The plus/minus grading system has been a heated topic for the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, professors, and students since its implementation in early 2000. The BOR decided to implement the plus/minus grading scale at the request of Georgia State University and the University of Georgia, according to Georgia State provost Ron Henry.
Many reasons were given by Georgia State and UGA for the implementation of the plus/minus grading scale. The plan proposed by the Georgia State Senate to the BOR in favor of the plus/minus scale was that it is unfair to reward students equally when a large range of differences exists in their accomplishments. For example, if a student made a final grade of 80 and another student made a final grade of 88, both were given a B.
The Georgia State Senate and BOR believe that it is unfair and that students should be awarded appropriately for their exact effort. Both groups believe that the plus/minus grading system will help students be more competitive.
Now with the plus/minus and regular grading scale both being used at Georgia State and UGA, many continue to debate which system is best. "Yes, it is fairer to have a finer gradation," said Dr. Henry. "If you earned C+, B+, B+, B+, you would earn 3.05 GPA, but without the plus/minus system your average would be 2.75." However, some professors chose not to use the plus/minus system.
"Within this policy, some professors choose to use only A, B, C, D, F," said Dr. Henry. "There are some disciplines that do not want to utilize a finely grained grading system."
As of spring 2009, Georgia State professors have been granted approval to implement the A+ grade into their grading rubric.
"I am doing the A+ system because our department chair in communication said we had too," said instructor Elyse Warford. "I am happy about it anyway because it didn't make sense to me before that each letter grade had a plus or minus except A." In the Department of Communication, faculty are required to use the A+, but in other departments, it is left up to the professor. In the Department of Geography, most use the plus/minus scale.
"I think that the plus/minus system is a slightly more accurate picture of the student's performance than a system without the plus and minus," said geography professor Leslie Edwards. "A 10-point spread covers a fairly wide performance range; the plus/minus narrows that for a more precise reflection of achievement."
While the BOR and instructors agree on the fairness of the plus/minus system, students disagree.
"If they are going to use that system at Georgia State, it needs to be across the board," said junior Lee Orton. "It is confusing and annoying having only half the teachers use it."
While senior Lisa Jarrett said that since implementing the A+ grade it is fairer, she says they should do away with the plus/minus system so that it is simpler and less controversial.
The A+ grade is under pilot for three years. After that period, it will be reevaluated by the BOR. For now, students will have to adjust to the scale their professors decide to implement for their courses.
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