An instructor at the Terry College of Business at the University Of Georgia reportedly allows students to choose their own grades and use laptops during exams, Business Insider stated.
According to the report, these policies are part of the Professor’s “stress reduction policy” that allowed students to choose their grade if they are unsatisfied with the grade given to them.
Instructor Rick Watson, who leads a computing class at the University of Georgia, indicated these rules on the online syllabus of the subject, the Business Insider report added.
The same rules reportedly applied to some of Watson’s business subjects as well.
The “stress reduction policy” stated that if a student feels stressed because of a grade that he or she received for the course, he or she is only required to email the instructor telling him what grade should they think should be given, the article noted. The grade will then be changed without any explanation required.
Backlash from groups
The CSC Media Group from where the source came from according to Business Insider criticized the policy for being stunning yet not a surprising example of a lower quality of education and discipline in some universities in the United States.
Aside from the policy on grades, the syllabus reportedly has rules on examinations as well.
The students were allegedly allowed to use open books, open notes, and use laptops during exams. The syllabus reportedly stated that exams in Watson’s class are made only to assess “low-level mastery of the course material.”
The syllabus further went on saying that during class presentations, only positive feedback is allowed from the rest of the class.
“While these rules might prevent the development of group skills and mastery of the course materials, ultimately these are your responsibilities. I will offer every chance for you to gain high-level mastery,” Business Insider cited the professor’s syllabus.
School administration’s response
Just shortly after it has been reported, administrators from the University of Georgia reportedly confirmed with website Campus Reform that the said rules were already removed from the syllabus.
According to the website, the professor was asked to remove these statements from the course syllabi and did so immediately.
“The University of Georgia uses very high standards when delivering curriculum, including a university-wide rule that requires faculty members to use a grading system based on transparent and pre-defined course work,” Greg Trevor, Media Communications executive director said in the Campus Reform article.
