There are six subcommittees: Historical Studies, Literature and Arts, Science, Moral Reasoning and Social Analysis, Foreign Cultures, and Quantitative Reasoning.

These subcommittees reach out to newly hired faculty, often treating them to lunch while introducing the idea of teaching a Core.

While the subcommittees do approach senior faculty members, professors who are interested in teaching a Core class will frequently approach the subcommittees themselves.

According to Susan W. Lewis, Director of the Core Program, this is "a constant process which goes on all year, every year."

Faculty members then submit detailed proposals, akin to syllabi, which include a rationale statement and a description of the required written work.

"Sometimes there is negotiation with a professor. It is very unusual to simply reject a proposal," said Andrew D. Gordon, professor of history and chair of the Historical Studies subcommittee

If a subcommittee ratifies a proposal, it is forwarded to the Standing Committee on the Core, which includes Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles; Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68, Dean for Undergraduate Education Susan G. Pedersen '82; and the subcommittee chairs. The Standing Committee then makes the final decision.

On February 20, the Standing Committee approved several Core courses for the coming years, including "Jews in Modern Times: From the French Revolution to the Emergence of Israel," "The Russian Revolution" (Historical Studies B) and "Powerful Habits of Mind" (Quantitative Reasoning).