On Thursday May 8th, the day all students enrolled in MATH courses at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) took their respective final exams, the math department decided to change the way they distribute final grades as opposed to what was implemented in previous semesters. Rather than distributing a specific number of A's, B's, etc. based on the overall final exam, professors are now being instructed to give out less A's, B's, and C's, and award grades more on one's performance on the final exam.

While the math department claims it has not made an official change in policy regarding how grades are distributed, this is a significant change from what has been done in previous semesters where the original policy was held intact. Because this decision was made so last minute and off par with the current policy and what has been done in previous semesters, professors gave students false information throughout the semester as to what grades they can expect to receive in the course. As a result, a multitude of students who were expecting to pass the course are now receiving failing grades that in turn affect financial aid status, scholarships, internship and job offers, class registration, term of graduation, and overall self-confidence as a student.

Based on the last minute nature of this decision, we, the signers of this petition, will either 1.) abstain from enrolling in any MATH courses at UIC until the department redistributes final grades in all MATH courses for the Spring 2014 semester based on what professors told their students throughout the semester, as this is what all students and professors were assuming was going to be upheld when partaking in their respective math courses. or 2.) support those who do so.