[April 27, 2026] What are Harvard students fighting back against? Slavery in Africa? World famine? Nope. It looks like the university leadership wants to institute tougher grading rules and students are calling this proposed policy “racist” for certain groups of students. The fact that this controversy is happening is another example of the destruction of higher education.
The controversy started after Harvard officials released reports showing just how out of control grades have become. Right now, about 60 percent of all undergraduate grades at Harvard are A’s. That’s a huge jump from only 25 percent two decades ago; and that is shockingly high.
The median grade point average has climbed to 3.83, up from 3.49 back in 2005. Dean Amanda Claybaugh, who heads undergraduate education, put out a detailed report pointing out that this grade inflation is hurting the school’s academic culture. Really? Students aren’t being properly challenged or distinguished based on their actual performance.
To fix this, a faculty committee proposed new rules. They want to cap the number of straight A grades in each class at around 20 percent of students, plus four extra A’s to account for smaller classes. For example, in a big lecture with 150 students, no more than about 34 people could get that top A grade. The idea is to bring grading standards back closer to what they were around 2010, when A’s made up roughly one-third of grades.
Faculty are expected to vote on this soon, and if it passes, it could start next school year. Officials have also talked about delaying full rollout by a year and making other small adjustments, including adding a new grade within the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory system.
But many students aren’t happy. Perhaps these automatic As given out by Professors was just too much for the small minds of students entering Harvard. So, what is the go to strategy? Call it racists.
In an open letter to Dean Claybaugh, some students went even further, calling the proposed policy “blatantly racist.” They wrote that its negative effects aren’t just theoretical but have a real history of burdening students of color and first-generation, low-income (FGLI) students.
Some students worry that their GPAs could drop slightly, making it harder to compete for jobs, graduate school, or honors after graduation. A survey by the undergraduate student government found that about 94 percent of students oppose the A cap, fearing it will heighten stress and intensify competition. You just can’t make this up. Comedians are going to have a field day with this.
Now, as the university tries to return to more rigorous evaluation, students are voicing concerns about fairness. Supporters of the change say it’s long overdue. Neetu Arnold, a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, argues that allowing grade inflation to continue misleads students about what real excellence looks like.
The debate touches on broader questions in higher education today. After years of loosened standards, many colleges are wondering how to make grades meaningful again. Critics of the student position argue that lowering standards to protect certain groups might do more harm in the long run by not adequately preparing them for the real world.
Harvard isn’t alone. Grade inflation has been a problem at many top universities. Town halls have been held, and students continue to organize. It looks like Harvard has attracted “students” who are, in actuality, “activists” in training. This does not bode well for Harvard or any other university going down this path.
Whether the stricter policy passes or is watered down (which will be the case) will reveal a lot about Harvard’s priorities (making money). Is the university willing to prioritize academic rigor, or will concerns about equity prevail?
For now, the students’ petition highlights a deep divide: one side sees the changes as necessary medicine for a sick system, while the other views them as a threat to hard-won progress in diversity and inclusion.
This battle at Harvard could influence how colleges across the country handle similar issues in the coming years. Yeah, I’m not waiting for sanity to return because Harvard, like other Ivy League schools, is failing and failing faster each year. Students are running the insitution.
————
Please read my books:
OUCH
Harvard students’ resistance highlights the need for academic standards. This article by Gen. Satterfield exposes grade inflation issues at elite schools. It promotes real leadership by challenging lowered expectations. The piece encourages dialogue on fairness in education, and the broken system now in place. Tougher grading fosters genuine excellence among students. The analysis here inspires broader reform in higher education. Overall, a strong call for integrity in academia. But don’t hold your breath.
Hi Nick, I agree, most of these priviledged students are NOT learning a valuable lesson that Gen. Satterfield wrote about. The world is a tough place and rarely negotiable. THey’ve got a big big big shock coming. Besides, Harvard is NO LONGER respected in academia. The illusion is gone.
DEI was the final nail in the coffin. And they can’t give it up because otherwise they would be seen as “racists.” And they could never stand losing their “moral authority” and “moral superiority.” 😁
Reminds me of the old adage of inmates running the insane asylum.