Students participate in walkout to protest grading system

Special to The Capital-Journal

EMPORIA -- About 300 Emporia State University students participated in a class walkout Wednesday to protest implementation of a plus/minus grading system in fall 2000, according to a student leader.

This week's protest comes on the heels of a referendum April 19- 21 when students voted 566 to 30 against implementing a plus/minus system, said Justin Holstin, Associated Student Government president. The faculty senate recently approved changing the plus/minus system in the spring 2000 semester to exclude grades of D+, D- and C- and making the system optional. President Kay Schallenkamp signed the legislation Tuesday. ESU now uses a system of straight A, B, C, D and F grades. The faculty senate passed and the president signed off on the revised system in hopes students would see it as a "kinder, gentler version of the plus/minus system." But, said Holstin, students aren't willing to compromise. "We've been fighting the plus/minus system for two years and faculty still aren't listening," Holstin said. "They've presented us with a compromise but it's not much of a compromise when it's our GPA. Gary Wyatt, faculty senate second vice president, said he doubts the protest will result in changes to the university policy.

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