Eight students have graduated with 4.0 averages in ?the past seven years
By Jonathan Hiser Staff Writer
UP seniors receiving their diplomas on May 4 all have at least two things in common: They're graduating and none of them have a 4.0 GPA. According to Br. Donald Stabrowski, C.S.C., UP provost, the absence of a summa cum laude in the 2008 class is not rare and is actually good for the university's reputation.
"It means we're too easy if we have a 4.0, so this is a sign that you have a tough school," Stabrowski said. "As a chief academic officer, I'm very proud of that, because it means we have rigor."
Eight students graduated with a 4.0 in the past seven years. Three of these students belonged to the 2007 class, according to Karen Nelson, director of Institutional Research.
Associate Provost and Graduate School Dean Thomas Greene said he is not overly anxious about students leaving without a 4.0, citing that other aspects make a well-rounded student.
"There are other measures besides the GPA to ensure the competence of the students," Greene said.
GPA is the sole consideration in the selection of university scholars and holds significant sway for choosing the valedictorian, Stabrowski said. University Scholars are the graduating seniors with the highest average in each of the five schools. Only students' UP GPA is counted, not their overall GPA. Stabrowski said the reason for excluding transfer credits is to create a fair playfield for seniors.
"You can't go to a junior college, get an A, and then expect us to give you credit for that," Stabrowski said.
From the five scholars, the deans of each department agree upon a valedictorian. The lack of a perfect GPA complicated the search for a valedictorian this year as every school had a student with a GPA above a 3.9. Stabrowski said the selection gives preference to the highest GPA, but added that more goes into the decision than grades.
"We look at what they did, what they studied and the final thing: can that person get up in front of 6,000 people and give a five-minute speech?" Stabrowski said.
Sitting as the School of Education Chair, Greene said he and others hold high standards for students who are leaving, which include passing tests within their discipline.
"They are not only well prepared in passing all their local and national standards, but also with the warmth that needs to be in the classroom," Greene said. "We have all of these words to describe it, but teaching is really about leading."
University Scholar Anne Graner said she recalled the School of Education embedding this skills as early as her freshman year.
"You're leading small groups and mentoring students right from the start, so even as a freshman you're comfortable developing that leadership quality in the classroom," Graner said.
University Scholar Elise Heeringa received the highest GPA of all students within the College of Arts and Sciences. Despite their academic honor, both Heeringa and Graner said grades should not dictate a student's life.
"It's important to get the most out of your classes, so getting a good grade isn't the end all to going to college," Heeringa said.
Stabrowski said the rigor of the classes is due partially to the wide range of required courses.
"Because the core is so large, you're in every field in the four years that you're here, so it's hard to imagine that everyone loves everything so great," Stabrowski said.
Taking core classes was sometimes "a drag" for Heeringa, but she said it made her more well-rounded.
The average graduating GPA for 2007 undergraduates was tied for the highest score in the last five years at 3.57. UP ranks the GPA for each graduating class up to fall semester of that year. The average GPA for 2008 undergraduates will not be determined until the end of spring semester.
