In 1882, the Academic Council formed the Board of Collegiate Advisors in response to dissatisfaction among junior faculty, who felt they had no voice in governing university affairs. The Board consisted of the President, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and represen-tatives of the various academic departments, as chosen by the Academic Council. Subject to the approval of the Academic Council, the Board of Collegiate Advisors was empowered to establish qualifications for the Bachelor of Arts degree and to arrange courses of undergraduate instruction. After 1906 the group's name was changed to Board of Collegiate Studies.

One of the Board's concerns was to find the most effective grading system; several methods were tried, including number grades, letter grades and a simple pass/fail. The Board of Collegiate Studies was formally abolished in 1951 in favor of the newly-formed General Assembly and Group Council, components of the New Plan, but the Board was still functioning through 1952.

Throughout its existence, the Board of Collegiate Studies had several committees, such as the Committee on Scholarships, which recommended students for university scholarships. The Committee on Educational Methods and Policy concentrated on the grading policy and degree requirements, while the Committee on Admissions reviewed and made recommendations concerning the admission policy.