SGA discuss new grading scale proposal

Quiche Matchen

Student Government Association met for their 12th meeting after canceling last week’s meeting due to Thanksgivings break. They came back to a resolution and bills to read.

Christopher Costa, speaker of the student senate, said there were supposed to be two organizational aid bills up for first read in the minutes, but there was a mishap. Costa said he would email those bills to the senators that night.

SGA president Cory Dodds spoke about the Dine with Decision Makers program that will be taking place in the Kentucky Museum. He passed around a sign-up sheet for volunteers and attendance. RSVP forms are on SGA’s website as well.

“I think every mayor almost and county executive from different counties in which there is a regional campus will be there,” Dodds said. “And of course several WKU administrators will be there as well.”

Dodds also informed SGA that Gordon Emslie, provost and vice president for academic affairs, proposed a “plus” grading system for WKU.

In Emslie’s proposal, he said the idea is to reward students in the top one-third of a B or C grading levels with a plus grade and an extra 0.5 quality points. The grading system would not include minuses. 

“Using the top one-third rather than the top one-half of the range provides the necessary motivation for students to improve their grade, while leaving the grade for the bottom two-thirds of the range unaltered: a solid B is a B,” according to the document.

Dodds encouraged members to look over the document and to let him and other committee heads know what they think about the proposal.

He also included the emails between himself and Emslie regarding the proposed grading system.

Costa then opened the floor to any student speakers.

Roy Ratliff, interim president of Glasgow Student Body Association, took the floor and thanked Cain Alvey, administrative vice president for coming to the constitution ratification at Glasgow.

Bills up for second read included organizational aid, library extended hours and resolution to support the Glasgow reorganization.

The organizational aid bill offering funding for organizations Habitat for Humanity, Black Graduate Student Association, S.I.S.T.E.R.S. (Sisters Inspiring Sisters Mentorship Program), Share a Swipe, WKU Men’s Ultimate Frisbee team and Vietnamese Student Association.

The resolution to support the Glasgow reorganization, SGA supports the Glasgow Student Body Association to increase student involvement within WKU and the Glasgow community.

The resolution and all bills were unanimously approved.