The Problem: How the standards should be applied?
Alicia is a history professor. She is highly student-centered: she cares about her students, she makes herself available beyond her office hours, and she works with students individually outside of class. She has a reputation for being fair. However, she also has a clear policy regarding class attendance and participation.
At the end of the semester she gives Julian a D. She reached this decision after reviewing his work several times and factoring in many absences. After the grades are posted, Julian makes an appointment to see Alicia. He explains that he is a member of the football team and is at school on an athletic scholarship. He comes from a poor family that can't otherwise send him to college. He very much wants to stay in school but can't keep his scholarship with a D. He must receive C's or better in all his classes. He asks if there is anything Alicia can do to help him raise his grade. Alicia reviews his record again and concludes that she had been generous in not failing him in the first place. The best she can do for him is to raise his grade to a C-. With that grade, Julian would still lose his scholarship. Alicia also knows that if she doesn't give Julian the C, she will receive pressure from the athletic director. It turns out that Julian is the star player of the team.
Alicia refuses to raise his grade any higher.
1. Do you think Alicia did the right thing?
2. If you do, why do you think she did the right thing?
3. If not, why not?
4. Do you think standards should be applied equally to all students?
5. Do you think standards should be flexible to meet the needs of individual students?
6. Do you think Alicia was being foolish in risking her job because of the decision she made?
7. What do you see as the most important ethical value in this case?
8. What do you think is the major ethical conflict?
9. What ethical score would you give to Alicia on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest?
