Oregon university drops failing grades for students, citing 'GPA fixation'
The university's VP of Academic Affairs said the changes will no longer 'mask' students' 'demonstrated abilities'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An Oregon university announced they will abandon failing letter grades, citing a "GPA fixation" that negatively impacts students.
Western Oregon University issued a news release earlier this month that revealed the school would be replacing "D-" and "F" grades with "no credit" to discourage undergrads from dropping out.
Students who do not earn a passing grade in their course will be required to repeat the course and demonstrate proficiency.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The difference is that the grade of NC will not negatively impact student GPAs," the press release noted.
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Students at the Western Oregon University will now receive "no credit" instead of "D-" or "F" letter grades. (Western Oregon University/Neustockimages/Getty)
Insider Higher Ed previously reported the decision came after data from the university showed that 65% of freshman students who dropped out had earned at least one "F."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Our goal is to ensure that students who have met the core competencies and learning objectives graduate and provide every student an opportunity to be successful at Western Oregon University," Vice President of Academic Affairs Jose Coll said in an email to The College Fix.
He also said that GPA will now become a "true reflection" of "student success and course mastery" and failing grades will "no longer mask" their "demonstrated abilities."
The school admitted that students who receive "no credit" are more likely to continue their higher education journey. Some critics accused Western Oregon University of supporting "grade inflation."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But Coll shot down the characterization and instead criticized the nationwide emphasis on GPA, SAT and ACT scores.
"The GPA fixation we have as a country and the grading system that’s been in place for over 200 years has been used to determine who belongs and who is capable, although we know that similar to the SAT and ACT, many capable students have been prohibited from pursuing their post-secondary education due to these barriers," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Data from Western Oregon University found that 65% of freshman students who dropped out had received at least one "F." (Western Oregon University/screenshot)
Fox News Digital asked Coll to explain what metrics should be used in place of GPA, SAT and ACT to determine the skills and abilities for entry into selective educational programs.
Coll said that while schools need grades and a mechanism to "evaluate competencies and learning outcomes," the goal of educators should be to evaluate students based on their strengths, thus allowing them to grow and succeed.
"Our current models technically move the field goal each time a student fails a course, making it harder and harder to achieve their mission," he told Fox News Digital. "As a Marine Corps Veteran - I recall many young Marines not qualifying on the rifle range and the outcome was increase training and support. When the Marine returned to the range to prequalify (target) remained at the same distance allowing the Marine the opportunity to demonstrate their skill without the range moving further because of their first fail."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Other U.S.-based universities have also drawn concern from critics related to grade inflation, Coll added.
He also stressed that their new academic regulation was enacted to give each student the opportunity to be measured on their strengths, and in the cases where they have not met competencies, they will be required to return and "demonstrate mastery."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harvard University's grade point average has risen dramatically over the last ten years. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
"Skill-based assessments are a common measure of competencies, and many majors such as nursing, firefighting, and counseling, to name three, require their students to demonstrate proficiency in certain skills, which are appropriate and needed as we prepare a workforce. Skill-based assessments have proven to be one mechanism to demonstrate learning proficiency," Coll said.
Several Ivy League colleges drew suspicion of grade inflation with so many students receiving high grades.
A report from December noted that 79% of Yale College students received an A for the 2022-2023 academic year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harvard University also reported that 70% of grades were A’s for the 2020-2021 academic year.
"Mean grades on a four-point scale were 3.80 in the 2020-21 academic year, up from 3.41 in 2002-03," the Harvard Crimson reported.