Section 1. The state universities, as established by section 5 of chapter 15A shall provide educational programs, research, extension, and continuing education services in the liberal, fine and applied arts and sciences and other related disciplines through the master's degree level. They may offer doctoral programs in cooperation with the University of Massachusetts under authority granted by the board of higher education, concurred in by the boards of trustees of the University of Massachusetts and of said state universities. They shall provide a major emphasis on the preparation of teachers and other professional educational personnel. The board of trustees of the state universities may grant the degree of Bachelor of Education or of Bachelor of Science in Education to any person completing a four-year course in a state university, and the degree of Master of Education to graduates of colleges or universities who have satisfactorily completed a graduate course of instruction in any such university. The trustees may grant the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts to any student at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design upon the successful completion of certain four-year prescribed courses in the field of fine arts, and may grant the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts at said college of art. The trustees may grant the degree of Bachelor of Nautical Science to any person satisfactorily completing the prescribed course of instruction at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The trustees may also grant such other appropriate baccalaureate degrees at such state universities as it may determine and prescribe. The trustees may also award academic degrees at all appropriate levels, as approved by the board of higher education. They may also award such honorary degrees as they deem appropriate.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, in exercising the authority to grant degrees, the board shall be subject to the determinations of the board of higher education delineating functions and programs for public institutions of higher education and segments of such institutions.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, except as herein provided, the trustees may adopt, amend or repeal such rules and regulations for the government of any such university, for the management, control and administration of its affairs, for its faculty, students and employees, and for the regulation of their own body, as they may deem necessary, and may impose reasonable penalties for the violation of such rules and regulations. The trustees shall publish such rules and regulations and shall file copies thereof with the governor, the executive office for administration and finance, and the joint committee on ways and means.

The trustees may, except as to the authority to adopt rules and regulations and as to duties imposed or powers granted under sections one A, one B, one C and one D, delegate their authority or any portion thereof to the director of the division of state universities or to officers of state universities whenever in their judgment such delegation may be necessary or desirable.

The board of trustees of the state universities shall provide and maintain the Massachusetts Maritime Academy as a nautical college for the instruction of students in the science and practice of navigation, seamanship and marine engineering, accommodations therefor on board a proper vessel at its present location and at such land facilities, including the present facilities, as the said trustees shall designate, books, stationery, apparatus and supplies needed in the work thereof, and shall appoint and may remove necessary instructors and other employees, determine their compensation, fix the terms upon which students shall be received and instructed therein and discharged therefrom, make all regulations necessary for its management and provide from time to time for cruises. Said trustees shall establish an annual service fee for each midshipman, other than out-of-state students, in an amount not less than one hundred and fifty dollars annually for each such midshipman.

The trustees may receive from the federal government, and use for the accommodation of the Maritime Academy, vessels detailed by the secretary of the navy.

In addition to the advances authorized by section twenty-three of chapter twenty-nine, the state treasurer shall, upon requests by the trustees to the comptroller, make an advance for cruises of not exceeding ten thousand dollars for six months to the commanding officer of the vessel detailed therefor who shall give bond in the sum of ten thousand dollars, with sureties approved by the governor and council, for its proper disbursement. Said advance shall be accounted for by properly approved vouchers within thirty days after the termination of said cruise.