Knowles Announces Section Size Decrease

Disappearing into the crowd in section just got a little bit harder.

Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles will announce today that average section size will be decreased from 20 students per section to 18, starting immediately.

"It's possible that students will encounter larger sections in individual courses," said Lawrence Buell, former dean for undergraduate education and chair of the English department. "Over-all the experience for each and every student should be smaller sections."

The reduction in section size will result in 10 percent more sections-and 10 percent more teaching fellows then FAS currently employs.

Associate Dean of the Faculty Jeffrey Wolcowitz said yesterday that the quality of teaching fellows will not be compromised.

"We've reminded the departments that the goal has to be quality instruction, not just smaller sections," he said.

According to Wolcowitz, department chairs were sent letters last spring alerting them of the new section size and specifically emphasizing the quality of teaching fellows.

Yesterday, students applauded the change.

"You're more likely to be passive [in a large section], and to not pay attention," said Lourdes M. Mendez '99. "A lot of times you don't know the people in your section as well. If it's smaller, it's better for discussion."

The Faculty has discussed the change for years, but it was only possible with new funds obtained through the Capital Campaign.

"I have wanted to respond, since I believe that this can make a real difference to one's experience in section," Knowles wrote in a fax to The Crimson yesterday.

According to Knowles, average section size may well continue to decrease in the future.

"We must go at this incrementally, but at least this is movement, and this is movement in the right direction," Knowles said yesterday. "I hope that this may turn out only to have been a first step."

William M. Todd III, dean of under-graduate education, said he and Knowles are exploring the possibility of reducing section size even more.

"If you're a beginning teacher I would imagine it would be easier dealing with 18 students than 20. It will make it possible for the TFs to pay more individual attention to each student," he said. "It's a matter of marshalling the resources."

During yesterday's meeting, the Council also discussed the possibility of changing the Hollis library system from a telnet-based system to a web-based one.

"It's an important, but difficult, project to implement, but when it's done it'll make accessing the library a lot easierand access to other information a lot easier,"said Sidney Verba, director of the HarvardUniversity Library.

Library administrators are meeting withcontractors to determine the feasibility of theoverhaul