Reed College nuclear reactor operated by students

This is something different, a nuclear reactor operated by college students.

The Reed College Reactor Facility has been used for research and educational projects in the Portland area since its establishment in 1968. . . . The reactor is operated almost entirely by undergraduate students who are licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

It’s especially interesting to consider this juxtaposed with Reed’s reputation as a place “where students enjoy almost unlimited freedom to experiment openly with drugs”.

In any case, it’s reassuring to know that a “nuclear meltdown isn’t physically possible at a research reactor such as Reed’s”.  (At least, that’s what they tell us.)
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Left: Reed College nuclear reactor. Right: Reed students celebrating at annual Renn Fayre.

Reed College’s unconventional grading policy

I was prompted to investigate Reed College’s grading policies after I  saw this on a banner ad.

There are no grades on tests at Reed College if students get over a ‘C’.

According to their website, students are not informed of any grades ‘C’ or higher unless they specifically request them.

Reed College encourages students to measure academic achievement by intellectual growth and by self-assessment of their grasp of course material. The college does not wish to divide students by labels of achievement. A conventional letter grade for each course is recorded for every student, but the registrar’s office does not distribute grades to students, provided that work continues at satisfactory (C or higher) levels. Unsatisfactory grades are reported directly to the student and the student’s adviser. Students may obtain their grades from their advisers or the course instructor if they wish to do so. Students may also order a transcript from the registrar’s office.

Reed has the reputation of being a rigorous but laid back school, with a collegial rather than competitive atmosphere.  It is also known for an unusually relaxed attitude towards drug use by its students, but exactly how different it is compared to many other schools is difficult to know.