Wellesley College Adopts Pass/No Pass Grading System for Students’ First Semester on Campus

Wellesley_Logo [Converted]Wellesley College, the highly rated liberal arts educational institution for women in Massachusetts, has announced that it will institute a Pass/No Pass grading system for all first-year students during their first semester on campus. The new system will be in place this fall. The students will be graded with this system for all their courses during their first semester. They will also receive notification of the letter grade they would have received under the old system. But these grades will not be included on their official transcript.

The college believes that the new system will enable first-year students to use their first semester to focus on intellectual engagement and to learn how to grow as a learner in college.

Lee Cuba, a professor of sociology at Wellesley, states, “When grades become the object of learning rather than learning itself, students are engaged in a form of goal displacement.” The theory is that the more time students spend thinking about getting an A, the less time they’re spending thinking about what they are really learning.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

Latest News

Sherry Kollmann Named President of Vermont State University

With over 25 years of experience in higher education, business, and public service, Dr. Kollmann has been serving as chancellor of the New Mexico State University Global Campus. She is slated to become the next president of Vermont State University in July.

Stacy Leeds Will Be the Next President of the University of Tulsa

Throughout her career, Leeds has gained more than 25 years of experience as a professor and university administrator. Currently, she serves as dean of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

Chantae Recasner Is the Sole Finalist for the Presidency of Olympic College in Washington

Dr. Recasner has over two decades of experience as a tenured faculty member and senior administration in higher education. She has been serving as the interim president of Seattle Central University.

Vanya Quiñones Appointed President of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Dr. Quiñones, who has been serving as president of California State University, Monterey Bay, is slated to become the first Latina president of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona on July 1.

Shawna Cooper Whitehead Named the First Woman President of Regis University in Colorado

Dr. Cooper Whitehead brings extensive experience in student affairs and academic leadership to her new role. She comes to Regis university from Boston College, where she has served as vice president of student affairs since 2021.

Director, School of Music

The University of Arizona School of Music seeks a visionary and collaborative Director to lead its comprehensive music program through a time of opportunity and transformation.

Assistant Professor, Clinician Educator track, in the Division of Genomic Diagnostics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania seek candidates for an Assistant Professor position in the non-tenure clinician educator track.

Communications Publications Editorial Manager (Website Content Manager)

The Website Content Manager serves as the primary website lead for the College, collaborating with team members across design, marketing, multimedia, public relations, and government affairs.

Assistant Senior Instructional Professor in the Social Sciences Core (Social Science Inquiry)

The Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago is now accepting applications for a full-time Assistant Senior Instructional Professor who will teach in and contribute to the management and administration of the Social Science Inquiry sequence in the Social Sciences Core.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Media Studies

The Department of Cinema & Media Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia invites applications for a one-year Visiting Assistant Professor position in the field of media studies.