Series at a Glance

YESTERDAY

The core curriculum, charged with making every undergraduate a member of "the company of educated men and women," often fails in its mission. Students do little work for watered-down classes that many feel need to be taught better.

TODAY

The core's structure makes it difficult for many students to learn. Crowded sections and large lectures alienate undergraduates. And because of the limited number of classes available, students say it's hard to find a core they want to take.

TOMORROW

The core curriculum is supposed to offer "approaches to knowledge." But many teachers say their classes are not taught differently in the core. The result is a patchwork education in specific topics that most students find useless.