A meeting of students, faculty and administrators convened Monday to discuss issues surrounding the eventual implementation of PeopleSoft software and its effect on the pass/fail grading option. Approximately 30 people attended to voice their concerns over the impending change, according to Union President Joshua Brandfon '05."It wasn't really a matter of progress," he said. "We felt it's important that students have a chance to voice concerns." Brandfon and other Union officials were joined by administrators and faculty members of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC).

The main concern in the ongoing debate over the PeopleSoft system has been the proposal of removing the anonymity of students who elect to take courses under the pass/fail option. For several months, it was assumed by many, including Union officials, that the loss of anonymity was technological, but it was reported in the Justice last week that the change has philosophical reasoning.

"There are no problems with the current pass/fail system," Finance Board Chair Mark Schlangel '05 said last night. "Any problems the Administration is suggesting are purely speculative." Administrators at the meeting included Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe and Vice President for Students and Enrollment. No administrators could be reached for comment.

Brandfon will attend Thursday's faculty meeting to present student opinion on the pass/fail issues. He intends to inform professors he knows of no students who have embraced the proposed changes. He said he will express to the faculty that "the major concern is that students will be treated differently."

"I think the meeting did a good job reminding the faculty present that no one student has reacted positively to this potential change," Senator for the Class of 2007 Jennifer Feinberg said in advance of Brandfon's appearance at the faculty meeting on Thursday.

Brandfon also said he has encountered faculty on either side of the issue.

"Their opinion is that they'll be able to be a better professor because they'll want to find out why students take classes pass/fail," he said of faculty endorsing the changes.

However, Brandfon has also spoken with professors skeptical of the PeopleSoft initiatives.

"A couple of the faculty I've spoken to aren't happy with the change," Brandfon said. He said that some professors have expressed hesitation because they do not want to see which students take courses pass/fail.

"Is it broken?" Brandfon said of the option. "The answer to that question is no."

-Benjamin Freed