CONFIDENTIAL President's Office
, PROPOSED MERGER OF THE BOUVE-BOSTON
SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL THERAPY
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Boston, Massachusetts November 4, 1964 .. CONFIDENTIAL President's Office NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY 11/4/63 Boston, Massachusetts
, PROPOSED MERGER OF THE BOUVE-BOSTON SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL. THERAPY WITH NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Introductory Statement
For over twenty years the Bouve-Boston School has been an independent
affiliate of Tufts University, maintaining its own Corporation, Administration
and Faculty, physical facilities and equipment. Since 1950 the School has
been located in buildings which it built and owns on the Tufts Campus at
Medford Hillside.
The School has long been committed to four-year curricula combining lib-
era! studies and professional education and leading to the degrees of Bachelor
of Science in Education and Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy. The
Faculty and Administration of the School believe strongly in the serviceability
and worth of these programs which have won for Bouve'-Boston a distinguished
reputation and a position of leadership in the field of physical education and
physical therapy. The School does not wish to change its basic educational
This four-year plan integrating general education. and preparation for a profession is no longer consistent with the philosophy of education now held by Tufts University which prefers to concentrate on the liberal arts throughout the baccalaureate program and defer professional studies until graduate school.
Desiring to keep its present integrated undergraduate curricula , Bouve'-Boston 2 is thus under the necessity of severing its affiliation with the College of Special
Studies at Tufts.
Negotiations have been carried on for the past several months between the
Bouve'-Boston School and Northeastern Univer~ity to explore the possibility of a merger under which the former would give up its independent status and be come an integral part of Northeastern as the Bouve'-Boston College of Physical
Education and. Physical Therapy of Northeastern University. These discussions have resulted in a consensus on the following points:
1 . The basic philosophy of Bouve-Boston is entirely consistent
with the educational principles which guide Northeastern in
the development of its programs of instruction.
2 . The curricula of Bouve'-Boston could be effectively arranged
on the co-operative plan which Northeastern utilizes in all
of its Basic Colleges. Co-operative education would seem
to be well adapted for use in the fields of physical education
and physical therapy.
3. A Bouve'-Boston College of Physical Education and Physical
Therapy of Northeastern on the "Co-op" Plan could be co
educational, incorporating the present physical education
program for men at the University as well as the contemplated
curriculum for women which has been announced to begin in
the fall of 1964. 3
4. A decision by the governing boards in regard to the merger
should be made as soon as possible, since word of the
negotiations has already spread through both campuses,· to
alumnae of Bouvef--Boston, and to secondary school personnel.
A prolonged period of uncertainty could do considerable harm
to the Bouve'-Boston School.
5. A period of several years will be needed to phase out the
operations on the Tufts Campus and establish the new "co-
op, " co-educational college at Northeastern, if favorable
action is. taken on the proposed merger. This would, of
course, involve the friendly co-operation of Tufts Univer-
sity.
Proposed Plan For Merger
It is suggested that the merger of Bouve'-Boston School with Northeastern
University be accomplished as follows:
1. That as of July 1, 1964, the Corporation of Bouve-Boston
School be dissolved and the School become an integral part , of Northeastern to be known as the Bouve-Boston College
of Physical Education and Physical Therapy--a co-
educational college operated on the co-operative plan.
That all assets of Bouve'-Boston School be turned over to 4
the University and that Northeastern assume responsibility
for discharging all obligations and meeting all liabilities
of the School as of the date of transfer.
2. That as of July 1, 1964, Dr. Minnie L. Lynn become the
Dean of the Bouve-Boston College of Physical Education
and Physical Therapy of Northeastern University and that
all members of the present faculty of the School who wish
to do so become members of the Northeastern faculty at
salaries and with fringe benefits similar to those enjoyed
by comparable faculty members at the University. In gen
eral, this will improve the salaries, status, and security
of the ~ouve~Boston group.
3. That during 1964-65 all four classes at Bouve-Boston be
continued on the Tufts Campus using present facilities
of the School and operating existing four-year curricula
not involving the co-operative plan. This will require
negotiations between Northeastern and Tufts for the admis
sion of Bouvl-Boston students to Tufts liberal arts courses
or for the use of classrooms in which Bouve-Boston students
would be taught by Northeastern faculty members. Questions
as to participation in Tufts extra-curricular activities and
as to whether the degrees awarded in June, 1965, and for 5
several years thereafter should be from Tufts or Northeastern
would also need to be resolved.
