When I studied in Spain in 1991 I took a class called the Moors in Spain or something of the sort. This 400-level course was hardly appropriate for my 200-level Spanish, but I was genuinely interested in the topic. However, because of my weak Spanish, I spent much of the semester lost, so lost I couldn’t even read the first page of 200-page book we were assigned, so lost I couldn’t even find the classroom to take the midterm. But determined, I pleaded with the professor to let me take the midterm. I should have just saved my time and his, because I got a 7.5% (not seventy five percent, but a seven point five percent) on my test, a .75/10. Needless to say, I was devastated, shocked, embarrassed and somewhat amused, I had never done so poorly on any exam, nor had I known anybody who had received such a bad grade until today.

The last few weeks we have been giving midterms. While most students get a moyen 10-12/20, a few do significantly worse. In fact, one student got a 1/20, in other words, a 5%. My title has been stripped.