Uh oh. Two Democrats disagree about something. It’s a Democrat civil war!

Nick Anderson of the Washington Post reports.

Napolitano, University of California president, ‘deeply skeptical’ of Obama college rating plan

Former U.S. homeland security secretary Janet Napolitano, two months into her new job as president of the University of California system, expressed skepticism Friday about the workability of a college rating system the Obama administration is developing.

Napolitano’s comments echoed what other higher education leaders have said since President Obama announced in August that the federal government intends by fall 2015 to start rating colleges on several measures, such as average tuition, the share of low-income students they enroll and their effectiveness in ensuring that students graduate without too much debt. The initiative reflects a belief that heightened accountability would yield more affordability.

Napolitano’s reaction is especially significant because she was a member of Obama’s Cabinet and now leads a 10-university system that is a major force among public research institutions. Napolitano said it would be difficult to find meaningful ways to measure and compare colleges and universities across America.

“I am deeply skeptical that there are criteria that can be developed that are in the end meaningful, because there will be so many exceptions, once you get down to it,” Napolitano said in an interview with reporters and editors at The Washington Post. “It’s not like — you know, you’re not buying a car or a boat. And so I hope to have the opportunity to engage in a productive way in this discussion.”

An Education Department spokesman had no comment.