It is that time of the semester: the fresh start where we find ourselves running from one class to another trying to figure out our schedules before the Banner registration system closes. This fall, registration for courses starts on Aug. 31 and ends on Sept. 14 . We can change a course from the traditional ABC grade option to Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC) until Sept. 28 and to audit until Oct. 8. I believe that students are not allotted enough time to change their grade options, and that we are not truly valuing our education if we don't see a problem with this.
A Brown education is about freedom: the freedom to define our own educations and to find the tools to further our interests. The (not-so-)New Curriculum has empowered us to do just that. Yet, as my fellow upperclassmen might agree, we find ourselves going through challenging times as the semester progresses and have no freedom to change our course grade option from grading to S/NC or audit before the final examination period. We have to drop the course or risk our GPA (which does not officially exist, even though our future employers might believe otherwise).
Students encounter challenging situations as the semester progresses. We may get sick or lose a loved one. For classes that are too time consuming, the freedom to change a course's grading option all semester long can alleviate this temporary distress and can allow students to better assign priorities to their problems. If a particular course turns out to be uninteresting or some other courses start demanding more effort, a perennial grade change option can improve efficiency and work quality in the classes that one deems more important.
Allowing grade change options to continue all semester may also give an incentive to students who want to take five courses or an advanced, graduate level course. The stigma of getting bad grades forces students either not to bother taking tougher courses or to take them S/NC or audit them from the very beginning, which reduces the seriousness of the students' participation. However, if students feel that they always have the fall back option of changing their grade option, they'll be much bolder in their educational pursuits. In turn, this will also help students to truly delve into topics that they find interesting.
It is understandable that this option might allow some students to take the easier way out when they face too much pressure. However, such students will be conscious of the impact of their decision after the problem gets resolved and they realize that a pass is not the same as an A. Also, not all changes in grading options need be in the S/NC direction. Some students might even prefer to change their grading option back to ABC before the reading period if they feel that their performance is deserving of a good mark.
A document titled "Liberal Learning at Brown" on the Dean of College's page lists evaluating human behavior, experiencing scientific inquiry, collaborating fully, expanding reading skills and applying what one learns as some of the goals of a liberal education. Allowing the continuous grade change option would certainly foster multidisciplinary pursuits. Furthermore, students would be able to discuss ideas with their professors, which can spawn research projects, papers and perhaps even a company. This would be achievable due to fewer grade-related interactions with the faculty and more creative interactions with them.
In all these scenarios, students are making their own decisions. After all, it is our education. We paid for it. Every one of us, from incoming freshman to seniors to alums, feels lucky to be at Brown. We worked hard in high school, developed our interests and understood Brown's important role in furthering our education. In this race for achieving our personal goals, we have truly forgotten that we are customers at Brown. We give our personal merits less credit than luck for allowing us to be here. We didn't win our acceptance in the lottery — we earned it.
Banner is simply a tool. What good is a system if it is restraining us from the academic freedom promised to us? If my argument makes sense and calls out to you, please write to the University Registrar explaining the validity of such an option that will be useful to us and the future generations of Brown students.
Manas Gautam '12 gives lessons in fishing and can be reached at manas_gautam [at] brown.edu.
