THE FACULTY of Arts and Letters (AB) is set to increase the minimum passing rate to 60% from 50% starting this academic year to enhance the quality of student outputs, the faculty secretary said.
The revised passing rate will apply to all undergraduate students, including incoming freshmen and continuing students across all year levels.
AB secretary Asst. Prof. Louie Benedict Ignacio said the revision was discussed by members of the academic senate, noting that AB was the last academic unit in UST to implement a 50% passing rate.
“[A]B is the last academic unit with 50 as [the] passing [rate]. All the rest, their minimum passing is 60. In other units, it’s 65. In other units, it’s 75. So, AB was the only academic unit remaining with a 50% passing rate,” Ignacio told The Flame.
“Increasing the passing [rate] will require students to not settle [for] just half of the score in their performance. Targeting a higher passing [rate] means producing a better quality of their outputs,” he added.
A new grade transmutation table is being developed to implement the adjustment in the grading system.
Zero-based
The Legal Management program, which follows a zero-based grading system, will retain its existing grading policy.
“It will not affect Legal Management because they follow a zero-based grading system. They do not use transmutation, so their passing grade remains at 75,” Ignacio said.
The faculty also clarified that the updated passing rate would have no effect on the qualifications for the dean’s list.
Artlets were encouraged to review the revised grading guidelines once they are released and to consult their instructors or department offices for clarification if needed. F
