25 years ago, Harvey “C-“ Mansfield decided he would “distribute two sets of grades to his students: an initial grade he thinks they deserve, and then a second grade—the one that will go on their transcript—which will be ‘based on Harvard’s system of inflated grades.’”
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Students who take Government 1061, “Modern Political Thought,” this semester, won’t get just one grade from Kenan Professor of Government Harvey C. Mansfield Jr. ’53, they will get two.
In lecture Thursday morning, Mansfield announced he will distribute two sets of grades to his students: an initial grade he thinks they deserve, and then a second grade–the one that will go on their transcript–which will be “based on Harvard’s system of inflated grades.”
Mansfield is one of Harvard’s most ardent opponents of grade inflation. He has voiced concern about grade elevation at Faculty meetings and even with University President Neil L. Rudenstine.
“[But] the administration has done nothing about this glaring flaw in education,” Mansfield said in an interview Friday.
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“Without the threat of poor grades, students have largely stopped trying in their courses.”