2
THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2004
Grade inflation still a UNC issue
Rising GPAs hurt public confidence
BY BRIAN HUDSON
UNIVERSITY EDITOR
A recent study from UNC’s
Educational Policy Committee
found that students’ grades at UNC
are continuing on a dangerous
trend of inflation.
The study is an extension of the
February 2000 “Tin-chi Report,”
named after its author, UNC pro
fessor Boone TXirchi, which docu
mented the rise in the mean grade
point averages between 1967 and
1999- The EPC’s study, which was
presented to the Faculty Council
during their April 23 meeting,
found that GPAs are continuing to
rise.
“I think it generated a substan
tial amount of interest and discus
sion, and I think everyone recog
nizes how complex and serious the
issues are,” said Peter Gordon,
chairman of the EPC.
Student loans could face major change
Lawmakers divided on interest rates
BY LAURA YOUNGS
MANAGING EDITOR
Republicans and Democrats are
sparring on Capitol Hill about pro
posed changes to the Higher
Education Act that would end fixed
interest rates on consolidated loans
to offset the cost of potentially
increasing student loan limits.
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The EPC’s study found that the
average GPA for a UNC student
had increased from 2.991 in the
Spring 1999 to 3.065 in Spring
2003.
At the time of the Thrchi Report,
the most frequent letter grade at
UNC was B, but since that time A
has surpassed B to become the
most commonly given letter grade.
According to the EPC’s study, over
40 percent of all grades awarded at
the University are As.
The report goes on to propose
several reasons for the GPA infla
tion. The EPC said that Web sites
such as Pick-a-Prof might have
spurred the increase. Pick-a-Prof
allows students for a fee to
access a professor’s grading history
as well as feedback from former
students.
This information “could lead
faculty to compete for student
Opportunity Act, Republicans on
the Education and Workforce
Committee are pushing a bill out
lining adjustments that would
increase the amount first- and sec
ond-year students can borrow. At
the same time, it would reduce the
origination fee students must pay to
acquire loans, from 3 percent of the
amount borrowed to one percent
enrollment (either consciously or
unconsciously) by giving higher
grades,” the report stated.
Student evaluation of teachers
also could have an effect on infla
tion, the study stated, because it
provides a way for students to rein
force teachers for giving them
higher grades.
Grade inflation is a problem
because it could erode public con
fidence in UNC’s evaluation of stu
dents’ performance, the report
concluded, leading the EPC to pro
pose several ways for administra
tors address inflation.
The study recommended that
senior academic administrators
should consider establishing a
mean GPA of 2.7 for all depart
ments and enforcing budget sanc
tions to departments that exceed
that limit. The idea of GPA limits
was originally proposed by the
Turchi Report, but EPC officials
said it did not receive serious con
sideration.
First-year students would see an
increase from $2,625 to $3,500,
while second-year students could
experience a SI,OOO increase to
$4,500. The maximum total loan
limit of $23,000 would remain.
With college costs rising, putting
loans on par with tuition will give
students access to more money
without causing higher debt, said
Alexa Marrero, spokeswoman for
the U.S. House of Representatives
Education and Workforce
Committee. “The goal is to essen
tially modestly enhance them.”
But to counteract the cost of
those increases, Republicans have
asked that those interest rates be
variable and not fixed. Doing so
would give students access to com
petitive interest rates, Marrero said.
“Borrowers are fixed into an
interest rate based on the day they
had the dumb luck of deciding to
consolidate their loans,” she said,
adding mat while borrowers can
lock in low interest rates now,
some are stuck with the higher
rates of several years ago cannot
take advantage of new rates.
“It’s very important to look at
the big picture,” she said. “We have
to look at what’s better for borrow
ers over the long term.”
But not everyone sees making
interest rates variable as advanta
geous to students.
“The very first thing we should
agree to is, no matter what, we
should not hurt any students,” said
Tom Kiley, spokesman for
Congressman George Miller, D-
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Gordon said senior academic
administrations now should gauge
the report’s recommendations.
“The next step would be to seri
ously consider what would be
involved in implementing the var
ious types of remedies proposed,”
he said.
Gordon said he got the sense
that addressing inflation was some
thing the Faculty Council intended
to pursue. During the meeting, a
straw vote indicated that a majori
ty of the council members desired
farther action on the matter.
Joe Ferrell, secretary of the
Faculty Council, said council mem
bers are interested in continuing
discussion.
“I think the general reaction is
yes, it should be further discussed
and investigated,” he said. “(But)
most people are puzzled about
what should be done.”
Contact the University Editor
at udesk@unc.edu.
Calif., who is a ranking member of
the committee.
