Last minute OCC grade change

[Ladyjane2112]

I am writing about Oakland Community College in Michigan and their decision to change their grading policy and apply it to existing students. I was a second year student who had done well in school and was suppose to graduate in December of 2008. This did not happen because just before starting class we were informed of a grade policy change and I ended up having a very tough theory instructor for my last med-surg course. In fact she was incompetent and caused quite a few of my classmates to "fail" as well. We all exceeded the old requirements, but were a few points short of their new expectations.

I realize the importance of educating safe nurses, but we did not make it that far into the program by being incompetent. We all even had more than enough total points to meet the new requirement, but you have to score 80% or higher on theory exams (as opposed to the 75% we had always needed) before they will add term papers and the other small assignments. This change messed up a lot of lives since people had all made it to the end and then were given the boot. I am wondering if this has ever happened in any other schools and what other people think about this. The only thing the school did is "allow" us to come back for two more courses to get an LPN certificate. I am going to become an LPN, but in my heart of hearts I made it to RN (all I had left to take is a transition to nursing course). I also feel for anyone left in the program since the 80% is quite a high expectation and people are failing other courses left and right. It has always been my understanding that you are held to the grading policy stated in the catalog for the year you started college, am I wrong??? We worked very hard to get where we were and we deserved to graduate. If 75% was considered unsafe the what about all the nurses they graduated under the old requirement? Should have been applied to newcomers only!!!

[Just_An_Illusion]

I'm at HFCC and we always needed at least an 80% in order to pass lecture exams. I thought that OCC was the same. Did they make this change for fall semester? Did they update the student handbook and redistribute to all students?

I do agree that first it sucks! Second, they shouldn't change the rules along the way. If that is the new requirement, it should apply to new admits versus current students who where already held to another pre-existing standard. Do get your LPN and get clinical experience in the mean time. It will give you an extra edge in this crappy job market once you graduate with your RN.

Good luck to you.

[Ladyjane2112]

They made the change in fall by way of an addendum. It was basically a typed page that was handed out in class, but it was not updated in handbooks, either through the college or the nursing program. It was also not in the syllabus for the class we were taking. It was very frustrating!

[ToxicShock]

Petition it, pursue it, fight it. This is not right, and you deserve to graduate as an RN. Why is it ok for LPNs to reach 75%, but RNs need 80%? What the hell difference does it make?

I don't think it's right for them to change it on you like that, without even officially putting it the book. I'm surprised in OCC; I thought they were better than that. I suggest getting a free consultation with an attorney - it costs nothing but your time.

[Ladyjane2112]

It's 80% for the LPN's also, but they decided to essentially allow us to retake the equivalent course for the LPN and then get our certificate.

[a_damsel]

hmmm, couldn't you just have retaken med surg 2 this year then continue on to transitions. my understanding is that you are allowed to retake a class 1x if you don't pass the 1st time.

[Ladyjane2112]

Actually their policy is that you can retake one class throughout the program. This technically counted as my second "failure" and the reason for this is that I had an instructor just out of foundations basically target me and fail me after weeks of belittling me over minor mistakes. She was even trying to tell me I had done things before that I had no experience with. This instructor is known for failing students in her clinical group. I had some instructors that were very caring and seemed to want their students to succeed, but a few of the instructors there treat students with disrespect and belittle them rather than teaching them. If I hadn't experienced what I have during my time there I would not believe some of the stories I have heard from other students. I never had any other clinical instructor complain about my performance and this was during my first rotation out of foundations. That and the fact that I know other victims of this instructor tells me that it was her not me. I realize the importance of accuracy in nursing, but mistakes are part of learning and it was her job to oversee me and teach me.

[a_damsel]

oh, i'm sorry to hear that. i understand what you mean about the clinical instructors. i've had a few like that. you just have to try to do your best, stay low on their radar and do not challenge them. like someone before said, you can try to petition. though, your situation in foundation will not look good. did you petition when that happened? the next option would be to just accept this and go on to do a LPN-RN conversion. best of luck.