STUDENT HANDBOOK
Academic Year 2023-2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Mission of Harvard College ................................................................................................................. 7
Honor Code................................................................................................................................................... 7
Academic Information ................................................................................................................................. 8
Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees .................................................................................. 8
Requirements for the Degree ................................................................................................................................ 8
Credit Requirements ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Residency Requirement ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Concentration Requirement ...................................................................................................................... 9
Declaring a Concentration..................................................................................................................................... 9
Joint Concentrations ........................................................................................................................................... 10
Changing Concentrations.................................................................................................................................... 11
Tutorial ................................................................................................................................................................ 11
General Examinations ......................................................................................................................................... 11
College Requirements ............................................................................................................................. 11
General Education Requirement ......................................................................................................................... 11
Distribution Requirement..................................................................................................................................... 12
Quantitative Reasoning with Data Requirement ................................................................................................. 13
Expository Writing Requirement.......................................................................................................................... 13
Language Requirement....................................................................................................................................... 14
Disability Access ...................................................................................................................................... 15
Other Academic Opportunities ................................................................................................................ 16
Secondary Fields ................................................................................................................................................ 16
Study Abroad ...................................................................................................................................................... 16
Earning Degree Credit for Study Abroad ............................................................................................................ 16
Domestic Study Out of Residence ...................................................................................................................... 17
Citations in a Foreign Language ......................................................................................................................... 17
Study at Other Boston-Area Institutions .............................................................................................................. 18
Certificate for Civic Engagement......................................................................................................................... 18
Concurrent Master’s Degree ............................................................................................................................... 19
Harvard Fellowship for Teaching ........................................................................................................................ 19
Check-in Process and Course Registration ............................................................................................ 20
Check-in Process ................................................................................................................................................ 20
Choice of Courses............................................................................................................................................... 20
Course Registration ............................................................................................................................................ 20
Course Credit Without Letter Grades ...................................................................................................... 21
First-year Seminar Program (Graded SAT/UNS) ................................................................................................ 21
Courses Taken by Cross-Registration ................................................................................................................ 21
Courses Graded Pass/Fail .................................................................................................................................. 21
Courses Graded SAT/UNS ................................................................................................................................. 21
Independent Study (Graded Pass/Fail) ............................................................................................................... 22
Simultaneous Enrollment ........................................................................................................................ 22
Cross-Registration ................................................................................................................................... 23
Regulations ......................................................................................................................................................... 23
Concentration Credit ........................................................................................................................................... 24
Grading ............................................................................................................................................................... 24
ROTC .................................................................................................................................................................. 24
Change of Course ................................................................................................................................... 24
Dropping/Adding Courses ................................................................................................................................... 24
Withdrawing from Courses Without Credit .......................................................................................................... 25
Changing Letter-Graded or Pass/Fail Status of Courses .................................................................................... 25
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Year-long Courses ................................................................................................................................... 25
Suspending Credit............................................................................................................................................... 25
Dividing with Credit at Midyear............................................................................................................................ 26
Leaving a Year-long Course at Midyear Because of Absence from the College ................................................ 26
Changing Letter-Graded or Pass/Fail Status ...................................................................................................... 26
Repeating Courses .................................................................................................................................. 26
Rate of Work ............................................................................................................................................ 27
Tuition Charges ................................................................................................................................................... 27
Additional Term ....................................................................................................................................... 27
Extra Transfer Term ................................................................................................................................ 28
Harvard Summer School ......................................................................................................................... 28
Grades and Honors ................................................................................................................................. 30
Grading System .................................................................................................................................................. 30
Letter Grades ...................................................................................................................................................... 30
Non-Letter Grades .............................................................................................................................................. 30
Grade Point Averages for Undergraduates ............................................................................................. 31
Promotion ................................................................................................................................................ 32
Requirements for Honors Degrees.......................................................................................................... 32
Summa Cum Laude in a Field............................................................................................................................. 33
Magna Cum Laude in a Field .............................................................................................................................. 33
Cum Laude in a Field .......................................................................................................................................... 33
Cum Laude for the Overall Record ..................................................................................................................... 33
Academic Performance ........................................................................................................................... 34
Minimum Requirements........................................................................................................................... 34
Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory Academic Records ............................................................................... 34
Exclusion from a Course ......................................................................................................................... 34
Academic Integrity, Academic Dishonesty, and the Harvard College Honor Code ................................ 35
First-Year Students ............................................................................................................................................. 35
All Students ......................................................................................................................................................... 35
Plagiarism and Collaboration .............................................................................................................................. 35
Submission of the Same Work to More Than One Course ................................................................................. 36
Tutoring Schools and Term Paper Companies ................................................................................................... 36
Official Forms and Petitions ................................................................................................................................ 37
Attendance............................................................................................................................................... 37
Restricted Attendance ......................................................................................................................................... 37
Absence from Classes............................................................................................................................. 38
Hour and Midterm Examinations ............................................................................................................. 38
Reading Period ........................................................................................................................................ 38
Final Examination Period .................................................................................................................................... 39
Examination Rules .............................................................................................................................................. 40
Late Arrival to Examination ................................................................................................................................. 40
Illnesses During the Examination ........................................................................................................................ 40
Absence from Examinations ............................................................................................................................... 40
Absences for Religious Reasons ........................................................................................................................ 41
Makeups for Examinations: Excused Absences ................................................................................................. 41
Examinations in Absentia .................................................................................................................................... 42
Extension of Time for Written or Laboratory Work .................................................................................. 42
Leaves of Absence .................................................................................................................................. 43
Voluntary Leaves of Absence (Granted by Petition) ........................................................................................... 43
Involuntary Leaves of Absence ........................................................................................................................... 43
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While on Leave of Absence ..................................................................................................................... 45
Use of College Services and Facilities ................................................................................................................ 46
Course Work Done Out of Residence ................................................................................................................. 46
Returning to College ........................................................................................................................................... 47
Agreements to Engage in Treatment .................................................................................................................. 48
General Regulations .................................................................................................................................. 49
Standards of Conduct in the Harvard Community .................................................................................. 49
Discrimination and Bullying ..................................................................................................................... 50
Complaints of Discrimination............................................................................................................................... 50
Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity ............................................... 50
Discrimination on Other Bases ....................................................................................................................... 50
Harassment ......................................................................................................................................................... 51
Information and Advice ....................................................................................................................................... 51
Faculty Resolutions ................................................................................................................................. 51
Resolution on Rights and Responsibilities .......................................................................................................... 52
Interpretation ....................................................................................................................................................... 53
Commission of Inquiry......................................................................................................................................... 53
Physical Violence .................................................................................................................................... 53
Sexual Misconduct .................................................................................................................................. 54
Drugs and Alcohol ................................................................................................................................... 54
Summary of City, State, and Federal Laws and Regulations.............................................................................. 55
Disciplinary Action ............................................................................................................................................... 55
Help-Seeking Policy ............................................................................................................................................ 55
Responsibilities of Student Groups ..................................................................................................................... 56
Application of the Help-Seeking Policy to Student Groups ................................................................................. 56
Usual Responses ................................................................................................................................................ 56
Student Business Activity ........................................................................................................................ 57
Privacy Policy .......................................................................................................................................... 58
INSTRUCTOR RECORDINGS ........................................................................................................................... 58
Regulations Concerning the Use of University Resources ..................................................................... 59
Use of Libraries, Research Support, and Use of Collections .............................................................................. 59
Use of Computers and Networks ........................................................................................................................ 59
Privacy of Information .............................................................................................................................. 60
Harvard University Policy on Access to Electronic Information........................................................................... 60
Electronic Communication .................................................................................................................................. 61
Intellectual Property and Copyrighted Materials ..................................................................................... 61
Harvard University Identification Cards ................................................................................................... 61
Use of College and University Resources ............................................................................................... 62
Fire Regulations ...................................................................................................................................... 62
Threats Involving Deadly Weapons, Explosives, Bombs, Chemical or Biological Agents, or Other
Deadly Devices or Substances ............................................................................................................... 63
Firearms, Explosives, Combustible Fuels, Firecrackers, and Dangerous Weapons .............................. 63
Betting and Gambling .............................................................................................................................. 65
Hazing...................................................................................................................................................... 65
Massachusetts Hazing Statute............................................................................................................................ 66
Administrative Board of Harvard College, Harvard College Honor Council, and Student-Faculty
Judicial Board ............................................................................................................................................ 68
Administrative Board of Harvard College ................................................................................................ 68
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Actions of the Administrative Board .................................................................................................................... 69
Administrative Board Actions and Letters of Recommendation .......................................................................... 72
Readmission after Requirement to Withdraw for Disciplinary or Academic Reasons ........................................ 72
Admission Materials ............................................................................................................................................ 73
Student-Faculty Judicial Board................................................................................................................ 74
Harvard College Honor Council............................................................................................................... 74
Actions of the Honor Council............................................................................................................................... 74
Honor Council Actions and Letters of Recommendation .................................................................................... 76
Readmission after Requirement to Withdraw by the Honor Council for Disciplinary Reason ............................. 77
Housing Office............................................................................................................................................ 77
On-Campus Housing: System and Assignments .................................................................................... 77
Housing Assignments ......................................................................................................................................... 78
Transferring Between Residential Houses .......................................................................................................... 78
Housing for Students Requiring Accommodation ............................................................................................... 78
Religious Accommodation Requests .................................................................................................................. 79
Gender-Inclusive Housing ................................................................................................................................... 79
Veterans, Married, and Family Student Housing ................................................................................................ 79
Housing Policies ...................................................................................................................................... 79
Those Who Will Ordinarily Be Housed ................................................................................................................ 80
Those Who Will Be Housed on a Space-Available Basis Only ........................................................................... 80
Housing Contract ................................................................................................................................................ 81
Other Residences ............................................................................................................................................... 82
Occupancy During Summer and Between Terms ............................................................................................... 82
Cancellation Fees ............................................................................................................................................... 82
Housing Alternatives................................................................................................................................ 83
The Dudley Cooperative ..................................................................................................................................... 83
Commuters.......................................................................................................................................................... 83
Students Who Move Off Campus........................................................................................................................ 83
Visiting Undergraduate Students ........................................................................................................................ 83
Dudley Community .............................................................................................................................................. 84
Dean of Students Office: Residential Life ............................................................................................... 84
Policies Governing Enrollment and Residency ....................................................................................... 84
Disciplinary Actions ............................................................................................................................................. 84
Roommate Rights and Responsibilities .............................................................................................................. 85
Community Responsibilities ................................................................................................................................ 85
Guests ................................................................................................................................................................. 85
Security and Access............................................................................................................................................ 86
Fire Safety Regulations, Instructions, and Procedures ....................................................................................... 86
Regulations ......................................................................................................................................................... 86
Missing Persons Policy ....................................................................................................................................... 86
Effect of Health Issues............................................................................................................................. 87
Effect of Health Issues on Dormitory or House Residence ................................................................................. 87
Responsibilities of Health and Counseling Services ........................................................................................... 87
College Responsibilities ...................................................................................................................................... 88
Clearance for Return ........................................................................................................................................... 88
Reason for Policy ........................................................................................................................................... 88
Agreements to Engage in Treatment .................................................................................................................. 89
Procedure for Notice and Consultation ............................................................................................................... 89
Consultations and Interventions for Behavioral Disturbances Due to Alcohol or Drug Abuse or Other Health
Issues
.................................................................................................................................................................. 90
Health Concerns............................................................................................................................................. 90
Referrals for Interventions/Treatment Regarding Alcohol and/or Other Drug Abuse ..................................... 90
Grounds for Referral....................................................................................................................................... 91
Referral Letter ................................................................................................................................................ 91
CHWP Interventions ....................................................................................................................................... 91
Monitoring Student Compliance with Interventions for Alcohol/Substance Use ............................................. 91
Agreement to Treatment ..................................................................................................................................... 92
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Monitoring Student Compliance – All Health Issues ........................................................................................... 92
Medical Insurance and HUHS ................................................................................................................... 93
Massachusetts Insurance Requirements ................................................................................................ 93
Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP) ........................................................................... 93
Waiving the HUSHP Student Health Insurance Plan .............................................................................. 93
Mental Health Coverage .......................................................................................................................... 93
Dental Coverage Options ........................................................................................................................ 94
Confidentiality and Consent .................................................................................................................... 94
Danger to Self or Others ......................................................................................................................... 94
Treatment at Area Hospitals or Medical Facilities ................................................................................... 95
Patient Advocate ..................................................................................................................................... 95
Accessible Healthcare at Harvard ........................................................................................................... 95
Required Immunizations .......................................................................................................................... 96
Travel Health Immunizations and Information......................................................................................... 96
Policies for Undergraduate Student Organizations .............................................................................. 96
Unrecognized and Non-Harvard Organizations ...................................................................................... 97
Hazing...................................................................................................................................................... 97
Religion .................................................................................................................................................... 97
Distribution of Printed Matter ................................................................................................................... 98
Solicitation ............................................................................................................................................... 98
Use of Harvard University Trademarks ................................................................................................... 98
Fundraising and Development ................................................................................................................ 99
Meetings and Events ............................................................................................................................... 99
Restricted Dates for Events ..................................................................................................................... 99
Working with Minors ................................................................................................................................ 99
Exceptions to Student Organization Policies .......................................................................................... 99
Financial Obligations ............................................................................................................................... 100
Payment Policy ...................................................................................................................................... 100
Amount Due ........................................................................................................................................... 100
Monthly Payment Plan........................................................................................................................... 101
Late Payment of Tuition and Fees ........................................................................................................ 101
Information for Degree Candidates ....................................................................................................... 101
Acceleration ........................................................................................................................................... 101
Dishonored Payments ........................................................................................................................... 101
Information for Students Leaving the College ....................................................................................... 102
Financial Aid ............................................................................................................................................. 102
Conditions Governing Financial Aid Awards ......................................................................................... 102
Basis of Original Award ......................................................................................................................... 103
Reapplication of Financial Aid after First Year ...................................................................................... 104
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Expectations Regarding Other Contributions ........................................................................................ 104
Parental Contribution ........................................................................................................................................ 104
Parent Loans ..................................................................................................................................................... 104
Summer Earnings ............................................................................................................................................. 104
Student’s Own Savings ..................................................................................................................................... 104
Outside Scholarships ........................................................................................................................................ 104
Nonresident, Married, and Out-of-Residence Students ........................................................................ 105
Nonresident Students........................................................................................................................................ 105
Married Students OR STUDENTS WITH DEPENDENTS ................................................................................ 105
Students Studying Out of Residence ................................................................................................................ 105
Summer School ..................................................................................................................................... 105
Refund Policy ........................................................................................................................................ 105
Federal Verification................................................................................................................................ 105
Statement of Privacy ............................................................................................................................. 105
Education Records .................................................................................................................................. 106
Education Records ................................................................................................................................ 106
Access ................................................................................................................................................... 106
Directory Information ............................................................................................................................. 106
Other Disclosures Permitted under FERPA .......................................................................................... 107
Student Rights under FERPA ................................................................................................................ 108
Users Located in the European Economic Area ................................................................................... 108
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THE MISSION OF HARVARD COLLEGE
The mission of Harvard College is to educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society.
We do this through our commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and
sciences education.
Beginning in the classroom with exposure to new ideas, new ways of understanding, and new
ways of knowing, students embark on a journey of intellectual transformation. Through a diverse
living environment, where students live with people who are studying different topics, come from
different walks of life, and have evolving identities, intellectual transformation is deepened, and
conditions for social transformation are created. From this we hope that students will begin to
fashion their lives by gaining a sense of what they want to do with their gifts and talents,
assessing their values and interests, and learning how they can best serve the world.
HONOR CODE
Harvard College is an academic and residential community devoted to learning and the creation
of knowledge. We — the academic community of Harvard College, including the faculty and
students — view integrity as the basis for intellectual discovery, artistic creation, independent
scholarship, and meaningful collaboration. We thus hold honesty — in the representation of our
work and in our interactions with teachers, advisers, peers, and students — as the foundation of
our community.
Members of the Harvard College community commit themselves to producing
academic work of integrity — that is, work that adheres to the scholarly and
intellectual standards of accurate attribution of sources, appropriate collection
and use of data, and transparent acknowledgment of the contributions of others
to their ideas, discoveries, interpretations, and conclusions. Cheating on exams
or problem sets, plagiarizing or misrepresenting the ideas or language of
someone else as one’s own, falsifying data, or any other instance of academic
dishonesty violates the standards of our community, as well as the standards of
the wider world of learning and affairs.
A fundamental goal of the College is to foster an environment in which its members may
live and work productively together, making use of the rich resources of the University in
individual and collective pursuit of academic excellence, extracurricular accomplishment,
and personal challenge.
For this goal to be achieved, the community must be a tolerant and supportive one,
characterized by civility and consideration for others. Therefore, the standards and expectations
of this community are high, as much so in the quality of interpersonal relationships as they are
in academic performance.
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REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
CREDIT REQUIREMENTS
ACADEMIC INFORMATION
Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) offers undergraduates a wide range of courses to
satisfy individual objectives and interests. In defining the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts
(A.B.) and Bachelor of Science (S.B.) degrees, the Faculty has sought to accommodate those
objectives and interests, and, at the same time, to establish a framework for study in the College
that ensures involvement with important areas of general knowledge (the General Education
requirements) and in-depth study of one specific area (the concentration requirement). In
addition, students must demonstrate competence in certain skills reflective of the complex
demands of modern society (writing, quantitative reasoning with data, and facility with a
language other than English) and achieve a satisfactory level of performance in their work.
Each of these requirements is set forth in detail below. (For the S.B. degree requirements,
see “Engineering Sciences,” in Fields of Concentration,
https://handbook.college.harvard.edu/#fields.) Students are responsible for knowing the rules
that apply to their candidacy for the A.B. or S.B. degree.
Exceptions to the rules may be made only by special vote of the Administrative Board of
Harvard College (hereafter referred to as the Administrative Board) or by those administrative
officers or committees to which the Faculty, for certain matters, has delegated authority to act
on its behalf.
All candidates for the A.B. or the S.B. degree must pass 128 credits (the equivalent of 32
4-credit courses) and receive letter grades of C– or higher in at least 84 of those credits (at
least 96 credits to be eligible for a degree with honors). A “course” is equivalent to 4 credits,
and a course is normally the length of a semester. (A “course” is equivalent to the “half-course”
designation in earlier Handbooks.) The only non-letter grade that counts toward the requirement
of 84 satisfactory letter-graded credits is Satisfactory (SAT); only one (8-credit) senior tutorial
course graded Satisfactory may be so counted. Credits taken either by cross-registration or
out of residence for degree credit will not be counted toward the letter-graded credit requirement
unless they are applied toward concentration requirements.
Forty-eight of the required 84 letter-graded credits should be completed by the end of
sophomore year. Ordinarily, no first-year student or sophomore may take fewer than three
complete fewer than 16 credits per term must obtain the approval of their Resident Dean.
Students studying abroad for two semesters (fall and spring), and sophomore transfer students
(32 credits granted) must pass 96 credits at Harvard and receive letter grades of C- or higher in
at least 60 of them (at least 72 to be eligible for a degree with honors). Junior transfer students
(64 credits granted) must pass 64 credits at Harvard and receive letter grades of C- or higher in
at least 40 of them (at least 48 to be eligible for a degree with honors). The precise number of
credits with C- or higher required of transfer students will be subject to evaluation at the time of
matriculation at Harvard.
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RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
DECLARING A CONCENTRATION
Because of the residential mission of Harvard College, students are required to be in residence
during term time. Students will not ordinarily be recommended for the A.B. or S.B. degree
without having completed eight terms of residence.
Exceptions to the residency requirements are made for students who graduate in fewer than
eight terms or who matriculated with transfer credit. Some students may complete Harvard
degree requirements in fewer than eight terms as a result of course work done elsewhere that is
approved in advance and counted by Harvard toward degree requirements (see “Requirements
for the Degree”), or as a result of course work done at the Harvard Summer School (see
“Harvard Summer School”), or as a result of having worked at a rate of more than 16 credits per
term. No student will be recommended for the A.B. or the S.B. degree who has not completed a
minimum of four regular terms in the College as a candidate for that degree and passed at least
64 credits during regular terms in Harvard College.
Students who have not completed the degree requirements within the allotted number of terms
(“lost degree” candidates) may complete degree requirements only by enrolling in the Harvard
Summer School, by successfully petitioning the Administrative Board for an additional term (see
“Additional Term”), or, if eligible, by enrolling in an approved study abroad program (see “Study
Abroad”).
Concentration Requirement
All degree candidates must fulfill the requirements of one of the recognized fields of
concentration, an approved joint concentration, or an approved special concentration.
Overviews of each concentration, its specific requirements, and how to obtain more information
about the concentration are included in Fields of Concentration,
https://handbook.college.harvard.edu/#fields.
In many concentrations, students may pursue either a basic program or one that makes them
eligible for honors in the field. Honors-eligible programs generally differ from basic programs in
that they require a senior thesis and/or advanced course work. To be awarded the degree with
honors in the field of concentration, the student must complete the honors requirements within
the concentration, receive an honors recommendation from the department or committee that
supervises the concentration, and meet the College-wide requirements for an honors degree.
Students should understand that completing the degree requirements for an honors-eligible
program does not guarantee that they will graduate with honors (see "Requirements for Honors
Degrees”).
Students should plan their concentration program with a representative of the concentration who
will approve the Declaration of Concentration and the Plan of Study. This procedure constitutes
official admission to the field of concentration. Students ordinarily must fulfill concentration
requirements as they were defined in the Fields of Concentration and Secondary Fields
requirements the year the Plan of Study was approved, although in those situations in which a
concentration subsequently changes its requirements, the Head Tutor or Director of
Undergraduate Studies may allow students to substitute the new requirements.
Every student is required to have a documented advising conversation with a representative
from one or more prospective concentrations near the end of the second term of enrollment.
These advising conversations do not indicate any binding decision on the part of the student.
9
JOINT CONCENTRATIONS
DOUBLE CONCENTRATIONS
Concentrations choose their own criteria for defining these advising conversations, so the form
and context may vary from program to program. Please consult the Advising Programs Office
for more information at advising@fas.harvard.edu.
Students must declare a concentration via my.harvard in the fall term of their second year (see
the Harvard College Academic Calendar, https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/harvard-college-
academic-calendar, for specific deadlines). Students who are out of sequence because of
leaves or withdrawals must declare a concentration no later than two weeks before the end of
classes of their third term of enrollment.
A joint concentration combines two fields that are each an undergraduate concentration offered
in its own right, and it integrates them into a coherent field of study, ordinarily culminating in an
interdisciplinary thesis written while enrolled in the thesis tutorial of one concentration only.
Some concentrations do not participate in joint concentration programs, so students should
consult with the Head Tutor or Director of Undergraduate Study in the relevant fields for more
information. One of the concentrations is designated the primary concentration. For students to
receive approval for a joint concentration, both of the participating concentrations must be
satisfied with the coherence and merit of the student’s plan and be prepared to supervise the
program in detail.
For students who do not wish to integrate the work of two separate fields into one coherent
program, but still wish to pursue a second disciplinary area, a double concentration or
secondary field may be appropriate (see Fields of Concentration,
https://handbook.college.harvard.edu/ - fields).
One of the concentrations is designated the primary concentration. For students to receive
approval for a joint concentration, both of the participating concentrations must be satisfied
with the coherence and merit of the student’s plan and be prepared to supervise the program
in detail.
The double concentration facilitates in-depth, structured coursework in two separate
concentrations. The coursework in these two fields may not substantially overlap with each
other. A limit of 8 credits (generally 2 courses) may be double counted between the two
concentrations. Students may apply to write theses in both concentrations but may receive
honors in only one concentration, which must be designated as the honors field. Departmental
honors are determined solely by the designated honors field.
Declaration of the double concentration does not require approval from both concentrations.
