Course evaluations are breaking higher ed
Tomo Chien
September 17, 2025
Good morning, it’s Wednesday. Here are the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
End-of-semester course evaluations are breaking college grading systems for a simple reason: Students are horrible at judging professors. They often reward easy A’s, which incentivizes rampant grade inflation. “To some extent, we are all afraid of our students,” one Harvard professor said.
2.
In case you missed it: USC has laid off at least 637 employees since July, according to new documents filed with state labor officials. The Keck school and healthcare system were the hardest hit in the latest disclosures, which you can view here and here.
3.
Twenty-one University of California faculty groups sued Donald Trump over his $1.2 billion fine against UCLA, alleging he’s forcing “ideological dominance” over the school. “We’re doing this because the UC administration has not yet,” one professor said of the decision to sue.
4.
California gas prices could soon soar higher as oil refineries continue to close across the state. The shortest explanation for the closures: Demand for gasoline in California has slowly but steadily declined, dimming the outlook for oil companies in the state. In 2024, Californians consumed 16% less gas than they did two decades earlier.
5.
The creator Greg Ruben documented open houses at some of LA’s most expensive mansions. He had a stinging critique. The typical mansion “doesn’t even feel like a home anymore — it’s closer to a retail environment,” Ruben said. “No aspiration, no belief in anything,” he continued. “They’re walled off and geographically isolated.”
Correction: Thanks to reader Steven L. for pointing out that former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, mentioned in yesterday’s newsletter, has already taught at USC for several years.