This morning at the faculty meeting we discussed all of the students with failing grades at the mid-quarter. Most people are surprised to hear about this tradition, but it's one that makes MBA a remarkable place to learn. Here's why...
Let's say Tommy is having trouble in his IPS class (not an uncommon struggle). After the faculty meeting, Tommy now has a whole support system ready to help. In addition to his IPS teacher, all of his current and former teachers and coaches will be rooting for him and offering him encouragement. Because we've been doing this for a while now, teachers know just the right way to broach the topic. There aren't any grating, indelicate confrontations: "So, Tommy, I hear you're failing IPS!" Instead, the support arrives in a considerate way, one that fits the student best, because teachers truly know their students here.
Of those thirty-two scholars mentioned above, I'd be willing to bet at least one of them was failing a class (probably IPS) at some point in his MBA career.