Every faculty member has had to contend with students who try to talk their way into a higher grade. A syllabus can be clear and precise, with the grading system spelled out in air-tight language, and you'll still get the occasional appeal or confrontation. Some believe the phenomenon is growing more common, while others believe it's always been part of the territory. One instructor at a recent TCCTA event said that students have adopted a "Philadelphia lawyer" mentality (with apologies to attorneys from the City of Brotherly Love) in seeking out loopholes to exploit.
Laurie Fendrich is a professor of fine arts at Hofstra University and a regular blogger for the Brainstorm section of the Chronicle of Higher Education. In a recent post (also available on page B2 of the Chronicle Review insert of the Oct. 30 edition of the CHE), she expands on the issue, getting into the thorny question of whether the humanities have adopted grading standards that are "mushy" in comparison to the "hard" sciences. She traces the problem back to the 60s, with its emphasis on equality instead of commerce and competition. "In an age where professors and students are almost equals," she writes, "what's astonishing isn't that some students brazenly try to simply negotiate their grades upwards. Rather, it’s a wonder all students don’t come knocking for a higher grade."
The blog has drawn some interesting comments as well. Here's the link (subscription).
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