Maine State authorized the college to award a Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology

Governor Kenneth Curtis signed into law a bill which included a section reading, “College of the Atlantic, located in Bar Harbor, shall have the power to confer the degree Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology as is usually conferred by like institutions of higher learning.” This decision was an incredible step forward, and meant that enrolled students would have the chance to leave the school with accreditation. By 1973, COA's second academic year, the school's student body numbered 55, with 7 faculty and 5 part time teachers. 

To learn more, read through COA's 1973 newsletter in the 'Related Items.'