The best form of socialization is the nourishing kind; nothing bonds people like common appreciation of fine cuisine, a little gastronomic indulgence. What better way to become acquainted with sometimes seemingly distant professors than to eat with them? Especially when the environs are not Valentine and the tab is on the school.

We recognize that the Take Your Professor Out (TYPO) program is not cheap; after all, if we wanted to dine with professors in a cost-effective way, we could just hand them invites to lunch at Valentine. However, there is some merit to moving the fraternization away from campus; the change of scene is a treat, as we can interact with faculty and others in a situation removed from all things school-related.

Having addressed its value, the decision to restrict the official TYPO program to only freshmen is unfair, as it leaves second-semester seniors out in the cold. What about all those thesis-writing seniors who will want to show dietary gratitude for their advisors-even if it is paid for by the College? Moreover, the class of 2003 was the last to miss out on the program as freshmen. Seniors, at least for the rest of this year, should be able to participate in TYPO to the same extent that the freshmen will.

This said, we commend the recent gesture from the AAS to allocate $2,000 to provide upperclassmen with TYPO opportunities for the coming semester. Though this amount will not cover what the demand and value of the program merritt, we have no doubt that this is a step in the right direction.

Next year, funding should be extended enough so that all of the student body can participate. Upperclassmen comprise the vast majority of those who use TYPO, and it should be made available to them. Freshmen generally need a little more time to develop such ties with faculty.

TYPO's popularity exploded last semester-it was used seven times more than before the program's explosion-and the budget should expand accordingly to accommodate the rising demand. Of course, there needs to be a reasonable limit, but those who operate TYPO should also improve the management and regulation of the program. Those who participate need to be tracked more closely, to ensure that they do not abuse the privilege. Use of TYPO should be limited to two times a semester per individual.

In addition we support the decision of the dean of students' office and the AAS to limit spending on TYPO for this semester to $14 and hope that this change continues in the future.