In general the University shouldn't do anything to keep students and much-needed scholarship money apart. But the College's compromise is a reasonable one. In this case, the University is keeping opportunities open to students--only a bus ride along the River--and maintaining its principles.   April 7, 1999

WORTH THE WAIT

For months, students have watched as Princeton, Yale, Stanford and MIT sweetened the financial aid pot. For months, we wondered when Harvard would do the same. Now the College has both met and exceeded our expectations by allocating $9 million more toward financial aid.

Harvard's relative silence on the aid issue for so many months was worrisome. But it now seems that administrators may have merely been taking the time to put together a comprehensive plan that puts Harvard at the forefront of those colleges committed to need-blind admissions policy.   Sept. 17, 1998

SPREADING THE WEALTH

Last week's announcement that the University will increase its endowment payout by 20 percent next year is welcome news. Despite the big numbers involved, though, Harvard is merely returning to its normal spending level--a level many financial analysts agree is quite conservative.

Harvard should consider opening its purse just a little wider and pouring some millions into addressing student concerns: freezing tuition levels at current rates for the next few years; improving student facilities, such as the woefully backward Malkin Athletic Center; hiring more professors to lower the student- faculty ration and continuing to strengthen the financial aid program.   Dec. 7, 1998

VOTE SETON, REDMOND

We enthusiastically endorse Noah Z. Seton '00 for Undergraduate Council president and Kamil E. Redmond '00 for vice president. The Seton-Redmond ticket is the only one that has presented a reasoned, viable vision for how the council can improve the undergraduate experience.

What is most attractive about the Seton-Redmond ticket is their well-balanced platform, backed up by the experience and energy to make it work. Seton and Redmond have a vision that incorporates both progressive issues and student services, a vision that takes what the council of Beth A. Stewart '00 has accomplished in specific, small-scale services.

Seton and Redmond pledge to take the approach that has worked on these smaller issues--working closely with and consistently pressuring the administration in a non-confrontational manner--to those student issues that, as we have long argued, are simply more important: advising, UHS reform and countering the effects of randomization by supporting student groups and thinking about a new student center.   Dec. 8, 1998

A BROKEN PROMISE

The Faculty Council's decision to eliminate the Advanced Placement (A.P.) exemption of the Science Core requirement is a disturbing departure from the Council's stated commitment to reducing requirements.

The Council's reason for eliminating the exemption--that high school A.P. classes do not provide the introduction to scholarly disciplines that the Core classes do--is a poor excuse for burdening students who have strong science backgrounds with yet another, arguably useless, requirement.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 opposed the move from a professor's point of view, rightly pointing out in an e-mail message that "only students are affected by it--it requires no more effort on the part of the Faculty (except adding a few more students to a few courses), but it does add a nontrivial burden to the requirements on certain students." Is it too much to ask for the administration to minimize student requirements and reinstate the A.P. science exemption?   Jan. 11, 1999