With Thanksgiving break approaching, students have started turning in their last assignments and preparing for finals.
However, it is difficult for students to prepare to do well on finals when their grades are not uploaded or up to date.
“We have surpassed the midterm point, and between the canceled classes and lack of graded communication, I am not sure if the material is making sense,” sophomore Millie Bugler said. “We are coming into another presentation, and without a reference of how well my first was, I don’t know how to go about another.”
Not knowing their grades can be frustrating for students because without a score, they don’t know where they stand in classes, causing extra stress.
Sophomore Erica Khatter is concerned with her performance in her classes.
Without knowing her grades, nothing can calm those nerves.
“This makes me feel stressed and anxious, and like I am not doing well in the class or that I’m doing something wrong. That then feeds back into the stress and it’s a never-ending cycle,” Khatter said.
For students applying to other programs, GPA is an important factor in the application process.
If grades are not being put in promptly, it is hard to track, affecting students’ abilities to explore new opportunities.
“My GPA could be toiled with, and I am applying to go abroad. I can’t know my academic standing for it because of this,” Bugler said.
However, not all professors are inefficient in the grading department, some make sure to prioritize timeliness for students.
"I think my students-- especially in upper-division classes-- need prompt feedback on their assignments so that they can continue to improve across the semester,” said Vaughn May, a professor in the political science department. “Additionally, I prioritize getting grades back quickly so that students can make timely decisions regarding our registration calendar.”
But for those professors who don’t grade in a timely manner, sophomore Kiara Mullin said she wishes professors were held to the same accountability as students.
In her Interdisciplinary Learning Community class, she said she has completed over 10 assignments but still does not have a grade.
“I can understand that professors are busy, but so are the students. We turn our things in when they’re due and expect professors to grade them in a timely manner,” Mullin said. “Simply make it clear when we can expect grades. Transparency goes such a long way.”
Khatter said that students should be given some level of respect by professors for completing work on time.
“Professors should prioritize grading as we prioritize doing the work for their class. The road goes both ways,” she said.
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This article was written by Bree Fabbie