Council Report Dubs Undergraduate Advising Failure as Few Respond

Undergraduate advising at Harvard has been a flasco, according to a preliminary Student Council report issued by Howard Shapiro '53 last night. More advisors signed up for the program than advisees; 79 upperclassmen were recruited last May, while only 45 Yardlings replied to the 185 letters sent out.

The entire freshman class will be invited to participate next year, the Committee suggested. As a result of the advisors reports, assigning advisees on the basis of scholastic interests seems preferable to matching them on outside interests. The Committee found that those who arrived "alone--sole representatives of their schools--most needed advice."

Extracurricular activities and their role in a Harvard education will be probed in a forthcoming Council report by Harvey Robinson '52. He will use "sociological research" methods to find out "what the activity does for the individual." Employing the historical approach as well, he will check records to see "if activities still play the role they used to."

In another forthcoming Council report, David L. Stark '53 will try to give a "thorough evaluation of the several methods the university uses to obtain funds from students."