E-mail will alert students of grades

Students anxious to see their grades over winter break will no longer have to keep checking Penn InTouch.

This semester, for the first time, students will be sent e-mail notifications when any grades have been posted to their transcripts, Associate Director of the Office of the Provost Rob Nelson confirmed Monday.

According to Provost’s Office spokesman Leo Charney, the system was put in place last week and a School of Veterinary Medicine class has already received notifications for grades.

The project was spearheaded by the Undergraduate Assembly in October, when the body voted unanimously to pass a resolution urging the University to provide the service.

The Student Technology Advisory Board brought the idea to the Provost’s Office last year, UA Engineering representative and junior Matt Sternberg explained at the October meeting, but was met with resistance because STAB had yet to rally student support.

Earlier this month, after the resolution was passed, members of the UA and of the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education presented the idea to the Council of Undergraduate Deans. UA Academic Affairs Director and Wharton junior Faye Cheng said the idea was well received.

“Some representatives in the meeting even expressed surprise that this was not already in place,” she said.

Penn InTouch previously only e-mailed students when a grade changed, Cheng explained. The e-mail will not disclose the grade itself, just the fact that it has been posted.

Many students were pleased with the announcement.

“I think it’s pretty convenient,” Wharton junior John Lerro said.

College senior Lauren Weissbrod was also grateful, saying “professors don’t always let you know” when they post grades. “I have to check my transcript all the time,” she said.

Still, a few students were indifferent. “I don’t really check my e-mail over winter break,” Wharton sophomore Tarang Kapoor said.

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