Each concentration will review and approve declaration separately. Students must declare at
least one concentration in the fall term of their second year (see the Harvard College Academic
Calendar, https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/harvard-college-academic-calendar, for specific
deadlines). Students who are out of sequence because of leaves or withdrawals must declare a
concentration no later than two weeks before the end of classes of their third term of enrollment.
Students may declare a double concentration at that time, declaring their honors field by the end
of the spring term of their second year before the deadline for fall prior termregistration, leaving
time to benefit from advising in both concentrations. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science
(S.B.) degree may not pursue a double concentration.
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CHANGING CONCENTRATIONS
TUTORIAL
GENERAL EXAMINATIONS
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
A change of field on the student record and transcript is not complete until the petition has been
approved by the department and the change is reflected on my.harvard.
After the deadline for degree applications in a student’s final term in the College, a change of
concentration will be granted only with the approval of the Administrative Board. Ordinarily,
approval will be granted to facilitate a student’s completion of degree requirements, but not to
enhance the level of honors awarded.
Each field of concentration has jurisdiction, within FAS guidelines, over its own tutorial program.
These programs are outlined under the individual requirements for each field in Fields of
Concentration. Except for those tutorial courses graded SAT/UNS (see “Non-Letter Grades”),
letter grades ordinarily are reported for tutorials given for credit. A field of concentration may
bar any student from the tutorial program because of unsatisfactory work.
Ordinarily, the work in a senior tutorial centers on writing a thesis. A student who does not
complete the thesis but nevertheless wishes to receive credit for the tutorial course may be
required by the concentration to submit a paper or other substantial piece of work before any
credit can be awarded.
Some concentrations require that students pass a general examination before being
recommended for the degree or being recommended for the degree with honors in the field.
No student concentrating in a field where general examinations are required is eligible for the
degree, whatever the student’s record in courses may be, until the student has passed this
examination to the satisfaction of the concentration.
Students in concentrations with general examinations should consult with the concentration’s
tutorial office about scheduling these examinations. In some cases, general examinations are
scheduled for the spring term only. As a result, students who will complete all other academic
requirements (including the thesis) in the fall term and do not plan to enroll for the spring term
may need to speak with their concentration, their Resident Dean, and the Registrar in order to
sit for the general examination.
College Requirements
Students must complete four General Education courses, one from each of the following four
General Education categories:
▪ Aesthetics & Culture
▪ Ethics & Civics
▪ Histories, Societies, Individuals
▪ Science & Technology in Society
Three of these courses must be letter-graded. One may be taken pass/fail, with the permission
of the instructor. However, if that same course is being used to fulfill a concentration or
secondary field requirement, there may be limitations on pass/fail options.
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DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENT
There are no constraints regarding the timing of these courses, as long as all are completed by
graduation.
General Education requirements will not be reduced for transfer students, or term time study
abroad.
Only courses approved by the Standing Committee on General Education can be used to fulfill
General Education requirements. Students may not petition to have courses count.
Designated Harvard Summer School and Harvard Summer Study Abroad courses may count
for General Education. Ordinarily, summer courses count if they are identical to courses that
receive General Education credit during the academic year and are taught by the same Harvard
faculty members who teach them during the academic year (or by a member of the same
department).
For questions, students should refer to the Harvard College Program in General Education
website (https://gened.fas.harvard.edu/), or contact the General Education Office
(617-495-2563, 1414 Massachusetts Avenue, Third Floor, gened_q[email protected]).
All students must complete one departmental (non-Gen Ed) course in each of the three main
divisions of the FAS and the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
(SEAS):
▪ Arts and Humanities
▪ Social Sciences
▪ Science and Engineering and Applied Sciences
Courses used to fulfill the distribution requirement may be taken pass/fail with the permission of
the instructor. However, when the same courses are being used to fulfill a concentration or
secondary field requirement, there may be limitations on pass/fail options.
All courses in every division will count toward the distribution requirement except elementary-
and intermediate-level languages, some graduate courses, courses in Expository Writing, music
performance courses graded SAT/UNSAT, First-Year Seminars, and House Seminars.
A course taken to fulfill a Divisional Distribution requirement cannot be counted toward the
College’s Quantitative Reasoning with Data (QRD) requirement.
There are no constraints regarding the timing of these courses, as long as all are completed by
graduation.
Transfer students may fulfill the distribution requirement with courses taken at their previous
undergraduate institution. Courses taken during term time or summer study abroad, and
courses taken at Harvard Summer School may also count for the distribution requirement.
For questions, students should contact divdist@fas.harvard.edu.
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QUANTITATIVE REASONING WITH DATA REQUIREMENT
EXPOSITORY WRITING REQUIREMENT
Students must complete one course in Quantitative Reasoning with Data. Courses used to fulfill
the QRD requirement may be taken pass/fail, with the permission of the instructor. However,
when the same courses are being used to fulfill a concentration or secondary field requirement,
there may be limitations on pass/fail options.
A course taken to fulfill the QRD requirement cannot be counted toward the College’s Divisional
Distribution requirement.
There are no constraints regarding the timing of this requirement, as long as it is completed by
graduation.
Courses taken at Harvard Summer School may count for the QRD requirement. For questions,
students should contact QRD@fas.harvard.edu.
Degree candidates admitted as first-year students must enroll during their first year of residence
in a prescribed course in Expository Writing offered by the Harvard College Writing Program. A
final grade of D– or better in Expository Writing 20 ordinarily fulfills the writing requirement;
however, the Director of the Harvard College Writing Program may require particular students to
do additional work during the following term in order to satisfy the requirement. Courses taken
on a pass/fail basis may not be used to fulfill the Harvard College writing requirement. Harvard
Summer School courses in expository writing or creative writing may not be used to fulfill the
Harvard College writing requirement. Harvard Summer School courses in expository writing may
not be used for degree credit.
All transfer students are expected to satisfy the same writing requirement as students admitted
as first-year students unless they have demonstrated superior writing ability in the English
language before they arrive at Harvard. Transfer students who seek exemption from the writing
requirement must provide the Director of the Harvard College Writing Program with a substantial
sample of their own written work in the summer before matriculation at Harvard. Such a sample
should include at least 20 double-spaced, typewritten pages. Papers submitted to and evaluated
by a faculty member at the college the student attended before coming to Harvard constitute an
appropriate sample. The Director will evaluate the papers and decide if an exemption should be
granted. Transfer students seeking exemption should contact the Harvard College Writing
Program at 617-495-2566 or expos@fas.harvard.edu for more information.
Any student who fails to complete the writing requirement during the first year of residence must
enroll in an appropriate Expository Writing course during each subsequent term of residence
until the requirement is met.
13
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
Degree candidates must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is taught
at Harvard or for which an appropriate examination can be given.
The language requirement demands rigorous study but does not require a particular format of
study or examination. Students should be taught in all forms of a language that are customary in
the practice of that language. The requirement can be satisfied in one of the following ways:
▪ Earning a minimum score of 700 on a College Entrance Examination Board SAT II Test
in a language other than English, a score of 5 on a relevant Advanced Placement
examination, or a score of 7 on a relevant Higher Level (HL) International Baccalaureate
examination.
▪ Earning a passing score as determined by the department on a placement examination
administered by certain language departments.
▪ Passing with a letter grade one appropriate year-long course (8 credits) or two semester-
long courses (4 credits each) in one language at Harvard, or the equivalent as
determined by the appropriate language department. These courses may not include
foreign literature courses conducted in English.
▪ Passing with a letter grade in a language course or courses at the appropriate level
taken in Harvard programs abroad, as approved by the appropriate language
department. Study completed at other institutions may also fulfill the requirement if
approved by the appropriate language department whether through examination or on
the basis of achieving a minimum grade.
▪ A student whose high school education was conducted in a language other than English
may satisfy the language requirement with evidence of the official high school transcript.
▪ A student who claims fluency in a language other than English may satisfy the language
requirement through satisfactory completion of an examination in the relevant language,
provided that an appropriate examination can be given. If the language is not one that is
offered at Harvard, and if a qualified examiner, as determined by the Office of
Undergraduate Education (OUE), cannot be identified, the student must meet the
language requirement with another language.
No student may take the relevant departmental examination more than once for the purpose of
meeting the language requirement.
Details on language placement exams, including the process for registering for these exams
and FAQs, can be found on the Placement Exams Information website, at https://placement-
info.fas.harvard.edu/.
Any student who has not met the language requirement upon entrance to Harvard ordinarily is
required to enroll in and complete with a passing letter grade an appropriate year-long language
course (8 credits) or two semester-long language courses (4 credits each) in a single language.
(An appropriate course is one for which a student qualifies by previous instruction or placement
test.) Most introductory courses in all languages taught at Harvard count toward fulfillment of the
language requirement; exceptions are noted in the course listings in my.harvard. Students are
encouraged to begin language study in their first year. If after the second term of study the
requirement has not yet been met, a hold will be placed on the student record. To lift the hold, a
student must have an advising conversation with their first-year adviser and develop a concrete
plan to complete the requirement.
Exceptions to the ordinary means of satisfying the requirement, or to the timing of the
requirement, can be granted only by the Administrative Board upon the recommendation of the
student’s Resident Dean.
14
Students who plan to continue language study beyond the requirement level may wish to qualify
for a citation in that language (see Fields of Concentration,
https://handbook.college.harvard.edu/#fields).
Disability Access
The Disability Access Office (DAO) serves as the central campus resource for students with
visible and invisible disabilities to identify barriers and implement plans for access at Harvard
College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), and the SEAS. More information
on the DAO office can be found at https://dao.fas.harvard.edu.
Students are encouraged to make initial contact with DAO upon admission or as soon as mental
or physical health-related concerns arise. For a more comprehensive description of DAO
services, policies, and documentation requirements, visit the DAO website
(https://dao.fas.harvard.edu) or contact DAO at [email protected] or 617-496-8707.
Students who are dissatisfied with their accommodations may wish to exercise their right to
submit a grievance and may refer to the DAO website for details about the grievance procedure.
Emergency Reservation of Rights
Harvard College retains the discretion to act as it deems necessary in extraordinary
circumstances to protect the health and safety of the Harvard community. For these purposes
“extraordinary circumstances” include, but are not limited to, public health emergencies,
extreme weather events, and other conditions posing broad threats to community health and
safety or significantly disrupting campus life or learning. Discretionary measures available to
Harvard College may include, but are not limited to, making recourse to remote or hybrid
instruction, suspending or limiting access to University-provided residential housing, limiting its
provision of or access to certain activities and services, introducing or modifying mask and
physical distancing mandates, and implementing compulsory testing and tracing programs as
required conditions for accessing the Harvard campus or Harvard facilities.
15
SECONDARY FIELDS
STUDY ABROAD
EARNING DEGREE CREDIT FOR STUDY ABROAD
Other Academic Opportunities
Secondary fields provide the opportunity for focused study (four to six courses) outside of the
primary area of concentration, but they are entirely optional and are not required for graduation.
A secondary field may complement the primary area of study in the concentration, or it may be
entirely separate. Unlike a joint concentration, no integrative work between the secondary field
and the primary concentration is required. The successful completion of a secondary field will
appear on a student’s transcript. No student may receive credit for more than one secondary
field.
Only one course (4 credits) may count simultaneously toward a secondary field and the
concentration; courses taken through cross-registration (if allowed by the secondary field
program) will not count toward the College grade point average; and students must adhere to
the guidelines and procedures for obtaining credit for study abroad in order to count such
courses for a secondary field.
No student may sign up for a secondary field before declaring a concentration. Students are
responsible for notifying secondary fields of their interest in the program, for tracking their
requirements, and for submitting a completed Secondary Field request via my.harvard no later
than the deadline. See Fields of Concentration.
Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors may study abroad through direct enrollment in a
foreign university, in programs sponsored by U.S. universities, or in programs organized through
private study abroad organizations. The Office of International Education (OIE) maintains a list
of approved programs, which is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. If a student finds a
program that is not on the approved list, the student must follow the formal petition process for
approval. Details about term-time study abroad, including application instructions and deadlines,
may be found on the OIE website at https://oie.fas.harvard.edu.
To be approved for study abroad, a student must be in good academic and disciplinary standing
during the term immediately preceding the proposed period of study. Unless granted permission
by the Administrative Board in advance, a student cannot be granted degree credit for course
work that begins when the student is on probation for any reason.
Students participating in term-time for-credit study abroad will reduce by one the number of
terms for which they may register at Harvard College.
It is expected that students who study abroad for a semester or academic year will take a full
course load, as determined and approved by the OIE, and consistent with the College’s policies
for students studying on campus.
Credits earned abroad are considered transfer credit, and up to a full year of credit may be
earned. No more than 16 credits may be earned per term for term-time study abroad, and no
more than 8 credits may be earned per summer for summer study abroad. A maximum total of
32 transfer credits may be earned from studying abroad. Credit earned abroad may transfer in
as concentration and/or elective credit and may also contribute to a secondary field or language
citation. Additionally, students may take courses to satisfy the Harvard College departmental
16
DOMESTIC STUDY OUT OF RESIDENCE
CITATIONS IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
distribution requirement. Specific information about these options is provided through the OUE
or by emailing divdist@fas.harvard.edu.
Harvard does not ordinarily grant credit for study out of residence at other U.S. institutions
except in rare cases when such study is judged to offer a “special opportunity” unavailable to
the student at Harvard. Information on the process for petitioning for credit for study out of
residence within the U.S. can be obtained from the student’s Resident Dean. If the student’s
petition is approved by the Administrative Board, the OIE will be notified by the appropriate
Dean and will instruct the student on how to apply for transfer credit.
Many of the language, literature, and civilization departments offer citations to non-
concentrators in a modern or ancient language. The award of a foreign language citation will be
noted on the transcript at the time degrees are voted, and it will be included in the
Commencement program. Students will also receive printed citations along with their diplomas.
Each language citation program consists of four courses (4 credits per course or equivalent) of
language instruction beyond the first-year level and/or courses taught primarily in the foreign
language. At least two of these courses must be at the third-year level or beyond. Appropriate
courses taken in approved programs of study out of residence for which the student receives
Harvard degree credit may be counted toward a citation. Courses that satisfy the requirements
for a citation may also be counted toward the distribution requirement, Secondary Field, and/or
concentration requirements, as appropriate.
For a complete list of language citations offered and the specific requirements for each, please
consult Fields of Concentration.
Students must complete all courses to count toward the citation with letter grades of B– or
better. Regardless of the level at which a student enters a language program at Harvard, all
citations require the completion of four courses (4 credits per course or equivalent) taken at
Harvard or counted for Harvard degree credit. Language courses that meet these criteria but
are bracketed on the transcript may be counted toward a language citation. Some programs
require that courses be taken in a particular sequence; students should consult the relevant
language advisers for more information.
Students who plan to satisfy the requirements for a foreign language citation must complete a
Foreign Language Citation Study Plan with the Head Tutor or Director of Undergraduate Studies
of the relevant department and as early as the declaration of concentration and no later than the
deadline for degree applications in their final term in the College. Details about the process of
declaring a citation can be found by consulting the Registrar’s Office website at
https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu.
17
STUDY AT OTHER BOSTON-AREA INSTITUTIONS
CERTIFICATE FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Students with strong academic plans may wish to incorporate one or more courses at a local
college or university with which Harvard does not have a cross-registration agreement, while
continuing to be enrolled and taking courses in the College. (The FAS has cross-registration
agreements with the other Harvard Schools and with MIT; see “Courses Taken by Cross-
Registration”).
With the exception of students enrolled in a double degree (A.B./M.M.) or joint studies program
supported by the College between the College and New England Conservatory or between the
College and Berklee College of Music, Harvard undergraduates wishing to earn Harvard degree
credit during a given term (up to 8 credits that are not available at Harvard) must demonstrate
that these courses will contribute to a compelling academic plan tied to their concentration. This
plan must be endorsed by the student’s Head Tutor or Director of Undergraduate Studies, and
then the student may petition the Administrative Board by the appropriate deadline for the term
in which the student wishes to include courses elsewhere in their plans of study.
Harvard College students who are enrolled in Harvard’s double degree (A.B./M.M.) program
with New England Conservatory or joint studies program with Berklee College of Music may
petition the Administrative Board by the appropriate deadline in order to be allowed to take up to
8 credits in a given term at New England Conservatory or Berklee College of Music. Double
degree and joint studies students must demonstrate that the course will contribute to a
compelling academic plan tied to their work in the double degree program and that the course is
not offered at Harvard. The student’s plan must be endorsed by the adviser to the double
degree program in Harvard’s Department of Music. It is each student’s responsibility to gain
admission to and pay for instruction at the other institution and to present a transcript from the
other institution for the work completed at the end of the term, following the usual procedures for
study out of residence. Harvard tuition is reduced for these students on a per-course basis for
each course taken elsewhere for Harvard degree credit, and those students eligible for financial
aid may apply their aid to the costs of studying at the other institution. Provided that their
combined program at Harvard and the other institution adds up to a full load, students may
continue in College housing subject to the ordinary eligibility rules. All other administrative
procedures and limitations on the overall amount of credit a student may earn out of residence
follow the policies for full-time study out of residence (see “Earning Degree Credit for Study
Abroad” and
https://oie.fas.harvard.edu/credit-guidelines). For more information, students
sh
ould consult their Resident Dean.
A Certificate for Civic Engagement recognizes students who have demonstrated sustained
participation in public service and civic involvement through academic engagement, rigorous
analysis of social issues, and critical assessment of the policies, strategies, and practices
designed to address them. The certificate is awarded to students who have completed all three
required elements: (1) 12 credits (generally 3 courses) for coursework from an approved list,
including at least one course designated as an experiential learning or engaged scholarship
course; (2) direct service, policy and/or advocacy work totaling at least three-hundred hours; (3)
an immersive, faculty-led retreat focused on synthetic reflection and integrative learning bridging
the connection between the coursework and service work.
Detailed information on declaring a Certificate for Civic Engagement can be found on the
website for the Office of Undergraduate Education (OUE) at oue.fas.harvard.edu.
18
CONCURRENT MASTER’S DEGREE
HARVARD FELLOWSHIP FOR TEACHING
Students may apply to the GSAS for a master’s degree pursued concurrently with the bachelor’s
degree. As part of the concurrent degree program, students will be allowed to double-count up
to 16 credits for the A.B. and either the Master of Arts (A.M.) or the Master of Science (S.M.). An
undergraduate student pursuing the concurrent degree will complete both of these degrees by
the end of eight terms of residency or the equivalent. Students wishing to pursue this option
should consult the GSAS at https://gsas.harvard.edu/joint-degrees for a list of approved
Harvard College seniors and alumni are invited to apply to The Harvard Fellowship for Teaching
at the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Teaching and Teacher Leadership (TTL)
master’s degree program. TTL’s Teaching Licensure strand gives novice and early-career
teachers the skills and experience they need to pursue Massachusetts licensure in secondary
education in math, biology, chemistry, physics, general science, English, or history. The
Harvard Fellowship for Teaching covers a majority of Ed.M. tuition and provides a stipend. For
more information, please see: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/masters/programs/ttl.
19
CHECK-IN PROCESS
CHOICE OF COURSES
COURSE REGISTRATION
Check-in Process and Course Registration
Students are required to complete the check-in process each term by the date designated in
Harvard’s Academic Calendar. A student who fails to complete the check-in process by the
deadline is subject to disciplinary action. Information about the check-in process is available on
the Registrar’s Office website at https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/.
For information about course numbering and course selection, please visit the Registrar’s Office
website at https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/.
Undergraduates may not enroll in courses numbered in the 300s or 3000s. The appropriate
course level is indicated in the course record (“for undergraduates,” “for undergraduates and
graduates,” etc.). Exceptions are students in their fourth year of residence who are candidates
for the master’s degree. They may enroll in such courses with the instructor’s permission.
It is inappropriate for students to receive credit for the same work for which they are financially
compensated. Thus, undergraduate course assistants may not receive academic credit in any
form, including Independent Study and Supervised Reading and Research course credit, for
courses with which they are assisting. Research for which students receive a grant may inform
their academic work. Research performed for other financial compensation may inform
academic work in subsequent semesters only, and only with the express permission of the
employer, including a laboratory head.
Prior to registering for courses, students must meet with their first-year student adviser,
sophomore adviser, or concentration adviser. After the meeting, the adviser will lift the advising
hold. Students officially register for courses by submitting them online at my.harvard.
Registration is not complete until students have enrolled in their minimum required course load
— typically 16 credits — and any required petitions for cross-registration or Independent Study
have been approved (students need to submit their petitions after receiving approval to enroll in
courses; the final step belongs to the student).
Students who fail to register for a minimum required course load are subject to disciplinary
action and may be placed on an involuntary leave of absence. Ordinarily, no students, including
those who have not been able to clear holds for financial reasons, will be allowed to register for
courses after the second Friday following the start of each term. Students enrolling after the
course registration deadline will need to follow the “add” process, meaning that the permission
of each instructor is required. After the fifth Monday of the term, the Administrative Board’s
approval is also required. The deadline to change the grading basis of a course to pass/fail or
back to a letter grade is the fifth Monday of the term.
It is the responsibility of students to confirm their course enrollment for that term. A student is
considered registered only for those courses listed in “My Classes” on my.harvard for the
current term. A student may not sign any other person’s name or initials, or falsify in any way, a
Plan of Study, change-of-course petition, registration form, or any other official form or petition,
hard copy or electronic. Violation of this rule makes the student subject to disciplinary action,
including a requirement to withdraw.
20
FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR PROGRAM (GRADED SAT/UNS)
COURSES TAKEN BY CROSS-REGISTRATION
COURSES GRADED PASS/FAIL
COURSES GRADED SAT/UNS
Course Credit Without Letter Grades
Students enrolling in courses without letter grades are reminded of the following requirements:
▪ Each term students must take for credit at least one letter-graded course offered by the
FAS.
▪ Of the 128 credits students must pass to receive the degree, at least 84 credits (96
credits for a degree with honors) must be letter-graded C– or higher and be given by the
FAS. The only non-letter grade that may be counted toward the requirement of 84
satisfactory letter-graded credits is Satisfactory (SAT). Please see the section below on
Courses Graded SAT/UNS for an explanation of which SAT courses may be considered.
▪ No more than one of the four required General Education courses (Aesthetics & Culture;
Ethics & Civics; Histories, Societies, Individuals; and Science & Technology in Society)
may be taken pass/fail.
▪ Writing, foreign language, and certain concentration requirements can only be satisfied
by letter-graded courses.
▪ Ordinarily, no first-year student or sophomore may take fewer than three letter-graded
courses (4 credits per course) in any term.
Transfer and term-time study abroad students should see “Credit Requirements” and related
sections.
First-year students admitted to First-Year Seminars may earn non-letter-grade credit up to a
maximum of two courses (4 credits per course). First-year students may not ordinarily enroll in
both a First-Year Seminar and another non-letter-graded course in any one term (with the
exception of COMPSCI 50 and a First-Year Seminar). A Satisfactory (SAT) grade in a First-Year
Seminar may not be counted toward the requirement of 84 satisfactory letter-graded credits
unless the seminar fulfills a concentration requirement.
Courses taken either by cross-registration or out of residence for degree credit will not be
counted toward the letter-graded credit requirement and will not factor into the student’s grade
point average (GPA) unless the courses are applied toward concentration requirements. (see
“Cross-Registration”).
Any undergraduate may, with permission of the instructor, change the grading basis of a letter-
graded course to pass/fail. There is no limit to the number of courses a student may take
pass/fail as long as the student satisfies the requirements for letter-graded courses as outlined
earlier. To enroll in a course on this basis, go to the Documents tab in my.harvard and click on
Grading Basis Change Request. No course may be changed to pass/fail nor may the grading
basis of a course be changed after the fifth Monday of the term.
Some courses, most notably tutorial courses (see “Non-Letter Grades”) and First-Year
Seminars, are graded SAT/UNS. In addition, House Seminars may be graded SAT/UNS at the
option of the course instructor and with the approval of the Committee on First-Year Seminars.
