At a meeting of the full faculty in December, the curricular review committees floated the possibility of moving winter exams before Christmas break and potentially adding a third term in between fall and spring semesters.

Gross said last night that the “J” term, consisting of a few weeks in January, could be used for internships, intensive courses or traveling abroad.

“Does this pedagogical possibility excite people?” Gross asked.

There were nods around the table.

All students present seemed to favor the idea of moving winter exams before Christmas break, even if it meant starting the school year earlier.

“I dislike reading period,” Kalamchi said. “I think it’s a waste of time.”

A Crimson poll of 363 undergraduates in December found that students are split on the issue, with 45 percent favoring the pre-break exam schedule and 40 percent saying that exams should not be moved.

Gross, who teaches Quantitative Reasoning 28, “Magic of Numbers,” said he himself was often frustrated by the month-long gap between the last lecture and the final exam.

Gross is expected to appoint a deputy dean this semester to assist in administrative affairs of the College, a move which he says will free up his plate for more direct interaction with students and faculty members.

“I need to hear what the students think of the curriculum, because they’re the ones that have to take the courses,” Gross said in an interview yesterday. “If I’m sitting in this office, I can’t do that.”

After the meeting, Crouse said that while she felt the sampling of students was not representative of the student body, the concerns voiced were diverse and “symbolic” of the concerns of many undergraduates.

“I think the J term is going to be a huge issue, and the core curriculum,” Crouse said.

Undergraduate Council President Matthew W. Mahan ’05 said the meeting offered a unique opportunity for students to present their voices.

“Faculty and administrators will push agendas that make sense from their perspective, but the curricular review and meetings like these are an important, not merely symbolic step in ensuring that students are able to advance their agendas as well,” Mahan said.

—Staff writer Rebecca D. O’Brien can be reached at robrien@fas.harvard.edu.