Take an easy class, get an A and boost the old grade-point average up another notch.

Officials at Duke University are considering adopting a new grading system to discourage students from taking easier classes to get easy A’s, a practice known as grade inflation.

Could Iowa State follow in Duke’s footsteps and shift the grading system by discouraging students from taking courses known as easy A’s?

Dean Elizabeth Hoffman of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences said although it may sound “interesting,” she would want to study the structure of a program created to curb grade inflation.

“I would want to study the calculation of the philosophy behind the decision carefully before making any decision,” she said.

According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, Duke’s faculty committees will decide next month whether to put a new “achievement index” into effect. This index would reward students who take classes that are considered difficult.

The Chronicle stated that Duke is trying to end its upward spiral of the mean grade-point. Duke’s mean grade-point average has risen from 2.7 in 1969 to 3.3 last fall.

The Duke faculty members generally agree with the index, but students strongly oppose it, The Chronicle stated.

“I find this to be an interesting concept, but as far as I know Iowa State hasn’t looked into it,” said Liz Beck, the Honors Program coordinator.

Beck said the actual index is difficult to understand. According to The Chronicle, only statisticians seem to understand how the process of curbing grades would actually work.

The index would be computed with an algorithm which would compare students in various ways. The algorithm would give students a boost when they take challenging classes instead of easy ones.

Beck said she is having trouble seeing exactly how Duke will determine an “easy A” course.

“An ‘easy A’ course for me is not necessarily an ‘easy A’ course for another person,” Beck said.

She said many times it is important for students to put an easier course in their schedules in order to manage their time during the semester.

“When you put together many heavy classes and do not have an easier class … you will literally self-destruct,” Beck said.

Hoffman agreed, saying she understands, as an economist, that people must properly allocate their time. She said some classes have more homework than others, and busy students often must choose classes that allow them to work or get involved in extra-curricular activities.

She said “easy A” courses are unfair to those who take hard classes, and she liked how the achievement index would reward hard-working students.

However, Beck said it is impossible to take a full load of easy courses and graduate.

“I don’t think students can actually choose all ‘easy A’ courses,” she said. “I can’t believe that a student could actually put together a program with even 60 credits of ‘easy A’ courses at this university.”

Even introductory courses could not be considered “easy A’s,” Beck said. She said all courses, even 100- level courses, take at least a minimal amount of work.

“You can’t equate a time commitment for the level of difficulty,” Beck said.

Although The Chronicle of Higher Education printed that Duke will not be the only university using the “grade-curbing” index, in the long run, Beck said, she doesn’t foresee the plan at Iowa State.

Hoffman said the students at ISU probably don’t have as much of a grade-inflation problem as Duke.

“There are a lot of students who want to take easy classes, but I don’t think there as many at Iowa State.” Students are serious,” she said.