Failing Students

[Wolf]

Well, after much correcting, I submitted my marks to my liason officer, dean and some lady who is even higher up in the department than my dean. Anyway out of 290 or so students only 6 failed. They were all from the literature classes (total combined 200 students, the rest were speaking classes.) My dean said that my pass to fail ratio sounded "just about right" so I guess I both a) did my job and b) didn't inadvertently step on any toes.

This lady co-signed each one of my mark sheets, in front of me. Apparently, my university is serious about marks being above board.

I tend to be a wuss of a marker. If a student attends all the classes, and makes obvious improvements I tend to be merciful when it comes to borderline cases. Still, there are those who just didn't do well enough to pass.

Well, that leaves me now, with my marks all submitted and everything. So one of the students I failed calls me tonight and wants a re-test. He had already talked to the department, and they told me to call me.

I don't feel happy about failing people. But, to be frank, he (and the others) deserved it.

So, if all things were equal, I'd just blow him off. It was his choice not to come to class, to make mistakes I explicitly warned about, to ignore all the things we went over in class, etc.

But does that make me an imperialistic oppressor, taking away some guy's only chance at getting ahead? Or am I taking my job too seriously, do you think?

For what it's worth, two of the other FEs have been gone for days and are obviously not giving re-tests. Also my dean told me that he actually has failed more of the students in the same group than I have (he taught the same students linguistics, while I taught them British/American literature.)

Okay, I've said enough. Go nuts. Let me know what you'd do (and what you actually do/did in similar situations.)

[Hamish]

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60% is passing.

I failed about 30.

Those with zeros were found to be copying or otherwise cheating.

[Chinasyndrome]

I have 45 students in 4 classes. ;D They were given implicit instructions (in writing) at the beginning of the semester, had monthly tests which included their 'clinical' notes, participation in EVERY class, fluency, pronunciation, use of words learned, a written test based on the words they've learned, and general behaviour. Pass mark was set at 80% and 60% of their final score was derived from the aggregate of their work over the semester. 4 failed (78.5-79.5%) and 2 were right on 80%. Even though the 2 passed they were pipped by students in the class under them who received higher aggregate scores.

I had a meeting on Tuesday with the uni president, medical college president and head of the English dept. They wanted to be tougher than me and fail the kids by not letting them do the 2nd semester, which means the kids can only do the 5-year BA program and not the 7-year MA. I think that's too harsh so I disagreed and the kids get to live for another semester.

Only 1 guy, who is a good speaker but a lazy swine said it was 'unfair' and wanted a retest. Showed him his class-by-class breakdowns and he shut up. I've told the kids that they're going to be doctors one day and a 60% success rate isn't good enough. It's great to be backed up by the uni, even if some of their ideas are really harebrained.