Harvard Professor's Dual Grading System Experiment from 25 Years Ago Resonates Amidst Ongoing Grade Inflation Debates

Cambridge, MA – Twenty-five years ago, in 2001, Harvard University's Kenan Professor of Government, Harvey C. Mansfield Jr., initiated a controversial dual-grading system for his "Modern Political Thought" course. This bold move was a direct protest against what he perceived as rampant grade inflation at the institution, a phenomenon he had long criticized. The experiment involved providing students with two grades: one reflecting his honest assessment of their work and another, higher grade adjusted to align with Harvard's generally inflated grading curve, which would appear on their official transcripts.

Mansfield, often colloquially known as "C-Minus Mansfield" due to his rigorous grading standards, aimed to highlight the disparity between actual academic performance and the increasingly high grades awarded across the university. "I don't want to continue punishing students for a situation that is not their fault," Mansfield stated at the time, explaining his decision to adjust grades upward for official records. He contended that the administration had done "nothing about this glaring flaw in education."

His experiment drew significant attention, not only from students, with registration for his course reportedly doubling, but also from national media outlets. Mansfield argued that grade inflation devalues academic achievement and hinders students' ability to accurately gauge their strengths and weaknesses. He has consistently maintained that easy grades flatter students rather than challenge them, potentially leading to a diluted understanding of their true capabilities.

The debate surrounding grade inflation at Harvard has persisted, with recent discussions indicating that the most frequent mark given at the university is a perfect A. Critics like Mansfield believe this trend makes it difficult to differentiate between truly exceptional and merely good work, impacting the integrity of academic evaluations. The dual-grading system, though a temporary measure, served as a stark demonstration of Mansfield's commitment to addressing this systemic issue within higher education.