[goodluckchuck]

Different leadership.

If some in your experience erred on the side of leniency, then it stands to reason that others might err just as egregiously in the opposite direction.

In fact, your anecdote suggests erring is the norm. We should thus expect punishments to be inappropriate in one direction or another. An appropriate punishment seems rather unlikely.

[Wolfbeta]

I too enjoy creating bell curves from a single datum.

[contubernio]

The anecdote is meant to illustrate not to substitute a full data set.

Universities and other similar large institutions usually err systematically in one direction - that which protects the institution.

[breezybottom]

No, that doesn't stand to reason at all.