequences of misplacing a

student by one grade are much more severe. It matters a great deal

•

, . . whether a student gets a second class (B) or pass (C).

A major advantage of a finer grading system is that it provides, for

a much more accurate calculation of the average results for a

student over a year or over his university career. In a coarse grading

• S

•

system it is quite common for a student of lower performance to come

up with a higher average than a student of higher performance. For

instance, a student who makes consistently a high B will show a lower

- average than a more erratic student who usually rates only a low B

but gets a single A somewhere in his record. This cannot happen

if a high B student is always credited with a B+ mark and a low B

student with a B-. .

Finally, I should like to riterate the point I made previously that

the system I have proposed is easily reconciled with or converted to

almost any one of the other grading systems commonly n use. (See the

table in my memorandum of January 27th.) .

TZ I

I

---

SAA

-

E'iON FLASE, UNIVER"ITY

S

O)Lg

I "

S

RLcISTR

Il3 (

• To

ggQçai,Dean,

.

•

•t,pfEconomicsandCoerce

• SUC

/

I would like to suggest the adoption of a grading scale shown in the

•

left hand column of the table below. Its advantage, as I see it, is

that it can be reconciled with, and converted to, almost any one of the

.

•

other systems coonly used. Comparisons are shown in the table below..

A+.

First-class

A

. 85+.

A

11.5

11

'..

A

80-84

A-

4

B I

-

•

75_79

••. 3.5

s.

•. B

Second. class

B

'70-711

B

3

.3

1

B-

65-69

B-

2.5

C+

60611

C+

2

2

•

C

Pass

:

'

5559

C

'. 1.5

— — — — — - - -

D

D

50-54

D

1

1

•

.

1 .

Fail

.

P.

under

F

0:•

Note I have just received an alternative proposal by Dr. Evans which

•

•.

has been sent out to Department Heads. While it is close .to the proposal

• put forward in this memorandum, it differs in that it has one category

less in.the second class and uses minor symbols rather than plus symbols.

S.

:

I feel the extra category in secaid class is warranted in terms of the range

... of ability represented by the second class 'and to preserve a five percentage.

• . H. point interval in the conventional percentage scale. I would also prefer

•. • , S

the use o

f plus symbols instead cf minus symbols to produce a psychological .

S

lift ra

t

her than a depressant Also the distribution of marks tends to

leave considerably more students at the lower end of any class than at

• "

i •...

S

,

the upper end. In a system that wouJd give a minor symbol for the lower

"half of the range of marks in a class the majority of students are likely • • • '•.

to end up in minus categories. This, I feel, wld tend to present an • ... " '

unduly pessimistic picture.

•

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iero the <r.de did

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not seen seible to the

tuto:-i.l

rtors (alithis as dcno in colLabocaticn iith tI'e

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tL? i tcto )

dto• chsc: atho-

'

s all bo elino caoc and

otho dotb:l oases

:'iLch ad

a

,

-"

"

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si en.

1 felt that if any

fference

ia to be O.de2 as

tins bt-n cay C and C- o 3 an's 3--

• • thon the

C/C.:-

/--

ss an

n d. othc sitlar bor CI 0

. Z ,

line, nzt be

-,

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fot:ncl tt the nube: of stc

• .

ihih cse last

te :e:s so high that it az in-oszible

to Lveto thece cases suits as nzeh Co ideration as

±ven to

•cc- cases in the fall and I as left at the end of the

ith the fLin that au I

iac1

onlyabout

OO students

• •

in the 2Din to dcai. Lth ind of COO in -!'10. fall there as sre

•

leihood

hla

of

vinr,

.s

be

tice

en Co-e to studentc in the

en -

10

to consider seriously the fu:il fine st cure

cir

by coe Artz3 Deaents

•

•

I fl vc-y reluctant t.o ccnd the tine reeat±nr auionts

in a-icur of

sss

the four points ctrucon

turte

he

siSncenae I

tethiG

nk

TI

the

j

!

y

nc

a

l

r

udo

e

for

•:.nle . the

:-,ac t

tI-.-at by the tins a student

cluates he uill be

.e r vs a c----

)31

baSCL'

o an i cc: scale

LJOt

cs.

