'Warren Court' Gives No Senior Preferences

Early this morning, 816 students will discover whether their names are among the lucky 440 lotteried into Historical Study B-61: "The Warren Court and the Pursuit of Justice, 1953-1969".

Seniors shut out of the lottery two years ago may be particularly frustrated again this morning if they miss a spot on the coveted list.

This Core class, taught bi-annually by Charles Warren Professor of American Legal History at the Harvard Law School Morton J. Horwitz attracts large crowds each time it's offered.

While most lotteries put seniors first, Horwitz allocated only one third of the class space for seniors, one third for juniors and one third for both sophomores and first years.

The lottery list was posted this morning on the Core board in the Science Center, in Sever Hall and in Paine Lecture Hall.

The list is not available on-line.

A waiting list of 385 students will appear with the lottery lists in descending order from those with the possibility of being admitted to those with barely a chance.

During his first lecture last Wednesday, Horwitz explained that he instituted the lottery to avoid a class consisting mainly of juniors and seniors.

He also said that since Core courses are meant to introduce younger students to subjects they might otherwise miss later on, he was eager to attract first years and sophomores, especially those interested in the sciences.

Although there are no specific procedures for course lotteries, Susan W. Lewis, director of the Core program, said that the Core Office does "encourage professors to give priority to students who haven't met that area of the Core yet, as well as people who won't be in the college when the course is offered again."

Many seniors, as well as juniors will not be here the next time the class is offered, said they feel a sense of injustice at not being guaranteed a seat in the class.

"I understand the professor's logic, but it's very frustrating as a senior with very few options and very little time left," said Kiesha M. Minyard '99.

There are a total of 15 offerings in Historical Study B, eight of which are offeredthis year, and this fall there are only threechoices.

"The Core committee is constantly looking fornew Historical Studies courses," said Lewis.

She added that there may be one or two newHistorical Study B courses offered next year.

Nearly a thousand students shopped "The WarrenCourt" last week, lining the stairs of the FoggMuseum Lecture Hall, which seats 383. The classwas so mobbed Horwitz had to hold it in half-hourshifts, repeating his initial lecture when thehall emptied and filled again.

The class has since been moved to Paine Hall,which can accommodate an additional 60 students.It could not be moved to Sanders Theatre becauseof conflict with Social Analysis 10: "Principlesof Economics," which is held at the same time, andthe second largest space, Science Center B, isoccupied by Biological Sciences 2: "Organismic andEvolutionary Biology."

"We've been assured by the Core Office thatthis is the biggest room available at this time,"Hamilton said.

Not only does the course meet at a populartime--Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12 noon--itis also viewed as one of the few courses thatprepares students for law school.

Dan Hamilton, head teaching fellow, said hebelieves that "the incredible student demand isdue to the professor being an excellent lecturerand the fact that students are passionatelyinterested in American law and legal culture."Topics covered in the class include landmarkSupreme Court cases, Brown v. Board ofEducation and Griswold v. Connecticut,as well as the broader issues of civil rights andthe evolution of contemporary law in Americansociety.

The number of students who would like to takeHistorical Study B-61 reflects the increasedinterest in "the way law reflects larger changesin American culture," Hamilton said.

According to some seniors, course lotteriesindicate another example of the administration'slack of attention to undergraduate concerns.Jessica R. Taylor '99 said the crowding problemand lottery headache could easily have beenprevented if the administration allowed Horwitz toteach the course each year. "The Administrationknew that there would be a problem, knew that theprofessor wanted to have a more balanced class,and they didn't do anything about it," Taylorsaid.

Taylor compared the lottery system to themove-in process last year, which also generatedmany complaints.

"Both are problems that could have been avoided[and] that decrease the quality of undergraduatelife," she said. But Lewis said the Core Committeenever stops seeking solutions to overcrowdedclasses.

"Lotteries are awful because, leaving aside thewear and tear on the course staff, they askstudents to provide information that they may notknow yet about their schedules," she said.

Foreign Cultures 62: "Chinese Family, Marriageand Kinship: A Century of Change" and ScienceB-29: "Human Behavioral Biology" are the onlyother Core courses being lotteried this fall.

"Everyone hates having a lottery. We hate it,the Core hates it, and the students hate it"Hamilton said.

Some members of the Faculty have argued againstlotteries and in favor of pre-registration, saidLewis. But the Core committee has yet to considerpre-registration as an option

"The Core committee is constantly looking fornew Historical Studies courses," said Lewis.

She added that there may be one or two newHistorical Study B courses offered next year.

Nearly a thousand students shopped "The WarrenCourt" last week, lining the stairs of the FoggMuseum Lecture Hall, which seats 383. The classwas so mobbed Horwitz had to hold it in half-hourshifts, repeating his initial lecture when thehall emptied and filled again.

The class has since been moved to Paine Hall,which can accommodate an additional 60 students.It could not be moved to Sanders Theatre becauseof conflict with Social Analysis 10: "Principlesof Economics," which is held at the same time, andthe second largest space, Science Center B, isoccupied by Biological Sciences 2: "Organismic andEvolutionary Biology."

"We've been assured by the Core Office thatthis is the biggest room available at this time,"Hamilton said.

Not only does the course meet at a populartime--Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12 noon--itis also viewed as one of the few courses thatprepares students for law school.

Dan Hamilton, head teaching fellow, said hebelieves that "the incredible student demand isdue to the professor being an excellent lecturerand the fact that students are passionatelyinterested in American law and legal culture."Topics covered in the class include landmarkSupreme Court cases, Brown v. Board ofEducation and Griswold v. Connecticut,as well as the broader issues of civil rights andthe evolution of contemporary law in Americansociety.

The number of students who would like to takeHistorical Study B-61 reflects the increasedinterest in "the way law reflects larger changesin American culture," Hamilton said.

According to some seniors, course lotteriesindicate another example of the administration'slack of attention to undergraduate concerns.Jessica R. Taylor '99 said the crowding problemand lottery headache could easily have beenprevented if the administration allowed Horwitz toteach the course each year. "The Administrationknew that there would be a problem, knew that theprofessor wanted to have a more balanced class,and they didn't do anything about it," Taylorsaid.

Taylor compared the lottery system to themove-in process last year, which also generatedmany complaints.

"Both are problems that could have been avoided[and] that decrease the quality of undergraduatelife," she said. But Lewis said the Core Committeenever stops seeking solutions to overcrowdedclasses.

"Lotteries are awful because, leaving aside thewear and tear on the course staff, they askstudents to provide information that they may notknow yet about their schedules," she said.

Foreign Cultures 62: "Chinese Family, Marriageand Kinship: A Century of Change" and ScienceB-29: "Human Behavioral Biology" are the onlyother Core courses being lotteried this fall.

"Everyone hates having a lottery. We hate it,the Core hates it, and the students hate it"Hamilton said.

Some members of the Faculty have argued againstlotteries and in favor of pre-registration, saidLewis. But the Core committee has yet to considerpre-registration as an option