Few students would turn down a high grade from a professor. But when high grades are given to every student, the value of each is called into question.The national average grade for college students has significantly increased during the last 20 years, according to a report by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, an independent, non-profit  organization working with education leaders in America.”Grade inflation” affects a student’s grade point average in exactly the same way economic inflation affects a citizen’s dollar — as more good grades are given away, the value of each falls.While most universities set a limit on the number of a particular grade a professor can distribute in a given class, the number of students receiving As is higher than ever.Because student evaluations of teachers influence instructor salaries, promotions and tenures, professors may feel pressure to inflate grades, according to ACTA’s report.The report said many professors, especially those who teach arts and humanities, show less interest in rigorous grading. They depend more on subjective class discussions and participation.”I’m not sure there has been much grade inflation, but the conversation has occurred,” said Chancellor Michael Martin. “To take one variable and to say that the faculty is too soft or the students too lazy is unfair without more research.”GPAs for College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences students have increased each year since 2006. However, GPAs of undergraduate students as a whole has fallen, according to data from the Office of Budget and Planning.When he discovered he was being too lenient with his students, Kevin Cope, Faculty Senate president and English literature professor, decided to change his grading scale.To compensate, Cope adjusted his curriculum to incorporate more quizzes per semester. Cope moved away from standard five- to six-page essays and began assigning more “fact-oriented writing exercises.””As a result, I saw two things: on the one hand, the drop rate for my class increased, but on the other hand, students were better able to perform with regard to the history of British literature,” Cope said.Cope said students were expecting certain grades when they scheduled their classes. When those students didn’t make the marks they expected, they often withdrew from the class or complained.”When grade inflation is established, they become slightly annoyed or peevish if they are not making the grades they’re expecting,” Cope said.Some departments are re-aligning grading policies. By this fall, University public relations students can expect fewer As. Though the numbers are still being decided, the public relations department of the Manship School of Mass Communication plans to raise the bar for an A from its current 10-point scale.”It’s something we’ve talked about because we are concerned that the A-students earn in class should really mean something,” said Lisa Lundy, public relations head. “It should really represent a significant achievement on their transcript.” The blame for inflation lies with the professors assigning the grades and the students and University administration. Students are part of a “consumer culture” which can infect the world of higher education. Students who pay often outrageous sums of money to attend a university can feel entitled to good grades, according to the ACTA’s report.”If the word is out that you can expect a certain grade in a certain class and that does not happen, it can become distressful for students,” Cope said.Most schools show a serious focus on improving their national standings. Some universities are motivated to inflate students’ scores because higher grades are an important factor in national rankings. Cope suggested the University issue a statement on the meaning of each letter grade. Martin said he believes it is important for student grades to be representative of effort and knowledge. He said there were no plans to implement grading regulations.—-Contact Adam Duvernay at [email protected]