Little consensus on what UNC grades mean

The B.

It might be the most misunderstood letter at UNC.

Neither students nor professors can agree on exactly what it represents.

For some, it is the mark of adequacy, signifying a performance that doesn’t go above the average and rewards just showing up.

“I feel like to get a B here, if you read the textbook and at least study before the exam, depending on the class, and do the work that’s asked of you, and maybe a little outside of that — you can get a B,” said Sarah Peck, a sophomore journalism and English double major.

But for others, it represents an above-average performance.

“On my syllabus it says adequate completion gets you a B minus,” said sociology professor Andrew Perrin. “Going above and beyond in some way will get you higher than that.”

According to University policy, the B is a mark of achievement. It signifies students who have an above average understanding of a subject.

Despite a standard definition, there is a fundamental disagreement about how grades are defined and what they mean to students and faculty members.

And that disconnect could hinder any potential grading discussion at UNC.

“How do you move forward with a policy without understanding what you’re making a policy for?” said Student Body Vice President David Bevevino.

Spurred on by an April report that detailed these trends — including a systematic increase in the average grade given out — the Faculty Council will engage in a discussion Friday about the fundamental nature of grading at UNC.

Bevevino, an undergraduate student, and Perrin, an associate professor, will lead Friday’s talk.

Professors’ perceptions

Faculty members have diverse opinions when it comes to grades, and these differences will be apparent in Friday’s discussion.

Some said students are high achievers who earn higher grades, so giving out a larger percentage of A’s and B’s is acceptable.

“I believe we have strong students at UNC and they deserve the grades they receive,” said Jackie MacDonald, an assistant professor in the Gillings School of Global Public Health.

But other faculty members say students are demanding — from themselves and instructors — that they get high marks, even if they have not earned them.

“There is strong resentment on my part that everybody insists that they have to get A’s,” said Moo Cho, a professor in the pharmacy school. “If we give a low average, say 65 or 75, then there is something wrong with this professor or something wrong with this course.”

Grading practices also diverge, falling into two basic patterns. Grades can be an assessment of an individual student or a comparison against others.

UNC’s definition of grades follow the first philosophy and are meant to signify an individual student’s understanding of subject material regardless of how other students perform. That would mean professors who grade on curves would be going against the official policy.

But grades are often used as a comparison when it comes to class rank and graduate school admissions, which muddies the water.

This variety of opinions and practices among UNC’s professors could be part of the reason the trend of grade inflation has persisted, faculty members said.

The average grade

The other half of the grading relationship — the students — have a more unified take on grades.

They expect a B when they take a class. While they view an A as a mark of high achievement, a C marks an inadequate performance in their eyes.

These views go against UNC’s standard policy, which says a C is “a totally acceptable performance.”

But the actual numbers seem to belie this definition. Among the report’s findings was that 85 percent of grades given out at UNC are either A’s or B’s, above average performances.

A’s were given out 45 percent of the time.

That number surprised students, who said attaining an A is difficult and time consuming.

“I’ve gotten A’s, and I’ve had to work hard for those, but it wasn’t a common thing,” said Patrick Nichols, a sophomore communication studies and history double major.

“It wasn’t like I went in thinking ‘Oh, I’m going to get an A in this class.’ I had to work.”

While students might not see an A as an easily accessible mark, they differ from the school on the definition of a C.

“I feel like they always say, ‘C is average,’ but I feel like it’s kind of below average,” Nichols said.

“I feel like B is sort of where everyone wants to be at. B or above. And since C is below that, no one wants to get C’s because it’s below average.”

Students view C’s as failures.

“I’m extremely disappointed in myself if I get a C,” Peck said.

While students have a stake in the Faculty Council’s talks, professors are the ones who distribute grades. It will be up to them to define UNC’s policy and determine what course the University takes, provided they can come to a consensus.


Staff writer Neena Vasavan contributed reporting. Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.