"We propose ending this practice of Saturday classes by adopting a new model," said College Council Chair and Professor of English Andrew Parker. "Monday classes now would be held on the Wednesday of the first week in the fall; that Wednesday's classes would be recovered the last week of the semester with one extra day of instruction-a Wednesday, in fact."
Broader changes to the calendar were raised by the faculty, including the shortening of orientation and an off-day for Labor Day, which is currently reserved for College business such as freshman advising.
"Labor Day is heavily burdened," said Professor of Philosophy Jonathan Vogel.
Professor of Sociology Jan Dizard noted that other College employees are required to work on Labor Day. "If Labor Day means any kind of solidarity, we should work along with [other College employees such as dining services staff]," he said.
But, according to Parker, the College does not have much leeway in changing the calendar because the five-college system forbids any individual school from starting more than three days before the others.
The faculty passed the motion by unanimous voice vote and continued its discussion of the Latin honors system.
Motion F, which changed the qualification for Latin Honors from a grade point cut-off to class rank, passed 66 to 37 with two abstentions.
The motion passed without debate and the language currently reads: "Eligibility for Latin Honors will be determined by class rank."
The next motion, G, adjusted the percentages for summa, magna and cum laude.
Professor of Chemistry David Hansen introduced an amendment to eliminate percentages for cum laude honors. "I offer an amendment to strike category three. Any student who writes a thesis should be able to get Latin honors, said Hansen.
"To continue with that thought, I agree we should eliminate the cut-off," said Professor of Chemistry Mark Marshall. "The argument against it is that this may impact the departments who have large numbers of students."
Professor of Computer Science Cathy McGeogh called the question on the amendment to eliminate percentages from cum laude Latin Honors; it passed 87 to 15 with three abstentions.
Immediately after this amendment passed, McGeogh introduced an amendment to place the cut off for both summa and magna cum laude at the top 50 percent of the class. "Almost everyone eligible for magna is also eligible for summa," said Registrar Gerald Mager. "Almost 50 percent had a magna level GPA."
"We are backing back into what was bad about the old system," said Professor of Russian Jane Taubman.
The faculty rejected McGeogh's amendment by a vote of seven to 88, with 15 abstentions.
The debate continued on the correct percentage cut-offs for magna and summa cum laude. Professor of Geology Jack Cheney suggested that the faculty adopt the cut-offs of 10 and 25 percent for summa and magna, respectively.
"I would urge against this," said Professor of History Frank Couvares. "It is a way of saying that half the people who deserve this level of honors won't get it. We have an obsession with the spurious precision of grades. It would become an instrument for denying honors to students as recommended by the departments."
Some professors expressed concern that a 10 percent cut-off for summa would once again reward those students who had been awarded Phi Beta Kappa, whose cut-off is the top 10 percent of the class.
"I agree with Frank, this is bad. It would be multiple honoring based on the same criteria," said Professor of Physics Kannan Jagannathan.
Next, Professor of Mathematics David Cox introduced an amendment to lower the cut-off for summa from the top 10 percent to the top 25 percent of the class.
"I like this proposal. It places the emphasis on the creativity of the Latin honors project," said Professor of History and WAGS Margaret Hunt. The faculty approved this amendment by a vote of 80 to 20, with eight abstentions.
Motion H, whose language tied a distribution requirement to Latin honors, failed without debate on the floor. This new honors system will go into effect for the class of 2004 and will be reviewed by the CEP in the fall of 2007. Modifications to this honors system can be made at any time in the next three years at the discretion of the faculty.