Word: vaux
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Associate Professor of Linguistics Bert R. Vaux has suffered from this pressure. He asserts that in 1999, Jasanoff “ordered that [the number of students receiving an A or A-] should be no more than 25 percent.” Jasanoff denies giving a specific directive but admits that the 25 percent target “corresponds approximately to my philosophy.” Regardless, enrollment numbers in Vaux’s two big courses, Social Analysis 34: “Knowledge of Language” and Linguistics 80: “Dialects of English...
This spring, Vaux reduced the requirements of Linguistics 80 to bring them closer in line with other large Harvard courses, and over 500 students enrolled. He says he passed on to his teaching fellows Jasanoff’s order to limit A and A- grades, although Vaux suggested a limit of 50 percent instead of 25 percent. Still, he says, “This being my final year, we intend to go more on what students deserve,” although he added that it does not necessarily mean half his students will...
Indeed, that is the most logical and fair way to use the grading system. As Vaux says, “In my ideal grading world, you would set out the requirements of a class, and if they demonstrate that they’ve mastered them, then they get an A. But I’m not allowed to use that sort of grading system here.” Most students share Vaux’s belief that grades should be absolute, not relative. If I do well enough to get an A, I shouldn’t be denied...
Jasanoff says he is “interested in seeing to it that our courses are responsibly graded.” But, as Vaux points out, “In practice, grading is profoundly subjective.” As such, professors must try their best to set clear requirements for their students. If 70 percent of students produce A-quality work in a class, then so be it. We students are motivated to try our best when we think an A is within reach but not guaranteed. Arbitrary quotas are no way to make us do better work...
Palmer brought in the most money, and after a few last words, Chopra and Vaux sandwiched his face between two cream pies...