Harvard's History department used to be a smoothly-functioning factory, turning out Pulitzer Prizes, top publications and large numbers of concentrators each year.

But today a failure to tenure new faculty and the departure of some top professors have left History with dissatisfied concentrators and gaps in its course offerings, particularly in American topics.

The number of students in the department has also declined dramatically, from 488 in 1986-87 to 263 in 1992-93.

Concerned about its problems, the department has initiated a sweeping reevaluation and is presently seeking three new tenured faculty members in American History.

"We're aware, we regret, and we don't blame," says Thomas N. Bisson, Lea professor of medieval history and chair of the department. "We're doing everything we can."

A Lack of Offerings

Several students in the History department complain about a lack of course offerings.

One concentrator, speaking on condition of anonymity, says he entered the department hoping to focus on medieval history.

But he ended up with a focus on the American colonial era, after he found few medieval courses and even fewer offerings in other areas of American history.

"[Colonial American history] was not my primary interest, but there was really nothing else that I could take," he says.

And Alexandra G. Guisinger '94, the sole African historian in her class, says she could not even find the requisite five courses to fill her concentration card.

Because there was only one tenured professor specializing in African studies, the number of classes was limited. Guisinger had to count classes in other departments to fill her requirements.

The main problem, students say, is in the department's American branch.

"Especially the American offerings get kind of spacy," says concentrator Marc T. Horger '94. "You're never sure when you open the coursebook what what you're going to find," he says.

A sophomore American history concentrator, speaking on condition of anonymity, says she had problems finding courses in her focus this fall.