When so graded, House Seminars will not count toward the 84 satisfactory letter-graded credit
21
INDEPENDENT STUDY (GRADED PASS/FAIL)
requirement. A First-Year Seminar will not count toward the 84 satisfactory letter-graded credit
requirement unless it is being used to fulfill a concentration requirement. Only one yearlong (8-
credit) senior tutorial course graded Satisfactory (SAT) may be counted toward the requirement
of 84 satisfactory letter-graded credits.
Independent Study is designed to provide credit for field research, academic study not available
in regular course work, or practice or performance in the arts. It is not suitable for group
instruction, paid work, or activities outside the competence or concern of one of Harvard’s
departments.
Any sophomore, junior, or senior whose previous record is satisfactory may petition to
undertake Independent Study for non-letter-graded credit. A student may petition to take up to
a total of 16 credits of Independent Study. Independent Study courses are subject to the same
rules for dropping and withdrawing as any other course.
Independent Study is not counted toward General Education requirements and is not normally
counted toward concentration or secondary field requirements.
First-year students may not enroll in Independent Study. They may, however, seek special
permission from their Resident Dean to enroll in one Supervised Reading and Research course
within the FAS (91r- and 910r-level course category) if an appropriate member of the FAS has
indicated a willingness to supervise.
Additional information and the petition to undertake Independent Study are available on the
OUE website at https://oue.fas.harvard.edu/.
Simultaneous Enrollment
The Faculty believes that active engagement in a classroom setting is essential to learning.
Therefore, students may not enroll in courses that meet at the same time or at overlapping
times, except in two cases:
1. When one of the two courses has been granted a waiver from the Administrative Board
petition process by a subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Undergraduate
Educational Policy (EPC). Some of the courses approved for this waiver may establish
limitations to such enrollment and/or delineate requirements that must be followed for a
student to enroll simultaneously with another course. For a list of courses granted
waivers, and the corresponding limitations and/or requirements, please see the OUE
website at https://oue.fas.harvard.edu/.
2. When a senior can meet degree requirements only by taking the two particular courses
in question and will have no other opportunity to enroll in the courses before graduation.
In such circumstances, the Administrative Board may approve reasonable
accommodations in consultation with the instructors of the courses involved.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that there is no overlap in the meeting times of their
courses.
Students who wish to petition the Administrative Board for simultaneous enrollment under
exception number two should work directly with their Resident Dean.
22
REGULATIONS
Cross-Registration
Students who wish to enroll in courses offered by Harvard’s professional Schools or
MIT may do so at my.harvard.edu and should visit the Registrar’s Office website
(https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/cross-registration) for instructions. In addition to submitting an
online petition, first-year students are also required to send a statement of interest by email to
their Resident Dean. The statement should explain why the student wants to cross-register, how
the course fits into the student’s curricular plans, and why no other courses within the FAS will
meet those needs.
In order to cross-register, a student’s immediately previous academic record ordinarily must be
satisfactory. Exceptions must be approved by the Resident Dean. See “Harvard Summer
School” for information on registration in the Harvard Summer School.
Under special conditions it may be possible for a student to earn degree credit for courses taken
at another local institution provided that those courses contribute to a compelling academic plan
tied to the student’s concentration (see “Study at Other Boston-Area Institutions”).
Harvard College students cross-registered in courses at other Harvard Schools may count up to
8 credits toward the 128-minimum number of credits required for the A.B. or S.B. degree. This
arrangement excludes cross-registration with MIT, which is allowed without limitation on the
number of credits.
Courses taken through cross-registration will not meet the College’s Divisional distribution
requirement.
Exceptions to the 8-credit maximum will be allowed only if the student’s concentration will
accept the credits for concentration credit. Each additional course must be approved by the
student’s Head Tutor or Director of Undergraduate Studies.
All undergraduate regulations, including those regarding the deadlines for dropping and
withdrawing, makeups, and extensions of time apply to cross-registration courses, even though
other schools may use a different calendar. These regulations also apply to undergraduates
cross-registered in courses that may be applicable to graduate degree requirements. Harvard
College students are expected to follow the deadlines and procedures of both the College and
the other school or university. When two deadlines conflict, the earlier one applies.
Students must complete all course work by the last day of FAS examinations unless they
receive approval from the Administrative Board for an extension of time (see “Extensions of
Time for Written or Laboratory Work”). Students must bring examination conflicts caused by
cross-registration to the attention of the appropriate registrars as soon as possible. Students
requesting a makeup examination in a cross-registration course must report this request to their
Resident Dean, as usual, and must also petition the Registrar of the school offering the course
to arrange the makeup, which, if approved, will be given under the rules of that School.
To meet graduation deadlines, second-term seniors should notify the instructor that grades for
degree candidates must be received by the FAS Registrar’s Office at least 10 days prior to
Commencement. Harvard College students cannot graduate if grades are missing.
Students may not cross-register into January term courses nor may they receive credit for
January term courses.
23
CONCENTRATION CREDIT
GRADING
ROTC
DROPPING/ADDING COURSES
Students who want to petition to receive concentration credit for a course taken through cross-
registration should fill out the form on the Registrar’s website and contact their undergraduate
program administrator to complete the petition process no later than the fifth Monday of the term
in which the course is taken. Students who have not yet declared a concentration may petition
for credit retroactively no later than the fifth Monday of the fourth term in residence. Contact the
concentration’s program administrator for more information.
When cross-registration courses taken by undergraduates are evaluated in terms not equivalent
to grades used by the FAS, the FAS Registrar will translate these evaluations into “Credit” or
“No Credit,” as appropriate. Because “Incomplete” cannot be accepted as a grade for an
undergraduate, such grades will be converted to “No Credit” (a failing grade) unless an
extension of time is voted by the Administrative Board. Students may take cross-registered
courses for a letter grade or pass/fail unless a specific grading option is required for the course.
Passing grades received for courses taken through cross-registration will not be used in
computing a student’s GPA except when the courses are counted toward concentration
requirements (see “Grade Point Averages for Undergraduates”). Courses taken by cross-
registration that are not counted toward concentration will normally be equated to FAS courses
for the purpose of calculating rate of work (see “Rate of Work”) but will not be counted toward
the letter-graded credit requirement or any honors degree requirements. A failing grade or the
equivalent earned in a cross-registered course will be included in honors degree calculations
and GPA. Harvard will not count toward the undergraduate degree any courses that have been
credited toward other degrees already conferred.
Courses taken for cross-registration beyond the 8-credit limit will appear on the Harvard College
transcript with a grade but with zero credit earned.
Students may earn up to 8 Harvard credits through ROTC at MIT toward the Harvard degree.
These courses will count toward the overall credits required to graduate, but they will not factor
into the student’s GPA or satisfy concentration requirements. See the Harvard FAS Registrar
Office’s website (https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/rotc) for enrollment instructions.
Change of Course
It is the student’s responsibility to review the course report carefully, and to perform the
appropriate add/drop/swap function at my.harvard by the fifth Monday of the term. Corrections
(as opposed to changes) to student records made after the established deadlines of the fifth or
eleventh Monday of the term are made by the Registrar. Late changes must be approved by the
Administrative Board.
Students may add a course until the fifth Monday of the term with the permission of the
instructor. Students may drop a course from their record only until the fifth Monday of the term.
Special enrollment dates are used for module courses (typically half-semester in length); consult
the Academic Calendar of the School offering such courses.
24
WITHDRAWING FROM COURSES WITHOUT CREDIT
CHANGING LETTER-GRADED OR PASS/FAIL STATUS OF COURSES
SUSPENDING CREDIT
A student may petition to withdraw from a course by the eleventh Monday of a term. When a
petition to withdraw from a course has been approved, the student’s record will carry the
notation “WD” for the course. The transcript states: “WD indicates permission to withdraw from
the course without completing requirements and credit for the course.”
A student who does not receive permission to drop or withdraw from a course by the fifth or
eleventh Monday, respectively, and who is absent from a regularly scheduled final examination,
during the Final Examination and Project Period, will receive a grade of ABS (Absent) in the
course. An unexcused ABS is equivalent in all respects to a failing grade.
A course may be changed from letter-graded to pass/fail (with the instructor’s approval) or
changed from pass/fail to letter-graded until the fifth Monday of the term. After that day, no
changes in the grading status of any course can be made.
Year-long Courses
A small number of course offerings in FAS are year-long, which means that they extend from
September to May and ordinarily count for 8 credits. Year-long courses, such as certain senior
tutorials and first-year language courses, are considered indivisible, which means a student
must successfully complete the entire year-long course in order to earn credit, and the course
ordinarily may not be divided midyear with credit.
Students who enroll in the fall term for a year-long course will be auto-enrolled for the second
part of the course in the spring and may not drop the course after the fifth Monday of the fall
term. Students will be granted a midyear grade for the course at the end of the fall term with a
notation that it is a midyear grade. Upon completion of the spring term the fall grade will be
replaced on the transcript with the spring grade, and that grade will be used to calculate GPA.
Year-long courses are subject to the drop deadline of the fall term and the withdrawal deadline
of the spring term.
Should a student need to leave a year-long course at the end of one term and plan to complete
the second half at a later date, the student may, with the permission of the instructor, suspend
the first half until the course is completed. The deadline for filing a petition to suspend is the
eleventh Monday of the subsequent term. A student may take the second half of the course at a
later time, and the suspended grade for the fall will be replaced by the spring term grade of the
second half of the course. In some cases when the faculty member of either iteration of the
course deems it appropriate, the student may be required to divide the course with credit as
opposed to suspending it.
Any suspended course that has not been completed or divided for credit by the eleventh
Monday of the student’s final term in residence will automatically be converted to the status of
“withdraw” by the Registrar’s Office.
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DIVIDING WITH CREDIT AT MIDYEAR
LEAVING A YEAR-LONG COURSE AT MIDYEAR BECAUSE OF ABSENCE FROM
THE COLLEGE
CHANGING LETTER-GRADED OR PASS/FAIL STATUS
Students may only divide a year-long course with half credit (ordinarily 4 credits) with the written
consent of the instructor and the approval of the Registrar’s Office. Students should consult the
Registrar’s Office for additional information about this option. No student shall be allowed to
divide with credit after the fifth Monday of the spring term.
When a student who is enrolled in a year-long course leaves the College at midyear, the
Registrar’s Office automatically suspends the course if the student has earned a passing
midyear grade. If the student has a failing midyear grade, the student will be withdrawn from the
course; however, the failing grade makes the student’s record for that term unsatisfactory, and
the student will be subject to academic review by the Administrative Board. Upon return to the
College, the student may change an automatic suspend to a withdrawal.
The fall term grading status of a year-long course may not be changed because it is a
temporary grade that is replaced by the spring term grade upon completion of the full year
course. A student who is enrolled in a year-long course during the fall term may change the
grading status of that course for the spring term by filing an appropriate change-of-grade petition
by the fifth Monday of the spring term. Pass/fail grading status always requires the instructor’s
permission.
Repeating Courses
Students who wish to repeat a course for which they have received a passing grade may do so.
The second iteration of the course and its grade will appear on the transcript showing zero
credit and will not count in any way toward degree requirements, determination of honors, or
grade point average.
Occasionally, two courses with different numbers will present material that overlaps in content to
a significant degree, and in such instances the rules for repeating a course will pertain if a
student wishes to take both courses. Courses that are determined to overlap to a significant
degree are identified by the department(s) offering them and are so noted in my.harvard.
Students are normally allowed to repeat failed courses for both grade and credit. Note, however,
that the failing grade received when the course was taken the first time remains a permanent
part of the College record, and both grades are factored into the grade point average.
Courses designated with an “r” (such as 91r) in my.harvard may be repeated for credit without
petition.
26
TUITION CHARGES
Rate of Work
The FAS typically awards 4 credits to a semester-long course and does not assign extra credit
for courses with laboratory work. The normal rate of work is 16 credits per term, at least 4
credits of which must be taken for degree credit and a letter grade and offered by the FAS.
Ordinarily, students may take 20 credits each term (five courses, 4 credits per course). Students
wishing to take more than 20 credits in a term must obtain the approval of their Resident Dean.
their first term must obtain the approval of their Resident Dean. Students may not enroll in more
than 24 credits (six courses, 4 credits per course) in one term without Administrative Board
approval.
Ordinarily, no student may work at a rate less than necessary to maintain a yearly average rate
of 32 credits passed (i.e., by the end of the first year, at least 32 credits completed; by the end
of sophomore year, at least 64 credits completed; and by the end of junior year, at least 96
credits completed). By taking extra courses, students may accumulate credit that may be used
to reduce their rate of work in a subsequent term or terms, provided that the overall average
rate of 32 credits per year is maintained. First-year students who wish to complete fewer than
16 credits per term must obtain the approval of their Resident Dean. Students who do not
proceed toward the degree at a satisfactory rate are subject to Administrative Board action,
including denial of permission to register for subsequent terms.
Tuition adjustment for those permitted to work at less than the normal rate will be determined on
a case-by-case basis by the Administrative Board. No remission of tuition is allowed when a
student has been excluded from a course (see “Grading System” and “Exclusion from a
Course”; see also “Residency Requirement”).
Visiting undergraduate students will be charged at a per-course rate. Courses dropped or
withdrawn will be charged on a prorated term following the tuition refund schedule for students
withdrawing from the University.
Additional Term
In exceptional cases, and only to meet specific degree requirements for the A.B. degree,
students may petition the Administrative Board for permission to remain in the College for one
term beyond the end of the second term of their senior year. Students undertaking the S.B.
degree who require additional time in the College in order to meet the requirements of that
degree must petition the Engineering Undergraduate Committee by the appropriate deadline.
Tuition for an additional term is charged at a per course rate. Ordinarily, students in an
additional term are not eligible for College housing or financial aid. Before petitioning the
Administrative Board or the Engineering Undergraduate Committee for an additional term,
students should consult with their Resident Dean about their proposed academic program,
tuition and fees, and eligibility for College housing and financial aid. The Administrative Board
or the Engineering Undergraduate Committee will weigh the student’s academic record and
performance in the community when considering these petitions. Under no circumstances will
the Administrative Board grant a student permission for more than one additional term.
27
Extra Transfer Term
The system by which intercollegiate transfer students receive credit for work done at their
previous colleges may underestimate the amount of time a student needs at Harvard to
complete a sound and appropriate program for the degree. Therefore, to meet specific degree
requirements, transfer students may petition the Administrative Board for an “extra transfer
term” in addition to the allotted number of terms they were granted on admission. Transfer
students are eligible for only one extra transfer term.
Students granted an extra transfer term:
▪ Enroll and pay at the 16-credit rate (4 courses per term, 4 credits per course).
▪ Are entitled to housing in the College, provided they have not already lived in
College housing for six terms, in which case they may apply for housing on a
space-available basis.
▪ May apply for financial aid to help defray the costs of the extra transfer term.
If transfer students need no more than two additional courses to complete their academic
programs, they may petition for an additional term (see “Additional Term”). Students may
petition for an additional term following an extra transfer term or without having completed an
extra transfer term. Because these students do not enroll in more than two courses, they do not
incur an additional General Education requirement. They are, however, subject to all the usual
“additional term” provisions.
Harvard Summer School
Degree credit will be granted only for summer school courses offered by the Harvard Summer
School, except that under special circumstances credit for course work done at other institutions
may be awarded provided that advance approval has been obtained (see “Earning Degree
Credit for Study Abroad”). Harvard undergraduates may not earn credit for courses taken
through the Division of Continuing Education’s Extension School.
All numbered or lettered courses announced in the Harvard Summer School catalog count as
work done in residence if taken prior to graduation under the “credit” category, unless stated
otherwise in the Harvard Summer School catalog (see https://summer.harvard.edu/harvard-
college-student-overview/student-course-policy-guidelines/).
1
These courses and grades are
always entered on the student’s College record and counted accordingly, provided one or more
of the courses taken can fulfill degree requirements. Note the following exceptions:
▪ Courses taken before matriculation as a degree candidate in Harvard College will be
added to the College record by petition to the FAS Office of the Registrar. Students
should ordinarily petition for such credit during their first year. Note: Petitions granted
after the deadline for the student’s degree application will postpone the student’s degree
until the next date on which degrees are voted by the Faculty.
▪ Courses taken after the last term in residence will not be added to the College record
unless one or more are necessary to meet degree requirements.
▪ Students may not receive credit toward a degree for a Summer School course that is
essentially the same course as one taken previously for credit, either in Summer
1
The list of approved summer courses for College credit is established by the Summer School in
consultation with the concentrations, with the oversight of the Office of Undergraduate Education.
28
School or during the academic year, whether or not the two course numbers or titles
are identical.
▪ To maintain the integrity of a residential education, College credit may be granted for no
more than 8 credits (generally 2 courses) taught in remote formats. An exception to this
limit may be made by the Administrative Board for students who have not completed the
degree requirements within the allotted number of terms (“lost degree” candidates).
▪ No more than one course taught in remote formats may be used to fulfill a General
Education requirement.
Students cannot be relieved from academic probation on the basis of Summer School work, but
courses taken in Summer School are subject to academic review by the College.
The minimum Harvard Summer School program is 4 credits, and the regular Harvard Summer
School program is 8 credits. Only with the prior permission of the Resident Dean may any
undergraduate enroll in 12 credits in Summer School. The Resident Dean who grants this
permission submits the approval directly to the Summer School.
Students who plan to complete degree requirements (including “lost degree” candidates) in the
Summer School are required to so notify the Registrar at g[email protected]. These
students are reminded to be certain that the courses in which they are enrolling do, in fact,
complete their remaining degree requirements.
No student may enroll in Independent Study during the summer, but students may petition to
enroll in Supervised Reading and Research courses or tutorial courses (90- and 900-level
courses) in the Harvard Summer School. These courses require a special enrollment form,
obtainable in the Summer School Office, which must be signed by the Head Tutor or Director of
Undergraduate Studies (or equivalent officer) in the field, by the instructor who is to supervise
the course, and by the Registrar of the Summer School. The usual Summer School course fee
is charged for all courses taken in the summer, and the work in the course must be completed
before the end of the Summer School Examination Period.
Noncompletion and equivalent grades received in Summer School courses will be converted to
“No Credit” (NCR), a failing grade, unless an extension has been granted by the Administrative
Board of the Harvard Summer School.
Students who register for Harvard Summer School who are on leave of absence or who have
been required to withdraw from Harvard College for any reason must submit to the Summer
School a Resident Dean Approval Form signed by their Resident Dean. No student who for
disciplinary reasons has been required to withdraw for the second and final time, dismissed, or
expelled from Harvard College may ordinarily enroll in the Harvard Summer School.
Any violation of Harvard Summer School academic and disciplinary policy is subject to review
and disciplinary action by the Summer School Administrative Board and in addition may trigger
action by the Harvard College Administrative Board or Harvard College Honor Council as
appropriate.
29
GRADING SYSTEM
LETTER GRADES
NON-LETTER GRADES
Grades and Honors
The FAS uses the following system of letter and non-letter grades to evaluate undergraduate
student work:
A, A– Earned by work whose excellent quality indicates a full mastery of the subject and, in the
case of the grade of A, is of extraordinary distinction.
B+, B, B– Earned by work that indicates a good comprehension of the course material, a good
command of the skills needed to work with the course material, and the student’s full
engagement with the course requirements and activities.
C+, C, C– Earned by work that indicates an adequate and satisfactory comprehension of the
course material and the skills needed to work with the course material and that indicates the
student has met the basic requirements for completing assigned work and participating in class
activities.
D+, D, D– Earned by work that is unsatisfactory but that indicates some minimal command of
the course materials and some minimal participation in class activities that is worthy of course
credit toward the degree.
E Earned by work that is unsatisfactory and unworthy of course credit toward the degree.
ABS Students who miss a regularly scheduled midyear or final examination are given a failing
grade of Absent (ABS), which will be changed only if the student is granted and takes a makeup
examination.
Unexcused absences are counted as failures (see “Final Examination Period”).
CR/NCR is used only for certain cross-registration courses. The grade of Credit represents
letter grades from A to D–; the grade of No Credit represents the letter grade of E.
EXL A notation of Excluded (EXL) indicates that the student was not permitted to continue in the
course by vote of the Administrative Board or Honor Council, and received no credit. Exclusion
from a course is equivalent in all respects to failing it and in and of itself makes the student’s
record for the term unsatisfactory.
EXT Instructors may allow students extensions of time to complete course work up to the last
day of the Examination Period. After that date, only the Administrative Board may grant
extensions of time for undergraduates to complete course work. Until the date of extension, the
student is given a grade of Extension (EXT). EXT is only a temporary notation; a final grade
must be given if the Administrative Board does not grant additional time or, if additional time is
granted, upon the expiration of the extension (see “Extension of Time for Written or Laboratory
Work”).
PA/FL The grade of Pass represents letter grades of A to D–; the grade of Fail represents the
letter grade of E. Certain courses may, with the instructors’ permission, be taken on a pass/fail
30
basis.
Independent Study is always graded PA/FL.
SAT/UNS The grade of Satisfactory includes letter grades from A to C–; the grade of
Unsatisfactory represents work below C– and is considered a failing grade. No students
enrolled in courses graded SAT/UNS may receive letter grades in those courses. For a list of
junior and senior tutorials that must be graded SAT/UNS, please visit the Registrar’s Office
website.
First-Year Seminars are always graded SAT/UNS. House Seminars may be graded SAT/UNS
at the option of the course instructor and with the approval of the Committee on First-Year
Seminars.
Approximately six business days after the end of the final examination period, students can view
their final and midyear grades at my.harvard. However, students who complete online
evaluations for all courses in which they were enrolled for the term will be provided early online
access to their final course grades.
A student may request that the instructor review a grade that has been received and may also
ask to consult with the chair of the department or committee of instruction offering the course.
However, final authority for the assignment of grades rests with the instructor in charge of the
course. Once a grade has been reported to the Registrar, it can be changed only upon the
written request of the instructor to the Registrar, acting on behalf of the Dean of Harvard College
(or the Dean of the Graduate School in the case of 200- or 300-level courses). The Registrar
must be satisfied that all students in the course will have been treated equitably before
authorizing any grade change.
Grades of C– or higher, as well as the grades of CR, PA, and SAT, are passing and satisfactory
grades. Grades of D+ through D– are passing but unsatisfactory grades. Grades of E, ABS
(Absent), NCR (No Credit), FL (Fail), UNS (Unsatisfactory), and EXLD (Excluded) are failing
grades.
The grade of Incomplete (INC) cannot under any circumstances be given to undergraduates.
Grade Point Averages for Undergraduates
The FAS averages its letter grades with a 4-point scale: A = 4.00, A– = 3.67, B+= 3.33, B =
3.00, B– = 2.67, C+ = 2.33, C = 2.00, C– = 1.67, D+ = 1.33, D = 1.00, D– = 0.67. E, ABS, NCR,
FL, UNS, EXL = 0. The grade point average is the numerical average of all grades received in
letter-graded courses taken under the FAS for degree credit. In addition, the grade point
average includes all failed courses (including failing and unsatisfactory grades in courses taken
pass/fail and SAT/UNS), courses taken for credit in the Harvard Summer School, and cross-
registration courses as appropriate. Passing grades received for courses taken through cross-
registration will not be used in computing a student’s grade point average except when the
courses are counted toward concentration requirements (see “Cross-Registration” section of
this Handbook). Grades received for course work done out of residence will not be used in
computing the grade point average. Grade point averages are calculated on both a cumulative,
semester, and annual basis.
