A threshold problem with the argument involves the voluntary nature of the evaluation
procedure. The dean provides no evidence about the number or percentage of Omega
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students who participate in the procedure. Lacking such evidence it is entirely possible that
those numbers are insignificant, in which case terminating the procedure is unlikely to have
any effect on the grade average of Omega students or their success in getting jobs after
graduation.
The argument also assumes unfairly that the grade-average increase is the result of the
evaluation procedure--rather than some other phenomenon. The dean ignores a host of other
possible explanations for the increase--such as a trend at Omega toward higher admission
standards, or higher quality instruction or facilities. Without ruling out all other possible
explanations for the grade-average increase, the dean cannot convince me that by terminating
the evaluation procedure Omega would curb its perceived grade inflation let alone help its
graduates get jobs.
Even if the evaluation procedure has resulted in grade inflation at Omega, the dean's claim
that grade inflation explains why Omega graduates are less successful than Alpha graduates
in getting jobs is unjustified. The dean overlooks a myriad of other possible reasons for
Omega's comparatively poor job-placement record. Perhaps Omega's career services are
inad...