UC Holds Concentration Fair

First-years breathing a sigh of relief over surviving the QRR, Expos and a semester of riveting proctor seminars got a reminder yesterday that the fun is just beginning.

The Undergraduate Council sponsored its third annual Concentration Fair in Alumni Hall, with the goal of helping the Class of '97 choose one of the 42 available Harvard concentrations.

Representatives from nearly all of the college's degree-conferring committees were on hand to give pamphlets and advice to prospective concentrators.

But no-shows included representatives from Women's Studies and Visual and Environmental Studies, said Justin C. Label '97, a council member who helped organize the event.

Bora Colak '97, who also helped organize the fair, said that the council sent letters to all the departments. The letters asked each to send brochures, head tutors and, if possible, student representatives to the fair.

But many students said they found the fair an almost superficial introduction to the concentrations. Many departments simply distributed photocopied chapters from the Fields of Concentration manual distributed to students at fall registration.

Julian Davis Mortenson '97 said he "didn't think it was more useful than seeing the tutors individually."

Some first-years also said yesterday that they felt the fair would have been more useful at an earlier date.

"It probably would have been more useful earlier on, before shopping period, so we would know what classes we should have taken," Constance L. Chen '97 said.

Colak himself acknowledged that the fair might have been more useful earlier in the year. But he defended the fair's timing on the grounds that concentration decisions may affect second semester course lists.

"We tried to plan it for the beginning of the semester, so students could perhaps plan some courses based on their concentration decisions," Colak said.

"It's a valid point, though, and perhaps there should be one also, or instead, in the fall," Colak added.

Label said departments' demands limited the council's options in scheduling the fair.

Some departments said it should be held earlier to benefit advanced standing candidates, while others complained that the event should be later due to busy schedules, Label said.

Despite its timing, many students said they found the fair useful.

"Having to decide on a concentration in the next few months is a scary prospect, and I'm grateful for any guidance I may get along the way," said Amy B. Erenrich '97.

Professor of Sociology James A. Davis, who is head tutor of the department, said most of the questions he fielded were specific and therefore relevant.

"Most shoppers have the beginning information and get specifics narrowed down," Davis said. "This is a wonderful thing."