One graduate student said the department has amale-centered atmosphere, adding that thisreflects the larger reality at Harvard.

"The Harvard department has traditionally hadthe reputation of being a sexist department," thestudent said.

The student acknowledged that the department istaking steps to address the problem. "To even haveit raised as an issue in this department is a hugestep forward," the student said.

There are three senior and two junior womenprofessors in the department, but none are in thephilology program. Philology is the word-basedanalysis of classical Greek and Latin literature.

The departure of the three women leaves theClassics Department with three male first-years inthe philology program, and one first-year womanstudent in the archaeology program.

One graduate student, who asked to remainanonymous, said the three departing student arestrong scholars, "It is a disaster that thesewomen are leaving," the student said.

The student also said the incident could hurtefforts to attract the best graduate students toHarvard