Student government members are researching the option for undergraduates' transcripts to have the average class grade in a course or show where that student scored in relationship to the class.
Under the average grade option, if the class earns a 2.0 grade-point average, the 2.0 average will appear on transcripts next to each undergraduate's actual GPA.
The percentile option measures a student's standing in a class, compared to others in that class. For instance, an 80 percentile ranking would appear on a student's transcript if that student earns a 3.5 GPA in a class that earned an average 2.0 GPA, ASMSU's Association Director Paul Harmon said. This means the student earned a grade equal to or higher than 80 percent of the class' students.
Assembly members said these options should be added because there has been an increase in job competition among undergraduates. Many students are graduating with similar academic merits, which makes it hard to distinguish between potential job candidates, members said.
Academic Assembly Chairperson Dan Weber said these changes to transcripts would apply to all of MSU's 15 colleges and can fight grade inflation.
Academic Assembly External Vice Chairperson Vinay Prasad said employers need something to help them hire "the best."
"(Students) will need more than a good grade on their transcripts to set them apart from everyone else," he said.
But human biology junior Walker Foland said students sometimes have personal situations that prevent them from achieving high academic grades.
"They shouldn't generalize who you are or your abilities in one particular time in your life," he said.
This fall, some students at the University of Michigan will begin seeing the average grade option on their transcripts.
U-M's Student Assembly Vice President Anita Leung mentioned the idea of adding average class grades to transcripts when she spoke with Weber at the annual Association of Michigan Universities conference, a convention that brings together student government leaders from across the state.
Leung said at U-M, the average grade on transcripts only applies to the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts because of the large number of students enrolled in the college. U-M officials began to notice that a high number of undergraduates were graduating with honors compared to students in other colleges.
She said administrators hope to level out competition between colleges at U-M.
Because the options are relatively new ideas for MSU, and because research is just beginning, Weber said the assembly is not sure which direction it will take.
"We don't know if it will have the average grade, the percentile, or both," Weber said in reference to the transcripts. "We are still discussing which way to go."