Kiley said that taking away the
chance to secure fixed low interest
rates could hurt students’ ability to
repay loans and cause defaults to
rise. He added that pitting current
students against graduates trying
to pay their debts is unnecessary
and will cost borrowers thousands
of dollars in higher rates.
“It’s really a false choice,” he said.
He added that for students
planning for the future, not having
the ability to fix low interest rates
could deter them from aspiring to
higher education altogether.
But no matter market rates, the
federal cap is 8.25 percent, and in
North Carolina, that ceiling is 7-75
percent. In addition, there is no
origination fee in North Carolina,
said Steven Brooks, executive
director of the N.C. State
Education Assistance Authority.
“The idea was not to give them
more attractive terms, but to give
them one place to pay,” he said.
About s2l billion during a seven
year period would be freed up to
help the program, money other
wise spent to make up for interest
rate deficits, Marrero said.
She added that the variable
rates would actually save borrow
ers money as well, as students
stuck with the higher interest rates
of the moment could go after com
petitive rates.
Contact the State & National
Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
Restrictions
limit lives of
immigrants
BY EMILY VASQUEZ
STAFF WRITER
Amid the pressures of intensify
ing homeland security regulations
this year, the nation has grappled
with civil issues ranging from the
legality of detentions at
Guantanamo Bay to the possibili
ty of immigration reform.
Leaders of the Hispanic immi
grant community in Chapel Hill
and Carrboro say that the tensions
have penetrated the local level as
well.
Carrboro Alderman John
Herrera, who works on behalf of
the Hispanic community, said he
believes the atmosphere of the
state has shifted significantly dur
ing the past year.
“The wave has turned more
anti-immigrant,” Herrera said.
“There is the feeling that we have
too many folks here and it’s time to
close the door.”
Herrera added that factors
beyond homeland security have
also contributed to the equation.
“The economy has chipped peo
ple’s comfort zones,” he said.
“When the economy is not thriving
things can get mean.”
Herrera noted the change in dri
ver’s license regulations in
February, which made it impossi
ble for immigrants to obtain licens
es using foreign documentation.
Hector Perez, executive director
of El Centro Latino in Carrboro,
said the Internal Revenue Service
is also making significant changes
this year regarding the Individual
Taxpayer Identification Numbers
used by some immigrants in place
of Social Security numbers for tax
and identification purposes.
Perez said changes will make it
more difficult to obtain an ITIN,
which many immigrants rely on
whenever a Social Security num
ber is required, such as for renting
an apartment or on employment
applications.
In Chapel Hill, supporters of the
Hispanic immigrant community
have provided leaders with funding
to advocate policy changes.
Lew Borman, chairman of the
Chapel Hill Committee of
Volunteers, which makes recom
mendations to Chapel Hill Town
Council regarding funding for
community services, said the com
mittee has been impressed with
the sophisticated leadership with
in the Hispanic community.
Borman said although they are
operating under a tight budget,
3l]p Saily (Ear Jbri
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“There is the feeling
that we have too
many folks here
and it’s time to
close the door.”
JOHN HERRERA, alderman
the committee has made it a pri
ority to provide funding to support
the needs articulated by leaders.
But Perez said the difficulties
have helped refocus community
leadership. “You just have to go out
there and work harder and be
more strategic,” he said.
In the wake of the changes
made in driver’s license regula
tions, Herrera began talks regard
ing a revision of voting rights that
would allow immigrants who are
in the process of naturalization to
participate in local elections.
Herrera said the change would
push leaders to consider the grow
ing immigrant population more
and would help the community
recognize that many immigrants
are documented and working
toward citizenship.
In late April, Herrera presented
this idea to a delegation from
Orange County. Sen. Ellie
Kinnaird, D-Orange, a member of
the delegation, said she was sur
prised by the idea, but that she
considers it realistic for Orange
County someday.
“It’s pretty cutting edge,” she
said. “I think it’s the sort of thing
that will take place here.”
But, she said, it likely will be a
slow process and could easily take
10 years.
Kinnaird said the changes like
those she and Herrera are pro
moting likely will have to occur on
a national scale, but she said dis
cussions on such issues often start
locally.
Kinnaird warned though .that
similar discussions might' *Be
avoided by some leaders in coming
months as elections approach.
Perez said despite waves of neg
ative sentiment this year and grow
ing reluctance due to the elections,
he feels this year has still been one
of progress in the community.
El Centro Latino’s after school
outreach programs for elementary
and high-school students continue
to grow.
Also, this year, a program to
promote health among Hispanic
males also has taken off through a
collaboration between El Centro,
Planned Parenthood and the
Department of Health.
Perez said he is excited by the
program. “There is Latino leader
ship developing out there.”
Contact the City Editor
at citydesk@unc.edu.