Faculty Backs Single A.B. Degree; Waives Present Latin Requirement

As a result of a Faculty vote yesterday, the Bachelor of Arts will be the one degree awarded henceforth to all who graduate from the College, beginning with the Class of 1950 and including all students now enrolled, if they so choose.

Coming at the end of a thirty-year distinction in the College between the A.B. and S.B. degrees, and climaxing a twelve-year movement within the Faculty to do away with the S.B., yesterday discussion passed a motion substantially the same as that proposed by the Committee on Educational Policy after its meeting last Wednesday.

Latin Requirement Dropped

It was moved and passed, "That beginning with the Class of 1950 all students who graduate from Harvard College be awarded the degree of A.B., and that the present requirements in ancient languages for this degree be discontinued; also that this action be made retroactive for students now in Harvard College if they so choose.

"Among the admission requirements for Harvard College there shall be included three years of secondary school Latin (or two years of Greek), or a third year of secondary school mathematics. It is understood that his requirement may be waived for otherwise highly qualified students."

While the action of the Faculty does not officially abolish the S.B. degree, awarded by the College since 1907, it will mean that every student in the Class of '50 and later will receive an A.B.

No Alternative Offered

An "option" clause originally considered was not included in the resolution both because some Faculty members felt it unnecessary and because the result of the Council poll showed few students who actively desired an S.B.

In announcing the Faculty's decision, Provost Buck last night said that he wished to forestall anticipated criticism that "the Harvard Faculty has driven one more nail into the coffin of the ancient languages."

"It has merely been a question of removing an anachronism which has existed in distinguishing the two degrees," he declared. "Instead of weakening the reasons for studying Latin, the Faculty has made them more specific."