To the editors:

Re "Students, Faculty: Alienated?" (News, Jan. 29): As members of the Faculty struggle to convince students that they are truly accessible and the Core Program attempts to convince us that their program is strong and worthwhile, I must point out that some professors of these classes are continually shooting themselves in the foot.

On Wednesday, for the first class of Science B-29: "Human Behavioral Biology," neither of the two professors, Irven DeVore and Marc Hauser, chose to show up. More than 500 students were welcomed to the class with a taped video of one professor giving a lecture he had recorded two weeks earlier. Students were notified that the instructors were unavailable due to the fact that they were out in the field conducting the latest research. Is this just the latest example of Faculty members prioritizing their own research over their work with undergraduates?

As a student who pays hefty tuition bills I do not believe it is asking too much for either or both of them to attend their classes in person. Not only does it make it difficult to adequately assess a class during shopping period, but it does little to convince me that professors are truly concerned about working with undergraduates. If the Core Program expects to lessen the criticism they have received as of late, I suggest that before they look to expand the program, they ensure the quality of their existing classes. While I understand and hope this is an isolated incident, professors who seek to improve their relations with students should use this inexcusable absence as a prime example of what not to do. KAYA STONE '00   Jan. 29,1998