31
Promotion
A student will ordinarily be promoted at the end of any term upon the basis of the number of
terms completed or for which credit has been given, as follows:
For sophomore standing 2 terms completed
For junior standing 4 terms completed
For senior standing 6 terms completed
Requirements for Honors Degrees
All degree candidates must satisfy the requirements of an approved field of concentration and
meet all other degree requirements. There are two types of honors in the College: English
honors (or departmental honors) are determined by the department, committee, School, or
program that oversees the relevant concentration and are based solely on work done in the
concentration; Latin honors (or College honors) are based on the entirety of the student record,
and recommendations for Latin honors are made to the Governing Boards of the University by
the FAS.
The FAS recommends bachelor’s degrees for presentation to the Governing Boards of the
University as follows: regular degree; cum laude on the basis of the student’s overall record;
cum laude in a field; magna cum laude in a field; magna cum laude with highest honors in a
field; or summa cum laude in a field. Faculty and concentration standards for honors may
change without notice; both sets of standards must be met.
All candidates for degrees with honors must have satisfactory letter grades (C– or higher) in a
minimum of 96 letter-graded credits (prorated appropriately for students graduating with fewer
than 128 credits passed at Harvard). Grade point averages are based on all completed letter-
graded courses taken while at Harvard including all failed courses, courses taken for credit in
Harvard Summer School, and by cross-registration only as appropriate (see “Grade Point
Averages for Undergraduates”).
The relevant concentration will determine the level of English honors, if any, for an
undergraduate who completes the requirements for honors eligibility in that field. If departmental
honors are awarded, the student may then be recommended to the College for a determination
of Latin honors. Thus, the awarding of departmental honors for work in a concentration is a
precondition for the recommendation by the College of Latin honors in a field. It is possible that
a student who has completed the relevant requirements for honors in a concentration will have
the student’s record judged unworthy of honors in the field but still worthy of a degree; such a
student may then be recommended by the FAS for a regular degree, subject to the general
regulations, or, if qualified, for the degree cum laude. When applicable, both English honors and
Latin honors are noted on the official transcript. Only Latin honors are designated on the
diploma.
The Faculty will award degrees with honors based on the criteria below:
32
SUMMA CUM LAUDE IN A FIELD
MAGNA CUM LAUDE IN A FIELD
CUM LAUDE IN A FIELD
CUM LAUDE FOR THE OVERALL RECORD
For the degree summa cum laude, the FAS will consider records of only those students who are
designated by their concentration to receive highest honors in a field. The determination of
highest honors is a serious matter requiring the collective consideration of the faculty affiliated
with the concentration. In reaching this decision the faculty may choose to evaluate not only the
candidate’s grades in concentration courses, but also the level and rigor of those courses, and
other indicators of the candidate’s mastery of the field, such as performance on a thesis or
comparable piece of independent work and/or on a written or oral general examination.
The degree summa cum laude is given to the top 5 percent of the graduating class, drawn from
those designated for highest honors. The standards of each May will be applied at subsequent
degree meetings until the following May.
A candidate may be recommended by the FAS for the degree magna cum laude in a
concentration or joint concentration provided the student has been designated by the
concentration to receive high honors or highest honors. For May degrees, the total number of
degrees summa cum laude and magna cum laude combined will be no more than 20 percent of
all May degree candidates. The Faculty will recommend for magna cum laude those students
with the highest grade point averages who have not already been recommended for the degree
summa cum laude. Candidates in this category who received highest honors from their
concentration but were not awarded summa cum laude will be recommended for the degree
magna cum laude with highest honors in a field. The minimum grade point average that is
awarded a degree magna cum laude each May will constitute the standard to be applied for that
degree at subsequent degree meetings until the following May.
A candidate may be recommended by the FAS for the degree cum laude in a concentration or
joint concentration provided the student has been designated by the concentration to receive
honors, high honors, or highest honors. For May degrees, the total number of degrees summa
cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude in field sum to 50 percent of all May degree
candidates. The Faculty will recommend for cum laude in a field those students with the highest
grade point averages who have not already been awarded the degree summa cum laude or
magna cum laude. The minimum grade point average that is awarded a degree cum laude in a
field each May will constitute the standard to be applied for that degree at subsequent degree
meetings until the following May.
A candidate not designated to receive honors in a concentration may be recommended by the
FAS for the degree cum laude on the basis of overall grade point average alone if the student’s
grade point average is at or above the minimum grade point average awarded the degree
magna cum laude. In any May, if the number of candidates with a sufficient grade point average
exceeds 10 percent of all May degree candidates, only those with the highest grade point
averages totaling 10 percent of all May degree candidates will be awarded the degree cum
laude on the basis of overall grade point average alone. The minimum grade point average that
is awarded a degree cum laude each May will constitute the standard to be applied for that
degree at subsequent degree meetings until the following May.
33
Academic Performance
All students are required to maintain a satisfactory academic record and meet the obligations of
the courses in which they are enrolled. Failure to do so will be dealt with as the Faculty and its
designated boards shall determine. In all cases, midyear grades in year-long courses will be
considered along with all other grades in the calculations for minimum requirements and
satisfactory records (see “Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory Academic Records”).
Minimum Requirements
To meet the minimum academic requirements in any term, students may have at most one
failing grade (which may not be accompanied by another unsatisfactory grade) and at least two
satisfactory grades, one of which must be a letter grade in an FAS course taken for degree
credit. Students who fail to meet the minimum requirements ordinarily will be required to
withdraw for two terms, whether or not their previous record was unsatisfactory. Students
working at the two-course rate with one unsatisfactory grade and one satisfactory grade have
an unsatisfactory record but are considedered to have met minimum requirements.
Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory Academic Records
The requirements for a satisfactory academic record are satisfactory grades in all courses and
at least one letter grade in an FAS course taken for degree credit (or in a course taken by cross-
registration and counted toward concentration). However, for first-year students in their first
term, an academic record will be considered satisfactory if all grades are passing, at most one
grade is unsatisfactory, and at least one grade is a satisfactory letter grade. A student whose
record is unsatisfactory is ordinarily placed on probation. A student with two consecutive
unsatisfactory records ordinarily will be required to withdraw for two terms.
For the purposes of academic review, the Administrative Board will have the discretion to
consider enrollment in the Harvard Summer School as a term.
Exclusion from a Course
A student who neglects any course may, after written warning by the instructor, be excluded
from the course by the instructor with the approval of the Administrative Board. The warning
should specify the steps the student must take in order to be allowed to continue in the course.
A student may also be excluded from a course by the Honor Council if the student has
committed academic dishonesty in the course. Exclusion from a course is equivalent in all
respects to failing it, and in and of itself exclusion makes the student’s record for the term
unsatisfactory. A notation of EXL (Excluded) on the transcript indicates that the student was not
permitted to continue in the course and received no credit. Students may not withdraw from a
course from which they have been excluded. Students excluded from a course are denied any
right to further course evaluation, including final and makeup examinations.
34
FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
ALL STUDENTS
PLAGIARISM AND COLLABORATION
Academic Integrity, Academic Dishonesty, and the Harvard
College Honor Code
Members of the Harvard College community commit themselves to producing
academic work of integrity — that is, work that adheres to the scholarly and
intellectual standards of accurate attribution of sources, appropriate collection
and use of data, and transparent acknowledgment of the contribution of others to
our ideas, discoveries, interpretations, and conclusions. Cheating on exams or
problem sets, plagiarizing or misrepresenting the ideas or language of someone
else as one’s own, falsifying data, or any other instance of academic dishonesty
violate the standards of our community, as well as the standards of the wider
world of learning and affairs.
Students will be asked to affirm their awareness of the Honor Code and adherence to the
standards of academic integrity at various points during the academic semester. The goal of this
affirmation is to reinforce the centrality of scholarly integrity to students’ membership in our
academic community, as well as to remind students that they have already agreed to adhere to
these standards.
The affirmation will take several forms, depending on the student’s status and particular
assignments.
In the summer prior to arriving on campus first-year students will be asked to respond briefly to
a prompt about how they will uphold the values of the Honor Code. Students will be able to
access their statements throughout their time at Harvard and will have the opportunity to update
and revise them periodically.
During the biannual electronic check-in registration process, all students will be asked to read
the Honor Code and to sign their name indicating their awareness of the code and adherence to
the standards of academic integrity.
At seated final exams, all students will be asked to read and sign the following statement
included on the exam attendance slip or printed on the exam itself: “I attest to the honesty of my
academic work and affirm that it conforms to the standards of the Harvard College Honor Code.”
On all culminating assignments including final projects, take-home exams, and in-class finals,
as well as on senior theses, students will be asked to include a statement of affirmation of the
Honor Code at the time of submission. The following text is recommended: “I attest to the
honesty of my academic work and affirm that it conforms to the standards of the Harvard
College Honor Code.”
It is expected that all homework assignments, projects, lab reports, papers, theses, and
examinations and any other work submitted for academic credit will be the student’s own.
Students should always take great care to distinguish their own ideas and knowledge from
information derived from sources. The term “sources” includes not only primary and secondary
material published in print or online, but also information and opinions gained directly from other
35
SUBMISSION OF THE SAME WORK TO MORE THAN ONE COURSE
TUTORING SCHOOLS AND TERM PAPER COMPANIES
people. Quotations must be placed properly within quotation marks and must be cited fully. In
addition, all paraphrased material must be acknowledged completely. Whenever ideas or facts
are derived from a student’s reading and research or from a student’s own writings, the sources
must be indicated (see also “Submission of the Same Work to More Than One Course”).
Students must also comply with the policy on collaboration established for each course, as set
forth in the course syllabus or on the course website. Policies vary among the many fields and
disciplines in the College and may even vary for particular assignments within a course. Unless
otherwise stated on the syllabus or website, when collaboration is permitted within a course
students must acknowledge any collaboration and its extent in all submitted work; however,
students need not acknowledge discussion with others of general approaches to the assignment
or assistance with proofreading. If the syllabus or website does not include a policy on
collaboration, students may assume that collaboration in the completion of assignments is
permitted. Collaboration in the completion of examinations is always prohibited.
The responsibility for learning the proper forms of citation lies with the individual student.
Students are expected to be familiar with the Harvard Guide to Using Sources, available at
https://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/. Students who are in any doubt about the preparation of
academic work should consult their instructor and Resident Dean before the work is prepared
or submitted.
Students who, for whatever reason, submit work either not their own or without clear attribution
to its sources will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including requirement to withdraw
from the College. Students who have been found responsible for any violation of these
standards will not be permitted to submit a course evaluation of the course in which the
infraction occurred.
It is the expectation of every course that all work submitted for a course or for any other
academic purpose will have been done solely for that course or for that purpose. If the same or
similar work is to be submitted to any other course or used for any other academic purpose
within the College, the prior written permission of the instructor must be obtained. If the same or
similar work is to be submitted to more than one course or used for more than one academic
purpose within the College during the same term, the prior written permission of all instructors
involved must be obtained. A student who submits the same or similar work to more than one
course or for more than one academic purpose within the College without such prior permission
is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including requirement to withdraw from the College.
Students are urged to consult their Resident Dean or the instructors involved with questions
concerning this important matter (see “Plagiarism and Collaboration”).
In keeping with the principle that all material submitted to a course should be the student’s own
work, any undergraduate who makes use of the services of a commercial tutoring school or
term paper company is liable to disciplinary action. Students who sell lecture or reading notes,
papers, or translations, or who are employed by a tutoring school or term paper company, are
similarly liable and may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including requirement to
withdraw from the College. If a student wishes to accept compensation for private tutoring in
Harvard courses, prior written permission of the Dean of Harvard College is required.
36
OFFICIAL FORMS AND PETITIONS
RESTRICTED ATTENDANCE
Students should understand that providing false or misleading information or signing any other
person’s name or initials on a Plan of Study, change-of-course petition, or registration form, or
on any other official form or petition (hard copy or electronic) will make them subject to
disciplinary action, up to and including requirement to withdraw.
Attendance
Regarding attendance in class and for examinations, Massachusetts law provides as follows:
Any student in an educational or vocational training institution, other than a religious or
denominational educational or vocational training institution, who is unable, because of
his religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work
requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination or study or
work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such
examination, study, or work requirement which he may have missed because of such
absence on a particular day; provided, however, that such makeup examination or work
shall not create an unreasonable burden upon such school. No fees of any kind shall be
charged by the institution for making available to the said student such opportunity. No
adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his availing himself
of the provisions of this section.
[Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 151C: § 2B)]
Regular attendance at course meetings and related events is expected of all students.
Furthermore, students are expected to remain in the immediate vicinity of Cambridge during the
Examination Periods, Reading Periods, and term time, with the exception of scheduled
vacations and holidays. Students may not be absent from the area for extended periods of time
during the term without the permission of their Resident Dean.
A student on probation is required to attend all academic exercises. Unexcused absence by a
student on probation renders the student liable to requirement to withdraw from the College at
any time.
By vote of the FAS, instructors are required to hold their regular classes on the days preceding
and following holidays and vacations. They are not permitted to allow temporary transfer of
students from section to section or to excuse students at these times.
Only students enrolled in a course and auditors who have been given specific permission by the
instructor ordinarily may attend course meetings. From time to time, instructors may permit
other guests, such as colleagues, parents, alumnae/i, or prospective students, to attend
individual class meetings; however, instructors are always free to restrict attendance at a class
meeting or meetings to regularly enrolled students and authorized auditors.
37
Absence from Classes
Students should report all absences that may have a significant effect on their status to their
Resident Dean and to the instructor(s) of the course(s) concerned. Students who are called
away in an emergency or are otherwise unavoidably absent from the College should notify their
Resident Dean both before departure and upon return. Absence from the College without such
notification may lead to requirement to withdraw. Students who are sick may consult Harvard
University Health Services (HUHS), Harvard’s Counseling and Mental Health Services
(CAMHS), or their own physician, but should report all cases of serious illness promptly to
HUHS either in person or by telephone (617-495-5711). (The website for HUHS is
https://huhs.harvard.edu/, and the website for CAMHS is https://camhs.huhs.harvard.edu/our-
services). See also “Effects of Health Issues” for more information including the process for
returning after a hospitalization.
Absence from academic exercises, for whatever reason, including representing the College in
extracurricular and athletic activities, does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of
the work in the course required during the period of absence.
Hour and Midterm Examinations
The administration of hour and midterm examinations is the responsibility of the instructor;
ordinarily, such exams should be scheduled during regular class meeting times. In accordance
with Massachusetts law, students who are unable to participate in an hour or midterm
examination as a consequence of their religious beliefs shall be provided with an opportunity to
make up the examination, without penalty, provided that the makeup examination does not
create an unreasonable burden on the College. It is the responsibility of the students concerned
to provide instructors with the dates on which they will be absent because of a conflict with the
religious holiday(s) they will be observing.
If an instructor is satisfied that an absence for a reason other than religious observation is
necessary and that omitting a grade for the missed hour or midterm examination will not affect
the student’s course grade, final evaluation of the student’s work in the course may be
determined from the remainder of the course work. The instructor may also elect to give a
makeup examination. The responsibility for such decisions rests with the instructor only, and not
with the Office of the Dean or the Administrative Board.
Although instructors are obligated to offer makeup exams only in the case of absence for the
observance of a religious holiday, students who have obtained proper HUHS documentation of
illness may not be penalized for their absence from hour and midterm examinations. The
appropriate form must be signed by an HUHS medical professional and given to the student’s
Resident Dean, who will write the student a letter that acknowledges receipt of the HUHS form.
This letter may be presented to the instructor as certification of the student’s illness.
Reading Period
At the end of each term, a period of six or seven days prior to the start of final examinations is
designated as Reading Period. Reading Period is intended to be a time for students to reflect,
review, and synthesize what they have learned during the semester.
In order to protect this educational purpose, the following rules apply during Reading Period:
▪ With the exception of designated intensive language courses, no regular instruction may
take place during Reading Period. Sections and review sessions may take place during
Reading Period as may class sessions that must be made up due to weather or other
38
FINAL EXAMINATION PERIOD
emergencies.
▪ Courses may not assign new material during Reading Period.
▪ All seated final examinations, of whatever duration (up to three hours) or scope, must
take place during the exam slot as assigned by the Office of the Registrar. (See also
“Final Examination Period”.)
▪ Final papers, take-home exams, projects, presentations, and other culminating course
assignments due after the end of regular classes must be due on or before the day of
each course’s assigned exam/final deadline group, but no earlier than the fourth day of
Reading Period. Final projects that include individual or group presentations may be
scheduled beginning on the fourth day of Reading Period and may extend through the
final examination and project period.*
▪ Short, regular assignments that address material covered in the last two weeks of
classes (such as problem sets or response papers) may be due during the first three
days of Reading Period.
Regardless of whether a class meets during Reading Period, that time is an integral part of the
term. Students are expected to remain in the immediate vicinity of Cambridge throughout this
period.
Each course will be assigned an exam/final deadline group (for more, see
https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/faculty-staff/exams/schedule) in order to spread
out student deadlines and to establish grading due dates. While instructors may
establish earlier deadlines per faculty legislation, the spirit of this legislation is to
spread students’ final assignment deadlines across the entire exam period to avoid
having all assignments due at the same time. If an instructor decides to use an earlier
deadline, it is very important that students are well informed about this change from
the posted deadline.
Courses that will culminate in a seated final examination scheduled by the Registrar will hold
their exams during the designated Final Examination Period. Examinations scheduled during
the Final Examination Period are three hours in length. There are two exam sessions each day.
Morning exams begin at 9 a.m., and afternoon exams begin at 2 p.m. The schedule indicating
the exact date, time, and location for each three-hour, seated exam is posted online within
approximately three weeks of the start of each term. The posted schedule is subject to change.
To seek accommodations for a final exam on account of disabilities, undergraduates must
connect in advance with the DAO. The DAOwill work with the faculty member and the Exams
Office to make arrangements for accommodations when appropriate, and the DAOwill contact
the student directly about the accommodations. For more specific information about final exam
accommodations, please consult the DAOwebsite at https://dao.fas.harvard.edu.
Students are responsible for learning the times and locations of exams in their courses and for
arriving at their exams on time. Students who miss an exam and who are not granted a makeup
exam will receive a permanent ABS (unexcused absence), which is equivalent in all respects to
a failing grade.
Most instructors return examination booklets, papers, and other academic work to the students
enrolled in their courses. By law, students have the right to review all materials submitted to a
course, including final examination booklets, and for a reasonable charge may have copies of
any originals not returned to them within 45 days of the date of the original request.
39
EXAMINATION RULES
LATE ARRIVAL TO EXAMINATION
ILLNESSES DURING THE EXAMINATION
ABSENCE FROM EXAMINATIONS
Students should adhere to the following rules during the administration of regularly scheduled
midyear or final examinations.
▪ During bathroom breaks, students should not use computers, telephones (land line or
cellular), tablets, or other communications devices.
▪ In order to avoid any possible suggestion of improper behavior during an examination,
undergraduates should refrain from communication with other students while an exam is
in progress.
▪ Students should also not retain or refer to any books or papers during an examination
except with the express permission of the instructor or teaching staff.
▪ Eating and drinking are not permitted in any examination room.
▪ Personal belongings should be put away and all mobile phones and other electronic
devices should be turned off.
▪ In the event of a fire, students should take their personal belongings, their exam, and
booklets and meet in the location announced at the beginning of the exam. Students
should not leave the exam site or the emergency meeting location with any exam
materials, nor should they discuss the exam with other students during the emergency
procedures. For violation of the examination rules or dishonesty in an examination,
a student may be required to withdraw from the College. Students who fail to obey
instructions are liable to disciplinary action.
A student who is late for an exam may be refused admission and reported as absent. Students
who are late for a final exam should report directly to the exam room. No one will be admitted to
an examination more than 30 minutes after the start of the exam. Ordinarily, latecomers will not
be allowed to make up lost time.
A student who is present for any part of an examination is never entitled to a makeup exam. Any
student who becomes ill during an exam, however, should report the illness immediately to the
instructor. An ill student will be sent to HUHS, where the student will be kept incommunicado
until able to resume the examination. Upon resumption of the examination, the student will be
allowed only the balance of time remaining.
To obtain credit for a semester-long course having a final examination, a student must have
attended the examination (or its equivalent approved makeup). To obtain credit for a year-long
course having fall term and spring term examinations, a student must have attended both
exams (or equivalent approved makeup). A student who is absent without excuse from the final
examination (or the equivalent approved makeup) of a year-long course fails the entire course
and receives no credit for either half of it.
Any student who has an unexcused absence at the fall term final exam in a year-long course
must either petition to withdraw from the course without credit (no later than the seventh
Monday of the spring term) or petition to be allowed to continue in it in the spring term for half
credit only, in which case the failing grade of ABS is permanently recorded for the fall half of the
course (see “Year-long Courses”).
40
ABSENCES FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS
MAKEUPS FOR EXAMINATIONS: EXCUSED ABSENCES
A student may petition for a makeup examination because of illness only if the illness is
documented by medical staff at HUHS within the 24-hour period before the beginning of the
examination. In an emergency, a student’s illness could be reported to HUHS by a private
physician, before the beginning of the examination. The private physician must also supply a
written statement to HUHS.
Unavoidable absence from an examination resulting from causes other than illness should be
reported and explained in advance to the appropriate Resident Dean.
A student whose record is unsatisfactory because of an unexcused absence from a final or
makeup examination ordinarily will be placed on probation or, if the record as a whole so
warrants, required to withdraw (see https://adboard.fas.harvard.edu/).
As mentioned above regarding attendance and examinations, in accordance with
Massachusetts law, students who are unable to participate in a final examination as a
consequence of their religious beliefs shall be provided with an opportunity to make up the
examination, without penalty, provided that the makeup examination does not create an
unreasonable burden on the College. Students who anticipate any religious conflicts with exams
are required to submit the Religious Out of Sequence Exam Request Form, available on the
Registrar’s Office website (https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/religious-out-sequence-exams), 30
days before the start of Exam Period. Conflicts reported after that time may not be possible to
accommodate or may result in a makeup exam scheduled for the following term.
The Administrative Board has jurisdiction over granting makeup examinations. No instructor
may grant or give a makeup examination to any student who missed a final examination
without the express authorization of the Registrar and the Administrative Board; nor may
a makeup examination be given at any time or place other than that specified by the
Registrar. A student granted a makeup exam is not thereby granted an extension of time to
complete other written work for the course. Such an extension is granted only by special vote of
the Administrative Board (see “Extension of Time for Written or Laboratory Work”).
Petitions for makeup exams are due in the office of the Resident Dean as soon as possible and
no later than one week after each examination. Students with a medical excuse will fill out the
petition form at HUHS and take the form personally and directly to the Resident Dean. Students
wishing to be excused for other reasons should see their Resident Dean.
A student whose petition for a makeup examination has been granted by the Administrative
Board must take the makeup examination at the next regularly scheduled makeup period.
Typically, the makeup period is the third week of the following term. No other opportunity to take
the examination will be allowed. It is the student’s responsibility to learn exactly when and where
the makeup examinations will be given.
The beginning dates for fall and spring term Makeup Examination Periods are listed in the
Academic Calendar (see https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/harvard-college-academic-calendar).
The Registrar notifies via email students who have been granted permission to take one or
more makeup exams. The email notification specifies the scheduled time and place of their
makeup examination(s). If students do not receive an email notification about a makeup exam, it
is their responsibility to obtain such information from the Registrar at least two weeks before the
beginning of the Makeup Examination Period.
41
EXAMINATIONS IN ABSENTIA
Students who have been granted a makeup exam by the Administrative Board but have neither
taken it nor canceled it in writing to the Registrar with a copy to the Resident Dean at least one
week in advance of the beginning of the Makeup Examination Period will ordinarily be
admonished by the Administrative Board. Students who have missed a final exam and have not
been granted permission for a makeup examination will be given the failing grade of “Absent”
(ABS) for the course and are thus eligible to be placed on probation or required to withdraw,
depending on their academic record for the term.
Students granted makeup examinations and/or extensions of time beyond the end of the
Examination Period in two or more courses will not be allowed to register for the next term
except by special permission of the Administrative Board. Students granted a makeup
examination are not eligible to receive the degree until after final grades have been reported for
all of their courses.
