Poll Shows Students Unhappy With Faculty

Half of Harvard undergraduates believe that most Faculty members do not care about their academic problems, while in the Ivy League generally about 35 per cent think their professors do not care, a poll of five Ivy League colleges shows.

The survey--completed by about 2500 Ivy League students during the week of October 6--shows that by a large margin, Harvard students are the least satisfied with their teachers of students in the five colleges. About 42 per cent of students polled here said they think the faculty cares about them.

Students at Princeton were the most satisfied with their professors--81 per cent of those surveyed said they think their teachers care about them. More than three-quarters of the Brown University undergraduates polled said they think their professors take an interest in them.

The University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University also took part in the poll.

The poll indicates that Harvard students' negative feelings about their professor become more intense as they get older. Two-thirds of the seniors polled said they think Faculty members do not care, compared with a fourth of the freshman class.

About 60 per cent of juniors and 47 per cent of sophomores questioned said they think most professors are not interested in their problems.

More than half of Harvard students questioned said they approve of the way President Bok is handling his job.

Do you agree or disagree: Most faculty members here are strongly interested in the academic problems of undergraduates. [all figures are percentages]   Agree  Disagree Hvrd.  42.3  49 Brwn.  76.2  16.3 Penn.  53.5  37.5 Corn'l.  57.2  36.8 P'ton.  80.9  12.7

Are you happy with the social life at school?   Satisfied  Dissatisfied Hvrd.  76.9  22.3 Brwn.  77.8  21 Penn.  81.4  17.6 Corn'l.  74.2  25 P'ton.  70.8  27.8

Are you happy with the social life at school?   Satisfied  Dissatisfied Hvrd.  76.9  22.3 Brwn.  77.8  21 Penn.  81.4  17.6 Corn'l.  74.2  25 P'ton.  70.8  27.8