Word: magna
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...SUMMA CUM laude degree looks impressive in a Who's Who listing, although this academic distinction is awarded no more prominence than its somewhat less impressive little brothers magna and cum. But in the Harvard academic family, the summas command the most respect, and when the family gets together for its annual commencement gathering, the summas--not the magnas and the cums--will garner the most praise...
WHAT ALL THIS means is that each department grants its honors in its own way, so it is not only difficult to understand why one particular student received a summa and another a magna, but is impossible to equate a summa in one department with a summa in another department...
Last year, History of Science awarded six summas, one magna plus, and 11 magnas to a graduating class of 28. Similarly, in 1972 Social Studies awarded six summas, no magna pluses, and 18 magnas to a class of 44. The same year, History and Literature awarded one summa, no magna pluses, and 19 magnas to a class...
John M. Bullitt, senior tutor in English, says, however, that only a high magna-low cum discrepancy occurred this year. Bullitt may be technically correct after a fashion. But sources said that in two cases, submitted grades were changed before the final thesis grade was calculated...
Usually, when grades differ by more than one distinction--summa to magna, magna to cum, or summa to cum--a third reader is called in to render another opinion. In most departments, the third grade is averaged with the other two, but in the English Department this year, the three readers held a meeting with Alan E. Heimert '49, chairman of the Department, to determine the final grade...