Committee Letter Urges More Student-Faculty Interaction

First-years opened their mailboxes yesterday to a letter from the Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE) encouraging them to actively seek more interaction with faculty members. Faculty received a similar note earlier this year.

The letter, drafted by the CUE's student representatives, suggested attending office hours, asking a professor to lunch or becoming a research assistant in order to "take advantage of one of Harvard's most valuable resources."

But although first-years who received the letter said the suggestions were well-intentioned, few expressed surprise at the information the letter contained.

"It was stuff I already knew," said Gregory R. Friedman '04

Felicia Rosario '04 said she doubted the letter would have real impact on the way first-years approach professors.

"It just seems like professors would have better things to do than go out to lunch with a freshman," Rosario said.

According to Dean of Undergraduate Education Susan G. Pedersen '81-'82, the letter had been in the works since last spring when CUE student representatives began looking for ways to promote student-faculty interaction.

Pedersen said first-years need to be made especially aware of the opportunities to find mentors among faculty.

"This letter was addressed to freshmen in particular since they are not yet in concentrations and thus have less contact with faculty or may find it harder to approach faculty," Pedersen said.

Pedersen said that the CUE plans to send the letter to first-years annually.

"It's important for freshmen to develop good habits early rather than having to scramble for a thesis advisor their senior year," she said.

But some first-years said they thought a letter from the CUE would not be enough to mobilize students.

Both Friedman and Rosario said the cause might be better served by an organized event to let students meet and talk to faculty.

"Having something formal takes the pressure off," Rosario said.

Friedman suggested that an open house-type event for large courses would encourage students to speak to big-name professors.

"Dean [of Freshmen Elizabeth Studley] Nathans just had an open house, and people who were interested in meeting her went," he said. "Something like that could work for some of the bigger courses."