The faculty accepted Peterson's motion as a replacement for the original motion. However, the faculty voted down the newly-accepted substitute motion, entirely removing distribution requirements from English honors policy.
Professor of Chemistry Mark Marshall opened the discussion by highlighting the specific consequences of a distribution requirement on the math and science departments.
"After calculus, the nature of math courses changes," said Marshall. "If students need a math course to take, what would they be offered? We also need to consider if Advanced Placement credit should count and if not, we need to make that clear."
The discussion continued to center on the College-wide implications of a distribution requirement for honors. Several faculty members were concerned that this motion would create a College-Wide distribution requirement.
"I think we should vote against this motion," said Dean of New Students and Professor of History and American Studies Frank Couvares. "Distribution requirements are not a good idea in my mind. The kind of distribution
proposed here is a glorified high school distribution; they are another set of hoops to jump through."
"This is a modest attempt to recognize excellence across the curriculum. It is very much a step in the right direction," said Professor of Mathematics Gregory Call.
"We need to think long and hard about this," said Professor of Sociology Jerome Himmelstein. "We are, in effect, putting in a distribution requirement through the back door."
"I don't want a Trojan horse introduced through this honors program," said Professor of French and European Studies Ronald Rosbottom.
According to Professor of Anthropology Deborah Gewertz, a distribution requirement for English honors would only further aggravate the "anti-intellectualism" that exists on campus. "The word around Lewis-Sebring is that the problem with Amherst students is that they are anti-intellectual. A distribution requirement for honors is the worst thing we can do to decrease anti-intellectualism," said Gewertz. "If we value liberal arts we should do it for all students, but not get this in in the way that will encourage students to grade grub."
Associate Professor of Philosophy Alex George responded to the concerns of several professors who did not want students in their classes who were there for the wrong reasons.
"There seems to be an apprehension about the grudging student in the classroom," said George. "I'm not convinced by that. It's rare that a student enters a class and hates it from beginning to end; students get turned on."
The debate centered on the idea that the motion instituted a distribution system "through the back door."
"This motion is instituting de facto distribution," said Himmelstein. "The discussion here tonight has been about the virtue of distribution requirements and not about how to structure English honors. The debate I'm hearing tonight is the same debate that was going on 20 years ago. Finally, if we took a straw vote, it would be very close and that's a very bad basis to do something that would call for a fundamental curriculum change."
Peterson explained his reasoning for introducing the substitute motion and described his reasons for supporting distribution.
"My understanding of why I have brought forward this motion comes out of a sense of self-respect as a faculty member," said Peterson. "Amherst should have two types of honors, it should recognize achievement in depth and demonstrated breadth. I also believe I am strongly in favor of an open curriculum. The genius or flaw is that [a distribution requirement for English honors] is not one of these specific things. This is not a distribution requirement, it is a discussion of the appropriate standard of excellence for Latin and English honors."
After the faculty voted down the motion for distribution, it began its discussion of a motion to "alter the minimum course performance requirements for English honors." Because the motion for distribution requirements for English honors was voted down, the sole qualifier for English honors is class rank. As a result, the Faculty questioned the need and purpose of English honors.
The faculty passed a vote to increase the standard for graduating with High Distinction at 10 percent of the class, in order to match the qualifying standard for Phi Beta Kappa by a vote of 52 for, 30 against and 25 abstentions. The previous standard they were planning to discuss was 9 percent. The faculty will discuss the adoption of the 10 percent standard at their meeting on April 2.