Western Oregon University Adopts New Grading System

Western Oregon University faculty and administrators hope to improve student retention and academic parity by modifying the university’s grading system.

Starting this fall, the modest regional university located an hour south of Portland will discontinue the use of D’s and F’s in its grading structure. It will instead use the term “no credit,” or NC, for students who fail courses. The new grade will not affect students’ grade point averages, but they will not earn credit and must retake the course to fulfill their degree requirements.

D’s and F’s on a transcript historically reflected a student’s failure to complete a course’s learning objectives and frequently resulted in significantly lower grade point averages, a performance indicator extensively weighed by graduate school admissions officers and, in certain cases, employers.

Some higher education watchers question whether the change provides an academic cushion, or an easy out, for students who have fallen behind, lack the necessary skills or intellectual grounding, or are not putting forth the work required to pass a course. Eliminating D’s and F’s may worsen grade inflation in higher education, according to the authors.

Western Oregon’s provost, Jose Coll, claims that the university’s new grading approach really does the opposite.

“In no way, shape or form as a provost have I asked our faculty to lower the standards of the courses,” the provost added. “If anything, it will enhance rigor because students must obtain a D or better in all of their classes. A student can no longer move forward with a D-minus.”

Western Oregon is part of a rising number of schools and institutions that are considering or have already implemented alternative grading systems. Brown University has employed alternate grading frameworks since 1969. Other schools, such as the University of California, Irvine, have not enacted a universal policy, but are actively informing and encouraging instructors to use alternative grading methodologies voluntarily.

However, not all higher education professionals favor the trend. Some academics and consultants worry that, while the new system has good intentions, it may unintentionally undermine the rigor of a college degree and reduce its value.