—The'Highaeres Collegian
A Failing
Grading System?
The grading system of Penn State is certainly
familiar to each and every student attending
Highacres. The system is 90-100—A, 80-89—B, 70-79—C,
60-69—D, and below 60 is failing. It is one of those
systems that few students question. However, it does
have its weaknesses.
The system, as it now stands, is too general, and it
does not give a true measurement of a student's
achievement during a term. For example, student A
and student B have the same class. Student A finishes
the term with an 82 average while student B finishes
with an 87 average. According to the present system,
both students will receive a B for the course which does
not give an accurate picture of the total achievement of
the students.
To correct this situation, it is necessary to in
corporate into the present grading system B+, C+,
and D+. The system would be set up something like
this: 90-100—A, 85-89--B+, 80-84—B, 75-79—C+, 70-
74—C, 65-59—D+, 60-64—D. Returning to the above ex
ample, student A would receive a B as a final letter
grade while student B would receive a B+. This shows
that student B had a higher achievement than student
A rather than the same achievement.
Another proposed system would be as follows: 95-
100—A, 90-94—B+, 85-89—B, 80-84—C+, 75-79—C, 70-
74—D+, 65-69—D. Students should be aware, however,
that this system would present several difficulties. The
main one would be, of course, the difficulty of obtaining
an A. In addition, someone whose average Is an 84 is
already in the C range. For these reasons, we feel, the
first system is the better of the two.
No matter which system is used, it would be better
than our present one, and we feel this is a needed
change at Penn State. What do you think?
From The
Editor's Desk
One thing we arid most place to‘clo so than at college. A
astonishing at Highacres is that college reporter can pick up
many journalism majors on cam- many of the "tools of the trade,"
pus do not become involved with for instance,the rules governing
campuS , neWsPiPet.' .',4oUrrtollstleqcitm and.: style, the
cannot say Whether thit situation letiftinology associated with
is typical of other colleges; but in journalism, and more. Aisq, a
discussions with some other Penn former staff member can listhis
State branch campus editors, we college newspaper experience on
were told that similar situations a job resume when applyinkfor
do exist at their campus k alter college.
reasoning behind a j e exposure of a reportel to
bound student's decisio , „!.,....4ptito different people he :en
work on his college newspaper - Counters will help him to round
staff would seem to indicate that out his personality, to discover
he has no real desire to become a new insights, to share ideas, to
jounkalist Ua- student, fits into „cooperate with other people, to
the 'lair& :.catergaiiii,ethtin:Ale , !,` niathrirsidlitschiricihimseW AU
should riot Waste his time prepar- this comes from working on acol
ing for a career in journalism. lege newspaper staff.
Why is being on a college Competition is what survival is
newspaper staff so important for„ allabout; it is a very real and tuf
a jourrialism-bOund "student? ' -portant part of everyday life.
Here are thgve,g . .,ev reasons , but Plants compete for water,
there are more; ``Oe“. and soil. Animals Om
posure, and compet ition., ;seta' for food and shelter: As
On-the-job experience: that students, we know what it islike
staff reporter gets is almost to compete for grades. Working
limitletrily beneficial and useful. on a newspaper staff alsd in-
By interviewing campus of- VOiVeS competition. Writers Oom
ficials, faculty members, and Pete to get their articles printed.
students, the college reporter The best writers survive, In a
practices his style of reporting; if sense, and move up the evolu
he wants to change his style of tionary ladder to become the
reporting or work on it to his reporters and editors of tornor
satisfaction, there- is no better "row... . „
Opinions an
1.
..." fi.
it- 3 - 4 " efa..e ; e ). .
I i• ,1 t•
~
New term brings new opportunities
Many students, looking back on
the fall term, realize that it may
have been less frenetic had they
not postponed major writing
assignments and other term pro
jects until the last week.
Regardless of its outcome, the
fall term is gone for some, im
mortalized; for others, dead and
deeply buried but this term
may yet be salvageable.
The first step is to organize and
space the work load. Acquire one
of those appointment calendars
and mark all assignments on the
due dates. If a teacher is unable
to give the exact date of a test or
essay, estimate the approximate
date and make the notation. Since
professors rarely consult with
one another about the timing of
course assignments and since
many give mid-term and final ex
ams, the fifth and, tenth weeks of
the term. will probably have
many listings, while, the other
weeks may be relatively free, ex
cept, perhaps,: for those never
ending English comp
assigintmota. , Probably, some
the work can be completed; or
almost. completed, well before
the due dates. CertainlyAhose
assignments involving outside
researetrbeibrig in this category:.
Students who write and type
these assignments early in the
tern s _ „ "plot, sleppless
nights and poor giada
47 - iy tirekrvage - the
term to realize that it won't fin
proiOyAlfiStudents Wlirf o
" 1 7,
4 r_ t Itt
Thefil i gtiacOtV
priiiiii'ketfeii''
to the editpc„
Comments
not satisfied with writing or test
results should make an appoint
ment with the teacher as soon as
possible. Even the best teachers
can rarely help failing students in
the ninth or tenth week of the
term. If problems are understood
and goals are clarified early in
the term, the possibility of more
successfully completing the term
increases.
