A Parent's Primer

This weekend junior parents will flood campus as they come in droves for a few days to observe and live vicariously through their sons and daughters. There will be many panels, speeches and meetings to present the administration's idea of what life at Harvard is really like. But when the administrators ask for questions, parents often wonder what they should say. Thus, as a service to junior parents, we are providing a list of questions to take with you to your panel discussions and official welcomes. And should you encounter an administrator over the course of this weekend, flag him or her down, whip out your copy of The Crimson and start asking some of the following:

--Why are undergraduates not receiving adequate concentration advising? Currently, advising is abominable in the larger concentrations such as government and economics--in the Government Department, only one-third of the concentrators have actually met with an advisor to discuss course selection. How are these departments planning to change, and what will the administration do to encourage them?

--What revisions are planned for the Core curriculum? The Core program unnecessarily restricts students in their course choices, driving many into watered-down classes and large lecture halls. Equivalent courses in the departments that provide a better educational experience rarely count for Core credit. Why not move to a distribution requirement instead?

--Why do students spend so much time in huge, impersonal lectures? For the money you pay in tuition, students and their Nobel laureate professors should be on a first-name basis. Shouldn't Harvard have enough course choices to allow for meaningful student-teacher interaction?

--What is the administration planning to do about the lack of space within the Houses? The Houses have 100 more students than they can fit. Is the University planning to expand the Houses or build a 13th House? If not, where will the extra students be put?

--Why are undergraduates not allowed keycard access to all Houses 24 hours a day? Students are currently blocked from entering any House other than their own after 1 a.m. How does leaving students outside late at night promote their safety? Wouldn't it be better to let them in?

--Why hasn't Harvard gotten rid of student loans, like Princeton? Princeton's financial aid program has replaced student loans with grants. Harvard has not followed suit, despite the fact that Harvard's endowment is over twice as large as Princeton's.

--Is the administration planning to construct a student center? For years, undergraduates have bemoaned the lack of a student center to bring students together and to house the offices of student groups. This type of space would help provide the feeling of community that Harvard so desperately needs.

--Why did tuition just go up? This is the highest percentage increase in nine years. Where is your money going, exactly?

--What is Harvard planning to do to reform the Administrative Board? Frankfurter Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz once said that calling the Ad Board a "kangaroo court" would be an insult to kangaroos. The Ad Board is not properly constituted to deal with serious cases that belong in the courts. Why are students are not allowed independent representation, especially in a system that is so highly secretive and difficult for students to navigate?

--Why does the Office of Career Services (OCS) spend a disproportionate amount of time and money on the recruiting program? Your children aren't all going to be I-bankers and consultants. So why do those careers dominate the OCS offerings?

--Who's the next president of the University going to be? (If you find out, call us--576-6565.)

--Why is the administration's alcohol policy enforced inconsistently? Despite the professed rule that students' reasons for going to UHS because of alcohol abuse should remain confidential, administrators often become aware of the reason behind UHS visits through indirect means. Shouldn't students feel safe that they can seek medical attention for their friends without bringing punishment on them?

And finally:

--Why have we lost the last three Games to Yale?