Let us preface this next statement about the proposed plus/minus grading plan by first apologizing to English teachers everywhere for the bad grammar. But nonetheless, here goes:

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

That is as plain as we can say it. Just when you thought all sides had been heard in this matter, the community college chimed in. And like it or not, their position is valid and should merit some serious attention before a final decision is made in this matter.

While economics professor Brian Strow has gone to great lengths to show the benefits of a plus/minus plan, community college interim dean Sherry Reid isn’t as convinced of the plan’s inherent goodness. She is worried that changing Western’s grading plan will have dire consequences for community college students looking to move up to Western’s main campus.

Currently, in order to transfer to the university from the community college, students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Under Strow’s plan, a student with at 2.0 now could have a 1.7.

That creates a problem, Reid says, for community college students and faculty who want the community college treated equally in decisions that affect the main campus, and we agree.

By switching to a plus/minus system, it would create a wealth of immediate problems for students and faculty at South campus.

Community college professor and senate member Michelle Hollis pointed out that not all students are “fighting for an A-plus.” Strow has long promoted his plan under the tagline that it would make students work harder. Yet as this latest quirk in his plan comes to light, he says he would not oppose a requirement to meet the needs of students with 1.7 GPAs. How are we to perceive that?

Students came to Western knowing what type of grading scale they would be under. Changing it may have some merits, but we think there have been at the least an equal number of reasons not to change it.

Plus/minus stinks like old meat, and the cost surely doesn’t equal the means.

This editorial represents the majority opinion of the Herald’s 10-member board of student editors.