Ph. D. Degrees Will Continue To Use Latin

Despite a recent faculty vote to award doctoral diplomas at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in English, the Corporation has vetoed the motion, and insisted that graduate degrees continue to be printed in Latin.

The decision to retain the Latin wording was based on the extreme closeness of the faculty vote in approving the change, Dean Bundy's office reported Friday. Earlier, the faculty had accepted the motion, submitted by the Committee on Seals and Diplomas, by a single vote, following extended debate on the proposed change.

The Corporation reportedly felt that the lack of a substantial majority in favor of the change justified continuing the degree in Latin. The language may still be changed at a future date and may come up before the faculty of Arts and Sciences at any time.

At the time of the faculty vote the Committee had explained it felt "the Ph.D., as a creation of the nineteenth century does not historically have a true claim to the Latin tongue." The motion was then approved along with other recommendations for simplifying the wording on the diplomas. These other motions, which eliminated the "special fields" from the degree and increased the number of possible concentration "subjects" will go into effect this spring.

The Committee on Seals and Diplomas included Dean Bundy, Samuel E. Morison '08, retiring Jonathan Trumbull Professor of American History, David W. Bailey '21, Secretary to the Corporation, and Mason Hammond '25, Pope Professor of the Latin Language and Literature.