Section 2 Purpose; courses of instruction; standards; powers of trustees - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 2. The major purpose of the university shall be to provide, without discrimination, public service, research, and education programs, including continuing education services, in the liberal arts and sciences and in the professions, and in those professional areas normally requiring either education beyond four years of undergraduate training or a basic or advanced degree beyond the bachelor’s level, with exclusive jurisdiction in agriculture. The university may offer the adult education services of the university extension services. The university shall have the general authority to award an earned doctoral degree, either independently or jointly with any other public institution of higher education operated by the commonwealth in accordance with joint programs approved by the board of higher education and the board of trustees of the university and the board of trustees of such other public institution. The trustees shall maintain high educational standards at the university and shall, subject only to the general authority of the secretary and the board of higher education as set forth in this chapter, chapter 15A, and other applicable provisions of the General Laws, have complete authority to establish, locate, support, consolidate or abolish classes, courses, curricula, departments, divisions, schools or colleges of the university wherever and whenever required in meeting the needs of the commonwealth in the field of public higher education. The trustees shall establish for the university the qualifications and standards for promotion and graduation and shall award academic degrees and diplomas and confer honors as is customary in American universities. The trustees shall establish, for the university, the qualifications and standards for admission subject to approval by the board of higher education. Said standards for admission shall accommodate persons who have been diagnosed as developmentally disabled, including but not limited to, having dyslexia or other specific language disabilities, by an evaluation procedure prescribed by chapter seventy-one B, or equivalent testing. The trustees may confer such honorary degrees as they deem appropriate.