Harvard faculty approved a plan designed to curb grade inflation by limiting the number of A grades instructors can issue, with the policy set to take effect in fall 2027. The cap restricts A grades to no more than 20% of enrolled students in a class, plus four additional A’s, while no limit applies to other grades such as A-minus. Supporters argue the cap restores meaning to top grades in an environment where A’s have become common and expected. Critics counter that the approach undermines faculty autonomy and imposes a quota on academic achievement. Although the change is internal to Harvard’s grading practices, it signals how selective institutions may respond to student performance measurement, transparency, and academic standards debates intensifying across higher education—especially as AI tools and alternative assessment methods strain grading norms. For institutions assessing student success outcomes and academic integrity, the policy offers a concrete, governance-driven lever that directly affects grading distribution and potentially transcript signaling.