The university changed its withdrawal policy this year so that students might remove themselves from courses until the last day of classes. Previously, a student had to make this decision by the end of the ninth week. Out of a class of thirty, I had two students withdraw after week nine, related undoubtedly to frustration with preparing their term papers, but I had no one leave at the last minute. The term paper results were average, and there was nothing there to chase anyone out, I allow.
Some of my colleagues complained about losing people after putting in a lot of effort grading their work, and I understand the frustration. On the other hand, it never feels any better to assign a student an “F” for a course. I see that as wasted effort, as well. Due to some ancient rule, the pedigree of which no one can remember, individual faculties would get the tuition only for students who completed courses; if a student withdrew, central administration would get whatever was not refunded. Under these new rules, students would get no more money back by withdrawing in the ninth week when compared with that last minute withdrawal, but the faculty would still get paid for the latter. So, in a perverse way, instructors would, indirectly, realize compensation for fruitless late effort where they go unacknowledged for the work of a half term, only.
The rationale behind the change, beyond the fact that the policy exists amongst our competitors, is that students get to leave classes they would otherwise fail. It is a retention initiative, and I will be interested in seeing whether grade point averages rise. One of the unintended consequences, however, has been a reconsideration of what kind of feedback a student deserves (and when) and when a grade has been assigned (and a course is over).
It used to be that a student expected to have a meaningful evaluation returned before the ninth week. For many of us, that meant having the mid-term or calling due the first essay at some point in the first two months. But with the “W” deadline moved back, is it fair to expect that the whole term mark be prepared by the last day of classes? I take in term papers in the last fortnight, and I can usually turn them around. If an instructor is used to asking for term papers on the last day and returning them at the exam, is that arrangement now unfair? Equally puzzling is the common situation where, in lieu of a final examination, a colleague has a “last test” in the last two weeks. If this is done through moodle or graded electronically, the final grade may be calculated before the last day of classes. Is it fair for a student to know, precisely, what grade will be assigned before deciding whether to withdraw from the class?
Comments