Students flock to easy classes and speak of them in revered tones.

But what is it like for a professor to teach a class that the entire student population, it seems, has labelled a "gut?"

Do professors believe their classes involve ridiculously little work and award absurdly high grades?

The responses of professors interviewed for this article ran the gamut, from one professor who had never heard of the term "gut" to a few who say they have fought against having their classes characterized as such.

Jones Professor of Classical Greek Literature Gregory Nagy, who teaches Literature and Arts C-14: "The Concept of the Hero in Greek Civilization," also known as "Heroes for Zeros," says the term "gut" reflects a "strictly materialistic and cynical way of thinking about something that is much more important."

Many professors dispute the accuracy of the Confidential Guide, a Crimson publication in which selected classes are reviewed by students who have taken them in previous years. The reviews are often biting in nature.

Professor of Music Robert D. Levin '68 says he was angry when he read the 1995-1996 Confi review of his class, Literature and Arts B-54: "Chamber Music from Mozart to Ravel."

Levin says that he was "a bit offended" by the review's comment, "to do well on the tests, all you need to say is something that passes for deep."

"At the very least, that's not very respectful to the TFs or the course head," Levin says.

On the first day of lecture, Levin warned students shopping his class that it would not be an "A for no effort" as the Confi claimed.

Levin says some students may have been motivated to take his class because of the Confi review, citing the drastic increase in interest: 375 students attended Levin's first lecture last year, whereas 850 appeared at his second lecture this year.

Assistant Professor of Economics Andrew P. Metrick disagrees with the Confi's characterization of his Economics 1011a: "Microeconomic Theory" as a grade gut. "Metrick has no bones about giving half the class some kind of A," the 1995-1996 Confi says.

Metrick says the most common grade in last fall's Economics 1011a was a B+.

The grades he gave were very close to the average grades his students received in other classes according to information given to him by the Office for Instructional Evaluation, he says.

Metrick says he doesn't think the Confi guide was not the primary cause of his course's doubling in size because there were no grade grubbers this year.