(Note.) During World War II a substantial number of North
eastern students enrolled in a Navy training program were
transferred from Northeastern to Tufts University where a
Naval R. 0. T. C. Program was in operation. The students
were distributed throughout several classes and were given
appropriate advanced standing by Tufts. When they had
completed their curricula I by mutual agreement between
the two universities the students were awarded a Tufts
degree if more than half their work had been done on the
Medford campus or a Northeastern degree if more than half
their work had been done on the Huntington Avenue campus.
3. That girls be admitted to the five-year co-operative program
in physical education at Northeastern OQ. the Huntington
Avenue Campus as already planned I in the fall of 1964.
4. That tuition cnarges for all four classes in Bouve-Boston
for 1964-65 be as stated in the catalog for that year.
Tuition for subse~uent years will be established by North
eastern University in accordance with similar charges for
tuition, in its Basic Colleges.
5. That all students at Bouve-Boston during 1964-65 be given
the opportunity to complete the programs in which they 6
originally enrolled I except that by 1966-6 7 it is anticipated
that the College will be completely established in facilities
on the Huntington Avenue Campus of Northeastern University
so that the final year for the Class of 1967 and the final two
years for the Class of 1968 will need to be at Northeastern.
Since Northeastern will be developing co-operative curricula
in physical education and physical therapy during the next
few years I there will be the opportunity open to any Bouve'
Boston girls who wish to do so to transfer to the new plan.
6. That as of the beginning of the college year 1965-66 I and in
subsequent years I all freshmen in the Bouve-Boston College
of Physical Education and Physical Therapy will be admitted
to the Northeastern University Huntington Avenue Campus.
Northeastern will provide an adequate playing field on its
campus by the fall of 1965. Three upperclasses of Bouve'
Boston will continue at Medford Hillside during this year.
Possibly the smaller dormitories of Bouve-Boston can be sold
at this time since freshmen will be housed in Boston. Stu
dents in physical education who entered Northeastern in the
fall of 1964 will continue at the Huntington Avenue Campus
as "co-op" sophomores .
7. That as of the beginning of the college year 1966-6 7 I hope
fully the College could cease using the Medford Campus 7
facilities and be housed completely at Northeastern's
Boston Campus. In any case, this would take place by
1967-68.
8. That the Administration and Faculty of Bouve-Boston will
co-operate with Northeastern in the following ways:
(a) the planning of physical education, recreation,
and camping facilities for the University's
Warren Center for Physical Education and
Recreation in Ashland;
(b) the planning of a building and other facilities
on the Huntington Avenue Campus to accommodate
the co-operative curricula in physical education
and physical therapy contemplated for the new co
educational college;
(c) the approach to Educational Facilities Laboratories,
Inc. in an effort to develop plans for a distinctive
building which might attract their financial support;
(d) the adapting of curricula in physical education and
physical therapy to the co-operative plan;
(e) the meeting of special adjustments involved in the
transition of Bouve-Boston from independent status
as a Tufts affiliate to status as an integral part of 8
a large urban university, particularly in
reference to the well being and effective
treatment of students attending the College
during the transition period.
Closing Statement
Throughout the negotiations between representatives of Bouve'-Boston and Northeastern it has become increasingly evident that it is impossible to foresee and specifically plan in advance for all of the adjustments that will need to be made in case the School merges with the University. The main issues have been thoroughly canvassed and there appears to be a full meeting of minds among the staff conferees from both institutions as to the feasibility of the merger along lines reported heretofore.
The happy outcome of such an undertaking, however, from the point of view of Bouv~-Boston and its ultimate success as an integral part of North eastern's growing programs in the health sciences is contingent upon a willingness on both sides to work out unpredictable problems in a spirit of mutual understanding and co-operation.
The University definitely plans to provide a suitable home for and to sustain and strengthen the educational programs of the Bouv~-Boston School.
These things it will do to the very best of its ability.
If Bouve'-Boston decides to merge with Northeastern, the University will assume that it enjoys the complete confidence of all concerned {Corporation, 9
Administration, and Faculty} and that Northeastern will then have the same responsibility and authority with respect to the Bouve-Boston College of
Physical Education and Physical Therapy that the University has for its other Basic Colleges.