Grade A rules day for many at UI

Some students seek "easy" classes to fulfill requirements that are not part of their majors.

Johann Neem, department chair and professor of history at Western Washington University, worries that consumer-driven education might be driving students away from the true purpose of colleges.

"At the heart of education are human beings interacting with each other," Neem said. "That's the way people feel confident taking risks with ideas. ... It's the way ideas get developed and refined."