PUBLISHED: 05-11-09

About time college upped the ante on honors degrees

There are a lot of unique things about Columbia’s graduation ceremonies, but aside from the speakers, spectacles and performances, the other thing that sticks out like a sore thumb is that it seems like everyone is graduating with honors—40 percent of seniors, to be exact.

As reported in the May 4 issue of The Chronicle, the administration has hopes to change this by beefing up the requirements to graduate with honors.

While the distinction now only requires a 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher, the new system would require at least a 3.75 GPA and would also change to titles like, “Suma Cum Laude,” “Magna Cum Laude” and “Cum Laude.”

While these changes won’t be in full effect until freshmen entering Columbia in fall 2009 are seniors, it is a much-needed step, not only to make the college look like a more credible institution, but to make students who have worked hard throughout their college career feel more honored.

Still, it’s important to look at why so many students are graduating with GPAs of 3.5 or higher. Forty percent is a staggering number, and it only solidifies the fact that some of the courses at Columbia are not challenging enough. With a generous admissions policy, it’s no wonder that so many students are finding it easier to succeed, as our lacking curriculum has become a byproduct of this policy.

It’s obvious there is a disconnect between establishing this new honor and the philosophy of our college. Columbia is a college where the main appeal is its many differences from the “typical” college experience. Students love this, but if we’re going to implement a higher requirement for graduating with honors (something that is necessary), taking a look at our current curriculum is essential.

This means department heads shouldn’t slack off when it comes to implementing more difficult courses in the beginnings of various programs. While this may not be a desirable choice for some students, it is the only real way for faculty to properly measure students on their abilities, and really determine if they are the right fit for their specific major.

Graduation is a special time for students, but if we really want to start being taken seriously as a college, changes need to be made across the board.

Administrators need to work to create a curriculum that is intellectually and artistically challenging to students, otherwise there is little to be proud of once you graduate with honors.

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