ADVICE WHERE IT IS WANTED

Two years ago the steadily increasing dissatisfaction with the Student Advisory system then in force resulted in a complete revision of its major features. The number of advisers was reduced to seventy-five; all the advisory force was to be picked from the Junior and Sophomore classes instead of from the Senior; and each advisee was given a group of Freshmen, who were to be the subjects of personal visits and written analyses.

The fact that the Student Advisory system is still failing to accomplish all that has been hoped of it has, however, been recognized by this year's committee, and radical changes have again been suggested for its future operation.

The plan of assigning Freshmen to uperclass advisers was put into practice before the present board of Freshman faculty advisers was instituted. The faculty adviser has taken over many of the functions of the original student adviser; the mass of information given Freshmen on their arrival in Cambridge through circulars and lectures has further reduced the undergraduate adviser's importance.

Just what legitimate function is left the student adviser is not easy to say. There are, undoubtedly, however, many problems on which the Freshman would rather consult a student than a faculty adviser. For this reason alone it would be unwise in abolish entirely the present advisory system. But the system does need considerable simplification. If all the machinery of visits, reports, letters, and blanks which has proved barren of practical results were abolished, and the entire efforts of the committee devoted to providing readily available advice for Freshmen who really want it the efficacy of the system would be greatly increased. The simplification of the advisory committee functions would also make fewer advisers necessary, and thus raise the general standard of ability among those picked for the task. With the student advisory plan again open to revision, it is to be hoped a reorganization may be effected which will concentrate the adviser's attention on those functions which he alone is still qualified to fulfill.