But Rakoff said faculty meetings typically draw about 50 of the 79 faculty members and that Friday's turnout was not uncommon.

He said other proposals to rename the grading categories are still being considered. One such proposal would create a five-tier system, with high honors, honors/pass, pass, low pass and fail categories.

This proposal would also include a mandatory curve, in which professors would be required to use a predetermined distribution of grades.

The faculty will vote on the second plan in several weeks.

Although The Crimson could not reach Warren for comment yesterday, she told The Crimson last spring that the McKinsey report had encouraged the campus to take a new look at the issue. Warren chaired the Institutional Life Committee, which examined student issues in the McKinsey study.

"I think my committee is enthusiastic about making significant changes in the grading system," she told The Crimson in March.

Third-year HLS student Bethany Rubin said she was disappointed with the vote.

"I think it's a shame it was voted down," she said. "The three-tier system would have created a better learning environment. It was clearly what the students wanted."