A September 1996 version of Harvey's guide gives preceptors detailed instructions on how to run an Expos class, ranging from "Preparing Students to Write the Essays" to "Composing Your Schedule" to "Grades."

The guide tells preceptors that in Expos, "we focus on argument, rather than style, because good writing is above all good thinking."

Harvey's guide also outlines universal course policies and practices, such as the common procedure of giving students artificially low grades on their first essay so that they will feel accomplished when they score higher toward the end of the course.

"Students will expect to have their improved writing reflected in a grade, so you should be tough on the first essay," the guide reads. "Don't be afraid to give C's and even D's. If you start giving all B's and A's, your grades will have nowhere to rise to."

But the guide also tells preceptors how to approach assignments and how to phrase essay questions so that students know what is expected of them, defining a clear administrative and academic structure for Expos which every preceptor is expected to follow.

Rips in the Fabric

Several key aspects of the Expos program have changed since 1994, when Sommers took over for former director Richard C. Marius, who is now a senior lecturer in English.

In the fall of 1993, The Crimson explored problems with Marius' administration, including a lack of cohesiveness and applicability of Expos.

Today, preceptors say the Expos administration encourages discussion among teachers. Marius' rule preventing preceptors from staying at Expos for more than four years has also been revoked, allowing for a more congenial atmosphere within the program, staff say.

In addition, Gewanter says, Expos has also begun to integrate itself into the larger academic community.

Under Sommers, Expos launched the Harvard Writing Project, which uses preceptors to help Faculty members with their paper assignments and places preceptors in the undergraduate Houses.

Expos preceptors now work on designing departmental writing assignments with Faculty from several departments, including Classics, Celtic Studies, History, Government, Fine Arts and Sociology.

But preceptors say some aspects of Expos could still change.

Harvey says he hopes the Writing Project will continue.

"One weakness of the program, currently, is that it's too isolated from the rest of the College," he says. "There could be a lot more conversation between instructors in other disciplines and Expos."

For his part, Gewanter, who is leaving this month for Georgetown, says he wishes preceptors were allowed to take a semester off to pursue their own writing projects.

Small Classes for All

The Faculty voted against Buell's amendment to add smaller classes to the Core, ending the possibility that the College will soon institute a largescale program to create more seminar-type courses.

Will the curriculum eventually resemble Expos? Few think so. But it seems likely that writing will always be an integral part of the undergraduate requirements.

"I tell my students that whatever they're going to do, they're going to end up writing a bunch of things for somebody because they're a Harvard student," Gewanter says. "It's thought nationally that somebody from Harvard can write clearly and with grace."