Poll Shows Freshman Favor Distribution of Course Outlines

A recent Freshman Council survey shows most freshmen favor the provision of detailed syllabi in the first meetings of all courses.

On a scale of one to seven, freshmen recorded an average of 6.2 in favor of the syllabi, which would include detailed reading assignments, examination dates and grading policies.

Culprits

They also listed Chemistry 4, "General Chemistry," and Expository Writing among the main courses that fail to provide such outlines.

"I didn't have a syllabus until very late this year, but I think it is a very good idea to request them." William Klemperer, Erving Professor of Chemistry and head of Chemistry 4, said Tuesday. But he added he would be very cautious in declaring too rigid a grading policy in the course.

Richard C. Marius, director of Expository Writing, said Tuesday, "I must confess I gave my students only a very general idea of what was expected of them."

Many expository writing teachers dislike giving grades, so a grading policy will be difficult to formulate, he added.

Sixty-one per cent of the 705 freshmen polled also said they favor varied meal plans with a computerized meal credit plan, where students missing meals could use their credits at a University snack bar.

Dean Fox, referring to a similar meal-credit plan at Brown University, said yesterday. "Unlike Harvard, Brown has only one dining hall--it isn't feasible to combine the convenience of a dining room in every house with a University-wide meal credit system."

Control!

Fox said a 14-meal plan is a possibility, but would entail stricter dining-hall controls and would only be about $100 cheaper than the current 21-meal system.

The survey also asked freshmen if council representatives fulfilled their responsibilities. The average response was 2.8 on a one to seven scale.

"The council ceased to be a representative body and became an activities committee--that detracted from its ability as a spokesman for the freshman class." Anthony Meyer '82, a council representative, said Tuesday.

Mark Olsen '82, the council member who designed and interpreted the survey, said yesterday. "We're disappointed in the negative response, but it's not a result of apathy. Students are just too busy to be that politically interested.