MCC Daily Tribune

Updates on Testing Cut Scores, Alternative Grading, and Transfer Credit Procedures

I would like to share three updates that are relevant for the summer and the upcoming academic year.

First, Faculty Senate recommended the proposed implementation of cut scores for English 101 and ALP via GED scores. These scores will be used immediately to place students into English courses.

Second, Faculty Senate recommended extending the provisional alternative grading options for students for the summer and fall semesters of 2020. Students will be given the option of selecting an "S" for satisfactorily meeting the learning objectives of the course; a "P" for passing the course; and a "U" for not satisfactorily meeting the learning objectives. Students were alerted to this decision in a Monday June 29th Trib announcement.

Third, as part of enrolling students for the upcoming academic year, MCC needs to quickly establish transfer credit procedures for handling alternative grading schema implemented by schools in response to the pandemic. Many of our transfer partners offered students alternative grading options and MCC's Transfer and Admission office is already processing transcripts with these credits. MCC's Faculty Senate previously endorsed a draft Transfer Credit Procedure. In this draft, in the section on Awarding of Transfer Credit, the procedure states: Transfer Credit is awarded for courses with a grade of C or higher. This includes grades of "P" (passing) or "S" (satisfactory). Because Faculty Senate will not be meeting again until fall, this draft procedure will be used for processing the transfer credits until such time as we finalize the procedure document formally. Credits will only be awarded by credit-bearing courses from regionally accredited postsecondary institutions. Additionally, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program did not hold culmination exams for students pursuing IB credit and diplomas. In lieu of the exams, coursework for subjects where student would have been required to sit for an exam are being marked by IB examiners. IB will provide final transcripts with scores and MCC can use these scores to award credit in the same manner we have in the past.

Andrea Wade
Academic Services
07/16/2020