Undergraduates Teach Sections In Nat Sci 110

Natural Sciences 110, "Automatic Computing," with the third largest enrollment in the University is being taught is section primarily by undergraduates, including at lest four sophomores.

Undergraduate teaching assistants are not unusual at harvard: however, NS 110 is unique in that its teaching assistants actually lead tehir own sections and grade homework without any direct supervision from a graduate student or untenured professor.

Final course grades are assigned in collaboration with course head William H. Bossert '59, Gordon Mckay Professor of Applied Mathematics.

According to Bossert, prerefquisites for a NS110 T.F. consist of completion of AM110 with a B plus or better, some previous teaching experience (not necessarily in computer science), and a "great deal of patience.

Bossert initially planned to hire only graduate students, but a shortage of graduates willing to teach and the peack of NS110's enrollment at 504 students forced him to accept applications of undergraduates.

Several Ns110 students contacted yesterday did not express concern over the situation. Ruth A. Ballinger '81 said yesterday she liked having a sophomore T.F. "because he's closer in age and I feel more easy about asking questions."

NS110 is severely overcrowded and suffers from a shortage of computer terminals sufficient to handle the swarms of would-be programmers and gut-seekers. In the meantme, undergraduate T.F.'s will battle the odds and try to teach students the basics of computer programming.