Recently, three university professors surveyed 223 faculty members around the country regarding their views on grade inflation and declining academic standards in higher education. The title of their article is “Undeserved” Grades or “Underserved” Students?  

Of those surveyed, 45% taught English, 29% taught mathematics, and 25% taught sociology. When asked if “grade inflation is a serious problem in higher education,” 48% agreed and 21% disagreed. When asked if “Academic standards have declined in recent years,” 47% agreed and 27% disagreed. When asked if “Some functionally illiterate students are graduating,” 40% agreed and 47% disagreed. When asked if “encouraging a four-year degree plays a role in eroding standards,” 49% agreed and 31% disagreed. This last question speaks to the impact of numerous state policy efforts to increase university graduation rates through financial rewards and penalties to universities. Do such policies lead universities to award degrees to marginally performing students?  

Answers varied among the three disciples. When asked if “encouraging a four-year degree plays a role in eroding standards,” 65% of math professors agreed and 13% disagreed. Likewise, 55% of sociology professors agreed and 27% disagreed. On the other hand, only 35% of English professors agreed compared to 45% who disagreed. A similar pattern emerged with the question if “Academic standards have declined in recent years.” Math professors agreed, 59% to 16%; Sociology, 48% to 13%; and English disagreed, 42% to 38%.  

The survey also asked the participants to identify their personal political orientation. 12% identified as radical left, 61% as liberal, 21% as moderate, 4% as conservative and 2% as libertarian. The authors report political orientation was the “best predictor of where faculty stand on these delicate issues.”   

When asked if “grade inflation is a serious problem in higher education,” 50% of moderates agreed and 13% disagreed; liberals agreed 49% to 22%, while radicals split evenly 31% to 31%. When asked if “Academic standards have declined in recent years,” moderates agreed 65% to 15%, liberals agreed 40% to 32%, and radicals agreed 35% to 31%. When asked if “encouraging a four-year degree plays a role in eroding standards,” moderates agreed 67% to 17%, liberals agreed 44% to 34%, and self-identified radicals disagreed 54% to 31%. 

Though political orientation seems to be a significant part of teachers’ perspectives on standards in higher education, we leave it to the reader to decide what the effect of state graduation incentives are, and if standards in higher education are eroding, and, if so, why.