“Some aspects of the Core are really just glorified distribution requirements,” Harris says.

Preserving What’s Good

While the Core seems destined for major reform or abolition, nobody denies the success and benefits of the 30 year program. And a top priority of many is to see these successes preserved.

One of the Core’s greatest successes has been involving more senior faculty members in undergraduate education.

Tatar, who says she often worries about the effectiveness of large lecture courses, says her experience teaching in the Core has been an invaluable one.

“There’s a big adrenaline rush and more is at stake when you are teaching a Core,” she says.

Other say they hope any new curriculum maintains the unique courses that the Core includes, many of which would not fit easily within one department.

“Core courses are examined with extraordinary care. They are the best designed courses in the University,” Burgard says.

And it will be up to the entire Faculty to decide the fate of the Core—but not quite yet.

The Core will be examined through a task force on general education that Gross and Kirby say they hope to establish by next semester.

The committee, which will be one of several established to review the entire curriculum, will be appointed by the dean and most likely consist of eight to 10 professors administrators and two students.

But while only a piece of the curricular review, most see the Core review as the most pressing concern.

“I think what needs to be examined most is the Core curriculum,” says Williams Professor of History and Political Science Roderick MacFarquhar. There have been enough suggestions that maybe the Core isn’t the right way to impart the basic solid education that Harvard College ought to give its students.”

And regardless of their opinions on the Core, they all say they realizes the magnitude of this review.

“This is about imparting knowledge to the next generation,” Gross said. “There is nothing more important.”

—Staff writer Jessica E. Vascellaro can be reached at vascell@fas.harvard.edu.