2-0 arid O (2

ZtCL' h.Ours

of credit at C or A avcrae),

It

ceezs to ne that this so

should be Line onou for .n'crie

What

I,-)

---

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-

th !t

D on

Z^

,

I

,

to

to. bo

ct'c o:' a fLrz tctuo

oj

of

tb I

ocO 1tIoui I fi:d

VY

a33t

r pcn2. pzrc

juaont

! bc

I

rcj

tt tcy

th 1no stt

not 1arcd

ay

to Cc't a c:oLco

c

t-

'O fOUr

oit $trucuo cwi-i

t:

ziv d

eiit,Le Th

fo £c

oa

po,

JL

tL

t•.i hv to

icc.t

th the

otu'

ao dife:'ent

ccuc anz fo ceie..ce

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---

-.

iiI•

SITY

I

I

4

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0

Frcn

D

iLO

ithOff

D.C.

o..

Sub jeot

Date

12

July 1966

/

/

DuLr

the Sin

soestei', a c

tec

0

cnstLn

O

fX

,

pes

Fa

ti

c

a

ul

of

ti

t

e

he

s

th.'

unde

ee

r the cb.aian-

no

01

12t'ar r!i5C 3er 01

S

4

n

00

to

a

2'

e

nJ

s

c

bi

w

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hi

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ch

a

coul

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e

d

ri

r

t

dn:

hen. be

sta

s

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r

d

o

s

w

t

:

i'

c

i

ouhout

oh

:

a

.

ll pa

:

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t

i

e

o:

ti

J

e

ni

s

:

e

ve

oui

a

r

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s

d

d

ity

The

• r

r'

The main

ea of

at

the

outset of

w

w

L3.

h11

hol

2

e f

th

avou:

e

SSO

Fac

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ul

0

a

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ty of f

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om

lt t

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ess

onl

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ity

y

t

4

i

o

dC

pa

ror

s

uj

s

k

ing

w

a

ith

a

z , a

a

des

set of divisions, in which each of the main grades

a

w

of

c

oul

ve

f e

d

e

t

c

be

ie

1

J

f

.v

o

.vi

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ao

ve

s

ri

a. oo:m.rcmise irolv

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fr

a

ven-poin

scale

as r

oendeci to Senate., w.o accepted this at

r

de

a

t

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to he

une

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now

Le operation of the

om which the

COmoi'omisd. uon ha

en

'eb1y set

in tne

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hc

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t

nc

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;evr

e

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ont

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be

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et

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not

em,

at

0

0

•

. .2. ./

4

---

L^

o

S

M

cIk

Cont d.)

It se

er-i s

to us that cria cculd

1. is fair to t

s

isrconizad and irsbility

2 allows

r

rads to

tithin a easonabl.

a't.r

3.

doe- r

s not ±nvolvc

effort;

4.

can

b--

t

darstood by eoe outside this

univcsity and allows rlstivly srip a cor arison to be

rad. with systens which are in ooration at othor utvarsitis;

5.

doas not d

iuinata in any way against

stunts in any Faculty or Daiartont Lj allowin diffarent

staid.arch- to ba appliad in .diffai-ent parts of t

univraity..

Th sytn ic

encicd to Sena: br ths ccito ss to us

to C'Tt

a

ast

&C]diOrJ.

adnta

that it allows dIffarin

-OS

of f" -7

to ce ar,r].ieci

to aio inid the uniorsity and those suppiyi::

for:.rition

about our .dnts to cth

.

r popl;

It should also 7.a

liscd that there er two thiz

-

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this or an,-

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sl

a-r sybolio:

-ihi-i

fixes

th•i

for all

tL

in one

e)1

.a c

L

-e o

_

at

0

aA c

s ... .

of

but nerely a

sure of his ability or inability .