In exceptional cases, students who cannot be in Cambridge at the time of a final or makeup
examination may request permission from the Administrative Board to take the examination in
absentia. Applications are available from the Registrar.
Petitions for in absentia exams from members of Harvard College varsity athletic teams
participating in tournament competitions and students who are either on leave or studying
elsewhere for Harvard degree credit may be approved by the Registrar. Other requests require
permission of the Administrative Board. Before petitioning to take an examination in absentia,
students should consult their Resident Dean.
Students are responsible for any fees incurred in the administration of an in absentia
examination, including proctoring fees, postage, and any extraordinary costs incurred in the
delivery or administration of the examination (room rentals, media rentals, etc.).
Extension of Time for Written or Laboratory Work
Students who encounter unexpected difficulties in completing their work should immediately
consult their Resident Dean.
Extensions of time up to the end of the Examination Period may be granted by the instructor.
Ordinarily, the student must have received the consent of the instructor before the final
examination (or before the final meeting of a course in which there is no final examination). No
instructor may accept work from a student in any term after the end of the Examination Period
without the express authorization of the Administrative Board.
An extension of time beyond the end of the Examination Period can be granted only by vote of
the Administrative Board and only in exceptional circumstances. A student who, for medical
reasons, fails during any term to complete the required work in a course, including laboratories,
problem sets, or papers, may petition the Administrative Board through the Resident Dean for
an extension of time commensurate with the time missed to make up the work.
Students granted extensions of time beyond the end of the Examination Period and/or makeup
examinations in two or more courses will not be allowed to register for the next term except by
special permission of the Administrative Board. Students granted an extension of time are not
eligible to receive the degree until after final grades have been reported for all of their courses.
The notation “Incomplete” (INC), used in the grading of graduate students, cannot under any
42
VOLUNTARY LEAVES OF ABSENCE (GRANTED BY PETITION)
INVOLUNTARY LEAVES OF ABSENCE
circumstances be given to undergraduates. In those cases where the Administrative Board has
in advance voted approval of an extension of time, the temporary notation EXT will be made
for the duration of the extension voted by the Administrative Board. EXT is only a temporary
notation; a final grade must be given upon the expiration of the extension as approved by
the Administrative Board or if additional time is not granted by the Administrative Board.
Leaves of Absence
Students who wish to interrupt their studies at any time before graduation must petition the
Administrative Board for a leave of absence. To petition the Administrative Board, the student
and the student’s Resident Dean work together to determine what pertinent information to
present to the Administrative Board with the petition, and then the Resident Dean brings the
petition to the Administrative Board on the student’s behalf.
With respect to a voluntary leave of absence for medical reasons, the Dean of Harvard College
ordinarily will consult with Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) (which may consider
information from the student’s current and/or former health care providers, if made available by
the student). Following an individualized assessment, for students on a medical leave of
absence, the College may require students to comply with a treatment plan determined by their
health case provider during their time away and set out specific expectations for them to meet
before they may return to the College with the goal of ensuring their readiness to return. It is
often useful for students to have a conversation with their Resident Dean about how to
approach these expectations.
Students whose previous academic and disciplinary record is satisfactory and who have
petitioned by the seventh Monday of the term will normally be granted a “leave of absence.”
Students who petition after the seventh Monday of the term will normally be granted a “leave of
absence—late in the term.” Students who are not in good standing may be granted a “leave of
absence—on probation.” Students who petition for a leave of absence after the 10th Monday of
the term ordinarily will not be allowed to register in the next academic term. No petitions for a
leave of absence for any term will ordinarily be considered after the first day of Reading Period
for that term.
Students going on leave are reminded that all degree candidates, whether currently registered
or not, are expected to maintain a satisfactory standard of conduct.
Under certain circumstances, a student may be placed on an involuntary leave of absence. An
involuntary leave of absence is not a disciplinary sanction. However, an incident that gives rise
to a leave of absence, whether voluntary or involuntary, may subsequently be the basis for
disciplinary action. A student who wishes to take a voluntary leave of absence rather than being
placed on involuntary leave of absence will ordinarily be allowed to do so.
A student who prefers to take a voluntary leave of absence for medical reasons rather than to
be placed on involuntary leave of absence for medical reasons is ordinarily allowed to do so.
Transcripts do not distinguish between voluntary and involuntary leaves of absence. As is the
case for voluntary leaves, official College letters of recommendation will note any unresolved
disciplinary matter that is pending (see “Administrative Board Actions and Letters of
Recommendation”).
43
An involuntary leave of absence may be required for the following reasons:
1. Medical circumstances:
I. (a) The student’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of any
person, or has seriously disrupted others in the student’s residential community
or academic environment, and (b) either the student’s threatening, self-
destructive, or disruptive behavior is determined to be the result of a medical
condition or the student has refused to cooperate with efforts by Harvard
University Health Services, or other clinicians, to determine or evaluate the cause
of the behavior.
II. The student is not cleared to return to enrollment and/or residence at Harvard
College following either: (a) a hospitalization or emergency room visit that raises
serious concerns about the student’s health or well-being; or (b) other
circumstances that raise serious concerns about the student’s health or well-
being and reasonably call into question their ability to function as a a student in
the Harvard College environment. [If applicable: For more about the process of
clearance to return to enrollment and/or residence after a hospitalization or
emergency room visit, see “Effect of Health Issues and Clearence for Return”.]
The decision to place a student on an involuntary leave of absence for health-related
reasons is made in consultation with Harvard University Health Services (which may
consider information from the student’s current and/or former health care providers, if
made available by the student), after an individualized assessment of all of the pertinent
factors, such as the nature of the student’s conduct; the nature, duration and severity of
the risk; the likelihood of potential injury; and whether reasonable modifications of
policies, practices, or procedures will mitigate the risk, such as a reduced course load or
course modifications. However, reasonable modifications do not include changes that
would fundamentally alter the academic program or unduly burden the College’s
resources or staffing capabilities or, with respect to the required level of care or
monitoring, that would exceed the standard of care that a university health service or the
staff of a residential college can be expected to provide.
2. Failure to adhere to the terms of an agreement to engage in treatment. The student’s
continued enrollment and/or residence is conditioned on the student’s agreement to
meet the expectations set forth in an agreement to engage in treatment, such as the
following the recommendations of the student’s treatment team, and the student has
failed to adhere to the terms of that agreement.
3. Alleged criminal behavior: The student has been arrested on allegations of serious
criminal behavior or has been charged with such behavior by law enforcement
authorities.
4. Risk to the community. The student has allegedly violated a disciplinary rule of the
College, and the student’s presence on campus poses a significant risk to the
educational environment of the community.
5. Indebtedness. The student’s term bill is unpaid, and the student has not made
arrangements acceptable to the College to address the issue.
6. Failure to provide medical documentation of required immunizations.
7. Unfulfilled school requirements. The student has not met an academic requirement or
44
other school requirement, including, without limitation, attending class or participating in
required activities, and has not taken steps acceptable to the College to meet the
requirement.
8. Failure to register and enroll. The student has not registered and enrolled in courses as
required at the beginning of each term.
9. Courses not completed: The student has been granted makeup examinations, or
extensions of time beyond the end of the term, in two or more courses.
The decision to place a student on involuntary leave is made by the Dean of Students in
consultation with the student’s Resident Dean and, as appropriate, with other officers of the
University or with the Administrative Board, or such other person as the Dean of Students
designates and other officers of the University, as appropriate. As noted above, in the case of
an involuntary leave of absence for medical reasons, the School will consult with an appropriate
person at Harvard University Health Services.
Students will be notified in writing of the decision to place them on involuntary leave of absence.
A student may appeal the decision of the Dean of Students to an appeal committee chaired by
the Dean of the College and composed of representatives from College and University offices
generally within five calendar days.
Students on involuntary leave are reminded that all degree candidates, whether currently
registered or not, are expected to maintain a satisfactory standard of conduct.
While on Leave of Absence
Students who go on a leave of absence during the academic year are charged tuition and any
applicable fees, including, housing fees, the student services fee, and food costs to the end of
the period in which they leave, as indicated on the chart “Students’ Financial Obligations in the
Event of a Leave of Absence or Requirement to Withdraw” (see
https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/enrollment#financial). Students who have been placed on
involuntary leave of absence are subject to the same rules regarding financial aid and financial
obligations (housing, food, tuition, etc.) that apply to undergraduates granted a voluntary leave
of absence.
Students who have signed a housing contract to live in College housing and subsequently
decide to take a leave of absence must notify the Housing Office in writing of their intention not
to take up residence. The purpose of this policy is to enable Houses to make unoccupied rooms
available to other students as early as possible (for deadlines, see
https://dso.college.harvard.edu/leaving-and-returning).
All undergraduates going on leave before the end of a term must submit the proper paperwork
to their House office or the Housing Office. Cancellation of food charges is contingent upon the
submission of the form; failure to do so will result in a continued assessment of food charges
until the end of the term in which the leave occurs. A student granted a leave is expected to
vacate University property as soon as possible and no later than five business days after the
date of the Administrative Board vote granting the leave. The room key must also be turned in to
belongings at the University.
Students receiving scholarship or other financial aid should consult the Griffin Financial Aid
Office concerning the financial implications of going on leave. Prior to leaving Cambridge those
who have borrowed money or received financial aid from Harvard must also have an exit
45
USE OF COLLEGE SERVICES AND FACILITIES
COURSE WORK DONE OUT OF RESIDENCE
interview at the Griffin Financial Aid Office, 86 Brattle Street. For detailed information see the
Financial Aid Office website policies and procedures for leave of absence at
https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/additional-funding-procedures/managing-your-aid.
Students with additional questions or concerns should contact the Financial Aid Office at
should report to Smith Campus Center 953. International students should consult the
International Office concerning their status.
The date a student goes on leave will affect the student’s health insurance through Harvard. For
details, review the Leave of Absence policy on the Harvard University Student Health Plan
(HUSHP) website at https://hushp.harvard.edu/, or contact the Student Health Insurance Office,
Member Services, at 617-495-2008 or mservices@huhs.harvard.edu.
Students leaving after completion of the fall term should consult the section “Year-long Courses”
and their Resident Dean concerning dividing or withdrawing from any year-long courses in
which they were enrolled.
Students should update their addresses at my.harvard.
Students who have competed on an intercollegiate team or who intend to compete on one for
the first time upon their return should arrange for an “exit interview” with the Associate Director
of Athletics in charge of eligibility before leaving Cambridge.
Libraries and other facilities may normally be used only by students who are currently
registered. Students on leave or required to withdraw may not participate in extracurricular
activities. Exceptions to this rule must be specifically approved in advance by the Administrative
Board. The student on involuntary leave may not participate in student activities until officially
allowed to register. If so instructed by the Dean of Harvard College or the Administrative Board,
a student on leave must remain away from the University campus.
Students are encouraged to consult the Office of Career Services, which may be able to assist
them in making plans for their time away from the College. Students who have been granted a
leave of absence or have been required to withdraw or placed on involuntary leave may at any
time consult their Resident Dean or their designated contact person at the College.
Students in good standing who are on a voluntary leave of absence may be permitted to apply
for Harvard funding, including but not limited to summer grants, provided that they have
obtained the Administrative Board’s prior approval. In making this determination, the
Administrative Board will consider the relevant circumstances, including, for example, the
circumstances that led to the student’s leave of absence.
Students in good standing (see “Actions of the Administrative Board”) who are granted a leave
of absence and who wish to enroll in courses given by another institution for Harvard degree
credit should see “Earning Degree Credit for Study Abroad”. To be granted degree credit for
course work done out of residence, a student must apply to the OIE before study begins. Any
student who has received a bachelor’s degree from another institution is not eligible to enroll or
re-enroll in Harvard College as an undergraduate.
46
RETURNING TO COLLEGE
Students in good standing who have been granted a voluntary leave of absence may ordinarily
return for any term they wish by notifying their Resident Dean twelve weeks in advance of any
term, although it remains the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have adequate time to
complete the degree within the time limits established by the College. For students on a leave of
absence for medical reasons, please see the information below. Ordinarily, first-year students
taking a leave of absence at any point during their first term will not be allowed to register before
the fall term of the next academic year. A student who has been granted a “leave of absence —
late in the term” or a “leave of absence — on probation” must petition the Administrative Board
for permission to register and must demonstrate that the circumstances that led to their leave
have been satisfactorily addressed and that they are ready to resume their studies. The
decision to allow a student to return is made by the Administrative Board. Students who were
not in good standing at the time of a voluntary leave of absence was granted and students who
were placed on involuntary leaves of absence must petition the Administrative Board for
permission to return and must demonstrate that the circumstances that led to their leave have
been satisfactorily addressed and that they are ready to resume their studies. The decision
whether to allow a student to return is made by the Administrative Board.
If the leave, whether voluntary or involuntary, was for medical reasons, then the student must
petition the Administrative Board for permission to register and must demonstrate that the
circumstances that led to their leave have been satisfactorily addressed and that they are ready
to resume their studies. In addition, so that the College may conduct an individualized
assessment of their circumstances, students on medical leave ordinarily will be required to
consult with Harvard University Health Services (and to grant permission to Harvard University
Health Services to obtain their relevant treatment records and communicate with their treatment
providers) so that a professional assessment about the student’s productivity during their time
away and readiness to return can be shared with the College, including the student’s
participation and progress with appropriate health care providers during their time away.
Evidence of productivity must include a written statement describing how the student’s time
away has been spent and may include a substantial period of regular employment at a non-
academic job and a suitable letter of recommendation from the employer, employment, or
volunteer supervisor.
In addition, if the College learns of serious concerns about the health or well-being of a student
who either has been hospitalized or visited the emergency room or whose behavior reasonably
calls into question their ability to function as a student in the Harvard College environment, then
the College similarly may require the student to consult with Harvard University Health Services
(and to grant permission to Harvard University Health Services to obtain their relevant treatment
records and communicate with their treatment providers). The purpose of such consultation is
so that a professional assessment can be shared with the College about the student’s readiness
to return and to function in the student environment, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Note that while the input of a student’s treatment provider is an important consideration in the
petition process, Harvard University Health Services clinicians may have special knowledge of
the University context to which students will be returning. In all such cases, the decision
whether to allow a student to return involves an individualized assessment made by the
Administrative Board, which may condition the student’s return on an agreement to engage in
ongoing medical treatment, if recommended by Harvard University Health Services. In all such
cases, the decision whether to allow a student to return is made by the Administrative Board.
Any student whose petition to return from a medical leave of absence is denied will receive a
written explanation of the decision and may submit a written appeal of the decision to an appeal
committee chaired by the Dean of the College and composed of representatives from College
and University offices within five (5) calendar days, based on the following grounds: (a) new
47
AGREEMENTS TO ENGAGE IN TREATMENT
materially relevant information has become available; and/or (b) there is reasonable evidence of
a procedural error in the decision-making process.
In all such cases, the decision whether to allow a student to return involves an individualized
assessment made by the Administrative Board, which may condition the student’s return on an
agreement to engage in ongoing medical treatment, if such treatment has been recommended
by Harvard University Health Services.
Any disciplinary matter must be resolved before a student on leave of absence will be allowed to
return and, if the student has been required to withdraw while on leave of absence, then any
conditions for return after a required withdrawal (see “Readmission after Requirement to
Withdraw for Disciplinary or Academic Reasons”) also must be satisfied for the student to be
readmitted.
The Administrative Board ordinarily will not approve the return of a student for the fall term
whose experience in the Harvard Summer School in the preceding summer has been
unsuccessful or unsatisfactory.
Students returning from a leavewho wish to apply for financial aid must notify the Griffin
Financial Aid Office at 617-495-1581 (or at faoinf[email protected]vard.edu) by February 1 for the
following fall term and by October 1 for the following spring term, and must file the necessary
application forms (see the Griffin Financial Aid Office website at
https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/apply-financial-aid/current-students). Students do not
have to be approved to return before submitting their aid application. If a student has taken a
leave in the middle of a term and used a portion of their financial aid eligibility, they will need to
petition the Financial Aid Committee to be considered for a full semester’s worth of eligibility for
their final term. Late applicants cannot be assured that their aid will be available in time for
registration payment deadlines.
Students who have been granted a leave and who have borrowed money through Harvard must
submit an annual loan deferment form to the Student Loan Office upon their return to Harvard.
Deferment forms may be obtained through either the Student Loan Office or the Griffin Financial
Aid Office and must be completed and certified by the Registrar immediately following check-in
and course registration.
Failure to file a deferment form upon return will cause payments to be due on loans and could
affect future borrowing eligibility.
A student will not be allowed to register in the University again until all previous term-bill and
telephone charges have been paid and no loan is in default.
Students who have been away from the College for five or more years must petition the
Administrative Board for permission to register. Those planning to return to the College after a
period of five or more years will ordinarily not be eligible for scholarship aid from institutional
sources. Petitions for readmission after an interval of five or more years must include evidence
of financial resources necessary to meet all College expenses. Exceptions due to unusual
circumstances will be considered by the Committee on Financial Aid with input from the
Administrative Board. Petitions for an exception should be made through the Griffin Financial
Aid Office.
The College may make conditional a student’s enrollment and/or residence on certain terms or
conditions, as set forth in a written agreement between the College and the student, when the
48
student’s conduct or circumstances have caused heightened concerns about the student’s
safety and/or well-being and: (a) the appropriateness of the student’s continued enrollment
and/or residence; or (b) the student’s readiness to return to the Harvard community. The
agreement to engage in treatment may include, among other things, compliance with a medical
treatment plan, regular consultations with health care professionals, communication with
administrators, and limited disclosure of relevant medical information, on a need-to-know basis,
such as compliance with treatment and restrictions on certain activities. The decision to require
such an agreement is arrived at in consultation with Harvard University Health Services after an
individualized assessment of the nature of the student’s conduct and circumstances and any
other pertinent factors.
GENERAL REGULATIONS
Standards of Conduct in the Harvard Community
The rules and regulations affecting undergraduates have been established by the Faculty of
Arts and Sciences (FAS). Students are expected to be familiar with the regulations that apply to
them as covered in this Handbook. The rules of Harvard College provide a framework within
which all students are free to pursue their work, under the safest and most equitable conditions
the College can create. These rules, then, serve as the guidelines forming the protection of
each individual’s well-being. Whenever violations of the rules occur, the College will treat them
as matters of serious concern because they disrupt the individual lives of students and the
shared life of this community.
It is the expectation of the College that all students, whether or not they are on campus or are
currently enrolled as degree candidates, will behave in a mature and responsible manner. This
expectation for mature and responsible conduct also encompasses accountability for one’s own
well-being, including responsible decision-making regarding physical and mental health.
Further, the College expects every student to be familiar with the regulations governing
membership in the Harvard community, set forth in the pages that follow. Because students are
expected to show good judgment and use common sense at all times, not all kinds of
misconduct or behavioral standards are codified here. The College takes all these diverse
principles very seriously; together they create a foundation for the responsible, respectful
society that Harvard seeks to foster among its students, faculty, and staff.
Students are expected to comply with all disciplinary rules from matriculation until the conferring
of the degree. A degree will not be granted to a student who is not in good standing or against
whom a disciplinary charge is pending with the Administrative Board, the Honor Council, or the
disciplinary board of another school.
Careful note should be taken that the University is not, and cannot be considered as, a protector
or sanctuary from the existing laws of the city, state, or federal government.
49
COMPLAINTS OF DISCRIMINATION
Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity
Discrimination on Other Bases
Discrimination and Bullying
On September 1, 2023, the University adopted new policies and procedures to address
discrimination and bullying. These policies apply to all students, faculty, staff, researchers, and
other members of the Harvard community across all Schools and units, including the FAS. More
information about these policies can be found on the Provost’s Office website
(https://communitymisconductpolicies.harvard.edu/reports-and-draft-policies).
Discrimination based on race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed,
national origin, age, ancestry, veteran status, disability, military service, or any other legally
protected basis is contrary to the principles and policies of Harvard University.
Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, and other sexual misconduct are forms of sex
discrimination. The University’s policies and procedures concerning complaints of discrimination
based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity can be found here:
https://oge.harvard.edu/policies-procedures.
Formal complaints are submitted to the University Title IX Coordinator and investigated by the
Office for Dispute Resolution (ODR). If a Harvard College student is found to have violated the
policy, the College’s Administrative Board will consider appropriate sanctions. The College’s
Title IX Resource Coordinators can answer questions about the process for filing a formal
complaint, and speaking to a Title IX Resource Coordinator does not automatically trigger a
formal complaint.
Ordinarily, students should direct their initial inquiries regarding discrimination to their Resident
Dean or to the Office of the Dean of Harvard College. Students can also report an incident of
bias, harassment, and/or discrimination by emailing reportbias@fas.harvard.edu or by
submitting an incident report via the anonymous bias report form
(https://diversity.college.harvard.edu/report-bias).
Undergraduates who feel that they have been subjected to discrimination may wish first to seek
a resolution of the problem with the assistance of their Resident Dean. These officers may
consult with others in the College and the FAS, including, for example, the Office of the Dean of
Harvard College, or the Director of the Disability Access Office, depending on the nature of the
concern.
If the matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily by informal methods, more formal routes are
available. The student may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Dean of Harvard College.
Depending on the circumstances, and in consultation with the student making the complaint,
that officer may request that the Dean of Harvard College appoint a special committee to
resolve the problem or may refer it to the appropriate agency or office of Harvard College or of
the FAS for resolution. Such agencies include, among others, the Administrative Board, the
Faculty Council, and the Dean of the FAS.
If the matter cannot be resolved satisfactorily through ordinary channels, either the student or
the Dean of Harvard College may refer it to the Dean of the Faculty for final resolution. The
Dean of the Faculty holds authority over all departments, committees, commissions, and
councils within the FAS. The decision of the Dean of the Faculty will be final.
50
HARASSMENT
INFORMATION AND ADVICE
Recognizing that harassment, including on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, and
gender identity, constitutes unacceptable behavior, the University, the FAS, and the Faculty
Council have issued a number of documents setting forth the position of the College on these
matters, as well as the procedures that are available to students who believe that they have
been the object of such harassment.
It is important to note here that speech not specifically directed against individuals in a
harassing way may be protected by traditional safeguards of free speech, even though the
comments may cause considerable discomfort or concern to others in the community. The
College still takes such incidents seriously and will try, when appropriate, to mediate and help
students involved to resolve the situations in an informal way. Any use of electronic
communication (including, but not limited to, email or phone) to deliver obscene or harassing
messages will be treated as a serious matter and ordinarily will result in disciplinary action by
the College (see also “Electronic Communication” and “Regulations Concerning the Use of
University Resources”).
The College encourages undergraduates who believe that they have been the object of
harassment to seek information and advice concerning applicable harassment policies, informal
resolution and formal complaints, and counseling and other services.
In cases of racial harassment, students may always seek the assistance of their Resident
Dean or Faculty Dean.
In cases of sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, or other sexual misconduct,
students may also always seek support from their Resident Dean, Faculty Dean, or other
trusted staff or faculty members. Any staff or faculty who are not designated confidential are
responsible employees and required to share information and connect the student with the
College’s Title IX Resource Coordinators. Confidential resources include Sexual Harassment,
Resources and Education (SHARE) counselors, staff in the Office of BGLTQ Student Life,
CAHMS clinicians, and the Harvard Chaplains.
The College’s Title IX Resource Coordinators work with College students to navigate resources
related to sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct. They can work with students to learn
more about options, including how to file a formal complaint, and how to arrange supportive
measures. Speaking with a Title IX Resource Coordinator does not automatically trigger a
formal complaint and they share information only on a need-to-know basis.
Faculty Resolutions
On April 14, 1970, the FAS approved the Resolution on Rights and Responsibilities, printed
below in its entirety (members of the community should also be aware of the Faculty’s Free
Speech Guidelines, available at secfas.fas.harvard.edu). This University-wide statement and its
first interpretation were adopted on an interim basis by the Governing Boards on September 20,
1970, and were voted to remain in effect indefinitely in May 1977. The second interpretation was
adopted by the Governing Boards in January–February 2002.
