Grade inflation cited as a national problem, despite incomplete data

Tuesday, December 1, 2009 - 2:04 AM

Click here to read the entire special report on grades.

The University of Nevada, Reno gives a higher proportion of A’s than the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, according to the schools’ institutional analysis data. In fall 2008, 64 percent of UNLV’s undergraduate grades were A’s and B’s, compared to UNR’s 74 percent (fall 2008 data was the most recent available from UNLV).

But national comparisons are harder to come by.

There is no national organization that monitors or compares grade distribution among colleges, aside from gradeinflation.com, a Web site that tracks grade inflation trends at several colleges nationwide. A check of numerous university Web sites found that some institutions publish their grade distribution figures, while most others do not.

The Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, a nonprofit association of public research universities like UNR, does not compile such data, said Christine M. Keller, director of research policy & analysis in academic affairs.

“I am not aware of any organization that monitors grade distributions for colleges and universities,” Keller said.

Practices vary among doctoral-degree-granting institutions accredited by The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the accrediting organization for UNR. For example, Boise State University provides a password-protected link to its grade distribution information, while Washington State University only publicly links to college-by-college and class-by-class statistics. The University of Alaska published a report that 55 percent of undergraduates received A’s and B’s last fall, compared to UNR’s 74 percent.

Kathy Grimm-Tucker can be reached at news@nevadasagebrush.com.