Giving Grades for effort at Benedict College

The State 08/20/2004 2 Benedict professors fired over grade policy

The news is old, from August of last year (oh that I were 31 years old again) but NPR must have been in need of a story and presented it this morning during "All Things Considered". [They will have the transcript posted in a few hours]

The story is this; a traditional, open, black college in South Carolina has a policy where, during the freshman year 60% of the grade is for effort. During the sophomore year, 50% is effort. For the junior and senior year the grades are based on academic performance.

Two professors have been fired for not going along with the policy.

David Swinton, president of Benedict says this:

"The logic of the SEE Policy is simple. Student learning outcomes are positively related to two factors: student learning efforts and instructional inputs. In the past most of our focus has been on instructional inputs. While we will continue to improve instructional inputs, we believe that significant gains in learning outcomes require significant gains in student inputs or efforts. Therefore, in order to improve student outcomes, all else remaining equal, we must improve student efforts. The more students work at learning the more they will learn. The SEE Policy is intended to increase the campus wide emphasis on student efforts and student responsibility to actively engage in learning activities. If the policy is successful, it will result in significant improvements in student learning and graduation rates. "

And on the surface, it's not an incorrect premise. Benedict takes in everyone, there are no grade requirements, test scores, or whatnot. You apply, you get in. Maybe these kids need encouragement. OK. Let's do that. But 60% !!

How can a graduate of this school interview for a job with this policy in their past? Blacks have a hard enough time, why shoot themselves like this?

I can't say I'm too surprised though. My experience with the elementary and high school system makes this a logical progression. We start worrying about the feelings of the children being left behind or ostracized because they are falling behind. We let them use "creative spelling" because we don't want to stifle their creativity. We give every child a ribbon for participating in events. We have multiple valedictorians or remove the position.

I'm not surprised, just disgusted.