Academic Standards At MHC: Then and Now

Jessica M. Dupont

Mount Holyoke College works hard to exude the image of tradition and community as something that sets it apart from other institutions out there.  As stated on the Mount Holyoke Web site, “Mount Holyoke is the nation's oldest continuing institution of higher learning for women.” It is apparent from the moment you set foot on the campus that this is one of it’s major selling points.  From the look of the buildings, to the quirky traditions that have spanned generations that tour guides make sure to include while showing around prospective parents and students, Mount Holyoke is a college who’s greatest strength and respectability rests on its reputation of community that fosters a superior level of education for the young woman who attend.  However, when taking a closer look, it is apparent that as do all things, so to does Mount Holyoke change over time.  They fight to make the changes as non-damaging to the Mount Holyoke image as possible, but these changes are inevitable.  One of these subtle but obvious changes is the academic standards by which the women that attend this institution are held to, most interestingly the grading system.

In looking back on records from the late 1940’s and 1950’s, it is apparent that the grading system, most specifically the GPA was entirely different.  While now our girls strive towards a perfect 4.00, then a 1.00 was best.  Also, in looking back over records and seeing girls academically withdrawn, it is hard to compare if the standards then were higher then they are now.  To do this one must fully understand how the grading system worked in order to be able to compare them.  According to the MHC Bulletin, dated January 1948 (page 46), the grading system was as follows:

1=Distinction. Indicates work of distinguished excellence 

2=Superior. Indicates work above average, showing superiority in organization, interpretation, constructive ability, accuracy, originality, or other desirable qualities.

3=Merit. Indicates work expected of the average Mount Holyoke Student,  This more than meets the essential requirements in quality and quantity but still is not superior

4=Fair. Indicates work which meets most requirements in quality and quantity but falls short of the average achievement.

5= Passing. Indicates work which is inferior in quality of achievements, yet deserves some credit.

6=Failure. Indicates unsatisfactory work, definitely inferior to that of other students.

Their GPA was then calculated as an average of the grades they received in each course. So, while today we strive for a high GPA, at that time it was exactly the opposite.  Some insight to this can be found in Mary Browning’s letter to her parent’s dated February 6, 1948: “You will be interested to know that I just missed getting a 2 on my French exam and a 2 for the semester. Mrs. Bespaloff stopped me after class and told me how well I was doing in French and how much I had improved.  She said that I was now doing 2 work and that I certainly would have that grade for next semester if I continued doing the fine work I am now doing.”  While the numbers seem to be a more logical way of grading then our letter system by which we now follow, it also appears that the number system allowed for just as much teacher interpretation of what constituted each number.  As Mary goes on to discuss in this letter, some teachers based your final grade of the amount of errors you made over the course of the semester. “Today Mr. Sollenberger informed us of the grade each one is to have for the semester in Psychology. If a person made as many as 15 errors on the quizzes and the final combined the grade is 1.  From 16 to 26 is a 2 and then from 27 to 39 mistakes is 3 work.”

Taking this and now looking at how our current academics are structured, it is interesting to see what has changed and what has held over the years.  According to the Mount Holyoke Course Bulletin, our grading system now works as follows:

                        A =4.00                       C  =2.00

                        A-=3.67                       C-=1.67

                        B+=3.33                      D+=1.33

                        B =3.00                       D  =1.00

                        B-=2.67                       D-=0.67

                        C+=2.33                      F  =0

In many ways it seems that by changing over to the letter system it has allowed for a larger margin of academic standards due to the fact that the numbers a more spread out so as to allow a more specific grade.  We are assigned letter grades for each class, which are then converted to the number equivalent from which they are averaged to form our GPA.  One thing that remains consistent over the years is the right of the individual teachers to decide how their own grading system will work.  As stated in the Student Government Association Handbook from 1947-1948 (page 4): “ #4- Matters of Academic policy shall be under the jurisdiction of the Faculty. ‘Matters of academic policy’ are here understood to cover all matters having to do with the curriculum and the conduct of the educational work of the college…”.  Further more, it is similarly stated in the 2003-2004 Student Handbook the same, “Recognizing that any system of grading is but a cryptic form of evaluation, the faculty will interpret the grade on individual pieces of work with detailed commentary.”  This policy of allowing individual faculty members the freedom to interpret the grading system in a way they see fit is a characteristic of the college. By having this policy held the same over generations, it helps to foster the sense of community over the generations at MHC.

Now, after understanding the construction of the academic standards, it is easier to understand how the college has maintained their standards for enrollment.  For instance, according to the Student Government Association Handbook 1947-1948, it is outlined the reasons for which a student would be dismissed.  For example, a student would have been asked to withdraw if they received, “ 9 hours of “6” in one year or fails to receive at least 9 hours of “3” or better.” Also if a student received a cumulative total of  “6” or who does not meet the requirement of getting a cumulative total of “3” or better in 40 percent of her classes, she too will be dismissed.  Now the process is less complicated.  According the Mount Holyoke Student Handbook, a student must have a 2.00 to graduate. Furthermore, if a student is to fall below this level, the Academic Administrative Board would either put her on academic probation until she completes 16   credits with a semester grade of 2.00 or higher.  While the system for figuring these numbers out has changed over time, the basic standard of academic excellence is still being maintained over the years.

In order to analyze Mount Holyoke as a community, it is important to find key characteristics that are similar throughout the course of the college’s history.  Due to the prestige that has always been associated with Mount Holyoke College, it makes logical sense that the academic standards by which this prestige was earned would be honored over the years.

Bibliography

Mount Holyoke Web site http://www.mtholyoke.edu/

Mount Holyoke College Bulletin, January 1948, Archives and Special Collections, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA

Mary Browning Letters.  Mary Browning to her Mother, Archives and Special Collections, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA

Student Government Association Handbook 1947-1948

Mount Holyoke 2003-2004 Student Handbook