History to Change Tutorials

A committee headed by Professor of History Charles S. Maier '60 will soon recommend changes in the concentration's requirements and tutorial system, Maier said yesterday.

The seven-person committee has been examining the department's curriculum in an effort to better meet students needs, Maier said. It plans to make its recommendations in an April 9 meeting of the full department.

Among the committee's proposals is one that would alter history junior tutorial--required of all honors concentrators--in a number of ways.

Under the new plan, honors juniors would take a broader, indivisible full-year course rather than two more focused half courses. This system, Maier said, would allow students to integrate their coursework with their major field of study more easily.

"Our goal is to move junior tutorial away from specialized topics to a more inclusive study of the student's specific field of study," Maier said.

Several history concentrators interviewed yesterday said they welcomed the proposed changes in junior tutorial, adding, however, that they also hope to see improvements in faculty recruitment.

"Faculty recruitment and faculty tenuring should be their number one priority," said history concentrator Gary P. Seligman '94, "I think they should get people to teach tutorial before they start fixing it."

Other students said that changes are also needed in sophomore tutorial, which is required for every concentrator.

"The fact is that while the subject matter is interesting, it is not very relevant to my field of study," said history concentrator Thomas E. Woods '94.

The committee intends no major changes to sophomore tutorial, according to Maier, though he said efforts will be made to increase faculty involvement in the supervision and planning of tutorials.

"If the department approves the changes, I think we will have a more coherent program and attractive field of concentration," Maier said.

Maier declined to disclose the nature of the committee's other recommendations.