2 CAMPUS NEWS
Plus and minus grading
sparks debate
UP, UP AND AWAY.
Yoh are invited at S:M p.m. on Thnradav. September 19.2002. to
Ledford 101. where students wbo stadied abroad last year will discoss
their programs and reflect on tbeir experieaces. la additioo to being an
opportunity for iateresting coaversation, this meeting will be an
iafonoatmn session for students who are interested in stadyiag abroad.
Whether you are interested in learning about Meredith exchange
programs is France or Spain or interested in finding a program
elsewhere (Zimbabwe, Japan, Australia, England, you name it!),
please join as for the evening.
DATE: 09/19/2002 TIME: 8:00 PM
Medieval Studies minor may
become a reality
This proposed minor is
getting interdiscipli
nary attention.
TIFFANY ADAMS
Staff Writer
A new addition to the
Meredith College curricu
lum could be on its way in
the form of a Medieval and
Renaissance Studies minor.
Dr. Brent Pitts, professor
in the Department of
Foreign Languages and
Literature, and Dr. Beth
Mulvaney, associate profes
sor of Art, are currently
working on a proposal for
the minor. They will present
the proposal to interested
faculty and staff on
Monday, September 23, at
4.30 p.m.
At this point, the proposal
is still in the works and
.nany of the details are not
sorted out. Pitts and
Mulvaney will present it
Monday to get feedback and
suggestions for revisions
from those interested in
having a Medieval and
Renaissance Studies minor
at Meredith College.
There is no set committee
for this minor. According to
Pitts, the committee will
consist of people who pro
vide suggestions and feed
back at the first meeting.
Currently, he and Mulvaney
are getting "live input and e-
mails from lots of other
teachers in other depart
ments."
Pitts added that 11 teach
ers from eight different
departments have expressed
interest in the proposed
minor. The Medieval and
Renaissance Studies minor
complements the course-
work for many existing
majors.
The proposed minor is
interdisciplinary, and stu
dents with many interests
will be attracted to it. Pitts
said, "The proposal includes
that the minor be temporari
ly housed in the Foreign
Language Department." He
added, "Perhaps the best
place for it is
Interdisciplinary Studies."
It is currently proposed
that it be a minor in the
Foreign Language
Department because
Interdisciplinary Studies
does not have a budget,
department head or office
space. However, Pitts does
not anticipate that its classi
fication, will cause problems
in the development of the
minor.
"There have been no prob
lems at all," Pitts said. "I've
heard only positive things
and seen only positive reac
tions so far from faculty."
At this phase of planning,
the proposal will include
Continued on
Page 3
REBECCA
BAKRINGEU
Staff Writer
The policy concerning
the College's grading sys
tem may be up for discus
sion during the upcoming
year as the faculty weighs
the pros and cons of
adopting a plus/minus
grading scale.
"The adoption of the
plus/minus grading scale
generates discussion
among faculty members,"
said Meredith Registrar
Sue Todd. "I have been at
Meredith for over 30
years and the topic has
come up several times.
It's usually a hot one."
The issue involving the
grading system would
first be addressed by the
Instruction Committee.
Committee member Dr.
Eloise Grathwohl said the
group is "just beginning
the conversation" about it
and looks forward to
future discussion.
"I was not present when
the policy was discussed
in the past," Grathwohl
said. "It will be interest
ing to hear the reasons for
the different perspec
tives."
Faculty show a differ
ence of opinion regarding
the school’s grading sys
tem.
Dr. Anne York, of the
business department, said
she would be in favor of
the plus/minus system.
"I teach economics so it
might be a little easier for
me to be in favor of such
an idea," she said. "In
economics, you usually
know it or you don’t.
There aren't too many
gray areas."
However, york said she
thought the system would
be beneficial in other dis
ciplines as well.
Religion professor Dr.
Ami Burlein also sup
ports the adoption of
plus/minus grading. She
said, "It would be more
consistent with how the
student did in the class.
An A- could be given
when a student didn't
quite have A quality
work but didn't deserve a
B either."
But other teachers are
against a change to the
system. Biology and
health sciences professor
Francie Cuffhey said,
Continued on
Page 4
!" News Brief .
|Our campus master plan team from Shepley|
jBulfinch Richardson and Abbott is coming toj
jreview with us some of their preliminary ideas and|
jhear comments from the campus community. We|
'have planned two open information sessions so*
hhat the entire community can review the progress;
|made to date, see some of the alternatives beingj
•developed, and offer comments and suggestions-
Ito the committees and the planners.. Both ses-l
jsions will be led by the SBRA team and by mem-j
•bers of the Master Plan Working Committee. The.
Ifirst open information session will be held onl
jThursday, September 26 at 4 PM. The session willj
!be repeated that evening, Thursday, September 26.
|at 7 PM. Each session will be held in the West end|
jof Belk Dining Hall. Please plan to attend one ofj
•the open sessions and see the progress that has!
(been made to date on the campus master plan and|
|off^ your commen^ a^ sj^g^tiojis.^J