Gov. Dept. Plans Junior Seminars

Beginning this fall, the Government Department will allow juniors to substitute work in a five or six member seminar for one semester of individual tutorial.

According to a plan passed at yesterday's Department meeting, a series of optional "pro-seminars" will be made available to students in Group III and above as an alternative to one half of Gov. 98. The program is being offered on an experimental basis and will be re-examined next year before any permanent changes are made.

Sanford A. Lakoff, head tutor in Government, maintained that the new program was not a step toward the abolition of individual tutorial. "The Department is very concerned to maintain individual junior tutorial; the pro-seminars are being offered merely to give added flexibility," he declared.

"Who Can Say?"

"We did not pass the plan with any idea of making it mandatory," he added, "but if it works out very well, we might introduce it as a general rule. Who can say?"

Lakoff admitted that "fear of doing away with individual tutorial has been a barrier against making any changes." The resulting compromise created a "limited" program, in which the number of seminars would be kept rather small; perhaps three or four, according to Lakoff.

Although no detailed plans have yet been drawn up, about three or four pro-seminar topics will be listed at the end of the Spring Term. Eligible students will be allowed to choose seminars at that time. However, since the program is optional, "if students don't sign up, the seminars won't be given," Lakoff said.