`The Essence of Teaching'

Indeed, some students say they are not alwaysinterested in meeting with professors.

And Metrick says he and his colleagues oftenfind themselves alone during office hours.

"Over the course of a semester where I have 250students, if 30 come [to office hours] that'sprobably a lot. I don't know if the other 200don't care or if they feel like I'm too busy," hesays. "If the latter [is true] then they're notusing office hours wisely."

Hechler says he would rather go to his teachingfellow's office hours.

"I tend to get more out of interacting with the[teaching fellows] than the professors," he says."When I got to office hours with my TF I get abetter understanding of what they're trying toteach and the writing style they're looking for,and it's interesting to have a more indepthconversation [about the course material]."

Foo says contact with faculty is not necessaryto an undergraduate's education, but that it canhelp those who want it.

"If you want to do well in classes then contactwith faculty doesn't matter," she says. "[If youhave] questions outside of class that your [TF]can't answer, then speaking to professors would bereally good."

But List Professor of Jewish Studies Jon D.Levenson '71, who is Hechler's senior thesisadvisor, says there is no substitute for personalcontact between students and faculty.

"I don't think [TFs] provide the sameexperience as a person who has spent his or herlife thinking about this material and who hasdesigned the course," he says. "[Faculty contact]is the essence of teaching."

Metrick also says that interacting with facultyis part of the reason why students come toHarvard.

"People learn a lot from faculty, as they dofrom their fellow students," he says. "Otherwisewe could all just go home."

Some professors have found ways to reach out totheir students besides office hours, such asresearch assistantships and independent projects.

Richard C. Marius, senior lecturer in English,frequently takes his students to lunch.

"I don't think I've had lunch with a colleaguefor three months; it's been with students," hesays.