Michael S. Flier, Potebnja professor of Ukrainian philology, voices a similar sentiment.

"We should not think about the number of courses required in beginning a discussion about the appreciation of foreign languages and cultures," Flier says. "We hope that students will want to continue studying languages."

But language professors were not willing to specify how they plan to enroll students into those elementary courses without creating a requirement onerous to undergraduates.

"It all makes a lot of sense," Nagy says. "It's just a matter of how we say it."

Another Requirement?

Language professors say they are well aware of the perils of adding yet another commitment to students' already crowded curricula.

"We discussed enhancement," says Judith G. Frommer, professor of the practice and director of Language Programs in Romance Languages. "The question is, how can we improve the undergraduate education, not make it more difficult?"

"Very few Faculty members really want an increase in 'seat time' or test scores," she adds.

Nagy says he is wary of strengthening the language requirement because that might add another cumbersome element to students' schedules.

"I definitely don't want another 'Oh my God' course," he says. "I don't want to throw another group of scared freshman into an elementary language course."

Thomas, however, says the Faculty should remember the fact that there is already a language requirement in place.

"The question is how to insure a result that is intellectually desirable without impeding another result or goal," he says.

According to the Handbook for Students, the Harvard language requirement can currently be fulfilled in one of five ways: earning a minimum score of 600 on an appropriate SATII Achievement test; earning a minimum score of three on an appropriate Advanced Placement test; earning a passing score as determined by the department on a placement examination; obtaining a waiver if one's native language is not English and if one is proficient in both that language and English; or passing with a letter grade two half-courses of instruction in one language at Harvard during the first year of residence.

Other Schools

Language professors say they agree the current Harvard requirement is weak and pales in comparison with other comparable schools.