"all degrees shall be conferred by the Board of Regents, upon the recommendation of the Medical Faculty," contain no mention of a diploma. However, the minutes of the faculty, November 23, 1850, show that Dr. Denton and Dr. Sager were appointed as a committee to draft a form for a diploma. This draft, in English, was adopted and sent to the Board, which, in January, 1851, entrusted to Dr. Zina Pitcher the duty of procuring the engraving of the diploma and "to make such alterations in the style and embellishment thereof as he may find proper." The cost of engraving the diploma and making twenty impressions was $250.
In 1875 Dean Sager, reporting on the complaint of the students that the old diploma plate was worn out, stated "that the vignette designed to represent the Medical College and surroundings … conveys a very imperfect and inadequate idea" of their present condition. The students asked for a new plate and new diplomas. The Board decided not to procure a new plate, but recommended that an appropriation of not more than $200 be made to represent on the plate the University buildings of that time. This recommendation was adopted, but a month later the action was rescinded, and the Board directed that the representation of the Medical Building on the plate be stricken out.
The Board, in 1878, received a petition from the medical students asking that the diplomas thereafter be printed in Latin and offering to give $150 toward procuring a new plate. This request was granted provided that the cost to the University did not exceed fifty dollars. The sum of ninety dollars was received from medical students as part payment toward a diploma plate.
In the Announcement of 1852 a new requirement for graduation was added which stated that the candidate "must have been engaged in the study of Practical Anatomy." A further slight change made at this time was that the thesis had to be "composed and written by [the candidate] himself." In 1865, as a result of the enlargement of the Chemical Laboratory, the above requirement was made to read "must have been engaged in the study of Practical Anatomy and Practical Chemistry."
With the above slight additions, the requirements were the same in 1875. It was stated, however, that the candidate was required during the course, "to submit to written examinations by each Professor." The final thesis could be written in English, German, French, or Latin.
In 1877 the transition from the old requirements began as a result of the extension of the course from six to nine months and the initiation of the optional three-year course, which went into effect in 1880. In the Announcement for that year it was stated that in addition to the examination required, the candidate "may be called upon to write upon some theme … required to be defended before the class. In consequence of the prominence given to written examinations through the Course, no graduating thesis will be required." The old phrase "of having studied medicine three years" is retained but that of "with some respectable practitioner of medicine" is deleted, although the names of the preceptors continued to be published until as late as 1890.
In 1851 the faculty decided upon a ballot system. Each professor was given five votes, making a total of twenty-five possible votes. The passing grade was fixed as sixteen votes, 64 per cent. Of the seven candidates who presented themselves, one received six votes and accordingly was rejected. The remaining six candidates received from sixteen to twenty-five votes. The one to receive the
