To see this data in action, visit https://GopherGrades.com/#search
This is the University of Minnesota Grade data for the last 10 academic semesters (including summer courses). The range is Summer of 2017-Fall of 2020. To obtain this data I submitted a FOIA request to the University of Minnesota.
Here is the data request that I submitted to the Public Data Request Center:
Hello my name is Daniel -----, Email: gl---n--8@umn.edu Phone Number: 2--------- I am requesting the grade distributions by percent and/or letter grade, for every class and instructor for the last three years at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities for the sake of grade transparency and developing tools to be used by students. This is including fall, spring, and summer terms. Please ensure the documents are FERPA compliant. I request that the information is in CSV format, and in digital format. Preferably in the form: Course Subject, Course Number, Course Title, Course Section, Term/Semester, Primary Instructor, A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, W. If putting in in that form is extra work, comma separated value format with the requisite information is acceptable. Please notify me of any expenses prior to incurring them. Thank you, Daniel -----
Here's the message that I received back:
The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, section 13.05, subd. 7 states that “The use of summary data derived from private or confidential data on individuals under the jurisdiction of one or more responsible authorities is permitted. Unless classified pursuant to section 13.06, another statute, or federal law, summary data is public. The responsible authority shall prepare summary data from private or confidential data on individuals upon the request of any person if the request is in writing and the cost of preparing the summary data is borne by the requesting person.”
Below is the estimate of staff time to prepare the summary data you have requested: 4 hours of staff time at $70.00/hour
Total: $280.00
If you would like us to continue to process your request, please send a check and reference REF# P003378-052220, made out to the University of Minnesota, for $280.00. Once payment is received, your request will be processed and sent to you electronically. Please mail your payment to:
Records & Information Management 360 McNamara Alumni Center 200 Oak Street SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 If I do not hear from you by Wednesday, July 29, 2020, this request will be closed.
Thank you, Susan McKinney, CRM Director, Records & Information Management