College class size is often misleading

Colleges like to report student-faculty ratios as evidence of instructional quality (“Beyond Student-Faculty Ratios,” The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal,” Jul. 29).  But such data need to be taken with a grain of salt.

First, the data are based on an honor system.  There is no transparency. But in my opinion the greatest flaw is that even ideal ratios are no assurance of what students have learned.  Let’s not ever forget that teaching is the least important factor in granting tenure.

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