There has been a major cultural shift in the past decade, starting in the early 2010s towards creating ‘safe spaces’ at universities, and students refusing to learn critical thinking skills and replacing them with quasi religious dogma, of a leftist political bent often. It is very new that this type of thing is going on at universities.

Relatedly, grade inflation is also rampant again. 60% of Harvard undergrads get straight As last year. in 2005, 25% of of them did. Failing or getting bad grades is basically impossible at universities these days unless you are deliberately negligent. Showing up and making minimal effort usually gets you a B or higher. Because being lazy and getting a C would ‘traumatize’ a student these days, so it’s not allowed.

There are some great books about it. Coddling of the American mind is probably the most popular.

Also students don’t study anymore. Average study time is like a dozen hours a week now. It used to be 30+ 2-3 decades ago.