Faculty and Administrators say they see no problem with students getting advice from fellow undergraduates, but they stress that students should not rely on the advice of peers.

"I would not want this kind of peer advising formalized," wrote Harry R. Lewis '68, dean of the college, in an e-mail message. "For one thing, the institution really has to take responsibility for the advice it gives."

For example, he warned, trusting student advice on concentration requirements could have disastrous results.

"If someone advises a student that he or she really doesn't need to take a particular course because the department will waive that requirement, and that turns out not to be the case, then the student's very graduation has been put at risk," he says.

Other departments stress that they do not encourage peer advising.

"Advising is done here exclusively by qualified people with math department appointments," said Cliff H. Taubes, head tutor in the math department. "It would hardly be ethical to do otherwise. The Math Club has no advising duties as far as the department is concerned."

Although peer counselors should not be the main source of advice for students, according to William M. Todd III, dean of Undergraduate education, he says he understands how they could be useful.

"I can imagine that a peer could offer insights that a Faculty member might not," Todd said.