TL20040318_001 "The TauieMinhb Baltimore's #1 College Paper - Published Twice-Weekly - www.thetowerlight.com /H U Thursday, 3/17/04 Beer goggles aid in alcohol lesson Harvard graduate talks business Keplinger shows work in Towson 'Jersey Girl not Smith stereotype Departments Opinion News Police blotter. Arts 13 Sound Bites 15 Sports 20 In this corner. 20 Bank shots Uniform grading policy adopted University Senate unanimously votes to implement plus/ minus grading in fall Brian Stelter The Towerlight Faculty members must implement the plus/minus grading system in all undergraduate courses beginning next fall, the University Senate decided unanimously in a surprise vote Monday. The 20-0 vote supporting a uniform grading practice is a significant success for the Student Government Association, which has pushed for the establishment of a consistent system since September. When the plus/minus grading scale was introduced at Towson in 1998, the decision to use it was left up to individual professors. This created an inequitable situation for some students, the SGA argued. """"Two people taking the same course within their major with two different teachers could both have a grade of 71 percent at the end of the semester, and the student whose teacher exercises plus/minus would receive a C- and fail, while a student whose teacher does not exercise plus/minus would receive a C and pass,"""" the SGA memorandum on the issue read. SGA president Bobbie O'Connell, a senior finance major, called the grading inconsistency unethical and irrational. """"This seems like a no-brainer,"""" she told the Senate Monday. """"It's obviously not fair to students."""" tion and communications studies professor, agreed. He called the discussion a """"eureka moment."""" """"Two professors perceive the grade of a student to be identical, yet one gives a B and the other gives a B-, not because they disagree about the grade, but because they use a different grading system. To quote my child who is 4 years old, 'That cannot be fair,""""' Vatz said. During the discussion, Provost James Brennan seemed to support the change. """"I don't think this university - or any university - should support multiple grading systems,"""" he told the Senate. """"It seems rather indefensible that this can be decided on an individual faculty level."""" Music professor James Anthony recalled that the issue was discussed in 1998. """"It was a compromise to get [plus/minus] passed,"""" he said. """"There was a significant number of faculty members that to going to the plus/minus system, [so] they were told that it wouldn't be mandatory."""" Neil Gallagher, chairperson for the department of health sciences, called the 1998 decision the """"best agreement at the time."""" """"There were some faculty members that thought they might lose their academic freedom if they were told they had to use a grading sys tem,"""" Gallagher said. """"That's why the one phrase remained in the faculty handbook."""" Meredith Pica, the SGA's director of academic affairs and a member of the Senate, took the lead in pushing """"It is absolutely appalling that teachers could be chosen based on the grading system - not even their See SENATE, page 7 Lisa Johnson/The Towerhght Tierra Hendrick, a sophomore early childhood education major, gets a """"Prettyman/Scarborough Mugshot"""" smoothie from hall director Kristin Hassey during the Spring Break Practice in Potomac Lounge Monday. Before break, students 'Practice' Mike Fila The Towerlight Towson students engaged in a Spring Break crash course Monday night before the dorms empty out for the real thing this weekend. While a DJ played Bob Marley, residents did the limbo in between sampling drinks from a Mix Off competition. For the Mix Off, resident assistant staffs from dormitories on campus concocted original Spring Break brews for students to sample and score. Scarborough and Prettyman Halls made a clean sweep of the awards, winning Best Tasting, Most Original and Best Overall Theme for their """"PR/SC Mugshot"""" Patrick Reed, hall director f Scarborough Hall, took pride beating Residence Tower staff. """"We have a population of people who are inundated with information, but it never hurts to put this kind of information on their radar."""" Barry Evans assistant director housing & residence life """"The competitions between staffs really pushed us over the edge. It was a great way to draw out residents to the event,"""" Reed said. Tierra Hendrick, a sophomore early childhood education major, won Best Spring Break Outfit for her suggestive prisoner ensemble, which included handcuffs. """"I didn't go intending to win,"""" said Hendrick, who was working the Mix Off station for Prettyman and Scarborough. When she heard the contest winner announced she said, """"Yeah, I have the best Spring Break outfit!"""" Meanwhile, other students traded out retired attire for a new look in the Swap Shop. University Residence Government joined the housing and residence life programming committee to co-sponsor the """"Spring Break Practice,"""" billed as See BREAK, page 7"