New Courses Suggested As Gen Ed A Options

Qualified freshmen may be allowed o substitute new upper-level courses in expository writing for Gen Ed A next year, Robert J. Kiely, director of General Education Ahf, said yesterday.

The new half courses have been tentatively designated as Expository Writing 101, exposition and historical inquiry; Expository Writing 103, exposition and literary analysis; Expository Writing 104, exposition and narration; Expository Writing 105, exposition and the scientific method.

Kiely's proposals for Gen Ed A will come before the Committee on General Education on Monday, February 21, Edward T. Wilcox, director of the Committee said yesterday. If the Gen Ed Committee approves the program, Kiely's proposals will come up for Faculty approval later in the Spring as part of the new program for General Education.

Verbal SAT

Freshmen would need English advanced placement scores of 4 or 5 and verbal SAT scores above 700 to take the courses. They will also submit short manuscripts as "a brief check on the test scores," but "nearly all who apply will be accepted," Kiely said. On the basis of this year's statistics. Kiely said that less than 200 Harvard and Radcliffe students would qualify.

Eligible students would not be required to take the upper-level courses and could elect to enter a regular or honors section of Gen Ed A.

Uppedclassmen who have already taken Gen Ed A would be allowed to apply for admission to the upper-level sections as they would for any other limited enrollment course, according to Kiely.

As Seminars

The sections would meet as seminars once a week for two hours throughout the term. Each course would be repeated in the Spring.

Kiely has suggested that General Education Ahf be renamed Expository Writ ing 10 in order to clarify the nature of the course to those outside the University. Expository Writing 10 would continue along the lines of Gen Ed A. meeting nine weeks in the Fall and seven weeks in the Spring.

The present exemption policy would continue at the level of Expository Writing 10 only. Kiely said that of the 41 eligible for exemption from the second term of Gen Ed this year on the basis of an A in the first term, 16 elected to remain in the course. Under the new system, those who earn exemptions would have the option of taking one of the upper-level offerings in the Spring.

Honors Distinction

The current distinction between honors and regular sections would be maintained. But with many of the top students taking the upper-level courses, it would be easier to get into honors sections. Kiely said that honors students would be selected from those with advanced placement scores of 3 (or without scores) who take a qualifying examination in September. Currently, most honors students have advanced placement scores of 4 or 5.

Kiely said that the new upper-level courses "will in no way duplicate or substitute sophomore tutorials given by the departments.