The University of Baltimore allowed its employees to change students’ grades without oversight or approval from a school dean, according to a state audit.
In a review of 30 randomly selected cases in which students’ grades were changed, state auditors found that eight of the changes were not documented as having been approved by a dean’s office, where required. Grade changes recorded by someone other than a class teacher must be approved by a dean, according to school policy.
The University of Baltimore, which enrolled roughly 6,000 students last semester, recorded 6,837 grade changes from September 2007 through July 2010.
The audit also reported that nearly half of students’ grades that were recorded in fall 2009 and spring 2010 were not independently verified by second employee, as required.
Maryland’s Department of Legislative Services, which conducted the audit, reviewed 605 grades recorded in the 2009-2010 academic year and found 245 grades were recorded without oversight by another employee.
University System of Maryland Chancellor William Kirwan says the school has since corrected its grading oversights.
