Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-31
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
MEETING TO HAVE REPoRTs ON
REORGANIZATION.
The Studies Prescribed by Columbian
Faculty for Admission to
Degree Courses.

An important meeting of the Columbian
University council was held last Saturday
evening. The interest felt by the members
Of the several faculties connected with the
university was attested by the large num-
Der in attendance and by their free and gen.
eral participation in the discussion. The
chief object Of the meeting was to hear the
reports Of the committees charged with
working out the details Of the proposed re-
organization, which aims at a more COM
plete amalgamation OF the different schools
and a reduction in the number Of years re-
Quired for the undergraduate course.
Prof Schoenfeld, for the committee on
university subjects, presented a list OF the
subjects in which the university was at
present able to provide instruction. 1nclud-
ing number of courses in the law and
medical schools. such as international and
constitutional law. history of American
diplomacy and histology, not previously
open to undergraduate students. but which
may be taken by them under the new sys-
tenn. He also submitted supplementary
list Of subjects which it would be desirable
to Introduce as soon as possible, among
which particular emphasis was laid upon
American archaeology.
The committee on the course Of study for
the degree of bachelor Of arts and require
ments for admission to that course recon-
mended, through it's chairman, Prof Car
TOti, tudL the general TcQulEcIucit NC ehS
equivalent of a four-year high school
course, of four or five recitations per week
in four or more topics, and submitted list
Of the subjects included In this require
nent. which is substantially the same as
that adopted by the college entrance ex-
animation board. The candidate for admis-
sion Is allowed to substitute French or Ger
man for Greek. The course leading to the
E. "A. degree Is planned for three years. with
twenty recitation hours per week. instead
Of four years with fifteen hours per week,
as at present, and Is to be divided into four
groups, classical. modern language, his
torical- political and mathematical-physi
Of which the first Is essentially the old col
lege course, the second emphasizes the
study OF French, German and English. the
third Is to afford preparation for a profess
siona1 career in law and the fourth for q
professional career in sciences. especially
medicine.
The committee further recommend that
each OF these groups should include pre-
scribed studies, confined to the first two
years Of the new curriculum and aiming at
general culture; elective groups OF advanced
studies. embracing cognate subjects chosen
in the third year; and free elective studies.
By this arrangement 1t would be possible
for student who intended to enter the
law or medical school to elect in his third
year subjects directly preparatory to this
professional work.
Prof. Hodgkins' Report.
The report Of the committee on the re-
quirements for admission and the course
of study leading to the degree Of bachelor
Of science was presented by Prof. Hodgkins.
Its recommendations were along the same
general lines as those OF the preceding COM
mittee, including the reduction from four
years to three; except that it provided five
year courses in engineering for those stu
dents now registered in the Corcoran Scien-
udc School. who would be handicapped by
the proposed, abandonment OF evening
a M nd $o< tovn IN
be. hereafter scheduled later than $50, al
though drawing and laboratory work may
be done in the evening. Besides the regu-
lar B. 8. course, the committee would ar
range for courses in civil engineering,
electrical engineering. mechanical engineer
Ing, architecture. chemistry and libraries
and archives, for which the diploma Of a
Bachelor Of science should be given, but
with specification Of the course which has
been completed. So -.
Prof Sterrett, from the committee on
higher degrees, reported that the university
should confer the degrees Of master of arts,
master Of science, civil engineering, electri-
cal engineering, mechanical engineering and
doctor of philosophy. Candidates for either
of these higher degrees must be already the
holder Of the degree of B. A. or B. s., or
their equivalent, from some institution of
good standing in this country or abroad.
For the masters degree or degree in engi-
neering at least one years resident work
at the university. with an examination and
and for the degree Of Phi. D. minimum Of
three years Of specialized work., of which
at least one year must be in residence, with
examinations on the major and two minor
subjects and a satisfactory thesis, which
must be approved by two of the professors
and defended by the candidate before
board Of three experts of university stand
ing and established reputation In the SUBJ
ject involved.
Change Recommended.
The most important change recommended
by the committee on the catalogue, OF
which Prof. Wilbur was the chairman, was
the division Of the university courses into
three sections: for undergraduates, inciud-
ing all courses intended for the first two
years Of general culture study; for under
graduates and graduates. intended primari-
ly to be taken in the third year. being such
as have hitherto been offered as junior and
senior electives: and those primarily for
graduates, being such as have hitherto been
offered in the School of Graduate Studies,
but hereafter may be open to the under
graduate student at the discretion Of the
head professor of the department.
- Several Of these reports involved radical
changes from the past policy of the univer-
sity: but. after some amendments and a full
discussion they were all approved by the
unanimous vote Of the council.