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Volume CIV, Number 9	University of Southern California	Wednesday. July 15. 1987
Social sciences still inflating grades
By Mike Stremfel
Staff Writer
The social sciences have long been referred to in "academe-land" as the "soft sciences/' mostly because they tend to be less objective than "hard,” natural sciences like chemistry and physics.
But according to several longtime members of the faculty, administration and staff, the university's social science classes are soft for another reason.
“Why is it we're soft?" said psychology professor Langdon Longstreth, who has been teaching at the university since 1957, "I claim we're soft because we give away easier grades."
Opinions vary as to whether or not grade-inflation is a campus wide phenomenon. But, most agree that grade inflation in the social science division is widespread and has been for years.
"Grade inflation has only happened in the 'soft' sciences," said Joseph Kertes, associate dean of social sciences and communication. "In the natural sciences, a C is still a C. . .with a C being average."
But Psychology Department Chairman Gerald Davison refused to concur with the majority opinion.
"The data I have is that grade inflation is not a problem/' he
said. "But then, one has to define 'grade inflation.' At Harvard, a majority of the graduating class graduates with honors. . .cum laude or above. Is that grade inflation? I say 'No.' "
While there are varying opinions that can be confusing, objective data on grade distributions does exist.
confidential," Kertes said.
Grade inflation seems to be more widespread in the social sciences, but why would the social scientists inflate their grades more than professors in other divisions?
"Social scientists tend to be more liberal," Longstreth said. “And part of our philosophy is to be less rigid about social
tance pof grades," he said.
Kertes said there was also a philosophical change which favored subjectivity and cooperation. Competition and objectivity were rejected. But with the '70s, the "me generation," came a philosophical about-face.
"Students became more concerned about themselves,"
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
REGISTRATION AND RECORDS
STUDENT GRADE REPORT
SEMESTER SPRG 1986 class FRSH
SCHOOL
major UNDECLARED
NCHt: Tfcis report card does not exist *ad i$ being used only as an example.
SESS	DEPT.	COURSE	UNITS	GRADE	GRAOE PTSI
123	PSYC	997	4.0	A	16
123	PHYS	103	4.0	F	0
123	PSYC	998	4.0	A	16
123	BISC	104	4.0	D-	2.8
123	PSYC	999	4.0	A	16
123 .	CHEM	105	4.0	F	0
The Testing Bureau conducts studies each semester on the grading distributions of every teacher and every department on campus. The results of these studies are made available to the division deans.
“The deans are then free to submit these results to the departments; but, they are very
customs."
Kertes thinks grade inflation has been a by-product of the rise in student power.
“In general, grade inflation is a process that occurred gradually, starting in the late '60s when there was a movement afoot by students and certain faculty members to deflate the lmpor-
Kertes said. "They became grade grubbing. . .getting very competitive for openings in graduate schools and the employment market."
While the students' philosophical pendulum started swinging in the opposite direction during the '70s, the teachers' grading pendulum
continued to swing in the same direction — up.
The power that the students had fought for and gained during the '60s for political, social and philosophical reasons, was utilized by the students of the '70s for economic reasons. And this newfound power not onlv helped students gain more control over their own economic futures. but it also gave them power over the economic futures of their professors.
To this day, 30 to 40 percent of the formula used to determine facultv pay raises is based on student evaluations ot instructors.
Longstreth said the administration's claim that student evaluations don't affect final grades is misleading.
"By the time a student fills out a teacher's evaluation, he has already received all his grades except for the grade on his final, ' Longstreth expained. "And. the higher those grades are. the better the evaluation he'll give his instructor.
“In essence, instructors are buying good evaluations bv giving inflated grades," Longstreth said
One of Longstreth's colleagues, Norman Cliff, who has been teaching psychology at the (Continued on page 2)
Sen. Kennedy campaigns here
By Amy Adkins
Staff Writer
Senator Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., was honored Sunday at Town and Gown in a reception that was hosted by California Senator Art Torres.
The reception helped Kennedy raise money for his next senatorial campaign.
In a speech, Kennedy emphasized the importance of domestic programs.
“I am the Chair of Labor and Human Resources Committee, the committee that deals with the quality of education, with health care for senior citizens, with AIDS education, the committee that reaches out in terms of the community," Kennedy said.
Kennedy also said that since he is the Chair of the Immigration and Refugee Committee, he is "concerned about provisions (in laws) that could be used to discriminate."
"I will do everything to make sure (the new amnesty program) will not be used against Hispanics."
Kennedy said issues on his agenda include aiding working people, and improving public schools and also "getting someone on the Supreme Court committed to the Constitution."
Commenting on international issues, Kennedy said the recent developments in South Korea are "a political miracle, an outstanding star of democracy in that continent."
People attended the reception to support Kennedy and because
of some association with Torres.
"I'm here because I support Ted Kennedy in his dealings with Hispanic issues. I am also a friend of Art Torres," said Marshall Diaz who is the Director of Cafe California, a Hispanic Employee Association.
Sharon Blumenstein who is with a Jewish group said "I believe in a non-partisan evaluation of people and issues and I am here to be educated about Kennedy."
Blumenstein supports Kennedy in his concern toward the new amnesty program and its possible diverse effects on family unity.
“A strong family unit contributes to a strong country," Blumenstein said.
Diane Waxman, a university student and Public Relations Director of the university's Student Senate, said she attended to become more award of democratic issues. She also said students should become more involved in politics since “politics effect who they are and who they will be/' said Waxman.
Security nabs man red-handed
By Xiaodong Zhang
Staff Writer
A 35-year-old man who was caught with university property may be tied to several other break-ins on campus.
Arthur Williams, Jr., 35, had broken into eight offices before he was arrested on Julv 5, according to university security.
Williams went to Bovard early in the afternoon, wearing a bright red jacket and white pants. He was earning a 30-inch long screwdriver and other tools, said Fred Massarotti, a line officer with security and the man who caught Williams red-handed.
“He caught the burglar with everything," one W'orker in Bovard auditorium said. "We're prettv proud of him and we're happy about it."
Williams also had other tools and a knife when he was arrested.
Nine of the keys apparently belong to the university and have the warning “do not duplicate " stamped on them.
Fingerprints and marks discovered in the building implied that Williams was the one who had been trying to open the office
Sgt. John Lewis, who is in charge ot secuntv records, said Williams had a briefcase a speakerphone, three calculators, several stamps, hattenes. and USC pens.
Lewis said that there has been a string of burglaries in Bovard Auditorium.
"Further investigation is still on-going to see if they are tied to him," Lewis said.
(Ci'ntmued on pagt 2)
MKE MELSOta
BOVARD BREAK-INS — Security caught a man who they think may have been involved in as many as eight break-ins at Bovard Auditorium. When Arthur Williams. Jr. was arrested he had university property in his possession.