"I was worried someone might try to do something, but [the sit-in] was an effective and respectful means of protests," Jimmy Davis '01 said.

Mansfield himself called the protest "the most civil sit-in I've ever heard of," and approached Williams and BSA Treasurer Brandon A. Gayle '03 after class to set up a meeting between himself and the BSA officers on Monday.

"I want to be civil in return and I want to broaden the permissible discussion of some of these arguments," Mansfield said.

Mansfield added that he has been encouraged by the controversy his remarks have made, saying it has increased people's awareness of the grade inflation problem.

The protestors included a handful of graduate school students, high school students touring the campus and members of other student groups like the Progressive Student Labor Movement.

Demonstrators outside the room who were not affiliated with the University were asked to leave the premises and escorted to Johnston Gate by police. At one point, six police officers stood outside the classroom.

Also present to observe the sit-in were Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, Associate Dean of the College David P. Illingworth '71 and Dr. S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations.