Honoring the Honor Students- Providing a Badge of Excellence

Grade Inflation is a hot topic among academicians. It has a number of effects, one of which is that it makes more students eligible for membership in honor societies. SOme of my students have been invited to join so many that they have asked me if it is worth paying the dues to all the societies. The NYT has an interesting article on the topic- As Honor Students Multiply, Who Really Is One?
In one of the courses I aught this fall, I told the students that A stood for excellence and B for above average, and in a large population, only half the students should be above the median- A or B. One of the students gave me a bad rating on "Rate My Professors" site and commented that "He is a horrible professor and it tactics make no sense...you'll work the hardest youve ever worked in a class and still get a c." Of course, with her writing skills, she should be happy that she got a C. On the other hand, another student wrote that "Best teacher I've ever had! I loved his class. He is hilarious and extremely knowledgeable of interesting information. A very enjoyable class." Sometimes, tougher standards are appreciated.