Editorial: Harvard inflates grades, deflates reputation

My kid s getting A s at Harvard isn t much of a flex anymore thanks to a account from the erstwhile Ivy League institution admitting that roughly of grades given to undergraduates were A s up from a decade ago and less than a quarter years ago Current practices are not only failing to perform the key functions of grading they are also damaging the academic way of life of the college more generally commented Dean of Undergraduate Development and summary author Amanda Claybaugh Grade inflation isn t restricted to Harvard as reports in fresh years have cited the practice at other Ivy League luminaries Where a diploma from Harvard or Yale could once signify a bright job candidate shaped by academic rigor it now points more to lenient professors and a propensity for whining According to the record Harvard students challenge professors and push for higher marks The participation trophy approach to higher schooling mirrors the gentle parenting trend of latest years It s all about emotional validation and offering options Among the reasons for the spike in A s cited by Claybaugh s account faculty fears of appearing too harsh compared with fellow professors and concerns that stricter grading could drive students away from certain courses Isn t college supposed to prepare students for the real world and equip them with the knowledge and skills to produce results As the New York Post and Bloomberg published administrators have also described professors to consider students who struggle with imposter syndrome or personal hardships when evaluating performance Remember when hardships were things to be overcome and doing so illustrated maturity and a strong character Such thinking at least in academic circles has gone the way of rotary phones And the work ethic Why buckle down when you can grumble Several instructors particularly in the humanities recounted Claybaugh they ve been forced to shorten reading lists and assign lighter material in response to novice complaints These students are the workforce of the next morning And in a stunning just who is in charge revelation countless teachers blamed Harvard s program evaluation system which they disclosed ties novice satisfaction to generous grading Poor evaluations can jeopardize promotions and hiring prospects If professors give a good grade students will return the favor This explains the indignation of those carrying college debt who demanded Joe Biden make their loans go away Responsibility is hard therefore dispensable The ivory tower is losing luster by the second after campuses around the country proved to be hotbeds of antisemitism grade inflation has spiked rather than dissipated and outrageous tuitions fund outlandish administrative salaries Reports such as this should spark serious conversations between high school students and their parents Forking over for A grades and easier coursework does not build a solid foundation for the future Editorial cartoon by Al Goodwyn Creators Syndicate