UGA Axes Plan To Let Students Choose Their Grades (ICYMI)

ATHENS, GA — It probably seemed too good to be true for some University of Georgia business majors. And, in the end, it was.

A classroom policy that would have let students in one professor's business courses choose their own grades has been nixed by university officials who called the policy "ill-advised."

A syllabus posted online by Richard Watson, a management information systems professor in the Terry College of Business, included policies the syllabus said were designed to prevent the "profound consequences" of students suffering from stressful situations.

"If you feel unduly stressed by a grade for any assessable material or the overall course, you can email the instructor indicating what grade you think is appropriate, and it will be so changed," reads one of Watson's syllabi. "No explanation is required, but it is requested that you consider waiting 24 hours before emailing the instructor."

The "stress reduction policy" also stated that all tests would be open book and open notes and would be designed to take only half the time students were allotted to complete them. Students would have been permitted to withdraw from group projects at any time they felt "stressed by your group's dynamics" and only positive comments about projects would have been allowed in class.

"While this policy might hinder the development of group skills and mastery of the class material, ultimately these are your responsibility," the syllabus reads. "I will provide every opportunity for you to gain high level mastery."

The syllabus circulated online and was quickly pounced upon by detractors — among them some of UGA's traditional sports rivals who pointed to the syllabus as an example of the university being academically lacking.

But the proposed policies didn't last long.

On Tuesday, Benjamin C. Ayers, dean of the Terry College of Business, released a statement that made clear the proposed wiggle room on grades would not be condoned.

"I want to assure you that the University of Georgia and the Terry College of Business remain steadfastly committed to academic excellence in the classroom and maintaining the highest standards of academic rigor in our undergraduate and graduate programs," Ayers said.

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He said the proposed syllabus "did not conform with the university's rigorous expectations and policy regarding academic standards for grading."

"I have explained this discrepancy to the professor, and he has removed the statement from his syllabus," the statement continued. "Rest assured that this ill-advised proposal will not be implemented in any Terry classroom."

Terry College's management information systems undergraduate program is ranked No. 12 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

Photo via UGA.edu.