56 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XL. No. 1019 



Professor A. W. Crossley has been ap- 

 pointed to a university chair of chemistry, 

 tenable at King's College. 



DISCUSSION AND COBBESPONDENCE 



THE CONFERRING OF THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE 



UPON NON-GRADUATES 



The question of giving degrees to non- 

 graduates vcho for various reasons have failed 

 to obtain them while resident students is one 

 that faculties of colleges and technical schools 

 are frequently called upon to decide. Every 

 year students leave college because of illness, 

 financial embarrassment, lack of interest, 

 defective scholarship and sometimes miscon- 

 duct. 



Some of them enter other institutions or 

 subsequently return to their own college, and, 

 after fulfilling all requirements, receive their 

 degrees. Others enter business or professions 

 in which they become so occupied that they 

 find it impossible to take the time necessary 

 for the completion of their collegiate resi- 

 dence and training. 



Such men often attain distinction in their 

 professions or prominence in other ways, and 

 apply for degrees, being urged thereto by some 

 adtniring former classmate, or at the solicita- 

 tion of some member of the faculty, who is 

 enthusiastically appreciative of their con- 

 tinued interest, financial or otherwise, in the 

 college. It is not easy to understand why one 

 who has attained distinction in his profession 

 should seek an undergraduate degree when 

 such degree signifies nothing beyond the fact 

 that the possessor, prior to his entering his 

 profession, has completed a prescribed course 

 of study in preparation therefor. 



The applying for and the 'granting of a 

 degree on any other basis than its being 

 earned puts an abnormal importance on the 

 degree itself and stamps the recipient with 

 a misleading trade-mark. 



Investigation shows a wide variation in this 

 practise among prominent universities, col- 

 leges and technical schools. Some grant no 

 degrees except for the completion of a pre- 

 scribed course in residence; others accept a 



certificate for the performance at another 

 institution of such part of the work or its 

 equivalent as the candidate may lack; and 

 then there are some which grant degrees on 

 a minimum residence of two years with 

 " fair " standing, honorable dismissal and a 

 " creditable " record varying from ten to 

 twenty-five years subsequent to leaving 

 college. 



During the past two years this question of 

 granting degrees to non-graduates has been 

 repeatedly brought to the attention of the 

 faculty of the Worcester Polytechnic Insti- 

 tute and a committee was appointed to inves- 

 tigate the matter. In order to ascertain the 

 practise in other institutions a circular letter 

 asking for information was sent to all uni- 

 versities, colleges and technical schools on the 

 accredited list of the Carnegie Foundation. 

 Also a letter was sent to most of the graduates 

 of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute who 

 have been or are now engaged in teaching, to 

 ascertain their views on the question. This 

 committee after careful consideration of all 

 the information which had been assembled 

 brought in a report which was unanimously 

 adopted by the faculty. Since a number of 

 institutions with which the committee corre- 

 sponded expressed the desire to be informed 

 as to the conclusions reached, it has seemed 

 best to publish the whole report. 



REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OP THE 

 WOEOESTEB POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE 



The eommittee to which was referred the ques- 

 tion of providing some means whereby degrees 

 may be conferred upon non-graduate students sub- 

 mits the following report: 



1st. That the eommittee recommend that the 

 degree of Bachelor of Science be conferred only 

 on those who have completed one of the courses 

 of study prescribed at this institute as leading to 

 that degree. 



2d. That in the opinion of the eommittee it is 

 not wise to grant any honorary degree to a non- 

 graduate; but in the opinion of the committee the 

 names of all former students should be printed in 

 some official publication of the institute. 



The general reasons which have influenced the 



