The Faculty passed a motion "to charge the CEP [Committee on Educational Policy] to bring forward several alternative motions for a College-wide honors system no later than the end of the fall semester, 2001."
Discussion of the motion began in response to the question posed by the CEP of whether or not to return to the previous honors system.
Professor of Sociology and American Studies Jan Dizard brought up the question of whether Latin honors should be linked to independent work. "I think that we really have to say that honors work at Amherst involves individual work either in one discipline or in an interdisciplinary subject. The old system captured that [ethic]," he said.
"I would like to go back to the old system. Honors should be given to students who do excellent work ... individual work," said Professor of French and European Studies Ronald Rosbottom.
But others disagreed with the contention that independent work must be involved in honors work. "I don't see any way of claiming that any work done on a thesis will always be better than three courses," said Professor of Political Science Hadley Arkes.
"We need to fix a few things," said Professor of Chemistry David Hansen. "My recommendation to the CEP is to think about ratcheting up GPA cutoffs." Hansen felt that this would "still preserve the spirit of compromise that underlies the current system."
"My sense would be overall one-third of the class [receiving cum laude] as opposed to two-thirds. That would really represent a tightening," he added.
The question of having three levels of department honors was also brought up, with the implication that the magna honor would be coupled with high distinction and summa with highest distinction.
Hansen said he was concerned that with such a system, the "lowest level will be perceived as an insult by students."
Another facet of the conversation centered around the legitimacy of Latin honors as a measure of education at the College. Professor of Geology Tekla Harms said that she believed that students should sample across the curriculum and that most should write theses. "These goals are important. I hear nothing important about Latin honors or distinction. Why do we do it?" she asked.
Associate Professor of Computer Science John Rager agreed, emphasizing that we should be "concerned about the educational effect of honors," namely that under the old system, too many student were doing theses "for the wrong reasons."
But Dizard questioned the validity of exploring a student's moral reasoning behind the decision to write a thesis. "We're not talking about morally reforming students ... [but] about rewarding those students who we think have done something of note," he said.
Time ran short before the faculty could vote on any other motions, and the honors discussion will continue next month.
Another important item on the agenda involved a presentation by Lieber, on behalf of the Dormitory Master Planning Committee, of the four proposals that have been developed by Sasaki Associates for renovating and relocating the freshman dorms.
"Our dorms, and in particular our freshman dorms, are overcrowded," said Lieber, citing rooms in James and Stearns that are designed to be doubles but are currently being used as triples.
Assistant Professor of Computer Science Scott Kaplan '95 expressed concern about moving the philosophy and black studies departments out of Williston to the other side of Route 9, an effect of one of the schemes that places all freshmen on the current freshman quad by turning Williston and Pratt Museum into new dorms. Those departments would be moved to Cooper House, a currently unused building next to Clark House.
Some of the plans involved displacing the geology department and Pratt Museum and building a new space for them, possibly appended to the back of Merrill. "I think that this is the opportunity for a brave new future, if we can bear that cost ... We have to have modern labs. We don't have any," said Harms.
The faculty also approved Professor of English Andrew Parker as chair of College Council and Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Sarah Turgeon as a member of the Council.