GPAs can no longer be the defining factor in summas because of a trend toward grade inflation, says Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Jeffrey Wolcowitz.

"There's a sense that there is the ability to differentiate, yet you don't find that in the grades," Wolcowitz says.

"It's a problem if it sets up wrong expectations," he says. "Increasingly, students expecting high honors based on GPAs are finding that their theses and general exams aren't judged on the same level. Ultimately, they're disappointed in the end."

Other head tutors agree.

"We spent probably more time this year than in previous years [considering candidates] so that candidates don't have problems with the Faculty later," says Professor of Linguistics Susumu Kuno, the head tutor for the department.

Linguistics also has had an unusually high number of summas granted in the past few years. Last year, two out of six graduates received the summa distinction, and the year before, four out of 10 received summas.

But Kuno says that, in general, "my feeling is that for particular candidates, [departments] will make safer decisions, downgrading candidates rather than upgrading them."

Maintaining High Standards

Other head tutors say that the change in requirements has not affected their policies.

In fact, Assistant Professor Andrew Metrick, the head tutor in the economics department, says that their decisions on honors have "not at all" been affected.

The economics department has not had a history of summa inflation and did not change its policy, Metrick adds.

"There's just not a tradition of these candidates getting kicked back [to magna grants]," he says. "We are tougher on summas than any other department at Harvard."

Professor of Sociology Mary C. Waters, a member of the Faculty Council subcommittee on summas, says that the policy changes will not translate into a definite reduction in summas totals.

"It may be that there were just an amazing number of strong candidates last year and if this is the case this year, I don't think we would do anything," Waters says.

The Faculty subcommittee will review the summa recommendations from each department this year and the full Faculty then has final approval on summas awards.