University of Virginia Library

Faculty Alters Pass-Fail,
Changes Grading System

By Bill Fryer
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Debate on the proposed college
curriculum continued yesterday afternoon,
only reaching the opening of
discussion on the foreign language/
culture proposals.

The faculty did modify the language
of the report concerning the pass-fail
option and added a numerical coefficient
for pluses and minuses in computing the
grade point average. An amendment
which requires the incoming student to
take English Composition his first year
also was approved.

At the start of the third session in
which the faculty has considered the
Curriculum Committee's final report Douglas
W. Alden, Chairman of the Department of
Romance Languages, raised some questions
about what he considered "the peculiar
irregularities of the proceedings up to this
point" and was "flabbergasted" when he
learned that the original Interim Report which
was presented by the Committee in October
was so "radically revised."

No "Railroading"

John Moore, chairman of the Curriculum
Committee, stated that the Committee has tried
to give every faculty member the opportunity
to present their views and has "not tried to
railroad anything through." He later outlined
the general principles which motivated the
Committee in its search for a more viable
curriculum.

Charles H. Giften of the Mathematics
Department along with co-signers Charles l.
Dunkl and Donald P. Ramirez introduced an
amendment which would have required a
student to have taken at least 96 semester hours
passed on a graded basis to graduate. This
would allow a student to take as many pass-fail
courses as he would desire above the 96 hour
base level.

In addition the motion would have required
all students to have at least a 2.0 average to
graduate. All of his courses would count, not
just the 120 he presently selects.

Issue Killed

Debate over this last issue finally killed the
amendment. As Dean Irby Cauthen noted,
almost a quarter of the University's graduates
have less than a 2.0 average and as Dean of the
College he would not look forward to dealing
with irate parents in June.

Mr. Giffen then reintroduced the first part
of his proposal to have 96 required graded
semester hours which would allow a student to
take any number of pass-fail courses above the
basic level. This amendment was successful.

Donald MacInnis of the Department of
Music introduced the successful amendment to
gave pluses and minuses a value of .3 in
computing averages. Some faculty members
who opposed the motion noted that this
awarding of a numerical coefficient would be a
move away from the concept of a more
gradeless education. Their arguments were of
no avail as the motion passed 109.52.

Finally debate began on the foreign language
requirement after some minor changes with
English I. Frederick Hartt, Chairman of the Art
Department, opened the discussion by asking
whether "the Committee has, in fact, considered
all of the effects of the proposals that it
now places before us?"

Mr. Hartt continued to note the utility of a
language and its extreme relevance in understanding
a foreign culture. The present proposal
would "deprive students of their birthright"
and would "constitute a body blow to the
graduate language study at the University."

"Cramming" Ineffective

Alexander Sedgwick of the History Department
stressed the importance of a knowledge of
a foreign language, but noted that students "do
not learn it by having it crammed down their
throats." Dante Germino of the Department of
Government observed that students now need a
knowledge of Eastern Culture and that much
can be gained by an undergraduate's study of a
culture even though he may not know the
language.

After some introductory remarks by William
Little who is the Chairman of the Germanic
Department, the faculty voted to adjourn until
4 p.m. today in Wilson Hall.

Dean David Shannon announced that the
Committee to Stand the University Senate will
be chaired by Laurin Henry of the Government
Department and will have J.C. Levenson
(English), David Haherty (History), R. Bruce
Martin (Physics), and Marvin Colker (Classics)
as members.