Canadian universities have a remedy

Grade inflation continues unabated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The average GPA for undergraduate students at Wisconsin’s flagship university increased to 3.48 in the recently completed fall semester — up from 3.28 just 10 years ago and close to the 3.5 midpoint between an A and B average, according to reports available from the Office of the Registrar.

Grade point averages are even higher in some academic disciplines. The average undergraduate GPA in the School of Education, which had more than 2,400 students, was 3.63 last fall. The average undergraduate GPA in the School of Pharmacy, which had only 40 students, was 3.75.

The school or college with the lowest average GPA last fall was Agricultural and Life Sciences, where the average GPA was 3.39.

The courses have been the subject of scrutiny for pushing left-leaning talking points

The University of Wisconsin-Madison isn’t alone in requiring every undergraduate to enroll in highly politicized ethnic studies courses in order to graduate. All 13 four-year University of Wisconsin System schools impose a similar requirement, according to analysis of curriculum materials by Badger Institute.

Ethnic studies is a loosely defined academic discipline that regularly involves content related to race and sexuality. The UW System does not impose a blanket standard for its schools to require ethnic studies; campuses reached this consensus individually.

While a decision by the UW System in July to standardize course requirements led the backers of such classes to worry that schools would drop ethnic studies mandates, the system later clarified its schools would retain individual discretion.

Ethnic studies rules have come under fire as a threat to intellectual diversity.

A group of five school districts, along with teachers’ unions and other advocacy groups, is suing the Wisconsin Legislature, alleging that the state is failing to provide adequate public-school funding.

Of the five districts included among the plaintiffs, three — Green Bay, Adams-Friendship, and Necedah — collect more than the state public-school average of $18,592 in revenue per pupil, according to the state’s most recent publicly available figures, from the 2023-24 school year.

In last week’s State of the State address, Gov. Tony Evers indicated that the Public Service Commission is partnering with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to identify potential sites for additional nuclear power plants throughout the state.

The effort advances in accordance with law set forth in SB125, a bill for which the Badger Institute advocated in 2025.

“This could be a game changer for our state. I’m glad this work has received bipartisan support,” said Evers as part of his address.

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