In the September 1990 issue of The Atlantic, a Harvard alumnus attacked the Core: "The [Core] areas themselves are odd assemblages of specialized classes watered down for the nonspecialist."

"Harvard's stature and the media's lavish praise have made the Core one of the most influential curricula in America, but it is hollow," continued Caleb Nelson '88, who is currently a third-year student at Yale Law School.

Nelson's sentiments are echoed by many of today's undergraduates.

"[In Core courses], the thought and effort required of the students tend to be minimal," says Timothy M. Hall '94.

But despite widespread criticism from students and outside commentators alike, the 13-year-old Core Curriculum is now a deeply entrenched part of the College's academic life and does not seem likely to go away.

There has not been much pressure from faculty or students to revise the Core, says Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles.

"[The Core] was thoroughly reviewed at age 10 (in 1989)...[and] found healthy," he adds.

Indeed, the Core has been singled out for praise by such diverse watchdogs of higher education as former New York Times education editor Edward Fiske and The Carnegie Foundation.

The Foundation recommended in a 1981 report that schools institute a general education program similar to Harvard's, according to Nelson.

In addition, many colleges--most notablyDartmouth College--have followed Harvard's lead byinstituting similar core curricula.

But many students remain non-believers andshine a much less rosy spotlight on the Core. Themost common criticism centers on the Core office'slack of flexibility, especially when it comes toaccepting departmental courses for Core credit.

Hall tells his version of a familiar story offrustration with the rigidity of the program.Hall--who took an introductory linguistics courseat the Summer School--says he tried to get theCore office to accept the course for SocialAnalysis credit, since his course and SocialAnalysis 34, "Knowledge of Language," used thesame textbook.

But Hall says the Core still would not exempthim from Social Analysis.

"There is no reason that equivalent courses ina department should not be eligible for Corecredit," he says.

The Core Office's refusal to substitutedepartmental courses for Core classes seems,however, to fly in the face of its philosophy,which stresses methods of learning over what isbeing learned.

In his book The University: An Owner'sManual, Geyser University Professor ofEconomics Henry Rosovsky states that the Coreensures that "all [students] learn the ways ofthinking or method of analysis associated withthese comprehensive and significant modes ofinquiry."