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Cornell University

Office of the Dean of Faculty

Connecting & Empowering Faculty

On Changing the Chosen Grade Option

Background

A typical sanction might involve  the lowering of the final grade by some specified amount. This option is generally not available  to the instructor if the violator is taking the course S/U. (Unless the infraction is serious enough to warrant a grade less than C- in which case the sanction is assigning  the grade of “U”)  To provide  access to suitable sanctions we propose giving the instructor the authority to change the violators grade option to “letter grade” .

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11 thoughts on "On Changing the Chosen Grade Option"

  1. We should prevent a student from changing their grading option during an investigation, not just after a finding. So once a student is charged, they should be prohibited from changing their grading option unless “they are cleared of the charges (using the language of the code).”

    Also, do we want to allow a student to change their grading option if the instructor permits?

    We should also prohibit a student from dropping a course under the same conditions.

  4. I recommend that we revise the Code to say: “a student who has been charged with violating the Code of Academic Integrity in a course may not change the grading option for that course without the express written permission of the course instructor(s) unless the student has been cleared of the charges.” This prohibition would be identical to the prohibition against a student dropping a course, which is contained in the Code, Section II. B. 4. g.

  5. Forcing a student to switch to a grade in a course he or she was taking S/U is pretty harsh. But ultimately the prof can impose a failure, so that implies the lesser remedy of giving an involuntary grade to that student should be OK.

    I agree with the earlier comment that II.B.4.g should be amended to add “or change the student’s grade option” right after “drop that course” in the following provision. It is not strictly necessary, as the sanction could be to switch back to the old grade option, but the amendment would make things neater.

    (g) A student charged with violating the Code of Academic Integrity in a course may not drop that course without the consent of the instructor unless the student has subsequently been cleared of the charges.

  6. The Office of the Judicial Codes Counselor does not support the proposed change. While we can appreciate where the change is coming from, we think the language below would be fairer to students.

    “If the student is taking the course S/U and the student and the instructor agree then the instructor may have the selected grade option changed to “letter grade” provided the course is not “S/U Only”.

    While in most cases where this situation arises we believe that students would agree to switch to a letter grade if given the option, we don’t think it’s fair to unilaterally force students who have reasonably relied on a class being S/U all semester to do that. This is particularly important from an equity perspective. Students who elect to take courses S/U do so for a variety of reasons, including because they don’t have access to a quiet workspace, are balancing schoolwork and a job, or are caring for a sick or elderly family member. While we understand the desire to hold students accountable when they violate the code, that can be accomplished without enacting this change. Forcing a student to change to a letter grade option while also imposing a grade penalty is akin to sanctioning a student twice for a single infraction.

  7. Agree that we need to II.B.4.g along the lines of earlier comments.

    Disagree with the proposal. The student has chosen a binary grade option and has proceeded accordingly all semester. If the faculty member wants to impose a grade penalty, give the student a U. Or give the student the option to change grade option to LET and impose a different penalty but let the student make that call. (Comment: some students might rather see a U from an S/U course on their transcripts than a C- in a LET course.)

  8. Students who have elected a grade option of S/U do not have the same vested interest in the class as a student taking it for a letter grade thus forcing them to revert to a letter grade would be unfair as they may already be functioning just enough to receive a S grade. Let the students have the option to revert to letter or issue a U grade.

  10. College registrars voiced concerns regarding the proposed text. If passed, the updated language would require manual intervention by college registrars. While the process of updating the grading option is not complicated, the likelihood of automating in the future is unlikely. As we continue to explore technologies to reduce faculty and staff administrative burden, adding complexities is a concern.

    College registrars supported language that would “freeze” the enrollment status, grading basis, number of credits, etc. at the time of an alleged infraction. If the student is found to be in violation, the grade impact could be Unsatisfactory.

    College registrars also expressed concerns students would make academic progress under the assumption they would receive an S/U grade, and the switch to letter grade seems to doubly punish the student.

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