51
RESOLUTION ON RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The central functions of an academic community are learning, teaching, research and
scholarship. By accepting membership in the University, an individual joins a community ideally
characterized by free expression, free inquiry, intellectual honesty, respect for the dignity of
others, and openness to constructive change. The rights and responsibilities exercised within
the community must be compatible with these qualities.
The rights of members of the University are not fundamentally different from those of other
members of society. The University, however, has a special autonomy and reasoned dissent
plays a particularly vital part in its existence. All members of the University have the right to
press for action on matters of concern by any appropriate means. The University must affirm,
assure and protect the rights of its members to organize and join political associations, convene
and conduct public meetings, publicly demonstrate and picket in orderly fashion, advocate, and
publicize opinion by print, sign, and voice.
The University places special emphasis, as well, upon certain values which are essential to its
nature as an academic community. Among these are freedom of speech and academic
freedom, freedom from personal force and violence, and freedom of movement. Interference
with any of these freedoms must be regarded as a serious violation of the personal rights upon
which the community is based. Furthermore, although the administrative processes and
activities of the University cannot be ends in themselves, such functions are vital to the orderly
pursuit of the work of all members of the University. Therefore, interference with members of the
University in performance of their normal duties and activities must be regarded as
unacceptable obstruction of the essential processes of the University. Theft or willful destruction
of the property of the University or of its members must also be considered an unacceptable
violation of the rights of individuals or of the community as a whole.
Moreover, it is the responsibility of all members of the academic community to maintain an
atmosphere in which violations of rights are unlikely to occur and to develop processes by which
these rights are fully assured. In particular, it is the responsibility of officers of administration and
instruction to be alert to the needs of the University community; to give full and fair hearing to
reasoned expressions of grievances; and to respond promptly and in good faith to such
expressions and to widely expressed needs for change. In making decisions which concern the
community as a whole or any part of the community, officers are expected to consult with those
affected by the decisions. Failures to meet these responsibilities may be profoundly damaging
to the life of the University. Therefore, the University community has the right to establish
orderly procedures consistent with imperatives of academic freedom to assess the policies and
assure the responsibility of those whose decisions affect the life of the University.
No violation of the rights of members of the University, nor any failure to meet responsibilities,
should be interpreted as justifying any violation of the rights of members of the University. All
members of the community — students and officers alike — should uphold the rights and
responsibilities expressed in this Resolution if the University is to be characterized by mutual
respect and trust.
52
INTERPRETATION
COMMISSION OF INQUIRY
It is implicit in the language of the Statement on Rights and Responsibilities that intense
personal harassment of such a character as to amount to grave disrespect for the dignity of
others be regarded as an unacceptable violation of the personal rights on which the University is
based.
It is implicit in the University-wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities that any
unauthorized occupation of a University building, or any part of it, that interferes with the ability
of members of the University to perform their normal activities constitutes unacceptable conduct
in violation of the Statement and is subject to appropriate discipline.
Any student, faculty member, or administrative officer who has a complaint or an inquiry may
address it to the Commission of Inquiry, c/o Secretary of the FAS. The Commission will redirect
the complaint or query to the appropriate agency of the FAS. When such an agency does not
exist, the Commission itself will attempt to aid in resolving the matter. Occasionally, the
Commission is instrumental in establishing a new agency for handling recurrent issues.
Although the Commission has no power to make rulings, it can play an advocacy role in
pressing for the resolution of issues.
Ordinarily, the Commission reports to the community on the matters which come before it, and
in doing so, attempts to keep the community informed about factual background material and
the resolution of matters of community concern.
Physical Violence
Harvard College strives to maintain a safe and secure environment for all members of the
community and thus does not tolerate physical violence or threats of physical violence used by
or against the members of the community. Students are expected to avoid all physical conflicts,
confrontations, and altercations unless their own safety or that of another is at extreme
jeopardy. Failure to do so will ordinarily result in disciplinary action, including, but not limited to,
requirement to withdraw from the College.
Honesty
The College expects that all students will be honest and forthcoming in their dealings with the
members of this community. Further, the College expects that students will answer truthfully
questions put to them by a properly identified officer of the University. Failure to do so ordinarily
will result in disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, requirement to withdraw from the
College.
All students are required to respect private and public ownership; instances of theft,
misappropriation, or unauthorized use of or damage to property or materials not one’s own will
ordinarily result in disciplinary action, including requirement to withdraw from the College. Any
student in possession of stolen goods is subject to disciplinary action.
A student who commits an offense against law and order during a public disturbance or
demonstration or who disregards the instructions of any other University officer at such a time is
subject to disciplinary action and may be required to withdraw.
53
Sexual Misconduct
FAS’s Interim Policies and Procedures Addressing Title IX Sexual and Gender-Based
Harassment and Other Sexual Misconduct (https://cpb-us-
e1.wpmucdn.com/websites.harvard.edu/dist/a/68/files/2022/08/interim_fas_sexual_harassment
_and_misconduct_policies_and_procedures_2.pdf
) adopts the University’s Policies and
incorporates the University’s Procedures, including for purposes of student discipline, covers all
forms of sexual harassment, including other sexual misconduct. As explained in the policies,
sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, and stalking are
forms of sexual harassment.
If students are in immediate danger and need help or want to speak to a specially trained officer
about their situation, they should call the HUPD at 617-495-1212. When students report an
incident to HUPD, they will be provided with immediate physical protection and transportation to
a medical facility, if necessary. By contacting HUPD, they are not making a commitment to file
charges or to testify in court.
A formal complaint asks the University to investigate whether the University’s policies related to
sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct have been violated. Students may initiate a
formal complaint with the University’s Title IX Coordinator at OGE@harvard.edu or by filing and
submitting an online complaint form at: https://oge.harvard.edu/file-complaint-online. For more
information regarding the formal complaint process, please reach out to College Title IX
(https://titleix.college.harvard.edu/), visit ODR’s website (https://odr.harvard.edu/) or visit the
University’s OGE website (https://oge.harvard.edu/).
Formal complaints within the University may be pursued whether or not a complainant chooses
to file criminal charges. Resources and supportive measures are available to any Harvard
community member who is impacted by sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct, and do
not request a formal complaint or police report.
Drugs and Alcohol
Harvard expects its students and employees to maintain an environment that is safe and
healthy. The unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students and
employees on Harvard property or as a part of any Harvard activity are violations of University
rules as well as the law. Possession, use, or distribution of certain nonprescription drugs,
including marijuana, amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, and nonprescription synthetics;
procurement or distribution of alcohol by anyone under 21 years of age; and provision of alcohol
to anyone under 21 years of age are violations of the law and of Harvard policy.
Although Massachusetts law now permits adults aged 21 or older to possess and consume
marijuana under certain circumstances, federal law prohibits the possession, use, or distribution
of marijuana, including for medical purposes, on Harvard property or as part of a Harvard
activity. Thus, even if possession or use of marijuana would be permitted under Massachusetts
law, it remains prohibited on campus.
College policies and procedures also reflect additional expectations for student conduct based
on the College’s concerns about high-risk drinking behaviors, such as binge drinking and the
rapid or competitive consumption of alcohol, and their many adverse consequences for
students’ health and lives. All students are expected to comply with the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and with all College rules governing possessing or serving
alcohol. More information is available on the House websites or the website for the Dean of
Students Office (https://dso.college.harvard.edu/). The University holds its students and
employees responsible for the consequences of their decisions to use or distribute illicit drugs or
54
SUMMARY OF CITY, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
HELP-SEEKING POLICY
to serve or consume alcohol. Additionally, the misuse of prescription drugs (sharing, buying, or
using in a manner different than prescribed) is a violation of University policy.
1. The sale, delivery, or furnishing of alcohol to persons under the age of 21 is prohibited.
2. The possession or transportation of alcoholic beverages by individuals under the age of
21 is prohibited.
3. Social hosts may be held liable for injuries caused by guests who consume alcohol at the
hosts’ premises and then harm themselves or third parties.
4. Willfully misrepresenting one’s age or altering, defacing, or otherwise falsifying
identification offered as proof of age, with the intent of purchasing alcoholic beverages is
prohibited.
5. There are heavy penalties, including imprisonment, for possession or distribution of illicit
drugs and for selling or delivering alcohol to, or procuring alcohol for, anyone under 21.
6. The consumption of alcohol on public property or on property open to the public is
prohibited.
All students are expected to comply with all applicable city, state, and federal laws and
regulations as well as with all College rules governing the use and possession of alcohol.
The College does not permit transportation or consumption of alcoholic beverages in open
containers in public areas on campus.
The University requires all students to become familiar with the information on drugs and
alcohol distributed at registration each year and expects students to make responsible choices
and create safe social environments. The College will take serious action, ordinarily probation or
requirement to withdraw, in any case involving the possession in quantity or the sale or
distribution of drugs, or when cases of drug and alcohol use create a danger to individuals or to
the community at large. The College will also take action in cases in which a student is involved
in the falsification of identification with the intent of obtaining alcohol. If a person was seriously
harmed, or could have been seriously harmed, as a result of consuming drugs or alcohol
provided by another person, then the College may take disciplinary action against the person
who provided the drugs or alcohol, up to and including requirement to withdraw. The College
has adopted a Help-Seeking Policy, as set forth below.
We expect students to abide by the law and Harvard policy on the use of drugs and alcohol. The
University is not a sanctuary from the existing laws of the city, state, or federal government, and
students must recognize the consequences of their personal decisions as well as the impact
those decisions can have on themselves, others, and the wider College community.
However, in cases of drug or alcohol intoxication, health and safety are the College’s primary
concerns, and this policy is intended to encourage students to seek help.
Students seeking medical treatment for themselves or another person for the effects of drug or
alcohol use will not be subject to disciplinary action from the College for violations pertaining to
the use or provision of drugs or alcohol. Sources of help might include: HUHS or other medical
providers; College residential life staff; and HUPD or other police or security officers.
This policy does not provide immunity from disciplinary action relating to any other conduct
55
RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENT GROUPS
APPLICATION OF THE HELP-SEEKING POLICY TO STUDENT GROUPS
USUAL RESPONSES
violations, including, without limitation, assault, property damage, or the possession in quantity
or the sale or distribution of drugs (see “Standards of Conduct in the Harvard Community”).
The College expects officers of all student groups (whether or not the group is officially
recognized by the College), like any other social hosts, to create safe social environments.
To this end, student group officers are urged to participate in annual education efforts with the
Center for Wellness and Health Promotion and Dean of Students Office, which may include
training on event planning, risk reduction, and the responsible service of alcohol. See more
information about regulations involving alcohol and events at
https://dso.college.harvard.edu/policies/student-organizations.
If a person was seriously harmed, or could have been seriously harmed, as a result of
consumption of alcohol or drugs at an event held, sponsored, organized, or supported by a
student group and those directly responsible for the provision of alcohol or drugs are not
identified, then the College may hold the event hosts personally responsible. If the event hosts
are not identified, then the officers of the organization may be held personally responsible. In
considering such cases, the College will, in all circumstances, apply the Help-Seeking Policy as
described below.
At a minimum, when cases involving the consumption of alcohol or drugs at an event held,
sponsored, organized, or supported by a student group come to the attention of the College, the
student group may be asked to come to the Dean of Students Office for a conversation about
their procedures for hosting responsible social events and may be asked to participate in
additional education or training efforts.
The Help-Seeking Policy is intended to encourage all members of student groups to access
help for the effects of drug or alcohol use. If a person needs assistance after consuming alcohol
or drugs at an event held, sponsored, organized, or supported by a student group and the
person who seeks assistance is a member of that student group, then the College will weigh this
fact heavily as a mitigating circumstance when considering potential disciplinary action with
respect to other student group members. Conversely, the failure to seek help by members of the
student group also may be considered in deciding whether to impose disciplinary action. In
addition, the College may consider as mitigating factors the student group’s participation in the
College’s annual education and training about responsible social events, as well as any efforts
made by the hosts or officers to prevent the harmful or potentially harmful situation and their
cooperation with the College in its investigation of the situation.
As described above, officers of the College initially may respond to the use of illicit drugs,
underage possession or consumption of alcohol, serving alcohol to underage individuals, or
overconsumption of alcohol with a warning and/or referral to the Center for Wellness and Health
Promotion. However, a pattern of behavior in violation of rules governing drug or alcohol use or
possession will lead to a warning by the Faculty Dean or Senior Assistant Dean of the First-Year
Experience, admonition by the Administrative Board, probation, or requirement to withdraw.
56
Student Business Activity
Harvard permits undergraduates to undertake modest levels of business activities on campus.
Students may be required to move businesses entirely off-campus should they disrupt
residential life, compromise the educational environment, or jeopardize the nonprofit status of
the University or any exemption of its income or property from federal, state, or local taxation.
A “business activity” is any activity carried on by a student that is intended to or does generate
revenue or trade, whether or not for profit, and is not an individual employment or independent
contractor relationship.
Compliance with the following general restrictions, mentioned elsewhere in this Handbook, also
apply to student business enterprises. Use of the Harvard name or logo in conjunction with a
business enterprise is prohibited (see “Use of the Harvard University Trademarks”). All
regulations concerning safety and the use of rooms must be observed (see “Meetings and
Events”). The compilation or redistribution of information from University directories (printed or
electronic) is forbidden (see “Privacy of Information”). Use of library resources for commercial
purposes is prohibited (see “Use of Libraries, Research Support and Use of Collections”).
General regulations concerning use of computers and networks must be observed (see “Use of
Computers and Networks”). Excessive data traffic on Harvard’s computer network is not
allowed.
In addition, care must be taken to avoid excessive use of University resources, misuse of
University facilities and information provided primarily for Harvard’s teaching and research
missions, and activities that might jeopardize the tax-exempt status of the University or its
property. Students must establish a means of communication with customers separate from
those provided by the University for educational purposes. Students may not list their dormitory
address, campus mailing address or telephone number, Harvard email or internet address, or
Harvard website in conjunction with any business enterprise, or in any way suggest that Harvard
endorses or sponsors the business. Harvard reserves the right to restrict or control student
business use of its resources, facilities, academic product, copyrighted materials, and
institutional data.
Student businesses are considered outside vendors by the College and must follow this
Handbook’s rules concerning solicitation on campus (see “Distribution of Printed Matter” and
“Solicitation”). Sales activities are permitted only with permission and at the discretion of the
office granting permission (for example, the Student Employment Office or the Dean of Students
Office). Distribution of materials on campus must be conducted through Harvard Student
Agencies (https://www.hsa.net/). Student businesses are not allowed to poster or door-drop on
campus.
Other areas of concern, which could cause the College to prohibit the student business, include:
▪ Excessive use of Harvard’s paper mail system.
▪ Activity by a student as a corporate agent or commercial solicitor for a business.
▪ Other activities that compromise the educational collegiality of the Harvard community
by coloring with a profit motive the day-to-day interactions among students, faculty, and
other College officers.
▪ Excessive foot traffic or movement of goods into or out of University buildings.
▪ Activities that interfere with roommates’ rights to use common spaces for their own
residential purposes.
▪ Commitment of time and effort to a commercial activity to an extent that compromises a
student’s academic or personal well-being.
57
INSTRUCTOR RECORDINGS
STUDENT PUBLISHING OR DISTRIBUTION OF COURSE MATERIALS
Student businesses may be required to seek approval in advance for operations that directly
impact University offices, operations, facilities, or resources.
No firm, agency, organization, or individual shall solicit in a University dormitory at any time, for
any purpose. Exceptions to this rule may be granted only by the Committee on College Life.
Distribution of printed matter in College buildings must be approved by the Office of the Dean of
Harvard College, University Hall, First Floor (see “Solicitation”).
Privacy Policy
Course content and materials may be covered by copyrights held by the University or the
instructor, and their unauthorized use may violate such copyrights as well as the privacy of other
students in the course.
An overview of the University’s privacy and recording guidance is listed on the Harvard
University Information Technology (HUIT) website at https://harvard.service-
now.com/ithelp?id=kb_article&sys_id=6880408bdbab8c9430ed1dca489619bc.
Instructors may record course sessions in accordance with the College’s policy on simultaneous
enrollment and may also record course sessions to make them available for use later in the
semester or in future years.
Students and instructors have reasonable expectations of privacy in regard to interactions in
class as captured in such recordings. Further, recordings in which students are personally
identifiable are subject to FERPA rules governing their distribution. For these reasons, course
recordings should be made available on the Canvas site behind HarvardKey login so that they
are available only to registered students and other members of the course community.
By attending course sessions and accessing course recordings, students acknowledge that they
may not post, publish, sell, or otherwise distribute course materials without the written
permission of the course instructor. Such materials include, but are not limited to, the following:
video or audio recordings, assignments, problem sets, examinations, other students’ work, and
answer keys.
Students who sell, post, publish, or distribute course materials without written permission,
whether for the purposes of soliciting answers or otherwise, may be subject to disciplinary
action, up to and including requirement to withdraw from the College. Further, students may not
make video or audio recordings of class sessions for their own use without written permission of
the instructor.
Students needing course recordings as an accommodation should contact the Disability Acess
Office (DAO) at https://dao.fas.harvard.edu.
58
USE OF LIBRARIES, RESEARCH SUPPORT, AND USE OF COLLECTIONS
USE OF COMPUTERS AND NETWORKS
Regulations Concerning the Use of University Resources
To safeguard the integrity of University resources, the University relies on its students to use
them with care, appropriately, and as authorized; to respect the rights of others who also have
access; and to observe the rules granting access to, and use of, those resources. Failure to
abide by the rules governing use of University resources ordinarily will result in disciplinary
action.
To protect the collections of Harvard’s libraries, a student who violates the use and lending
policies of any Harvard library may be subject to overdue charges and/or disciplinary action. In
particular, damage caused to any library materials or property, or unauthorized removal of any
book or object from a library will result in disciplinary action.
Those with access to Harvard’s library spaces and collections are required to acknowledge and
abide by the Patron Agreement, which is outlined on the Harvard Library website at
https://guides.library.harvard.edu/HL_patron_agreement.
Using Harvard’s network to download or share copyrighted music, movies, television shows, or
games without the permission of the copyright owner may result in legal sanctions, network
termination, and/or disciplinary action.
Some file-sharing programs can transmit files on a computer to others in violation of copyright
laws, with or without the user’s knowledge. If these programs are on a student’s computer, the
student will be held responsible for any copyright violations that may result.
Students who are provided access to University computer facilities and to the campus-wide
communication network assume responsibility for their appropriate use. The University expects
students to be careful, honest, responsible, and civil in the use of computers and networks.
Those who use wide area networks (such as the internet) to communicate with individuals or to
connect to computers at other institutions are expected to abide by the rules for the remote
systems and networks as well as those for Harvard’s systems.
Be advised that, in addition to violating College rules, certain computer misconduct is prohibited
by federal and state law and is, therefore, subject to criminal and civil penalties. Such
misconduct includes knowingly gaining unauthorized access to a computer system or database;
falsely obtaining electronic services or data without payment of required charges; intentionally
intercepting electronic communications; and obtaining, altering, or destroying others’ electronic
information. Similarly, serious legal penalties may result from the use of Harvard’s computers or
network to violate copyright laws, as is possible with the use of peer-to-peer file-sharing
programs. Moreover, a student may be held responsible for misuse that occurs by allowing a
third party to access the student’s own computer, account, or network connection.
The basic rules for the appropriate use of computers and networks are outlined below. Other
policies may be found on the Harvard University Information Technology website
(https://huit.harvard.edu/). Students are expected to abide by these rules and policies and to
consult an official of Harvard University Information Technology prior to any activity that would
appear to threaten the security or performance of University computers and networks. Failure to
do so may result in disciplinary action.
Computer and network facilities are provided to students primarily for their educational use.
59
HARVARD UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC INFORMATION
These facilities have tangible value. Consequently, attempts to circumvent accounting systems
or to use the computer accounts of others will be treated as forms of attempted theft.
Students may not attempt to damage or to degrade the performance of Harvard’s computers
and networks, and should not disrupt the work of other users. Students may not attempt to
circumvent security systems, or to exploit or probe for security holes in any Harvard network or
system, nor may students attempt any such activity against other systems accessed through
Harvard’s facilities. Execution or compilation of programs designed to breach system security is
prohibited unless authorized in advance. Students assume personal responsibility for the use of
their accounts. Consequently, students may not disclose their passwords or otherwise make
Harvard’s facilities available to unauthorized individuals (including family or friends). Moreover,
the possession or collection of others’ passwords, PINs, private digital certificates, or other
secure identification information is prohibited. Use of Harvard’s computers and networks for
business-related purposes without authorization is also prohibited. (See “Student Business
Activity”).
Privacy of Information
Information stored on a computer system or sent electronically over a network is the property of
the individual who created it. Examination, collection, or dissemination of that information
without authorization from the owner is a violation of the owner’s rights to control their own
property. Information technology personnel, however, may gain access to users’ data or
programs when it is necessary to maintain or prevent damage to systems or to ensure
compliance with other University rules.
Computer systems and networks provide mechanisms for the protection of private information
from examination. These mechanisms are necessarily imperfect, and any attempt to circumvent
them or to gain unauthorized access to private information (including both stored computer files
and messages transmitted over a network) will be treated as a violation of privacy and will be
cause for disciplinary action.
In general, information that the owner would reasonably regard as private must be treated as
private by other users. Examples include the contents of electronic mailboxes, the private file
storage areas of individual users, and information stored in other areas that are not public. That
measures have not been taken to protect such information does not make it permissible for
others to inspect it.
On shared and networked computer systems certain information about users and their activities
is visible to others. Users are cautioned that certain accounting and directory information (for
example, usernames and electronic mail addresses), certain records of file names and executed
commands, and information stored in public areas are not private. Nonetheless, such unsecured
information about other users must not be manipulated in ways that they might reasonably find
intrusive; for example, eavesdropping by computer and systematic monitoring of the behavior of
others are likely to be considered invasions of privacy that would be cause for disciplinary
action. The compilation or redistribution of information from University directories (printed or
electronic) is forbidden.
Effective March 31, 2014, Harvard established a policy that sets out guidelines and processes
for University access to user electronic information stored in or transmitted through any
University system. This policy applies to all Schools and units of the University. Harvard College
students should be aware that this policy applies to them.
60
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
Harvard neither sanctions nor censors individual expression of opinion on its systems. The
same standards of behavior, however, are expected in the use of electronic mail as in the use of
telephones and written and oral communication. Therefore, electronic mail, like telephone
messages, must be neither obscene nor harassing (see “Harassment”). Similarly, messages
must not misrepresent the identity of the sender and should not be sent as chain letters or
broadcast indiscriminately to large numbers of individuals. This prohibition includes
unauthorized mass electronic mailings. For example, email on a given topic that is sent to large
numbers of recipients should in general be directed only to those who have indicated a
willingness to receive such email.
Intellectual Property and Copyrighted Materials
Computer programs written as part of one’s academic work should be regarded as literary
creations and subject to the same standards of misrepresentation as copied work (see
“Academic Integrity and Academic Dishonesty”). In addition, any attempt to duplicate, use, or
distribute software or other data without authorization by the owner is prohibited.
All Harvard users must respect the copyrights in works that are accessible through computers
connected to the Harvard network. Federal copyright law prohibits the reproduction, distribution,
public display, or public performance of copyrighted materials without permission of the
copyright owner, unless fair use or another exemption under copyright law applies. In
appropriate circumstances, Harvard will terminate the network access of users who are found to
have repeatedly infringed the copyrights of others, and may also take disciplinary action.
Information about the application of copyright law to peer-to-peer file sharing of music, movies
and other copyrighted works is available on Harvard’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act webpage
(dmca.harvard.edu). Students with questions about copyright or this policy are invited to raise
those questions with an appropriate Dean, tutor, or academic officer.
