The proposals are in part a response to student requests, according to Richardson. She said that students would be less restricted and would have more freedom to plan their own program if the plan is adopted.

One of the goals of the changes is to offer more opportunities for interaction between the students and the Faculty, with the idea that professors will spend more time advising, in addition to teaching.

In a preliminary meeting with the UAC, Professor of Government Michael J. Sandel, Dillon Professor of International Affairs Jorge I. Dominguez and Richardson asked the students to recommend changes to the department.

Marc Stad '01, a government concentrator and member of UAC, said this dialogue between students and Faculty was the "most refreshing" aspect of this process.

"This dispels the rooted notion that big concentrations (e.g. government) are truly rooted in bureaucracy," Stad said.

Some changes, like those to sophomore tutorial, have been in the works for a few years.

Stad said he found his introductory classes repetitive. For example, he said, the material in his introductory course in American Government overlapped with another government course about the American presidents.