“I worry that the size of the concentration is driven by the professional demands rather than the demands of the college,” said James T. Kloppenberg, chair of the history department.

Citing Educational Policy Committee guidelines that have consistently encouraged concentrations to curb their requirements, other faculty wondered why only engineering was allowed an increased course-load.

“We’ve tried to create an ethos in which our undergraduate concentrations are not 20 half-courses,” said Diana L. Eck, professor of comparative religion, suggesting that the College might not have consistent standards across disciplines. “I don’t see this as just this incredible exception.”

But Dean of Undergraduate Education Jay M. Harris emphasized the distinction between an A.B. and an S.B. degree and reminded the faculty that the College must comply with national standards.

Between the 20 courses required for these concentrations, eight general education credits, two language classes, and expository writing, students pursuing S.B. degrees will have at most five electives in their eight semesters at Harvard.

Some professors said such a schedule restricts a student’s ability to pursue a secondary field, study abroad, or take electives in a range of departments—although some engineering students take summer classes or five courses a term to expand their curriculum, according to Marie D. Dahleh, SEAS assistant dean for academic programs.

Former Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68, a strong proponent of the concentrations, took to the microphone multiple times to push back against the idea that engineering students are missing out on liberal arts opportunities.

“Having looked at some of the actual transcripts of these students, I don’t think their liberal arts education is being short-changed,” he said. “If the Harvard College [general education and language] requirements...are not enough to guarantee a liberal education, then we should change the College-wide requirements.”

And Hu suggested that the team-based design opportunities offered by at least half of the four extra requirements were an invaluable “out-of-textbook experience that is very important for almost any student.”

Dean of the College Evelynn M. Hammonds suggested that appropriate support networks can help students take advantage of the full scope of Harvard’s academic offerings.

“Without SEAS’ commitment to the fact that these are not engineering students at a more traditional engineering school, but students at Harvard College, we would not have been in support of this motion,” she said.

SETTING THE PACE

Hu closed the meeting with a request for faculty to take a chance on what she called a “unique opportunity” for Harvard to take the lead in re-envisioning undergraduate engineering education.

“[These issues] will continue to be contentious, but if we don’t do it here—if engineering and liberal arts are so intrinsically antithetical that its impossible to join them under the roof of Harvard—I don’t think it will be done anywhere else,” she said.

She emphasized that students choose Harvard knowing that it is a champion of the liberal arts.