Campus News

UGA to start plus/minus grading policy

Starting this summer, UGA students could find something extra on their transcripts: Plus signs.

That’s because the University System of Georgia Board of Regents recently approved a plus/minus grading system for use at UGA and Georgia State University.

Instead of the strict A, B, C system, students’ achievement will be measure on a tighter scale that includes A-, B+ and C-.

Faculty members say it could add to their ability to more precisely evaluate students’ accomplishments, according to Delmer Dunn, vice president for instruction at UGA.

“The task force that met last year also strongly endorsed the rationale that this would give students more incentives to work hard throughout the course, rather than slack off toward the end of the semester if they knew they had a solid A or B,” he says.

The system goes into effect at the start of the first through session of summer semester, which begins June 8.

The board of regents is allowing the university to operate under plus/minus system for three years on a pilot program. At the end of three years, the program will be re-evaluated for long-term ­adoption.