Harvard faculty committee suggests capping A's in proposed internal ranking system
A new faculty proposal at Harvard University is calling for the school to cap the number of A grades awarded to students as part of a broader effort to rein in grade inflation.
The Harvard Crimson, the university’s student newspaper, reported that "A faculty committee proposed a sweeping overhaul of Harvard College grading that would sharply limit A grades and introduce a new internal ranking system — changes that could roughly halve the percentage of As currently awarded to undergraduates."
The 19-page proposal, released Friday, recommends capping A grades at 20% for every class, with instructors permitted to award up to four additional A’s beyond the cap.
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If approved, the proposal would take effect in the 2026-27 school year, and would also implement an internal "average percentile rank" standards to decide honors and awards.
The Crimson said the change is "a shift aimed at countering what the committee described as a grading system that no longer meaningfully distinguishes student performance."
The Harvard Crimson noted that the proposal came following a report from Amanda Claybaugh, dean of Undergraduate Education, in October which found that more than 60% of grades Harvard undergraduates received were A’s, compared to only a quarter of grades 20 years ago.
The October report found that grade inflation started to increase in the late 2010s, surging during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now leveling off.
Claybaugh wrote, "Our grading is too compressed and too inflated, as nearly all faculty recognize; it is also too inconsistent, as students have observed." She added that, "More importantly, our grading no longer performs its primary functions and is undermining our academic mission."
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The Harvard Crimson reported that Stuart Shieber, an alumnus who chairs the faculty committee, said that about 60 percent of courses currently comply with the proposed cap, and the instructors could opt out of the cap, but then must only grade courses as satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
The committee wrote, "While any changes to grading policies may raise concerns about fostering a competitive culture, we believe that these recommendations take critical steps towards the College’s goal to re-center academics, restoring confidence in the College’s grading system, and better aligning incentives with pedagogical goals."
Fox News Digital reached out to Harvard University for comment.