Word: summa
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...English, maintaining that it is nearly impossible to accurately judge the quality of a literary work. This logic seems to be borne out in the English Department. According to sources in the Department, there have been at least three theses for which one reader gave some form of summa and the other reader marked it with some degree...
...master list is circulated to the Faculty, and the members of the department check the theses in which they are interested. Two readers are then chosen. A third reader is called in when a discrepancy results, although most departments require a third reader whenever a thesis has received two summa readings...
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...
...English this year, one student's thesis was graded summa minus by a graduate student and no distinction by a Faculty member. The professor awarded no distinction because of what he considered an incorrect citation. After the graduate student was told of the possible error, the sources said, she changed her grade to no distinction, thus removing any hope that an honors grade might be salvaged...
Departments refuse to admit that a set number of degrees in each classification--summa, magna, and cum--are granted each year, and that this number is arbitrarily imposed. In the Government Department last year, however, of approximately 100 honors candidates, about 36 received magnas or higher. This year, only 78 people stood for honors, and the Department discussed the significant drop at their degree meeting...