A technology wave is about to transform the MSU grading process.

During finals week, professors for the first time will enter student grades by computer rather than the years-old standard of Scantron forms.

With the new program, grades should appear on MSU's student information Web site the same day professors post their marks, Registrar Linda Stanford said.

"We've done an extensive amount of training and some faculty feel they don't need training," she said.

The system was tested out on two colleges before its implementation and the defects were eliminated before putting it to use, Stanford said.

The new program offers faculty members several methods to update grades. They can upload a spreadsheet and fill in class grades or individually by student.

"The good thing about it for students is that they can probably get their grades more quickly when they look at STUINFO," she said.

But the system was already one of the fastest in the nation, Stanford said. Professors had 36 hours to turn in their grades with the old system, and that time has been increased to 72 hours.

"The 36 hours is not realistic, and that had been in affect for many, many decades," she said, adding it wasn't a requirement for faculty to turn in their grades with that deadline. "It's simply a guideline."

For professors who have to grade many essay exams, even 72 hours might not be enough.

"If indeed it's enforced, then that'll be a problem," English Assistant Professor Jennifer Fay said, adding that the old system allowed her an informal cushion of time to finish grading essays.

"I hope that's the case with the new one," she said.

Fay said otherwise, she doesn't see the change to be much different than past years.

"It's identical to the one that we usually used to do on paper," she said. "It just means that I punch in those numbers as opposed to somebody else."

And students will most likely enjoy the system more, she said.

"I know the students really like getting as much immediate feedback as they can," she said.

"It'll drive us all crazy because they'll want information more quickly."

Some professors said they are unsure if all the kinks are worked out of the program.

"It might save a little paper, but it could have bugs in it," said Danny Guthrie, an associate professor of art and art history. "The proof will be in the using, and we'll see how it works. I'm sure there'll be some glitches, but we'll have to figure it out."

Mathematics Professor John McCarthy said he doesn't expect the new system to affect them either way.

"It's fine with me, I use the computer all the time and I don't have any problems," he said. "It's sort of a convenience. I just don't have to bring my forms down to the office now."

Amy Bartner can be reached at bartnera@msu.edu.