70% of Faculty Vote to Overhaul Harvard Grading With A Cap
The Harvard Crimson • • nation
Key Points:
- Harvard faculty voted 458 to 201 to impose a cap limiting A grades to roughly 20 percent of enrollment in undergraduate courses starting fall 2027, marking the most significant effort in decades to combat grade inflation.
- A companion measure to use average percentile rankings instead of GPA for internal awards and honors was also approved by 76 percent of faculty, while a proposal allowing courses to opt out of the A cap was rejected.
- The decision, driven by Dean Amanda Claybaugh and a faculty subcommittee, aims to restore the value of Harvard grades by distinguishing exceptional work more clearly and addressing concerns about grade compression.
- Despite overwhelming student opposition—with nearly 85 percent disapproving in a recent survey—faculty support remained strong, reflecting a willingness to enforce stricter grading limits despite concerns about competition and faculty autonomy.
- The policy follows earlier voluntary efforts to reduce A grades and signals a more ambitious, mandatory approach to reshape Harvard College’s academic culture and grading standards.