The Department Faculty met every spring to decide on the "Distinguished Graduate" of their programs. The award is simply recognition. It did not come with any financial compensation.
The faculty of one department decided to give the award to a talented student. She was a double major, so she may also have been under consideration for another major's award. The student won a lot of awards that year. She was a 4.0 student. But like so many 4.0 students, there was a twist. Some 4.0 students maintain that average by taking the "hard courses" like Calculus and Physics at some other college. The course, as long as the student gets a "C" or better, is transferred back to their matriculated college as 3 credits and is not used in the GPA calculation.
The student decided to drop a 4th semester required course in order to preserve her 4.0 grade point average. She planned to take a summer or fall course elsewhere and transfer back the credits. She had applied for graduation in both majors, so she was on the list with her 4.0 average when the department faculty made the selection.
After the student accepted the award the truth came out. She was graduating with her other degree, but not the degree for which she had been awarded "Distinguished Graduate."
The department faculty met and decided that two other actual graduates deserved the recognition equally. The department wrote an email to the Dean stating the "Faculty wants to recognize their superior academic achievement and to add this deserved honor to their permanent records. They will also be able to include it in their personal resumes." It would not be the first time that the major had more than 1 distinguished graduate.
The Dean spent hours - one full work day - composing a response to the faculty. Within the letter were 7 points that she uncovered during her investigation. In essence, the student met every criteria except the part about being an actual graduate.
The Dean reasoned that since the student planned to take the math class over the summer, the Dean felt the student deserved the recognition.
The faculty counter-arguments were ignored. They didn't need 7 points. If a student does not graduate with a particular major, then they can't be that major's distinguished graduate.
The Dean said the matter was closed. Admitting an error would serve no purpose.
Unless, of course, Colleges were formed to seek the truth! |
