The report, "Evaluation and the Academy: Are We Doing the Right Thing?" was compiled by Henry Rosovsky, former dean of Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Matthew Hartley, a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania.
Rosovsky said he thinks the report will revive discussion about grade inflation on college campuses, among other issues.
"Our report could begin a serious discussion of the subject," he said. "Furthermore, I wanted to address general problems of professorial conduct. Many people have written from ideological perspectives, but I wanted to stake out a central view, prescribe the situation, outline possible reasons and consider solutions."
The study details several long-standing causes for grade inflation, including changes in grading policies, student evaluation of professors and the dilution of course content.
The report also focuses on the degree to which grade inflation damages a university's credibility. It states that 82 percent of Harvard students graduate with honors and that only 11 percent of the grades assigned by Princeton University are below the "B" range.
Rosovsky said grade inflation clouds the graduate school and employment selection process.
"When you can't use grades you push other sorts of communication, such as an 'old boys' and 'old girls' network," he said.
Some professors also have argued that grade inflation is a problem at UNC.
A special task force on grading standards was supervised last year by communications Professor Beverly Long.
