Gradebook

Using version 1.9.5, we have experienced an odd thing:

When we add a new grade item to a category, it always appears as an Extra Credit item. This affects the category's weight and the course grade. We can uncheck that box, of course, but some of my colleagues forget to do so with the result that very often student grades are inflated/inaccurate until I fix it.

Is this a default setting, and if so, can it be changed?

Thanks in advance!