1. Mia Orlandi
Comm 460
2/15/15
Case Study #1
This case study is revolved around an interesting situation involving students at Oberlin
College in Ohio. Many students who attend this college have received failing grades in their
classes because they spent their time protesting. These students failed classes due to skipping
class, missing assignments and tests, and lack of studying. Students were protesting against the
recent deaths of many colored Americans by police officers. After receiving these grades,
students wrote a petition to college president Marvin Krislov, asking for a pass on their failing
grades, and an understanding of the real-life learning process they have went through during this
time. At most colleges, once a grade is received, it is set in stone unless an individual with an
important case comes through. In his letter back to students, Krislov states that “We are in firm
agreement that suspending grading protocols is not the way to achieve our shared goal of
ensuring that students have every opportunity and resource to succeed” (Baldwin, 2014.) Here it
is said that this college has ‘grading protocols’ which indicate policies that are already in
existence with this institution. Krislov and the rest of the academic deans basically had two
decisions, they could either let the students receive a pass grade, with understanding of their
desire for equality, or they could give students their deserving grades.
There are many conflicts and values that come into play with this situation. Good and
bad, for example, plays a big part in this dilemma. Is the president of the college considered bad

2. because he won’t help the students with their grades, or is he good because he wants educated
young men and women to come out of his college? Are the students good for standing up for
what they believe in, or are they bad for missing class and trying to seek the easiest way out?
Right or wrong is also another controversy in this situation. Was skipping class and protesting
right, or wrong? Was Krislov’s decision to keep the students’ existing grades right, or wrong?
Would Krislov be right to pass them, knowing many students didn’t receive that proper
education needed for their degree? While we can see standing up for other people as a very good
and right thing to do, we can also see the understanding and passing grades of students as another
good and right thing. Some of the values that come into play include professional values. These
can includes questions of whether or not the president of the college is holding up his duties as a
professional, and whether the students are holding up theirs as future degree holders. Another
value that is of importance is the idea of hard work in the American culture. Americans value the
idea of hard work and the deserving outcomes. This value is conflicted in terms of the students
working hard as protestors, but not in the classroom.
Some of the traditions that can be applied to this case include the concept of moral duty.
Moral duties include the responsibilities of being a member of society, which involves
maintaining this society. It is important to remember who is being a better member of society-
the students, or the president of the college. Keeping this in mind makes the decision making
easier. In addition to this, the concept of integrity is also important. Integrity can be defined as
being honest with good moral principles. It is important to decipher exactly who was honest and
had the best motives in the situation in order to make a decision.
While this is a very controversial and ethical situation, I believe that Krislov made the
correct choice in not changing the student’s grades to passing. Why? Class time is important.

3. This is where professionals are made. If this was high school, it wouldn’t be as big of a deal.
Students are learning how to becomes nurses, businessmen, and police officers. In my opinion, I
wouldn’t want my future leaders out there making decisions if I know that they haven’t had all
the educational requirements met for their career. While they may have the grade on paper, that
learning process in the classroom will not be there with them, and that is a very scary thing to
me. This relates directly back to the idea of moral duty, which was mentioned previously. Moral
duty is the concept being responsible for duties which help maintain society. In order to do this,
the principle and staff must remember that our society needs smart, educated young graduates. If
these students receive passing grades without earning it, this is putting the wrong type of people
into society. It is very important that this situation is looked at through this concept in order to
understand my decision and opinion on the situation. While this decision may hinder students
right now, they will be grateful that they end up getting that education back in the long run.

4. Sources:
Baldwin, M. (2014, December 17). Students at Oberlin College seek a 'pass' on failing grades
because they were out protesting. Retrieved February 12, 2015, from
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/local-news/oh-lorain/students-at-oberlin-college-seek-a-pass-
on-failing-grades-because-they-were-out-protesting