Faculty Senate approves recommended grading change

In an 18-11 vote during the Faculty Senate's April 11 meeting, senators approved the plus-minus grading concept recommended by the Academic Affairs Committee.

The issue will now be referred to the David Kesterson, provost and vice president for academic affairs who will determine how to proceed with the issue.

The proposed system would allow instructors to differentiate between a high grade and a low grade within a letter grade range. Emile Sahliyeh, associate professor of political science and Academic Affairs Committee chair, offered the example that a student receiving a "B" grade with an average of 89 is performing at a different level than a student receiving a "B" grade with an average of 80, but the letter-grade system does not provide any indication of the difference.

The senate also approved several other recommendations presented by the Academic Affairs Committee, including a plan to improve retention of first-time freshmen, a proposal to increase the current admissions requirements regarding SAT and ACT scores, and a suggestion to return to a paper testing method for undergraduate English language proficiency requirements, versus online testing.

Senators approved a recommendation presented by the Faculty Load Committee regarding the effect of distance learning on faculty workload. The recommendation included rewording a section of the Faculty Handbook regarding workload to address distributed learning issues.

The senate approved a recommendation made by the Curriculum Committee to change the name of the Institute of Anthropology to the Department of Anthropology.

Senators also approved a proposal to add a section regarding access to services to the UNT Computer Use Policy.

The Faculty Senate meets at 2 p.m. May 9 in Wooten Hall, Room 322. Meetings are open to all members of the university community.

Agenda items and minutes are available on the UNT Faculty Senate web site at www.unt.edu/facsenate/facultysenate.htm.

BY MICHELLE HALE mhale@unt.edu

Other web references

• www.unt.edu/facsenate/facultysenate.htm.

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• Spring graduation is May 12
• UNT to help improve Internet2
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