A group of Harvard faculty members released a shocking report about student behavior.

Many students at the Ivy League university are skipping class regularly. They skim or ignore reading assignments completely. They avoid challenging discussions with opposing viewpoints.

And they’re still graduating thanks to grade inflation.

The New York Times reported on Monday about findings from the Classroom Social Compact Committee. This group includes seven Harvard faculty members. They found that more students are putting in less work but still getting college degrees.

Grade inflation makes this possible.

The Times explained what happens at Harvard classrooms today.

“But once they get in, many of its students skip class and fail to do the reading… When they do show up for class, they are focused on their devices, and are reluctant to speak out. Sometimes it is because they are afraid of sharing ideas that others will disagree with. But often, they have not read enough of the homework to make a meaningful contribution.”

“Rampant grade inflation allows them to coast through anyway.”

The committee was formed to study Harvard’s classroom culture. They found that because of grade inflation, students don’t have to engage very much with teachers and peers.

Students stay stuck in ideological bubbles. They are unwilling or unable to engage with challenging ideas.

These findings come at a crucial time for elite schools. Harvard and Columbia have faced scrutiny from the federal government. They allegedly favor liberal bias and fail to address antisemitism on campus.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in funding for Harvard. The administration threatened to revoke the school’s tax-exempt status. This came because of Harvard’s alleged failure to address antisemitism on campus.

The Times quoted a pre-med student named Omosefe Noruwa. She explained why students skip class regularly.

Professors record their lectures. So students often don’t bother showing up to class.

“If they can get good grades without attending class, they stop.”

Grade inflation was already a problem during the pandemic. It has soared even higher since then.

Amanda Claybaugh is Harvard’s undergraduate education dean. She revealed shocking statistics about grades. Forty percent of grades given out at the school used to be A’s.

Now it’s 60 percent.

Economics professor David Laibson co-chairs the committee. He told The Times that classroom culture problems at Harvard go back decades. The issues started in the 1980s.

Procrastination and over-scheduling have characterized learning at Harvard for years. Other elite schools face the same problems.

Laibson also identified smartphones as a major obstacle to learning.

“You should know when you’re looking at your phone you’re not really hearing what I’m thinking.”

Hopi Hoekstra is Harvard’s dean of the faculty of arts and sciences. She told The Times the committee’s report presented hard truths.

The report has shown faculty and staff some hard truths about our learning culture.

Changes started this fall semester in response to the report. Professors now take attendance in classes. They require that electronic devices be put away during class.

The school also added a new essay question to its application. Prospective students must write 150 words about a time when they strongly disagreed with someone.

These measures aim to encourage free exchange of ideas on campus. Many students say they don’t feel comfortable sharing their views currently.

The report reveals a broken system at America’s most prestigious university. Students pay enormous tuition to attend Harvard. But they’re not actually learning or engaging with difficult material.

They skip class because lectures are recorded. They ignore reading assignments because professors don’t hold them accountable. They avoid challenging discussions because they fear disagreement.

And they still graduate with excellent grades because of massive grade inflation.

This creates graduates who are intellectually weak. They haven’t learned to engage with opposing viewpoints. They stay trapped in ideological bubbles. They can’t defend their own ideas against criticism.

These are the future leaders of America. They come from Harvard with prestigious degrees. But they lack the intellectual rigor that degree once represented.

The Trump administration’s actions against Harvard were justified. The school has failed to maintain academic standards. It has failed to address antisemitism. It has failed to prepare students for real intellectual challenges.

Grade inflation is a form of academic fraud. It tells students they’re excelling when they’re barely trying. It devalues degrees from Harvard. It hurts students who actually work hard.

Harvard must make serious changes beyond attendance policies. The school needs to restore real academic standards. Professors must hold students accountable for learning. Grade inflation must end immediately.

Otherwise Harvard’s reputation will continue to decline. The school once represented excellence. Now it represents privilege without achievement.