Departments Differ on CLGS Plan; CEP Vetoes Change in Regulations

The Committee on Educational Policy yesterday followed the recommendation of the Administrative Board and decided not to recommend degree requirement changes in the cum laude in general studies program. There is still some opposition in the Economics, Government, and History departments to the present standards, which are considered dubious.

The favorable ruling means that sesenors will still be allowed to abandon their theses at any time and submit 11 1/2 honors grades for CLGS distinction.

Otto Eckstein, professor of Economics, said yesterday he was one of the minority on the Committee who had favored stiffening somewhat the requirements for CLGS. He suggested substituting an over-all minimum grade average for the present requirements of at least 11 1/2 B- grades.

Only Grades Count

The growth of CLGS degrees, from 50 three years ago to 150 last year, makes it advisable for the Faculty to lok at the program in a new light, Eckstein asserted. "What was once a small program is now a wholly new program based purely on course grades, without the tutorial and independent study that are important in other honors programs," he said.

But Harvey Brooks, Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics and vice-chairman of the CEP, noted that the number of candidates for regular departmental honors who subsequently went into CLGS remained about the same this year as last year--approximately 30.

Brooks also voiced the majority CEP view that no change in the grade requirement for CLGS is needed. He pointed out that the present requirement already exceeds the minimum number of honors grades that a candidate for departmental honors would need.

Brooks said the Committee also failed to produce any real sentiment for another proposed change, requiring seniors to drop their theses by December 1 in order to be eligible for the CLGS degree. The Administrative Board recommended against the change in its report.

The only way changes might be made in the program this year is for one or more dissatisfied departments to make an independent motion of the Faculty. Eckstein said he had no plans at this time to introduce such a motion, and Brooks doubted that one would come before the Faculty this spring.