No Thanks

The Law School faculty last week effectively ended consideration of a plan to use a pass-fail grading system for first-year students in their first semester.

In a non-binding "sense-of-the-Faculty" vote, law professors voted 20-7 against the plan, proposed by the Michelman Committee, a student-faculty group reviewing education at the Law School.

Frank I. Michelman, professor of Law and chairman of the committee, said last week that although the committee must now reexamine the issue, it will not propose a similar plan to the faculty next time.

But the prospects for pass-fail are not hopeless. Duncan M. Kennedy, professor of Law, said last week that it is possible that the Michelman Committee could include another pass-fail proposal as part of a much more "radical and innovative plan."

The Michelman Committee recommended the pass-fail plan three weeks ago, following a year of research, as part of a larger proposal to reduce pressure in the first year of law school and increase faculty contact with students.

The proposal also included recommendations to increase the number of teaching fellows and to withhold first-year grades from the Law Review, which currently uses grades in its membership selection.

The law faculty sent the proposals to increase faculty-student contact back to the committee for further consideration and tabled discussion of the Law Review question until the journal decides on a selection process.

In rejecting the pass-fail plan, the faculty debated whether grades are necessary to motivate students or to provide prospective employers with information.

James Vorenberg '49, associate dean of the Law School who will become dean in July, said last week that the vote against pass-fail represents a rejection only of the specific proposal. "Pass-fail is raised every few years, and it is conceivable that it will come up again," he added.

Richard C. Harper '75, a third-year law student, said last week he was disappointed with the faculty vote. "All those first-term grades do is add to the needless pressure of the first year. Instead of worrying about practicing law, people worry about doing well on exams," he said.

But Allen J. Rothman, another third-year law student said last week he approves of the faculty vote: "Employers must look at something, and exams are an equalizer for students with less prestigious resumes."