American in Paris

The first announcement that a Student Council Committee would try to arrange a Junior year abroad seemed to fill a lack in Harvard education. Where other colleges allow undergraduates to study for credit at foreign universities, the only way to get credit for a degree here is to pass Harvard course. Under the proposed plan, outstanding honors candidates in several departments would benefit greatly from an opportunity to further their study abroad.

But it was announced on Tuesday that the Junior year abroad, if it goes through, will probably be conducted in small groups led by a faculty member on sabbatical. This provision deprives the program of much of its value. One of the strongest reasons for endorsing the foreign study would be the opportunities for individual work. The suggested regimentation would resemble too much a year's study in Cambridge--Massachusetts. The main reason for the group program is the faculty's fear that individual students in Europe would play instead of work. If, however, a student is mature enough to go to Europe with a group to study, he is mature enough to go by himself.

The faculty, fearing that it would possess too little control over students, also dislikes the idea of undergraduates scattered at many universities across Europe. Not only will it be up to each department to select accredited universities, but each student will have a definite purpose in going abroad and will have certain requirements to meet on return. The Council committee has already outlined tentative suggestions for testing the student: written exams administered here or at the foreign university, papers written here, oral exams taken here, or any other combination suitable to the particular department.

Thus, while the College's contact with the Junior might be weak for one year, like any undergraduate, he would have certain obligations to fulfill; laziness abroad would only result in the loss of a year's credit on return.