Faculty Discuss Responses to Grade Inflation

As discussions about grade inflation in higher education continue across the nation, various Amherst departments have continued discussing how they should address the topic in their classrooms. 

In recent years, grade inflation has become a growing concern of the college, leading to the dedication of the annual Provost’s retreat over this past summer to addressing grade inflation.  

The retreat led to a number of other conversations about the subject, including the Faculty Executive Committee's request to the Committee on Student Learning to examine grade practices and a conversation between Dean of Faculty Martha Umphrey and the Association of Amherst Students. 

During the retreat, the Provost’s Office brought in Shirley Tilghman, former President of Princeton University, to discuss grade inflation and facilitate conversations among departments.  

“When I attended the retreat, it helped me to start reflecting on the meaning of grades, and in our department, we were having those conversations, not particularly about changing the policy of how we are going to do things in the math department … but just having a sense of what a grade actually means,” Associate Professor of Mathematics and Class Dean Ivan Contreras said.

No formal guidelines or requirements from the administration have been placed yet. However, “there is an institutional request that we think about it and try to do something,” said Manuela Picq, Karl Loewenstein senior lecturer in political science and sexuality, women’s and gender studies, “But what to do is up to each faculty.”

Associate Professor of Political Science Johnathan Obert shared that the department of political science has already had several “frank conversations” about grade inflation, “partly due to an agenda set by the Provost’s office, as well as interest on the part of colleagues.” 

He added that “We agreed to rethink our grading standards and practices over the next few years and, optionally, to communicate this decision to our students.” 

Departments such as political science and mathematics have acknowledged that grade inflation is a growing problem not only at Amherst, but also across academia in the United States.  

“It affects the outcome, in the sense that when the A is the norm, nobody thinks they’re going to get a B, so there is a little less effort put into it. And then when you give a B, it generates resentment, instead of effort,” Picq said. 

Despite issues with student responses to suboptimal grades, departments are still debating other strategies and solutions to this complex issue, rather than giving more B’s. 

“We agree, in theory, to have an average that is recognized by everybody. The problem is that seniors graduating need certain grades to access internships [and] graduate studies,” Picq said.“So it’s a problem of translation, what the grades mean in a department, what the grade means on campus, and what the grade means when you’re applying to grad school abroad, and that is beyond the department.”

Along with issues affecting students’ professional careers, professors have voiced concerns about the impacts harsher grading would have on productivity. “It’s also the relationship with students [that would get impacted], because when you give a B … you get harassed by students,” Picq said.

In political science classes, professors have so far rearranged the class structure by incorporating in-class assessments, blue-book exams, and presentations into the curriculum in an effort to combat grade inflation. 

In the math department, there has not been a blanket policy issued in regards to combating inflation. Instead, some professors have imposed a stronger focus on clarity. “Some of the issues that I’ve encountered also as Class Dean, is sometimes the lack of clarity … regarding the rubric,” Contreras said. As an example of clarity, he said that professors should consider what it means to have a participation component to their course, or to have an attendance policy.  

“All these things made me think more about not specifically about how many A’s I’m going to give or who’s putting the work in … but it’s more about a way that I can communicate expectations, [so] the students receive the message, and they [have a] sense of what they have to do to succeed,” Contreras added. 

These solutions and conversations are just in the beginning stages, as departments will continue to address ongoing concerns. 

“This is a long-term conversation. Our department is due for an external review and revisions to our departmental handbook, both of which could provide opportunities to revisit our grading practices and curricular policy on assessment,” Obert said. 

Looking ahead, Picq emphasized the role of students in the discussion of grade inflation, saying, “I think it’s important for students to participate in this conversation.”