The Pierce Report
“We have concluded that Bowdoin should abandon its long tradition as an all-male college.”
The "Pierce" committee (chaired by Trustee William Pierce and comprised of members of the Governing Boards, faculty, alumni, and undergraduates) was appointed by President Coles in the summer of 1967 in response to growing concerns about the future of fraternities at Bowdoin. These concerns were forcefully voiced in a May 1967 report to the Boards and in a subsequent Bowdoin Alumnus article, “Fraternities Must Go,” by members of the Class of 1967, Thomas Allen, Douglas Biklen, and John P. Ranahan. Beyond considering fraternities, the Pierce Committee reviewed the “campus environment” more broadly. They deliberated the possibility of adopting coeducation in order to increase student enrollment, maintain academic quality, and invigorate the college community. Ultimately, Bowdoin made the decision to go coeducational mainly for pragmatic and financial reasons. Bowdoin needed to grow and attract top students to maintain its competitive edge among its peers – the consensus was that men-only colleges were at a disadvantage, especially those, like Bowdoin, with a remote location.
The Study Committee on the Underclass Campus Environment Report, May 1969