College is not a system designed
by teachers to give students
ulcers. It is, among other things,
a "space" for thinking about and
experimenting with ideas,
systems of organization, and
priorities. No_ one has to give up
partying, dating, or sports to be a
"good" student. But students who
manage to avoid conflicts bet
ween these activities and due
assignments will probably be
more satisfied with the .results of
this term's efforts than they were
with last term's achievements.
, •
.. , .
-r
H , IGACRESOIJ.E,CJ,.N
,Vol„IS, N 0.3 - - ~ -
~
. : ;Dec. hi, 1980
-" -- BOARD OF DIRECTORS s.;• . , , ,
Executive Editors ...c .. it ...-. ~ .-.. i'.4 .., ,. v , . ~,, ,
~ „ I .:Charlene M. Scheib
. ''` 7. 'William IL gliernan
Kenneth J. Skuba
Associate Editors ' - ' ~ -' f ;':': .. ' ' 4- -Chititophei C. Tartar
• ' . "- .:t. ' 5 ~.7 " . :-.
~ - .'", , - 1 ': ,: ,I, r 70,,..: z TKO) , Yale
.25 ~.:-.,0-,.„, ~
.„. i ~,,,, , ze ~.; , ~,.., :: G;proikyiroshilt, Jr.
News Editor - ~.,,, . ;s:..i . ;# -
' Kim Macitunis
Compositiortors .. , ' -”' ' ' ' Lori Kunkel
, $ : , :.4 '5 .7--.. titre' Meiser
Ptilifitte &Ste . ," - ''' ,"- '' -)- - - - -: - .:;4,!.:t. ~,, ~,, ~ - .-47.:-2.-1.4 .CindgEvancho
t .. lDrigHeicling, er
Assistant Sports Editor Wed thimm
t;llitsit Ups. . or:, ir ''
' ''' '' biliaeWillianis
' nagtors ..4 i Debbie Gorman
"'.. 4 5- - 't" . .. of:' !.. 2'.. .Adicbele Ritz
Photography Editor 1 Christopher Nash
Artists hfichaet Ldoili Bmisot, Orbit* tiatioM, Cheryl Shive
. .PhetNinii4vv,7l " . ' Bob KelferAmyymbhiskie,
Charles Or Tom Topoleskie, Catherine Vieira
Vilteei„ #. 5 4. 7- 7r
i - , ahinucltitsbodt,vimprd tn.
Lisa gl34ey, Chris Hausammann, Marie Klapac, Joe
Jul** , OM Y. lwerix no ?germ Carel Pribk
sky, poithen : fteelitAtontilifahnlelfithethiAfiti ''.*4lo
Jay Seralln, Joe Them, Jerry Timidly, Bild Warg, Plim;
' ' - • '• " - $ .,;. Weelits, Mary Beth Ifemola, Enoch Zaleski.
SpeciatCorrespondent - Jane Ann Bugds
Adviiret;;.:•. :t. :i '..1 c.-. , -'s I 4 ',..' •"•.• s--1 r-,..-:.4'. 4: • ..-sr: mersust Cote
The offi c e Of 41 . IE H IG HACRES 1
HACRES COILEGLti is located in Rni : 108 in the South
building ~Offica boors OruMelidaY, Wednesday, and Friday trees titan p.m. to 12:45 pm.
*Whams slut beitiatigett by appojatment.
Unsigned editorials represent the official view of the COLLEGIAN. Views ilqweeped
in bylinedrartieles are thole of the individual contributor and do not reflect the official
view of the COLLEGIAN. Responsible cOmment is invited. Letters To The Editor should
be signed and mailed or delivered to THE RIGRACRES COLLEGIAN office. ,
THE HIGHACRES COLLEGIAN is published twice each term by the students of the
Hazleton Highacres Campus of the Pennsylvania State Univebitit; - ,
Community values
Highacres library
The library at the Hazleton
Campus of the Pennsylvania
State University is a very
valuable asset to our community.
The library serves many high
school students, engineers, pro
fessionals, and other members of
the community.
In addition, the library also
lends Audio Visual equipment to
the local organizations of the
Hazleton Area.
Thelibrary is also noted for the
permanent art collection. The art
works include prints of water col
ors and oil paintings, sculptures,
photography, lithographs, and et
chings. The collection includes
works by many local as well as
international artists. Assistant
Librarian, Kathleen Stone is
presently compiling an art
catalog of the art work found in
the library.
Recently, the library was
visited by Miss Barbara Smith,
coordinator of the Com
monwealth Campus Libraries
and Mrs. Suzanne Streidrick,
chief of Bibliographic Services,
University Park, and Com
monwealth Campuses.
While at the Hazleton Campus
library Mrs. Streidrick checked
the card catalog so that it will
concur with the card catalog at
University Park; the catalogs
will be on a computerized system
starting January 1, 1981. All com
monwealth campuses will be
receiving new booklists on
microfilm. The commonwealth
campuses will be using the com
puterized system for interlibrary
loan. The Highacres campus
library may be linked to Univer
sity Park on this computerized
system, giving students here ac
cess to the vast resources of in
formation at the main campus.
ht,the future, all commonwealth
campuses will be using the com
puterized card catalog system.