Bruce D. Watson, a popular section leader for Social Analysis 10, “Principles of Economics,” will not be allowed to continue teaching next year despite the protestations of students, Lowell House Master Diana L. Eck, and incoming Ec 10 professor N. Gregory Mankiw.

And though some Houses have occasionally hired residential tutors who do not have current Harvard affiliations, Eck said that Watson will not be rehired as one of those exceptions next year.

Watson has reached the six-year limit of his appointment as a teaching assistant, a position for instructors who are not current graduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).

FAS policy mandates that teaching assistants only teach for four years, with the possibility of a two-year extension for an exceptional instructor.

“The basic rationale for this policy (which has been in place for many, many years) is that we do not feel that the quality of education in the College would be well-served by creating a semi-permanent adjunct faculty, and do not feel that the academic careers of individuals who are appointed as teaching assistants would be advanced by long-term employment in this category,” Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Vincent Tompkins wrote in an e-mail.

Watson’s highest degree thus far is a Masters in Economics, which he received from the University of Colorado.

“I may pursue the PhD, but for now I’m really into teaching,” Watson wrote in an e-mail.

Watson is well known as a competent section leader in Ec 10, a full-year course which generally enrolls more than 500 students—it was the largest course offered by the College this year­—and students have expressed frustration that FAS policy could preclude Watson from continuing to teach.

When Carolina Lescano ’08, who was in Watson’s Ec 10 section this year, learned of his impending departure, she and a section-mate started an online student petition, “Students for Bruce Watson.”

As of yesterday evening, the online petition had 769 signatures.

Lescano and David P. Borden ’05 presented a copy of the petition to Dean of FAS William C. Kirby on Friday, May 27, according to Undergraduate Council Student Affairs Committee Chair Aaron D. Chadbourne ’06, who helped arrange the meeting with Kirby.

After the presentation, the students, Mankiw, Tompkins, and Assistant Dean of Social Sciences Rebecca E.F. Wassarman met for approximately 45 minutes to discuss Watson’s situation.

Tompkins, Wassarman, Mankiw and Kirby all declined to comment on the content of the two meetings.

“My understanding is that [Watson has] reached the limit and he can’t stay,” Mankiw said in an interview last week.

And Watson will have to leave his post as Lowell House Assistant to the Senior Tutor as well.