Meredith Herald
1891 - Honoring Our Heritage...Expanding Our Vision -1991
Volume Vni, Issue 22
April 3,1992
Raleigh, North Carolina
Faculty committee explores possibility of grade inflation at Meredith
by Jessica Cook
Does grade inflation exist at
Meredith? Are grading standards
becoming lower as students do poorer
work? Are some professors inflating
grades in order to receive the high
student evaluation forms needed for
tenure? Why are there wide discrep
ancies in grades between departments
and individual professors?
This year, Meredith faculty
members have been wrestling with
these troubling questions. Dr. Ber
nard Cochran, Head of the Religion
Department, made a faculty motion
on grade distribution last fall; he pro
posed to the faculty that they should
“devote the next faculty meeting to a
discussion about issues relating to
grade distribution.” To further this
discussion, he suggested “grade dis
tribution records for the last several
semesters by department and indi
vidual professor” be made available
at the meeting. He also requested
information relating to the Honors
Program and the 3.2 Cum Laude dis
tinction; this information would al
low faculty to discuss whether to
change or keep the designations.
In response to this proposal,
the Instruction Committee tabulated
the number of Meredith students who
graduated with honors in 1991; out
of 391 students, 118 graduated with
honors, or 30 percent Part of the
controversy lies in the high number
of honors graduates. Do many stu
dents at Meredith graduate with hon
ors because there are a number of
excellent students at Meredith, or
because honors designations are too
low? Departmentally, 38.5 percent
of students graduating with a Bach
elor of Arts in 1991 had honors des
ignations. Students graduating with
a Bachelor of Music had 89 percent
of honors graduates; students with a
Bachelor of Science graduated 23
percent honors students. Why do
some departments, such as music,
graduate most of their students with
honors when departments such as
sciences and math graduate so few
with the honors distinctions?
One faculty member offered
several explanations for the grade
fluctuation. The number of the stu
dents in the Meredith Honors Pro
gram is significant; the higher grade
point averages of these students
would increase the numbers of hon
ors grads and would raise overall
grade averages. Also, Teaching Fel
lows andre-Gntry students, who typi-
continued on page three
Senate rejects
SGA proposal to
ban alcoholic
containers
On Tuesday, March 31 st, the
Senate had its second reading of the
Student Government Association’s
proposal to prohibit alcoholic bever
age containers on campus. In a 10-2
decision, the Senate rejected SGA’s
proposal, which was to take effect
beginning next school year. Prior to
the vote, discussion was minimal.
Afterwards, however, the Senators
generated ideas regarding possible
recommendations to SGA for future
proposals. A consensus was not
reached by the Senators, so a letter
has been written to SGA concerning
the outcome of the vote and the dis
cussion thereafter.
Experience Meredith a hit with incoming freshmen
by Gilda Boyd and Amity Brown
On Saturday, March 28, high school seniors who have been accepted to Meredith for the 1992-93 academic
year had the chance to examining college life during Experience Meredith. With a full day’s schedule of
seminars and activity fairs, these new students were able to ask questions and get involved with all of Meredith’s
programs.
About 180 students and 275 parents attended Experience Meredith, and many commented on how helpful the
day’s activities had been. Sponsored by the Admissions Office, Experience Meredith cjosely resembles what
used to be Hospitality Weekend in the early 1980’s. Sue Kearney, Director of Admissions, was “extremely
pleased” with the turnout for the day.
The participants went to sessions focusing on Meredith, academics and college life. They also had lunch in
the courtyard and browsed among tables promoting campus organizations. Later in the afternoon they attended
a similar fair in Weatherspoon Gym which featured information on Meredith’s academic departments. Kearney
said these sessions were designed to “provide an opportunity for accepted students to get answers to questions
they might have” about Meredith and its offerings.
A student evaluation given at the end of the day has early returns that these new students are “more excited”
about coming to Meredith now than before the chance to spend the day here. One student said, “I’m glad I
travelled from Virginia for this because now I know what Meredith is like. I won’t be as nervous when school
starts.”
Hiis was the first year of Experience Meredith, but one parent commented, “I hope Meredith continues having
this. I have two more daughters who need to see what Meredith has to offer.”
Kearney wishes to express much appreciation to those who helped out with the day and also to the entire
student body for making the day such a wonderful success.