Grade Distribution

We're wrapping up the grading. The only thing left to assess (and adjust down) are the formatting of the CDs. I was VERY explicit about how those files were to be named. Any CD not properly formatted will be dropped a letter grade.

The distribution for the grades prior to reviewing those CDs is right on track:
33% are A and B level grades (approx 56 people)
33% are C level grades (approx 56 people)
33% are D and F level grades (approx 56 people)
There is 1/3 of this class that is doing above average work. There is 1/3 who are performing average work. There is 1/3 that is performing below average. Notice that the As and Bs are about the work and the Ds and Fs are about performance problems. All the D and F level grades are such because things were either submitted late or not submitted. No one who submitted everything has a failing grade. We were clear all during the first 1/3 of the semester that turning work in on time is the primary and base-level criteria for passing the course. I believe that any of you could pass this class, though some of you have not yet shown the capacity to do so. With work and diligence any of you (except those with excessive absences) can pass this course.

Do not talk to your TA about grades until you have received your grade sheet. Your TA will not talk to you about your grade during class time. You will talk to your TA about your grade before you talk to me about it. You AND your TA will talk to me about you grade, if necessary.

For those of you who have made a simple error in submission, your TA will probably talk to you about how to adjust your submission appropriately. For those of you who think you've been sliding by and not attending or submitting work, this is when the lights come on and the problems are faced.

Those of you who submitted only a CD will be assessed a 0 for the first five weeks and you should in all likelihood drop the course.

We will no longer give "graces" for hard drive crashes. Back up your computer regularly. These, though some are real, have become the new "dog ate my homework". We've had 13 students with hard drive crashes out of an active population of about 167. I've done research and we're running almost triple in this class what researchers find is the usual percentages for hard-drive failures in a control group (3% in the first three years). Keep regular back-ups. If you don't have the files in the next submission then you will not pass.

If the work is not there at the beginning of class for the duration of the semester then it is not going to be graded and you are not going to be a part of the reviews. There are a small group of you who sit through class without work and whose work seems to magically appear at grading time. Don't think that because we smile we are fine with it. I like all of you but that doesn't mean you are doing well. It means you're a nice person. OK work is work that is there on time. As you can see from the grade distribution, submitting work on time and regularly is the base line for simply passing. Real above average and excellent work is then accorded the As and Bs from among the on time work.

There are a small group of you who are in trouble with absences. Assume you will be dropped from the course if you have more than four absences. I've already asked people to drop and they have. We are equitable. The syllabus is clear. An absence is an absence.

For some of you the continuing explanation of extenuating circumstances is getting in the way of the teaching. Please, either do the work and learn or go away. Either the work is there or it is not. Reasons for why are irrelevant. If the work isn't there, you aren't learning. Please, no more time with the TAs telling them why you don't have it. There are a group of you who take time to explain to me that "being an architect" is very important to you so you "must pass this class" or I should be "leinient" on you in the grading. Let me point out to you that the only way I succeeded in getting through architecture school was by being dropped from this course the first time I took it because of too many absences and not submitting work on time. It was the best thing that happened to me in school and I didn't come back for four years. I returned at a time when I was mature and focused enough that I didn't have more excuses than work and I could find the time for my studies. For those of you who are running these excuses and are working the angles I'd like to help you succeed like I did, if you know what I mean. Get it done or we'll help you go away.

Asking for special dispensation or being coercive about matters of assessment is against the university's Student Code of Conduct. Everyone is equal here. Quit asking for anything else.