The biggest scandal in higher education is lowering the bar

When professors lower standards, we are diminishing the quality of education for all students.

Nicholas Giordano is a professor of Political Science at Suffolk Community College in New York and a Campus Reform Higher Education Fellow.

According to the students, "a class with such a high percentage of withdrawals and low grades has failed to make students’ learning and well-being a priority." NYU’s decision reflects a growing body of evidence that students view professors as nothing more than customer service representatives, and they believe academic standards should be pushed aside to promote "equity" and placate a fragile student population. In Professor Jones's case, it appears that faculty are no longer in charge of their classrooms as the ever-growing number of administrators seek to usurp their authority.

While Professor Jones's case is highly disturbing, even more disturbing are the recent trends in education as a whole. A Wall Street Journal study found that at least one-third of college seniors were unable to develop a cohesive argument, identify quality evidence, and interpret data. The study also found that students graduating from prestigious universities have little to no improvement in their abilities to think critically.