Stemberg declined to comment on the letter when it was first obtained by The Crimson. Platt has declined or not responded to requests for comment since the scandal broke.

In an interview last month, Lewis echoed Stemberg’s criticisms of the course’s structural problems, which he identified as an ambiguous collaboration policy and the general perception that the course offered students an easy ‘A.’

“How is it that hundreds of students knew the way this course was run, and nobody in the Government department knew? Or if they did know, why didn’t anybody stop it from happening?” Lewis said.

In his email, Smith offered a response to criticisms of this nature by highlighting the efforts of the Committee on Academic Integrity, a group of administrators, faculty, and students that has been meeting since fall 2010.

Smith wrote that this spring the Committee will make recommendations to faculty on how to structure and administer assessments, including the creation of a repository of “well-crafted exams” as a resource for faculty. The committee is also considering the possibility of introducing an honor code devised in collaboration with students.

Smith made clear, however, that both proposals are only “potential recommendations” that will not necessarily be implemented.

Smith also defended Harvard’s decision to publicly announce the scandal as a means of creating a conversation about academic integrity, a decision that some critics say led to the public outing of some accused students.

“It never was, as some have mistakenly assumed, to shine a bright light on any student or other member of our community,” Smith wrote. “Let me be crystal clear: we all can do better.”

Thomas W. Mannix '81, who along with Stemberg co-chairs the alumni fundraising organization Friends of Harvard Basketball, said that many close to the athletic department are unhappy with the way Harvard managed the scandal.

“I don’t know anybody who feels that the University has handled this well—not one former alum, not one former player,” he said in an interview with The Crimson earlier this week.

Mannix said that the focus on individual students throughout the investigation was “unfair,” adding that he is particularly frustrated by the media’s focus on the men’s basketball team’s involvement in the scandal.

Basketball co-captains Kyle D. Casey ’13 and Brandyn T. Curry ’13, who were expected to lead the team to another NCAA tournament appearance, gained widespread media attention after news outlets reported that the star players had chosen to withdraw from the team after being investigated.

“National broadcasts mention Kyle and Brandyn. They pull up pictures of their faces,” said Mannix, who is a former men’s basketball co-captain. “These kids have been singled out, and that’s what stinks to the Friends of Harvard Basketball.”

Mannix said that Harvard should have tried harder to maintain anonymity for investigated athletes and other accused students in its dealings with the media.

“The University could have protected all 125 of these kids,” he said.

Smith’s email, however, said that the University has not commented on any particular student’s case and will continue to adhere to this policy.

—Staff writer Michelle Denise L. Ferreol can be reached at mferreol@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @michiferreol.

—Staff writer Jared T. Lucky can be reached at lucky@college.harvard.edu. Follow him on Twitter @jared_lucky.