Harvard University Identification Cards
All students receive a Harvard University Identification Card. ID cards are the property of
Harvard University and are intended for University purposes only. The cards are required for
admission to most Harvard activities and facilities including libraries, museums, dining halls,
athletic buildings, and student residences. Some facilities may also require a sticker for entry.
The front of the card and the magnetic stripes on the back, however, must be kept free from
stickers.
Students will keep their ID card while they are enrolled at Harvard University and are
responsible for their ID card and the consequences of its misuse. ID cards are not transferable;
students may not allow any other person to use their ID card for any purpose. Students who
alter or falsify their ID card or produce or distribute false identification cards of any kind are
subject to disciplinary action. Lost cards should be reported immediately through the student’s
ID account at the Campus Service Center website
(https://www.campusservicecenter.harvard.edu/services/id-cards) or at the Harvard University
Campus Service Center, Smith Campus Center, Eighth Floor
Students must present their ID card or otherwise identify themselves upon request to any
properly identified employee of the University. Surrendered ID cards will be transmitted
immediately to the student’s Resident Dean or other appropriate Dean.
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Use of College and University Resources
Bicycles, roller blades, skateboards and micromobility devices may not be ridden in Harvard
Yard, in Harvard-owned or operated buildings, or on sidewalks or other walkways, and they may
not be parked on or adjacent to disability access ramps. Violation of
any motor vehicle registration and parking regulations (see
https://www.transportation.harvard.edu/parking) can lead to disciplinary action. This policy does
not refer to wheelchairs, mobility aids, and other power-driven mobility devices.
Please refer to the Harvard Transportation Services website
(https://www.transportation.harvard.edu) for more information.
Students may not bring into the University or use or transport any radioactive materials within
its property without authorization of the University’s Department of Environmental Health
and Safety.
Fire Regulations
Fire alarms, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and sprinkler systems have been placed
throughout the University for the protection of those who live and work in Harvard’s buildings.
Misuse of these systems endangers both life and property and can lead to disciplinary action,
including requirement to withdraw, and possible criminal charges. For the same reason,
violation of any of the fire safety or fire emergency regulations listed below must be considered
a serious offense requiring serious disciplinary action:
▪ Any abuse of, or tampering with, fire alarm, smoke detector, sprinkler, or extinguisher
systems is strictly forbidden. There is a fine, equal to the cost of replacement, for
breaking the glass that covers the lock of a fire alarm. Similarly, there is a fine, equal to
the cost of replacement, for any damage to a smoke detector. There is a fine, equal to
the cost of replacement, damages, and clean up, for sprinkler activation resulting from
negligence.
▪ Emergency exit doors in the Houses or dormitories between adjoining suites may be
opened by special arrangement with the building manager and only with written
agreement of all occupants of both suites.
▪ Emergency exit doors must not be blocked on either side by furniture or obstructions of
any kind.
▪ Fire escapes are intended only for use in a fire; any other uses are prohibited.
▪ Flammable and combustible liquids and flammable gases are not permitted in Houses or
dormitories.
▪ Falsely pulling any alarm, maliciously setting off a smoke detector alarm, or negligently
activating the sprinkler system is illegal and may be punishable by a fine of up to $500 or
imprisonment.
▪ Corridor and stairwell fire doors must be kept shut at all times.
▪ Use of fireplaces is prohibited.
62
Threats Involving Deadly Weapons, Explosives, Bombs, Chemical
or Biological Agents, or Other Deadly Devices or Substances
The following provision of Massachusetts law concerning certain kinds of threats underscores
why such behavior must be treated by the College as an actionable offense:
Whoever willfully communicates or causes to be communicated, either directly or
indirectly, orally, in writing, by mail, by use of a telephone or telecommunication device
including, but not limited to, electronic mail, Internet communications and facsimile
communications, through an electronic communication device or by any other means,
a threat: (1) that a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon, as defined in
section 121 of chapter 140, an explosive or incendiary device, a dangerous chemical or
biological agent, a poison, a harmful radioactive substance or any other device,
substance or item capable of causing death, serious bodily injury or substantial property
damage, will be used at a place or location, or is present or will be present at a place or
location, whether or not the same is in fact used or present; or (2) to hijack an aircraft,
ship or common carrier thereby causing anxiety, unrest, fear or personal discomfort to
any person or group of persons shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison
for not more than 20 years or imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than
2 1/2 years, or by fine of not more than $10,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Whoever willfully communicates or causes to be communicated such a threat thereby
causing either the evacuation or serious disruption of a school, school related event,
school transportation, or a dwelling, building, place of assembly, facility or public
transport, or an aircraft, ship or common carrier, or willfully communicates or causes
serious public inconvenience or alarm, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state
prison for not less than 3 years nor more than 20 years or imprisonment in the house of
correction for not less than 6 months nor more than 2 1/2 years, or by fine of not less
than $1,000 nor more than $50,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
[Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 14(b)-(c)]
In the event that a student is threatened by any of the means above, contact the HUPD at
617-495-1212.
Firearms, Explosives, Combustible Fuels, Firecrackers, and
Dangerous Weapons
Possession and/or use on University property of firearms or other dangerous weapons (as
defined below), or ammunition, explosives, combustible fuels, firecrackers, and potential
ingredients thereof is forbidden by University policy. The College may make occasional
exceptions, on a case-by-case basis, for students who wish to participate in club sports that
involve the use of dangerous weapons (as defined below), but in all such cases advance
approval must be obtained from both the HUPD and the Club Sports Office, and participating
students must comply with any and all College rules and requirements for use and storage of
the weapons. College rules require, at a minimum, that any weapons shall be stored in a secure
place and not in a student’s room. The applicable Massachusetts law is as follows:
For the purpose of this paragraph “firearm” shall mean any pistol, revolver, rifle, or
smoothbore arm from which a shot, bullet or pellet can be discharged.
Whoever, not being a law enforcement officer, and notwithstanding any license obtained
by the person pursuant to chapter 140, carries on the person a firearm, loaded or
63
unloaded, or other dangerous weapon in any building or on the grounds of any
elementary or secondary school, college or university without the written authorization of
the board or officer in charge of such elementary or secondary school, college or
university shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by
imprisonment for not more than two years, or both. A law enforcement officer may arrest
without a warrant and detain a person found carrying a firearm in violation of this
paragraph.
Any officer in charge of an elementary or secondary school, college or university or any
faculty member or administrative officer of an elementary or secondary school, college
or university that fails to report violations of this paragraph shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.
[Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 10(j)]
Under Massachusetts law, the definition of dangerous weapons includes many items designed
to do bodily injury:
… any stiletto, dagger or a device or case which enables a knife with a locking blade to
be drawn at a locked position, any ballistic knife, or any knife with a detachable blade
capable of being propelled by any mechanism, dirk knife, any knife having a double-
edged blade, or a switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release device by
which the blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one half
inches, or a slung shot, blowgun, blackjack, metallic knuckles or knuckles of any
substance which could be put to the same use with the same or similar effect as metallic
knuckles, nunchaku, zoobow, also known as klackers or kung fu sticks, or any similar
weapon consisting of two sticks of wood, plastic or metal connected at one end by a
length of rope, chain, wire or leather, a shuriken or any similar pointed starlike object
intended to injure a person when thrown, or any armband, made with leather which has
metallic spikes, points or studs or any similar device made from any other substance or
a cestus or similar material weighted with metal or other substance and worn on the
hand, or a manrikigusari or similar length of chain having weighted ends …
[Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 10(b)]
Students should recognize that even when they are away from the University, Massachusetts
law requires a permit or firearms identification card or compliance with other specialized rules
(depending on the type of weapon) for possession of any firearms. The definition of firearms is
broad, and includes pistols or guns operated by air, carbon dioxide, or other gases. Carrying
any firearm (even if unloaded) in violation of the law is punishable by imprisonment with a
mandatory minimum sentence of 18 months, which cannot be suspended or reduced
(Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 10[a]). Students should consult the local police
department in the city or town in which they reside if they intend to possess firearms on non-
University property, in order to assure strict compliance with the applicable statutes.
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Betting and Gambling
Students are advised that many gambling activities are illegal under Massachusetts law. The
state may bring a criminal action requiring that the winner of a bet forfeit double the value of the
winnings, and anyone who loses money “at cards, dice or other game” may recover the losses
from the winner through civil action. Bookmaking is illegal: There are severe penalties, up to a
fine of $3,000 and three years in prison, for keeping, occupying, or being found in any place
used “for registering bets, or buying or selling [betting] pools, upon the result of a trial contest of
skill, speed, or endurance of man, beast, bird, or machine, or upon the result of a game,
competition, political nomination, appointment or election.” (Massachusetts General Laws, c.
271 § 17). Use of the telephone or mail for gambling activities is also illegal. Provisions of
federal law also govern organized gambling activities. The Cambridge License Commission
dictates that under no circumstances are casino nights, Las Vegas nights, or any other type of
gambling allowed in the city of Cambridge.
Under NCAA bylaws, a student athlete who is involved in betting or gambling activities relating
to intercollegiate athletics risks loss of eligibility. Students participating in intercollegiate athletics
are expected to be familiar with the Harvard University Student-Athlete Handbook, which is
distributed by the Department of Athletics.
Hazing
Massachusetts law expressly prohibits any form of hazing in connection with initiation into a
student organization. The relevant statutes are provided below. The law applies to all student
groups, whether or not officially recognized, and to practices conducted both on and off campus.
All such student groups (including not only groups officially recognized by the College but also
final clubs, fraternities, sororities, and the like) must provide the Dean of Students Office with
contact information for all undergraduate officers, and must sign and return to the Dean of
Students Office the College’s non-hazing attestation form by September 30 each year.
The term “hazing,” under Massachusetts law, means “any conduct or method of initiation …
which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other
person.” The definition specifically includes “whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics,
exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other
substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely
affect the physical health or safety of any such student or other person, or which subjects such
student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest
or extended isolation. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section to the contrary,
consent shall not be available as a defense to any prosecution under this action”
(Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 17). The failure to report hazing also is illegal, under
Massachusetts law.
Hazing is a crime punishable by fine and/or imprisonment. The Administrative Board of the
College will consider all reports of hazing in the normal course of this oversight, taking
disciplinary action in appropriate cases, and will report confirmed incidents to appropriate law
enforcement officials. Where serious harm, or the potential for serious harm, has come to any
person as a result of hazing by members of a student group, whether or not such group is
officially recognized by the College (either on campus or off campus), and the individual or
individuals directly responsible are not identified, the host or hosts of the event or activity will be
held personally responsible. If the hosts are not identified, the officers of the organization will be
held personally responsible. In considering such cases, the Administrative Board will apply the
College’s help-seeking policy (see “Help-Seeking Policy”), and also may consider as mitigating
factors with respect to possible disciplinary action the efforts made by the hosts or officers to
prevent the harmful or potentially harmful situation, as well as their cooperation with the
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MASSACHUSETTS HAZING STATUTE
College’s investigation of the situation. A memorandum detailing the specifics of this law is
available in the Office of the Dean of Harvard College.
The Massachusetts hazing statute states:
Section 17. Whoever is a principal organizer or participant in the crime of hazing, as
defined herein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars or by
imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or both such fine and
imprisonment.
The term “hazing” as used in this section and in sections eighteen and nineteen, shall
mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on
public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental
health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating,
branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food,
liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced
physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any
such student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme
mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section to the contrary, consent shall not be
available as a defense to any prosecution under this action.
Section 18. Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in
section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person
can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an
appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to
report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.
Section 19. Each institution of secondary education and each public and private
institution of post-secondary education shall issue to every student group, student team
or student organization which is part of such institution or is recognized by the institution
or permitted by the institution to use its name or facilities or is known by the institution to
exist as an unaffiliated student group, student team or student organization, a copy of
this section and sections seventeen and eighteen; provided, however, that an
institution’s compliance with this section’s requirements that an institution issue copies of
this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to unaffiliated student groups, teams
or organizations shall not constitute evidence of the institution’s recognition or
endorsement of said unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations.
Each such group, team or organization shall distribute a copy of this section and
sections seventeen and eighteen to each of its members, plebes, pledges or applicants
for membership. It shall be the duty of each such group, team or organization, acting
through its designated officer, to deliver annually, to the institution an attested
acknowledgement stating that such group, team or organization has received a copy of
this section and said sections seventeen and eighteen, that each of its members, plebes,
pledges, or applicants has received a copy of sections seventeen and eighteen, and that
such group, team or organization understands and agrees to comply with the provisions
of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.
Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post
secondary education shall, at least annually, before or at the start of enrollment, deliver
66
to each person who enrolls as a full-time student in such institution a copy of this section
and sections seventeen and eighteen.
Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post-
secondary education shall file, at least annually, a report with the board of higher
education and in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education, certifying
that such institution has complied with its responsibility to inform student groups, teams
or organizations and to notify each full-time student enrolled by it of the provisions of this
section and sections seventeen and eighteen and also certifying that said institution has
adopted a disciplinary policy with regard to the organizers and participants of hazing,
and that such policy has been set forth with appropriate emphasis in the student
handbook or similar means of communicating the institution’s policies to its students.
The board of higher education and, in the case of secondary institutions, the board of
education shall promulgate regulations governing the content and frequency of such
reports, and shall forthwith report to the attorney general any such institution which fails
to make such report.
[Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 17, 18 and 19]
67
ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD OF HARVARD COLLEGE,
HARVARD COLLEGE HONOR COUNCIL, AND
STUDENT-FACULTY JUDICIAL BOARD
Three Boards exist to hear the cases or requests of Harvard undergraduates. They are
overseen by the Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct.
▪ The Administrative Board reviews all undergraduate records, hears all undergraduate
petitions for exceptions to the administrative rules of the College, and handles any
undergraduate disciplinary case involving social misconduct for which there is governing
faculty legislation and/or for which there is precedent for interpreting and applying the
rules and standards of conduct of the College.
▪ The Harvard College Honor Council reviews all undergraduate disciplinary cases
involving violations of The Honor Code and academic dishonesty.
▪ The Student-Faculty Judicial Board handles only disciplinary cases for which there is
no clear governing precedent, policy, or Faculty legislation; for which the procedures of
the Administrative Board are inappropriate; or the disposition of which will have profound
effects on the community in general.
The following sections provide a brief introduction to these Boards. For more detailed
information, students may consult with their Resident Dean or visit the website for the
Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct at https://oaisc.fas.harvard.edu/.
Administrative Board of Harvard College
The Administrative Board acts on routine and special petitions, academic review, and
disciplinary cases involving social misconduct, including violations of the University’s
Policies on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment. Students may refer to the website
for the Administrative Board (https://adboard.fas.harvard.edu/) for more information on the
number of petitions and cases, category by category, considered by the Administrative
Board in the previous five years. The Administrative Board’s authority to handle the routine
College administrative and disciplinary matters derives directly from the Faculty. All meetings
and discussions of the Administrative Board are confidential. The Administrative Board includes
both teaching members of the Faculty and senior administrators. However, Resident Deans
make up the majority of the membership and provide students with a direct link to the
Administrative Board.
Established procedures and practices guide the Administrative Board’s work and
decisions, taking into account the Administrative Board’s understanding of the student’s
particular circumstances. These include a student’s option to reconsider or appeal a decision;
the opportunity to meet personally with a subcommittee of the Administrative Board in some
disciplinary cases; the option to have present during a personal appearance at the
subcommittee meeting an adviser in addition to one’s Resident Dean; the ability to take up very
routine matters with the Registrar or House and Dean of Students offices, among other things.
The FAS has established procedures for investigating violations of the University’s Policies on
Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment; however, the Administrative Board remains responsible
for College student discipline. Any disciplinary proceedings against a College student based on
allegations of a violation of the policy must be conducted in a manner consistent with the
University procedures. The disciplinary procedures that apply to allegations of sexual or
gender-based harassment brought against any undergraduate student may be found in full at
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ACTIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD
the Office for Gender Equity’s website (https://oge.harvard.edu/policies-procedures).
A student may ask that any decision of the Administrative Board be reconsidered provided that
new materially relevant information becomes available or there is reasonable evidence of a
procedural error. A student has the option to appeal some disciplinary decisions of the
Administrative Board to the Faculty Council. Information on this process may be obtained from
the student’s Resident Dean, the Secretary of the Administrative Board, or the Secretary of the
Faculty. Appeals involving cases of sexual or gender-based harassment are described in the
University Procedures as well as in the FAS Procedures.
It should be noted that students are considered in good standing when they are not on probation
and/or have not been required to withdraw, dismissed, or expelled from the College for either
academic or disciplinary reasons. Warnings and admonitions do not affect a student’s good
standing.
In disciplinary cases, if the Administrative Board determines that wrongdoing occurred, it may
take the following actions:
1. Warn or Admonish: A reprimand to a student whose behavior violates the rules or
standards of conduct of the community. A warning becomes part of the student’s official
record, but is not considered a formal disciplinary action.
2. Disciplinary Probation: A strong warning to a student whose conduct gives serious cause
for concern. Probation is a formal disciplinary action of the College and becomes part of
the student’s official record.
During the period of time (to be specified by the Administrative Board) that a student is
on probation, any further instance of misconduct will cause the Administrative Board to
seriously consider requiring the student to withdraw from the College. Students on
probation must be especially conscientious about their behavior and responsibilities. If
the offense is related to participation in extracurricular activity, the Administrative Board
may at its discretion restrict such participation; in cases in which management of time
appears to contribute to the problem, the Administrative Board may require that the
student obtain the Administrative Board’s permission for participation in each individual
activity. The Administrative Board may also attach additional requirements to probation.
A student’s failure to amend their conduct so as to meet the standards of this community
is a grave matter, ordinarily leading to further disciplinary action, including requirement to
withdraw. Students placed on disciplinary probation are ordinarily relieved of probation at
the end of a set period of time (specified by the Administrative Board in its decision) if
they have maintained satisfactory conduct. Students on probation may not receive a
degree until they have been relieved of probation by the Administrative Board.
3. Requirement to Withdraw for Disciplinary Reasons: Action taken in serious disciplinary
cases indicating that the student’s behavior is unacceptable in this community.
Requirement to withdraw is a formal disciplinary action of the College and becomes part
of the student’s official record. Requirement to withdraw ordinarily is effective
immediately upon vote of the Administrative Board.
For students who have been required to withdraw, the rules regarding financial aid and
financial obligations (housing fees, food, etc.) are the same as for undergraduates who
go on leave of absence (see “Students’ Financial Obligations”). Students who are
required to withdraw from the University are not entitled to an identification card until
69
they have been officially readmitted (see also “Harvard University Identification Cards”).
A student who is required to withdraw for disciplinary reasons is not in good standing
until readmitted, and may not participate in any academic exercises or extracurricular
activities. Students may not receive a degree until they have been readmitted to good
standing in the College. In order to be readmitted, the student ordinarily must have been
away from the College for at least one but ordinarily two or more full terms and must
have shown an acceptable record of performance during a substantial period (at least
six consecutive months) of regular employment. Employment must be full time, paid,
supervised, and evaluated, and not in a business owned or controlled by the student’s
family. Without exception, students who have been required to withdraw must petition
the Administrative Board to be readmitted to the College, and the Administrative Board’s
decision will depend on its judgment of the student’s readiness to rejoin the College
community (see also “Readmission after Requirement to Withdraw for Disciplinary or
Academic Reasons”). A student who has twice been required to withdraw from the
College will ordinarily not be readmitted. No student who for disciplinary reasons
has been required to withdraw for the second and final time or dismissed from
Harvard College may ordinarily enroll in the Harvard Summer School or in the
Extension School.
4. Dismissal: Action taken in serious disciplinary cases whereby a student’s connection
with the University is ended by vote of the Faculty Council. (The action taken by the
Administrative Board is a vote of requirement to withdraw with a recommendation to the
Faculty Council that the student be dismissed.) Dismissal does not necessarily preclude
a student’s return, but readmission is granted rarely and only by vote of the Faculty
Council. A dismissed student is not in good standing until readmitted.
5. Expulsion: The most extreme disciplinary action possible. It signifies that the student is
no longer welcome in the community. Expulsion must be voted by the Faculty Council.
(The action taken by the Administrative Board is a vote of requirement to withdraw with a
recommendation to the Faculty Council that the student be expelled.) A student who is
expelled can never be readmitted and restored to good standing.
In cases of academic review the Administrative Board can take any of the following actions:
1. Academic Probation: a serious warning to a student whose academic performance for
the term is unsatisfactory. Academic probation is a formal action taken by the Registrar
on behalf of the Administrative Board and becomes part of the student’s official record.
During the time that a student is on academic probation, any further instance of
unsatisfactory academic progress will cause the Administrative Board to give serious
consideration to requiring the student to withdraw from the College, ordinarily for two
terms. A student on probation must attend all classes and be especially conscientious
about all academic responsibilities. If the unsatisfactory academic record is related to
participation in extracurricular activity, the Administrative Board may at its discretion
restrict participation; in cases in which management of time appears to be the problem,
the Administrative Board may require the student to obtain the Administrative Board’s
permission for participation in each individual extracurricular activity. The Administrative
Board may also attach additional requirements to probation. Failure of the student to
resume satisfactory progress toward the degree is a grave matter and will ordinarily
result in requirement to withdraw.
A student placed on probation for academic reasons is relieved of probation at the end
of the next completed term if the record is satisfactory (including the passing of at least
70
three courses). Students on probation may not receive a degree until they have been
relieved of probation.
2. Requirement to Withdraw for Academic Reasons: formal action of the College that
becomes part of the student’s official record and that may be taken in the following
circumstances reflecting the Administrative Board’s judgment that the record indicates
that the student should be given time to reassess academic goals and plans:
▪ In the case of a student who has failed to have a satisfactory record for two
consecutive terms.
▪ At any return of grades in the case of any student, whether or not previously on
probation, whose record fails to meet the minimum requirements (see “Minimum
Requirements”).
▪ In the case of serious neglect of work followed by an unsatisfactory record in any
term, even though the student has met the minimum requirements.
Students who have been required to withdraw for academic reasons should consult
closely with their Resident Dean regarding financial aid and financial obligations
(housing fees, food, etc.), which vary in certain respects from the obligations for
undergraduates who go on leave of absence or who are required to withdraw for
disciplinary reasons. Students who are required to withdraw from the University are not
entitled to an identification card until they have officially been readmitted (see also
“Harvard University Identification Cards”).
A student who is required to withdraw for academic reasons is not in good standing, and
may not participate in any academic exercises or extracurricular activities. Students may
not receive a degree until they have been readmitted and are in good standing in the
College. At the end of the period of withdrawal, the student may be readmitted on
(academic) probation, and relieved of (academic) probation at the end of that term
provided the record is satisfactory (including the passing of at least three courses). In
order to be readmitted, the student ordinarily must have been away from the College for
at least one but ordinarily two or more full terms and must have shown an acceptable
record of performance during a substantial period (at least six consecutive months) of
full-time paid employment. Employment must be full time, paid, supervised, and
evaluated, and not in a business owned or controlled by the student’s family.
Without exception, students who have been required to withdraw must petition the
Administrative Board to be readmitted to the College, and the Administrative Board’s
decision will depend on its judgment of the student’s readiness to rejoin the College
community (see also “Readmission after Requirement to Withdraw for Disciplinary or
Academic Reasons”). A student who has twice been required to withdraw from the
College will ordinarily not be readmitted.
Should a first unsatisfactory record result from especially compelling and well-documented
extenuating circumstances, the Administrative Board could decide to Take No Action and Warn
students about their academic record instead of placing them on academic probation. However,
an unsatisfactory record remains so regardless of the action taken by the Administrative Board.
Therefore, all students who have an unsatisfactory record must take care to ensure that they
earn all satisfactory grades during their next term in the College or a second unsatisfactory
record may result in a requirement to withdraw.
