While many of them will not be around to see it, some students said they were excited about the prospect of taking courses outside of the semester system.

“I’m somebody who looks at the course catalogue and want to take every course in the humanities,” says Georgia K. Faircloth ’08, a potential folklore and mythology concentrator. “If I want to take a course on William Blake, I might not have time to do that during the regular school year. To me, it would be like the ability of taking another freshman seminar.”

Hana Lee ’07, a biochemistry concentrator, says the term would be “just long enough to do something interesting without being overly committed to it.”

“I feel that it would be interesting to be able to take courses that I would not ordinarily take during the school year, or simply have the opportunity to travel or the opportunity to work with alumni,” she says.

FOLLOWING THE PACK

While considering how to implement a J-term at Harvard, Conley’s committee is looking at universities around the world—even as far as New Zealand.

But one of their closest models is just down the river at MIT.

MIT students have enjoyed a form of J-term called the Independent Activities Period (IAP) for almost 35 years, according to Michael Bergren, assistant dean for academic and research initiatives. The term starts on the first Monday of January and lasts four weeks. “This separate period—where people can do something different academically—provides flexibility in how we learn and how we teach,” he says.

Non-credit courses such as “Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth”—a course with the description: “Come play with sugar!”—are offered by not only alumni and faculty, but also by student groups.

MIT’s term is not mandatory and most classes are pass/fail. While Bergren could not provide any statistics about the number of students who take the term in any year, MIT senior Rose A. Grabowski says it is very popular.

“Generally, students love it…there are tons of people who take it,” says Grabowski, a member of MIT’s Undergraduate Association. “There are people who get jobs during IAP, students are hooked up with alumni…some people travel, some do random activities, or research.”

While students can choose to enroll in the extra four weeks at MIT, at Williams College, Winter Study is mandatory. According to James G. Kolesar, director of Public Affairs at Williams College, every student is required to enroll in a course during the Winter Study period. All Winter Study courses are graded on a pass-fail system and university administrators, alumni or even individuals not affiliated with Williams College may teach courses, as long as a faculty sponsor is present.

“A typical class would meet three times a week for two hours each,” Kolesar says. “A typical teaching load [for professors] is two courses per semester, and one winter study every other year.”

Students at Williams say the courses are both academically and socially rewarding. “I’ve taken a course on astronomy, that I would have never taken, and also Congolese dance,” says Ilunga Kalala, a senior and co-president of the College Council at Williams. “The Winter Study period is a great opportunity where you really get to meet the students around you.”