Earlier this month the Student Union proposed an amendment to the existing pass/fail system at Brandeis. The new initiative, Pass/Fail Plus, would allow students to satisfy one of the eight general University requirements with a pass/fail grade. There are two distinct ways in which such a Pass/Fail Plus policy could be detrimental to the strength of academics at Brandeis. The first concerns the way this amendment will amplify the negative aspects of the already existing pass/fail policy. The second pertains to the problems of the Pass/Fail Plus policy itself.

Ordinarily, chances are that a student enrolled in a course pass/fail is taking the class out of pure interest. Curiosity alone may motivate a student to complete the assigned work.

On the other hand, students who use the Pass/Fail Plus option and enroll in the course to complete a University requirement may not be as interested in the subject matter, as their motivation for joining the class differs from that of the regular pass/fail student, and they will be less likely to keep up with their work.

This proposal would amplify the destructive consequences of the already existing pass/fail option. Undoubtedly, under the new Pass/Fail Plus option, more students will choose to take a class pass/fail each semester. It is likely that several more students per class will not be taking the course with intent to receive a standard grade.

Let's look at a hypothetical class to examine these consequences. Let's say it's a science class. This class of 25 students is marketed toward nonmajors. Certain interdisciplinary courses that are cross-listed between departments are, after all, most likely to be bombarded with students taking the class pass/fail under the new policy. I doubt most of the advanced, strictly departmental courses-many of which require prerequisites-will be affected. Even though the cushion of pass/fail status will encourage students to take more challenging classes, most students who do not plan on pursuing studies within that particular field will not want to put the additional time or energy into maintaining only grades that only need be above a C+. An English major may very well still be at risk of receiving a C or worse in Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy and will elect to enroll in a course like Astronomy to satisfy his or her science requirement regardless of Pass/Fail Plus.

In these cross-listed courses, it is very likely that students who take the class pass/fail to fulfill a University requirement will not complete the assigned readings for each class and will not be prepared every time. Really, what is their motivation to do as much work as the other students when they only need to earn a C+ to pass the course? This might not be such a big deal when only four students are taking the class pass/fail, but if more neglect to complete the assigned work, there will be repercussions. As with many courses offered at Brandeis, classroom discussion is a critical element of this science class. Now discussion of the assigned readings in class will be less enlightening, and the burden of participation will fall on the remaining students who did complete the readings. The entire class, including the professor, suffers as a result. This scenario would be amplified by the nature of the new Pass/Fail Plus option.

This policy is also detrimental to the entire purpose of University requirements and, by extension, the standard of academics here at Brandeis. The school requires certain standards of its students. Graduation requirements are flexible enough thanks to the wide diversity of courses offered and the frequency with which overlapping requirements can be satisfied. The satisfaction of these requirements can be an excellent opportunity for students to explore other disciplines and make connections with faculty in different departments before they seal themselves off in a particular field when they declare their majors. Think of the requirements as a gentle push by Brandeis to ensure students' full exposure to the liberal arts. Students can and should embrace this opportunity and not dismiss requirements as just something to "get out of the way." Pass/Fail Plus would only encourage this attitude.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, any Brandeis student is well aware that it can be immensely satisfying to be forced to work hard in a subject he does not consider his strong suit, especially when he ends up doing better than expected. Discipline for the sake of discipline can be extremely rewarding. In fulfilling University requirements, students are asked to learn how to struggle with their work. Completing majors can be time-consuming, but when students choose majors in areas they consider themselves naturally inclined toward, these majors can be relatively easy to satisfy. University requirements ask more of students, and the Pass/Fail Plus option would remove that necessary pressure.

Passing this proposal would exacerbate the problems already inherent in the existing pass/fail policy and undermine the principles of general University requirements. Its disadvantages outweigh potential advantages, and cross-departmental learning and the intellectual standard in the classroom would deteriorate as a result of its implementation.