te

sort of : inaoions which are t at th university e

at endd The unisrsity will dei:bc it-clf if it blleves

all

c

o

.i:

c:ai

il

o

l .e

o

CcC

...i

all

o'

$. £1

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a a ls be o., .i.c...

a

oe:i.

that in practice the opinionnans professors, e:presscd

a

ca

ins

LC

t

..

in

e

thc

C

of

.

a

r

pot

os

ential ipioyer

iC

or

L..

radua

ac

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s fo:

scooi

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V

In

we bel:Leve that the ccarh

for a

- schc::o w

'

cJc is z'fficiErtly ci or

a

ate to

ape

n

ar perfact

look for a system hi1

-

tudnts, in that xcllenca

not

;

ba iado

iciri to thc stuck•nts

tie coolion of

natior;

tha feu1t.y in a disortionate

•1

---

ci? I

IM

Y.

1S

on

•

___

(cont'a.)

otiona1iy f.ii

c

is

cin; pie in t

si:y

nd

do

e: LO 1oc,'

fo

ttc

•

orad insLd

and

1d

.SFU to thc csatcst

ccd

f

;t r.ubo' .

ti

F)::.y

of

•

1iv d2

a

hi

nd

c

is

o a iarc etz :i. sti

.U

l

i

l

C.r

b1i

el

eve

v

z,

tha

ts

t

a

a

cpt

th

cc. ororiis

WjCi

:cli out..

It is

aiv

to

be

cuir1sa•

that otheas a:'e not p

arac1 to

sirJ

a

•

sr.ali

iount of

inipl for

une sal(a of overall

ity

but w

ho p e

that c-van at this

t.o oi-iinal

proposal can.

b

acc-ptccL.

.

S

---

SiON FASLR UNL VERS]TY

fr

4.., i'll

•.

.................................................

.

•

.

SubIQc

. ., Da

Y

I urderstand that S

0

nate has dec:ed to re-examine the whole

cestion of the grading system.

would like to join th

I

D

t

oc

is

tor

rr

s P

be

ie

l

c

ie

khof

f tha

f

t

a

t

nd

he

T

cO

uc

L

k

n1t

in

c

pr

ee

ot

c

e

ha

st

i

i

r

ng

ed

a

by

ga

you,

inst t

e

hi

xha

s a

us

cti

t

on.

ed

and. rere exhausted by, consideration of all f the arguments

for different grading systems.. The grading

procedure recommended

by your committee represents the best compromise

possible and

I would like to see an extended trial of th new system.

411L r

.

•:' .

•

---

sm J4 I? At

• ••

4

TO:

SENATE

PAPER 3A

FROM: REGISTRAR

July 22 ) 190

SUBJECT: GRADING

File: 7-A--28

Attached are two adoitional papers received from the Faculty on

the Gradng System.

-

D. P. Robertson

Secretary to Senate

S

S

SF

MF

'I

---

•

SIMON'ASKER LVEETY

Mr. D.

31 Robertson

D. Meakin

Registrar.

.

tf•i•y

14th

Since the compromise solution worked out by the joint faculty

I

committee, and intially agreed upon by all parties, has now

een rejected, I would like to reiterate some of the arguments

presented in favour of the four-point grading system.

Tome, the most important argument is that with present methods

of evaluating students, particularly in large classes where a

number of people including instructors and teaching assistants

are involved,any finer grading system would simply not have

any statistical .significance. I say this in spite of the fact

that science examinations are usually much more objective and can

• readily-be given numberical grades. With essay examinations, I

believe it completely Impossible

.

to give an absolute grade

accurate to within

5 0 5,

which

is what the 10 point system implies,

and anyone who believes otherwise is deluding himself.

regarding fairness to students, any system is only as fair as

the individual faculty members is prepared'to make it. Most

•

people-in fact usually give the student the benefit of any

doubt, and give them the higher grade. Here the

4

point system

is obviously to the advantage of the student since he is

elevated by a greater amount.

D Meakin,

S

•

S

Assistant Professor.

