Bok, In Lowell House Speech, Calls for Educational Reforms

President Bok discussed his concern over "the need for improvements in undergraduate education" in remarks following dinner at Lowell House last night.

Responding to questions from some of the nearly 200 members of Lowell House present, Bok said, "I realize there is a wide range of educational issues where students want improvement but in most cases these issues are difficult and complex."

"An increase in faculty contact is of great importance to undergraduates" but the lack of contact "reflects not a disinterest but the serious pressures of time that faculty members face here." Bok cited the time demands of research, committee assignments, and outside obligations as "significant burdens" on faculty members.

Bok said he did not believe research detracted from the quality of undergraduate education. "To develop better teaching we cannot overlook researchers, but must recognize the relevance research has for teaching," he said.

Bok also discussed his concern over "the melancholy and lamentable fact that tuition and costs are going up inexorably." He added that increases have been kept from "rising more rapidly than the total average national income."

"The serious competition over grades," particularly among pre-professional students, has had significant effect at Harvard, Bok said. "It is important that this not be allowed to seriously change undergraduate education," Bok said.

Bok also paid "homage" to retiring Lowell House Master Zeph Stewart and his wife, Diana C. Stewart, by citing the many applications by freshmen to Lowell House as an example of the Stewarts' popularity.

Bok began his remarks by saying. "I will not discuss the identity" of the new master of Lowell House.

Bok said Dean Rosovsky's proposed evaluation of undergraduate education would "provide new visions and generate concrete proposals" necessary for improvements in the quality of undergraduate education. He added that from this evaluation "reforms and changes will inevitably occur."

Preceeding the remarks, Bok and the members of Lowell House were served a steak dinner, even though yesterday was a meatless day for the rest of the University.