Some Harvard students have launched a petition calling on the university to abandon plans to reform grading, calling it “racist.”
“This petition calls on Harvard to reject the proposed grading policy, arguing that it is not only flawed but in effect racially harmful,” a Petition Harvard College graduate Angelina Agostini studies Change.org.
“While we focus on racism as a key concern, this policy, while framed as neutral ‘difference,’ serves as a ranking and ranking system that mirrors and reinforces existing racial and socioeconomic hierarchies,” the petition reads. “Because first-generation, low-income (FGLI) students and students of color are disproportionately affected by structural disparities before they arrive on campus, the policy will compound rather than correct those disadvantages.”
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Students walk past banners hanging from Memorial Church on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Mass., on May 27, 2025.
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On March 30, the dean of graduate education, Amanda Claybaugh, announced that Harvard College would postpone its controversial grading reform until 2027 and implement a new “SAT+” grade, the Harvard Crimson. Reported.
An early version of the reform was a “hard cap on A grades,” which “prompted a sharp reaction from students and cautious concern from faculty,” the student newspaper reported.
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In February, the Harvard Crimson noted That proposal comes after an October 2025 report from Claybaugh that found more than that 60% of grade Harvard graduates had A’s, compared to only a quarter of the grades 20 years ago.
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The revised reform would institute three significant changes, namely delaying implementation by one year, adjusting how the A grade cap is calculated, and adding a new grade within the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (SAT/UNSAT) grading system.
Ma a the letter “Harvard College undergraduate students, FAS faculty, Amanda Claybaugh, the Graduate Academic Policy Committee, and anyone else who may be concerned,” Agostini and another student wrote, “The proposed grading policy is blatantly racist. Its harms are not imaginary and it has a history of causing great harm to students and undermining (FGLI) students.”
“To all who read this letter, we want to reiterate that FGLI students of color are no less capable, intelligent, or deserving than their more privileged peers,” the letter continued. “What does differ is the burden we are forced to bear. Policies like these shift the costs of institutional decisions onto marginalized students while dismissing the resulting harm as accidental or non-existent. So-called ‘neutral’ standards can produce racial outcomes without discriminatory intent (Inoue, 2023) assuring that history only shows less. Repeat.”
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People walk through a gate as they exit Harvard Yard on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge on April 15, 2025.
Agostini and his co-signers called Harvard’s history “sexist, racist and classist” and urged faculty not to repeat that history.
“We urge you to focus on the well-being of your students rather than reputational concerns,” they wrote. “Don’t act on the current wave of prestige and forget how it will be remembered. Harvard’s history is sexist, racist and classist. Regardless of its intent, this policy will reinforce that legacy.”
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Massachusetts Hall and Johnston Gate are seen in Harvard Yard, the historic center of Harvard University, on November 22, 2024 in Cambridge.
They continued, “Let’s work together to build a future that is supportive for all students, expanding on Harvard’s rigorous academic environment. This means acknowledging differences in experience and identity, embracing diverse academic pedagogies, and creating resources targeted at reclaiming the rich educational experience expected at Harvard.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Harvard and Agostini via Change.org for comment.
Original article source: Harvard students revolt over new grading policy they call ‘racist’