MD

•

S

S

• S

fl

V

LID)

• DM:mp

,.,,

...

•

S

•

-

FILE

-

---

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p

J/N

1Sj

i\LFSTfv

.T. THE] ....REGTp.R

c.c. Prof. Baker (English Dept.)

sujc.. Grade Structu r

es -a ::.ggestion.

From ..YW'flieldon

. Modern

s

July ?

...

1

...............................................................

.....

The following is based on the system used at Virginia Military

Institute, where I taught before corüng to S.FU. and where it works

quite well,

?ROPCc

AT,

1.

Letter grades to be abolish-ad r internal use, and replaced by

numerical grades. Te final grade to be out of 100, instructors

we

or

i

de

gh

p

t

artmental

ing

the various

policy.

elements of their courses according to individual

2.

Transcri

p

ts for external use, e.g. transfers to other universities or

entry to graduate schools, to be expressed in the conventional letter

form:

90 100A

3- 89

E

S .

.

70- .79

60- 69

D

under 60

p

3

For internal

pur

p

oses only, a score of 50-59 could be deemed a condition-a:

higher

T)

=S

-

s,

course where applicable..

if

the sude"t acr-xeved at least 75 in the nec

4. Studer

transferring in could be credited, as experience dictates,

with either the minimum or the median score for each category (e.g. a "C

student would get either 70 or 75).

•

The

re

q

iisie fine grads would be

instantly

available for such urposee

his

as r e:±.t awards

standing

and

- or

administration

i

the

n indi

opposite

vidual

-

subjects

he

This

coul

applies

or

d

evaluate

overall.

as much

with

to

great

the student

accuracas

y

2, Ins

tructo--s who perfer a

It

s y

stem cculd achieve their end by

simp l y

aroxLuaeing marks to the nearest five or ten.

S

0.

.

/

2

---

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M

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TO: Senate

FROM: Registrar

RE: Comments on the

Grading

Question

DATE: July 18, 1966

1.

Too often, I think, arguments on the grading system i

g

nore the fact chat.

the President's Committee recommendations allow for very fin distinctions

to be drawn between one student's average and another's. For example the

grade point averages of students shown on the attached sheet cake th dis--

tinction.s to two places of decimal. The actual grades received by four of

the students s also attached.

2.

The attached grade sheet from another University, employng the

percentage

scale, illustrates the fact that for the purpose of sorting out student

averages, the percentage scale is not much better than the grade point

average system.

T

hus if a coarser system had been used there would have

been no difference in the class of stand

i

ng (they would all have rerieined

first class student and they would still be ranked in the same order. Ho,-

ever, to my knowledge, if you wanted to know the difference in merit of the

students on the sheet you would have to ask their professors. The University

recognized the imperfections of the 100 point scale in as m":-

-h as it did not

release the actual percentage grade to the student, but converted the grades

to A, B, C D, with a letter grade for the overall average. in this way it

was possible to protect the faculty from being hounded by

students who

missed

a first or a second or a scholarship, or whatever, by one or two mark. You

will notice the promotions committee had to fiddle marks for the thret stud-

ents at the bottom of-the page to get them into the first -ass rang&. This

was

done frequently when the committee, from 'its knowledge of the student.

felt he was clearly a 'first class' student, regardless of what the grades

said.

3.

1 have sat on graduate admissions committees for the past six year. One of

those cc:mittees was dealing with one of the largest graduate student in-

creases in Canada. The graduate enrolment was over 500. Other people may

have different experiences, but it is worth commenting chat. L cannot recall

a single instance when the committee felt in need of a finer breakdown of

the applicant's grades. A large number of the applicants were from the

U.S.A. (4 point scale) and from the U.K. and Commonwealth (class of degree

is the limit of the detail one gets). Graduate

a

dmissions committees, in

my experierice, are more interested in the class of degree and letters of

referenc,L from professors than they are in whether the applicant got a B-

or a + on a second year course two years ago.

Attachtec - 3 sheets

D. P. Robertson

.

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