First Topic
The nature of pass-fail courses was the first
matter to be debated after the continuation of
general discussion on the philosophy of the
report was cut off about half way through the
meeting. At that time discussion was focused
on consideration of degree requirements, the
first of the specific areas taken up in the
committee's written proposal for curriculum
changes.
Contained in the section entitled "Degree
Requirements" was the committee's proposal
to allow eight semester courses to "be taken in
the College or elsewhere in the university on a
pass-fail basis and offered for a degree in the
College." The committee further suggested that
"no more than two courses during any one
semester may be taken on a pass-fail basis."
Discussion immediately centered about two
points of the pass-fail proposal which were later
to result in the two defeated amendments.
The first motion was made by Edward A.
Kolodziej, associate professor of Government
and Foreign Affairs, who questioned the
committee's reasons for increasing the number
of pass-fail course from the four of its interim
report to the eight of its final proposal.
Mr. Kolodziej's motion would have limited
the number of pass-fail courses to four, with no
more than one course in any semester taken on
a pass-fail basis. He argued that the faculty
should evaluate pass-fail courses for a year on
this basis and then make a decision to reduce or
increase the number of pass-fail courses.
In discussion supporting Mr. Kolodziej's
motion, other faculty members expressed fear
that graduate schools would be less likely to
accept students who had taken a large number
of pass-fail courses.
