As an instructor in a growing community college, one of your ongoing dilemmas is how to fairly and appropriately issue grades. The administration has been concerned with what appears to be grade inflation and has encouraged you to make every effort to give grades which truly reflect performance.

In an effort to be fair and objective, you request students to turn in shop projects and major exams with only their social security numbers as identification, so it will be less likely that you would know whose work you are grading. You also spell out very clearly at the beginning of the semester the criteria you will be using to assess grades.

After midterm grade reports are given to the students, Tracy, one of your students, comes into your office and explains that he must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in order to keep the scholarship he has. Further, he explains that if he loses his scholarship, he will not be able to return to school the next semester. Tracy presently has an overall average in you class of 80%, which is a "B-", which carries a grade point of 2.7. You suggest to Tracy that he really apply himself and get his grade up to a B.

After the final exam, Tracy's average has risen to 81.5%. You normally consider 83% to be the bottom line for a "B", and this is what you indicated on the syllabus given out at the beginning of the semester. However, this year the class average is higher than normal, and 81.5% is one of hte lowest grades earned in the class.

Questions:

What factors would you consider when determining Tracy's grade?

What grade would you give Tracy?

Why?