This letter reflects another high achiever’s outrage at the proposed plus and minus grading system that claims it “rewards high achiever’s efforts.” Besides the practical implications that have been previously discussed regarding lower GPAs, there are some profound ethical implications. First of all, and, most importantly, student democracy is now effectively destroyed.

If students are unable to vote on great issues such as tuition increase and grading systems that affect their educations, then what is the point of a student democracy? This further leads to a second point, that the Student Government Association is now reduced to a mere playground for political science majors. If the SGA is powerless in the issues that reflect the greatest interest of students, then what is the purpose of the SGA? Apparently, the SGA had not been able to influence one Board of Regents member through its representative, who herself voted unanimously to end grade integrity. I fear another travesty posing as positive reform will surreptitiously undermine opportunities for this university’s prominent scholars. I am thus mortified at the lack of consideration for student interest. Through tuition increases, the added “convenience fees” for online tuition payments, and, now, the death of our grading system, we dig a grave. I lament.

Fredrik Persson

Psychology, philosophy and history