“This is something that I’m hoping the administration really takes a hard look at,” Banaji said, referencing the psychology department’s need for a larger faculty.

“I am very worried that our competitor schools will grab some amazing candidates, and that we will not be able to maintain our absolutely incredible position,” Banaji added.

Undergraduate Advising Administrator Laura L. Chivers said the department was forced last spring to offer fewer courses because of its limited resources.

As a result of the reduction in course offerings, she said, some courses that were planned for 20 students saw more than 100 students shop the course.

“At that point in time, we worked very hard to try to make sure that students who needed classes to graduate at least got in to those,” Chivers said.

For the current academic year, the FAS administration has provided additional funding for temporary teaching positions such as guest lecturers—professors who come to temporarily teach in FAS—and Harvard graduate students.

Added manpower has enabled the department to offer smaller seminar courses, some of which were postponed last year. Chivers said students have benefitted from the staff additions.

“Having some flexibility about the courses at the upper level can only help the undergraduate experience,” Chivers said.

—Staff writer Noah S. Rayman can be reached at nrayman@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Elyssa A.L. Spitzer can be reached at spitzer@fas.harvard.edu.