Any students still enrolled at Queen’s as of May 1, 2011 will see some changes on their academic transcript.

When the new system is implemented, professors will assign letter grades to students instead of percentage grades.

These letters correlate with a pre-decided grade point. This figure will be added to a specific course weight, 3.0 for a half-credit course, and 6.0 for a full-credit course. To calculate the grade-point average, all figures will be added and divided depending on the total course weight used.

For students who graduate before May 1, their transcripts will still reflect the old percentage system and will not contain GPAs. For students who have grades in both the old percentage system and the new GPA system, grade points will be assigned to each percentage grade in order to calculate the student’s overall grade point average.

Hugh Horton, associate dean of Arts and Science, said the new grading scheme shouldn’t result in different outcomes for students.

“The departments have the authority to set the marking scheme for the course,” Horton said.

“Instructors [will still] produce marking schemes for students.” Percentage grades up to May 1, 2011 will remain on transcripts. Also, a grade point will be assigned to each percentage which will be used to calculate a student’s GPA.

— Katherine Fernandez-Blance