Part I.  The Legislation in Brief:  

We recommend replacing the section of “Degree Requirements #1-7” on pp. 24-26 of the 2004-2006 Bates Catalog with the following:  [note items 1-5 below are basically unchanged from the current requirements] Bachelor of science requirement, Liberal Arts-Engineering Dual Degree Plan, and Academic honors remains unchanged.

Degree Requirements.  Students may pursue courses leading to the degree of either bachelor of arts or bachelor of science.  When determining graduation eligibility, students are held to the curriculum and degree requirements listed in the Catalog for the year in which they matriculated at Bates.  Each student is solely responsible for completing all of these requirements.

Each candidate for graduation must complete the following requirements:

1.  Either (a) thirty-two course credits, sixty-four quality points, and two Short Term units; or (b) thirty course credits, sixty quality points, and three Short Term units.  Option (b) is available only for students who graduate in the three-year program.   The following values are used in the computation of quality points:  

A+ = 4.0          B+ = 3.3          C+ = 2.3          D+ = 1.3          F = 0                ON = 0
A = 4.0            B = 3.0             C = 2.0            D = 1.0            F# = 0              W = 0
A- = 3.7           B- = 2.7           C- = 1.7           D- = 0.7          DEF = 0            P = 2

2.  Registration in each regular semester for no fewer than three or no more than five academic courses.

3.  Enrollment in courses at Bates for the final semester of the senior year.  Senior work in the major field must be completed in residence.

4. Physical Education credits.  The physical education requirement may be satisfied by completing two ten-week physical education activity courses.  Student may also meet the requirement through department-approved participation in intercollegiate athletics, club sports, and activity courses, or any combination.  This requirement should be completed by the end of the first year in residence.

5.  A major field of study.  Students successfully complete all prescribed work in a major comprising at least eight courses and including a senior thesis or a capstone experience, as determined by the major department or program.

6.  Two concentrations.  In addition to their major, students successfully complete two general education concentrations, declared at the same time as their major.  A concentration consists of four courses chosen from a faculty-designed menu that is structured on the basis of a clearly articulated organizing principle.  The faculty when designing the concentrations may also include relevant non-course-based experiences such as significant community service, orchestra, chorus, plays, volunteer work, etc., in lieu of courses.  Non-course-based experiences, though counting towards a concentration, may not be counted towards the 32 credits needed for graduation.  

Concentrations may be of two basic types: (1) concentrations focusing on a particular issue or topic or area of inquiry identified by self-constituted groups of faculty in different disciplines; (2) concentrations within a single department, program, or major.  The latter might replace or be in addition to existing secondary concentrations, at the discretion of individual departments or programs.  All remaining retained secondary concentrations are renamed “minors.”  

All proposed concentrations must be certified by the Committee on Curriculum and Calendar and published yearly in the College Catalog on line or in print.  Students’ concentrations appear on their transcripts and will be a permanent part of their academic record.  

Double-dipping rules: (i.e., satisfying two requirements with one course or non-course-based experience) Students may only “double-dip” once between their concentrations and their majors (i.e., only one of the eight courses or non-course based experiences they choose as counting towards their two concentrations may also be counted towards their major).  Alternatively, they may only double-dip once between their two concentrations (i.e., only one course [or non-course based experience] may count towards both concentrations).  The two concentrations together must thus have a minimum of seven distinct courses or non-course-based experiences.  When appropriate, concentration courses (but not non-course-based experiences) may be counted towards any other degree requirements (writing, scientific reasoning, laboratory experience, quantitative literacy).

7. Three writing-attentive courses.   Students successfully complete three writing attentive (“W”) courses, one at the first-year level, one at the sophomore or junior level, and one at the senior level.  W-designated courses can take the form of an entire course or unit, a section of a course, or a subset of a course.   W-courses can be proposed by departments, programs, or individual faculty members with the approval of their department or program.  They must be certified by the First Year Seminar and Writing Workshop Committee, whose charge will be expanded to include this responsibility, and whose name will be changed to the First Year Seminar and Writing Committee. 

Double-dipping rules:  When appropriate, W-attentive courses may also be used to fulfill any other degree requirements at Bates (major, concentrations, scientific reasoning, laboratory experience, quantitative literacy).

8.  Scientific Reasoning, Laboratory Experience, and Quantitative Literacy.  Students successfully complete three distinct courses:  (1) one course that includes a regularly scheduled laboratory component (in the laboratory or in the field), i.e., an “L” section; (2) one Scientific Reasoning (“S”) course, which may or may not have a laboratory component; (3) one course in quantitative literacy (“Q”).  “L,” “S” and “Q” courses can be proposed by departments, programs, or individual faculty members with the approval of their departments or programs.  They must be certified by the Scientific Reasoning and Quantitative Literacy Committee which will be newly formed for this purpose.  

Double-dipping rules: no double-dipping is allowed between L, S, and Q courses (i.e., these requirements must be met by three distinct courses). However, when appropriate, L, S, and Q courses may be used to fulfill other degree requirements (major, concentrations, and writing).  

9.  Overall Implementation and Timetable.   The new Bates Education Requirements will be introduced gradually, beginning with the class of 2011, in the Fall of 2007.  Students graduating before 2011 will not be given the option of fulfilling the new requirements, but will be expected to abide by the ones current at the time of their matriculation.   By the Fall of 2010, all students will be subject to the new requirements.  

Starting in the Fall of 2007, all fulltime faculty members are expected to offer at least one “W” or “L” or “S” or “Q” course per year, or one course per year that counts towards a concentration of type 1 (area of inquiry).  Exceptions to this may be granted by the Dean of the Faculty.  It is anticipated that full implementation of this expectation may take a few years, up to Fall 2010.

Oversight of the development and implementation of the new requirements, is the responsibility of the Educational Policy Committee.  More specific development, implementation and oversight of the individual components of the curriculum are the responsibility of other committees as follows.

• 4-course concentrations: Curriculum and Calendar Committee
• W-courses: First-Year Seminar and Writing Committee
• L, S and Q courses: new committee on Scientific Reasoning and Quantitative Literacy

The EPC will report back to the faculty by 2012 on the progress of the curriculum and its implementation.