Although Exclusion from a Course is an action the Administrative Board will have taken prior to
academic review, such evidence of neglect of work resulting in a failing grade weighs heavily in
the Administrative Board’s consideration of and response to unsatisfactory records. (See
71
ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD ACTIONS AND LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
READMISSION AFTER REQUIREMENT TO WITHDRAW FOR DISCIPLINARY
OR ACADEMIC REASONS
“Exclusion from a Course”.)
The Administrative Board has adopted the following policy with regard to recommendations for
students that are provided on behalf of Harvard College:
1. Resident Deans and those acting on their behalf will answer honestly and fully all
questions asked of them on admissions and fellowship applications.
2. Resident Deans and those acting on their behalf will advise students of their
responsibility to answer honestly and fully all questions asked on admissions and
fellowship applications.
3. Any requirement to withdraw for academic reasons must always be mentioned in all
recommendations for students provided on behalf of Harvard College.
4. Any requirement to withdraw or probation for disciplinary reasons must always be
mentioned in all recommendations for students provided on behalf of Harvard College.
5. Resident Deans and those acting on their behalf will amend any letters of
recommendation provided on behalf of Harvard College to reflect any change in a
student’s status.
6. Every recommendation mentioning one or more actions taken for disciplinary or
academic reasons will state that doing so is mandated by College policy. The letters will
place such actions in the context of the student’s overall undergraduate experience at
Harvard.
7. If a disciplinary matter is pending at the time a letter of recommendation is prepared, the
letter will state that a disciplinary matter is pending, and that this is being reported as a
matter of College policy.
Students who have been required to withdraw will be readmitted only if they can present
convincing evidence that they are likely to achieve good standing with respect to both their
academic record and conduct if given a second opportunity to study at Harvard. In all such
cases the student must petition the Administrative Board to be readmitted to the College, and
the Administrative Board’s decision will depend on its judgment of the student’s readiness to
resume studies and to rejoin the College community.
Readmission is not automatic. Students must fulfill the Faculty’s and the Administrative Board’s
minimum requirements for readmission listed below. They must also meet any special
requirements set by the Administrative Board or Honor Council and described in the letter sent
them by the Resident Dean when they were required to withdraw. Examples of such additional,
special requirements are a specified level of achievement in a session of the Harvard Summer
School, and more than two terms spent away from the College and the Harvard campus. In
certain cases, a student may also be requested to consult with Harvard University Health
Services prior to return. The Administrative Board will not ordinarily approve the return of a
student for the fall term whose experience in the Harvard Summer School in the previous
summer has been unsuccessful or unsatisfactory. If students are in any doubt as to the
requirements for their readmission following a requirement to withdraw, it is their responsibility
to contact their Resident Dean for clarification.
Students request readmission through their Resident Dean, who presents the students’ petitions
to the Administrative Board. A petition for readmission is not normally considered before mid-
October or mid-March prior to the term for which readmission is sought, and the petition must
72
ADMISSION MATERIALS
ordinarily be filed at least 12 weeks in advance of the beginning of the term for which the
student seeks readmission. Earlier deadlines for housing and financial aid applications will
pertain even though petitions for readmission cannot be considered before December or
May.
Minimum general prerequisites for readmission are:
1. A specified period of time (at the very least, one full term) spent away from Harvard
College and University property.
2. Both residence and employment away from the Harvard campus for the period of
withdrawal prior to readmission unless other arrangements have been specially
approved in advance by the Administrative Board.
3. An acceptable record of performance for a minimum of six months of continuous,
regular, full-time paid employment at one non-academic job and not in a business owned
or controlled by the student’s family, with a suitable letter of recommendation from the
employer or employment supervisor.
4. A satisfactory standard of conduct during the period since the student was required to
withdraw.
5. Indication that the student has an understanding of the reasons for previous difficulties in
the College, particularly those related to the requirement to withdraw.
6. Assurance that the student has adequate motivation for resuming academic work and an
appropriate program of study in mind.
Note: Students who through their own decision or action of the Administrative Board have been
away from College for five or more years must petition the Administrative Board for permission
to register. Those planning to return to the College after an absence of five or more years will
not ordinarily be eligible for scholarship aid from institutional sources. Petitions to return after an
interval of five or more years must include evidence of financial resources necessary to meet all
College expenses.
Occasionally candidates for admission make inaccurate or incomplete statements or submit
false materials in connection with their applications. In most cases, these misrepresentations or
omissions are discovered during the admission process and the application is rejected. If a
misrepresentation or omission is discovered after a student has registered, or registered and
completed courses, the offer of admission ordinarily will be rescinded, the course credit and
grades will be revoked, and the student will be required to leave the College. If discovery occurs
after a degree has been awarded, the offer of admission ordinarily will be rescinded, and the
course credit, grades, and degree will be revoked. Such cases may be referred to the
Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid rather than to the Administrative Board of Harvard
College.
73
ACTIONS OF THE HONOR COUNCIL
Student-Faculty Judicial Board
In 1987, the FAS established the Student-Faculty Judicial Board to hear those disciplinary
cases for which there is no clear Faculty legislation or accepted precedent within this community
for response. The Student-Faculty Judicial Board hears only disciplinary cases, has no authority
over administrative petitions or academic review, and uses the same range of sanctions as the
Administrative Board. The Judicial Board has 12 voting members — six faculty members and
six students — who are chosen by lot according to guidelines ensuring the diversity and
distribution of membership. In addition, the Dean of Harvard College and the Administrative
Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences are ex officio nonvoting members. Students
may get more information about the Student-Faculty Judicial Board from the Secretary of the
Faculty.
Harvard College Honor Council
The Harvard College Honor Council handles disciplinary cases that stem from potential
violations of the Honor Code or rules on academic integrity and academic dishonesty. These
include, for example, potential plagiarism, inappropriate collaboration, exam cheating, copying,
and other violations. (See also “Honor Code” and “Academic Integrity and Academic
Dishonesty”).
The Honor Council’s authority to handle all undergraduate disciplinary cases involving the
Honor Code and rules on Academic Integrity and Academic Dishonesty derives directly from the
Faculty. All meetings and discussions of the Honor Council are confidential. It is the policy of the
Faculty that while evaluation of academic work is entirely in the hands of the instructor,
questions of academic honesty are adjudicated by the Honor Council. Students have a right to
expect that grading will not be used as punishment for alleged academic dishonesty that has not
been confirmed by the Honor Council. Students may ask the Honor Council, through their
Resident Dean, to investigate and resolve informal allegations of academic dishonesty that have
not been brought to the Council’s attention by a faculty member.
The Honor Council is made up of an equal number of Harvard College undergraduates and FAS
Faculty members, administrators, and GSAS teaching fellows. Members are selected to
represent the academic community as broadly as possible. The Honor Council publishes its
procedures to provide members of the Harvard College community with a guide to its work.
Those procedures are presented on the Honor Council’s website
(https://honorcouncil.fas.harvard.edu/).
Students may request that their case be reconsidered provided that new materially relevant
information becomes available or there is reasonable evidence of a procedural error. A student
has the option to appeal some disciplinary decisions of the Honor Council to the Faculty
Council. Information on this process may be obtained from the student’s Resident Dean, the
Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct, or the Secretary of the Faculty.
In making a decision, the Honor Council is guided by the educational development of the
student and the standards of the academic community as set forth in the Honor Code. It should
be noted that students are considered in good standing when they are not on probation and
have not been required to withdraw, dismissed, or expelled from the College for either academic
or disciplinary reasons. Warnings and admonitions do not affect a student’s good standing.
If the Honor Council determines that the Honor Code or rules on academic integrity and
academic dishonesty have been violated, it may take the following actions:
74
1. Warn or Admonish: A reprimand to a student whose behavior violates the rules or
standards of conduct of the community. A warning becomes part of the student’s official
record, but is not considered a formal disciplinary action.
2. Exclusion from a Course: A notation of EXL on the transcript, indicating that the student
was not permitted to continue in the course and received no credit. Exclusion from a
course is equivalent in all respects to failing it and in and of itself makes the student’s
record for the term unsatisfactory.
3. Referral for Local Sanctions: A referral to the faculty member teaching the course in
which the finding of academic dishonesty was made with a recommendation that “local
sanctions” (for example: mandatory tutoring, a course warning, an ungraded rework of
the assignment in question, a grade penalty, or a failure for the assignment) are
appropriate. Such sanctions will be imposed at the discretion of the faculty member in
consultation with the Honor Council.
4. Disciplinary Probation: A strong warning to a student whose conduct gives serious cause
for concern. Probation is a formal disciplinary action of the College and becomes part of
the student’s official record.
During the period of time (to be specified by the Honor Council) that a student is on
probation, any further instance of misconduct will cause the Honor Council to seriously
consider requiring the student to withdraw from the College. Students on probation must
be especially conscientious about their behavior and responsibilities. If the offense is
related to participation in extracurricular activity, the Honor Council may at its discretion
restrict such participation; in cases in which management of time appears to contribute
to the problem, the Honor Council may require that the student obtain the Honor
Council’s permission for participation in each individual activity. The Honor Council may
also attach additional requirements to probation. A student’s failure to amend their
conduct so as to meet the standards of this community is a grave matter, ordinarily
leading to further disciplinary action, including requirement to withdraw. Students placed
on disciplinary probation are ordinarily relieved of probation at the end of a set period of
time (specified by the Honor Council in its decision) if they have maintained satisfactory
conduct. Students on probation may not receive a degree until they have been relieved
of probation by the Honor Council.
5. Requirement to Withdraw for Disciplinary Reasons: Action taken in serious disciplinary
cases indicating that the student’s behavior is unacceptable in this community.
Requirement to withdraw is a formal disciplinary action of the College and becomes part
of the student’s official record. Requirement to withdraw ordinarily is effective
immediately upon vote of the Honor Council.
For students who have been required to withdraw, the rules regarding financial aid and
financial obligations (housing rent, food, etc.) are the same as for undergraduates who
go on leave of absence (see “Students’ Financial Obligations”). Students who are
required to withdraw from the University are not entitled to an identification card until
they have been officially readmitted (see also “Harvard University Identification Cards”).
A student who is required to withdraw for disciplinary reasons is not in good standing
until readmitted and may not participate in any academic exercises or extracurricular
activities. Students may not receive a degree until they have been readmitted to good
standing in the College. In order to be readmitted, the student ordinarily must have been
away from the College for at least one but ordinarily two or more full terms and must
75
HONOR COUNCIL ACTIONS AND LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
have shown an acceptable record of performance during a substantial period (at least
six consecutive months) of regular employment. Employment must be full time, paid,
supervised, and evaluated, and not in a business owned or controlled by the student’s
family. Without exception, students who have been required to withdraw must petition
the Administrative Board to be readmitted to the College, and the Administrative Board’s
decision will depend on its judgment of the student’s readiness to rejoin the College
community (see also “Readmission after Requirement to Withdraw for Disciplinary or
Academic Reasons”). A student who has twice been required to withdraw from the
College will ordinarily not be readmitted. No student who for disciplinary reasons
has been required to withdraw for the second and final time or dismissed from
Harvard College may ordinarily enroll in the Harvard Summer School or in the
Extension School.
6. Dismissal: Action taken in serious disciplinary cases whereby a student’s connection
with the University is ended by vote of the Faculty Council. (The action taken by the
Honor Council is a vote of requirement to withdraw with a recommendation to the
Faculty Council that the student be dismissed.) Dismissal does not necessarily preclude
a student’s return, but readmission is granted rarely and only by vote of the Faculty
Council. A dismissed student is not in good standing until readmitted.
7.
Expulsion: The most extreme disciplinary action possible. It signifies that the student is
no longer welcome in the community. Expulsion must be voted by the Faculty Council.
(The action taken by the Honor Council is a vote of requirement to withdraw with a
recommendation to the Faculty Council that the student be expelled.) A student who is
expelled can never be readmitted and restored to good standing.
The Honor Council has adopted the following policy with regard to recommendations for
students that are provided on behalf of Harvard College.
1. Resident Deans and those acting on their behalf will answer honestly and fully all
questions asked of them on admissions and fellowship applications.
2. Resident Deans and those acting on their behalf will advise students of their
responsibility to answer honestly and fully all questions asked on admissions and
fellowship applications.
3. Any requirement to withdraw or probation for disciplinary reasons must always be
mentioned in all recommendations for students provided on behalf of Harvard College.
4. Resident Deans and those acting on their behalf will amend any letters of
recommendation provided on behalf of Harvard College to reflect any change in a
student’s status.
5. Every recommendation mentioning one or more actions taken for disciplinary reasons
will state that doing so is mandated by College policy. The letters will place such actions
in the context of the student’s overall undergraduate experience at Harvard.
6. If a disciplinary matter is pending at the time a letter of recommendation is prepared, the
letter will state that a disciplinary matter is pending, and that this is being reported as a
matter of College policy.
76
READMISSION AFTER REQUIREMENT TO WITHDRAW BY THE HONOR COUNCIL
FOR DISCIPLINARY REASON
Without exception, students who have been required to withdraw must petition the
Administrative Board to be readmitted to the College, and the Administrative Board’s decision
will depend on its judgment of the student’s readiness to rejoin the College community (see also
“Readmission after Requirement to Withdraw for Disciplinary or Academic Reasons”). Students
who are petitioning for readmission should consult closely with their Resident Dean, who will
bring the student’s petition to the Administrative Board.
HOUSING OFFICE
Housing Office
Office of Student Services
Smith Campus Center
Tel: 617-496-2774; Fax: 617-495-1719
Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
The Housing Office in the Office of Student Services provides housing forms and information
about all undergraduate housing, and administers systemwide policies and procedures related
to housing. All forms are available online in the student portal
(http://harvard.starrezhousing.com/starrezportalx).
On-Campus Housing: System and Assignments
All first-year students are assigned to dormitories by the First Year Experience staff in the Dean
of Students Office, during the summer months prior to their enrollment. Ordinarily, they live in
one of 17 dormitories in or near Harvard Yard and take their meals in Annenberg Hall. The
dormitories are divided into four areas, or Yards, each headed by a Resident Dean of First-Year
Students. These Deans, each with a staff of several resident proctors, oversee the academic
progress and personal welfare of the students in their area.
Each spring, current first-year students are assigned to one of the 12 residential Houses by a
random lottery system. The features of the process are publicized well in advance of the
lottery’s administration by the Housing Office in the Office of Students Services..
Resident upper-level students who live on campus reside in one of the 12 residential Houses.
Faculty Deans are responsible for the overall management and well-being of the House
community. Each House also has an Allston Burr Resident Dean, faculty associates, tutors, and
affiliates, some of whom reside in the House. The Dudley Community serves nonresident
students, Dudley Co-op students, and Visiting Undergraduate Students, and is staffed by the
Dudley Community Resident Dean and tutors. It provides recreational and social opportunities
as well as specialized support for off-campus student issues.
House affiliation and residence for transfer students are determined by a random lottery prior to
the student’s arrival.
77
HOUSING ASSIGNMENTS
TRANSFERRING BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL HOUSES
HOUSING FOR STUDENTS REQUIRING ACCOMMODATION
The assignment of rooms and roommate groups for first-year students is made by the Office of
First-Year Experience in the Dean of Students Office. Students are notified of these
assignments in August. Questions regarding first-year students’ room assignments should be
directed to the Office of First-Year Experience.
Each House determines the procedure for room assignments for the upper-level students
assigned to it. Sophomores beginning residence in a House receive room assignments after
rooms are filled by seniors and juniors. Questions regarding room assignments for upper-level
students should be directed to the House Administrator of the appropriate House. A directory of
House Administrators can be found at https://dso.college.harvard.edu/people/people-
type/house-administrators.
Changes in room assignment within a first-year dormitory or within a House must be approved
by the appropriate staff. Students must notify their Resident Dean immediately of any change in
address.
It is assumed that students will live, for their three upper-level years, in the House to which they
are assigned during the Rising Sophomore Lottery.
Occasionally, however, students may seek to transfer to another residential House. Students
who started the College as first-year students may transfer after completing two terms of
residency in the House to which they were assigned. Students who transferred to Harvard
College from other institutions may apply to transfer after one term of residency in the House to
which they were assigned. Transfer students who waive housing during the admissions process
will not be eligible to live on campus while enrolled at the College.
Applications are made in the term prior to when the transfer would take place (e.g., students
who want to transfer in the fall apply in the spring), and Harvard’s College Calendar
(https://calendar.college.harvard.edu) includes deadline dates. Requests for an inter-House
transfer based on medical reasons are evaluated on an individual basis throughout the year.
Transfers between Houses for medical reasons are rare, and all such petitions must be directed
to the DAO .
Students may transfer residence from the House to which they have been assigned only
through the regular transfer process, by having a medical petition approved, or as a Title IX
supportive measure.
Accommodations can be made for students with disabilities and/or medical conditions.
Students requiring assistance need to communicate directly with the DAO immediately following
admission, or as soon as the need is established. In addition, students bringing medical
equipment should inform the DAO to ensure that adequate electrical or other considerations are
made. Documentation provided to the DAO is necessary to request housing accommodations.
Specific guidelines for such documentation may be obtained from the DAO website at
https://dao.fas.harvard.edu The University reserves the right to change a pre-existing housing
assignment, even temporarily, if a disability-related concern exists.
78
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS
GENDER-INCLUSIVE HOUSING
VETERANS, MARRIED, AND FAMILY STUDENT HOUSING
Students needing alternate access to the Houses for religious reasons should reach out to the
appropriate House Administrator and Building Manager. A directory of House Building
Managers can be found on the Dean of Students Office website at
https://dso.college.harvard.edu/building-manager-directory, and a directory of House
Administrators can also be found on that website, at
https://dso.college.harvard.edu/people/people-type/house-administrators.
Gender-inclusive housing is an option that allows students to live in a suite with others
regardless of their sex or gender identity. All occupants must voluntarily agree to the
arrangements. Any student at the College may request gender-inclusive housing, although the
process differs for first-year students and students living in the Houses.
the first-year housing application over the summer. For more information, contact the Dean of
Students Office (617-495-1574).
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors who wish to request gender-inclusive housing can do so by
speaking with their House Administrator. Fulfillment of requests for gender-inclusive housing will
take into account the limitations of each House. For more information, students should contact
the Housing Office (617-496-2774), their House Administrator.
Harvard College does not offer undergraduate housing in the Houses or dorms to married
undergraduates and/or undergraduates with families. However, students who are veterans,
married, and/or have children may be eligible for Harvard-affiliated housing through Harvard
University Housing (HUH). Given the leasing period for HUH housing, students are strongly
encouraged to make such a request during the spring term (between March 1 and May 1) if they
are requesting housing for the following academic year. Requests and inquiries related to this
policy should be directed to the Director of Housing and Residential Operations and Student Life
IT at collegehousing@fas.harvard.edu.
Housing Policies
All first-year students are required to live on campus. Most upper-level students also live in
College housing; those who choose to live elsewhere must submit the Housing Contract
Cancellation form via the residential portal. Please be sure to check the Housing Office
residential fees webpage for housing-cancellation-related fees.
All students living in College dormitories and Houses are required to purchase full-meal
contracts and be familiar with the undergraduate housing license contract. Below is information
about applying for and canceling housing:
▪ At the beginning of their residence in the College, all students are required to sign a
housing contract in the student residential portal. This contract remains binding for all the
terms a student is in residence, and is cancelled by graduation or by the submission of a
Housing Contract Cancellation form. It is renewed by the timely submission of a
Returning Student Housing Application.
▪ Students who are on a leave of absence or who are required to withdraw and intend to
79
THOSE WHO WILL ORDINARILY BE HOUSED
THOSE WHO WILL BE HOUSED ON A SPACE-AVAILABLE BASIS ONLY
return to College Houses must notify the Housing Office of their intention to return by
completing the Returning Student Housing Application via the residential portal by the
dates given on the Housing Office website: https://dso.college.harvard.edu/leaving-and-
returning. A student who has filed an application to return to residential housing for one
term and subsequently decides to return for the following term must submit a new
Housing Contract Cancellation form and a new Returning Student Housing Application
via the residential portal by the dates below.
▪ Students who, while registered, have lived off-campus by choice and wish to return to
their previous House of affiliation must submit a Returning Student Housing Application
via the residential portal to the Housing Office by the dates given on this website:
https://dso.college.harvard.edu/leaving-and-returning.
All students who decide not to live in College housing, whether or not they are currently
registered and whether or not they have signed a Housing Contract, must inform the Housing
Office of their intent by completing a Housing Contract Cancellation form via the Residential
Portal by the dates given here: https://dso.college.harvard.edu/leaving-and-returning. See
“Students Who Move Off-Campus”.
A student may leave the House system and/or the College during the academic year to take a
leave of absence or move off-campus. Please refer to the chart titled “Students’ Financial
Obligations” or https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/students-financial-obligations for detailed
information about payment in the event of a leave or move off-campus.
All students intending to return to the College must obtain a Returning Student Housing
Application via the residential portal to the Housing Office by the dates given on this website:
https://dso.college.harvard.edu/leaving-and-returning. These applications are due early in the
preceding term in order to permit the College to provide housing for as many students as
possible (see “Housing Policies,” the DSO website (https://dso.college.harvard.edu/leaving-and-
returning) and the Academic Calendar, for application deadlines and other information).
Students who do not file the Returning Student Housing Application by the appropriate deadline
will be housed on a space-available basis only. Students denied housing on this basis can re-
establish eligibility for guaranteed housing by living off-campus for one term while enrolled and
by filing a Returning Student Housing Application before the appropriate deadline. Students
whose leaves have extended beyond two years are not guaranteed on-campus housing upon
their return to the College but will be housed on a space-available basis.
▪ Students currently registered in the College and living in a residential House or first-year
dormitory who have signed a Housing Contract by the deadline.
▪ Students on a leave of absence who have filed a Returning Student Housing Application.
▪ Students currently registered in the College who by choice are living for at least one term
off-campus and who wish to return to their House of previous residence. A Returning
Student Application must be filed by the appropriate deadlines.
Students who submit the Returning Student Housing Application after the appropriate deadline
will be placed on their House’s space available waitlist. Students should consult the House
Administrator for space availability.
80
HOUSING CONTRACT
CONDITIONS
STUDENT HOUSING LICENSE
HOUSING OFFICE
OFFICE OF STUDENT SERVICES
HARVARD COLLEGE
Licensee First Name: Licensee Last Name:
HUID #: Class Year:
Dorm: Suite Assignment:
I, the undersigned Licensee, hereby accept from Harvard University a license to occupy,
in a
ccordance with and subject to the Harvard College Handbook for Students, other
established rules and policies of the University, and the conditions set forth on this page,
the living Quarters specified above or any other Quarters to which I may be at any time
assigned (the “Quarters”), to be occupied only by me and such other persons as are
from time to time assigned to the Quarters. I understand that this license shall apply for
any and all periods during which that I am in residence at Harvard College. For this
license, I hereby agree to pay to the University an undergraduate room/student services
fee as indicated in the Harvard College Handbook for Students for the academic year.
And I hereby agree to be bound by and to comply with all such regulations, rules,
usages, and conditions.
I shall have no interest or estate in the land, but only a license to occupy the Quarters
assigned to me. The right to occupy the Quarters shall automatically terminate upon my
ceasing for any reason to be a full-time registered undergraduate student pursuing a
course of instruction at Harvard University, in which case the fee shall be prorated in
accordance with the University’s policy then in effect.
Licensee Signature: Date:
One-half of the fee shall be due with the first term bill for the fall term and one-half of the
fee shall be due with the first term bill for the spring term (unless Licensee uses another
University approved payment plan). Licensee will be liable for the fee for an entire
academic year, unless the University terminates the license. The University may cancel
this license and reassign the Quarters if (before the course registration deadline for
upper-level students, before Registration for first-year students) for the applicable term
Licensee has not started or resumed their occupancy of if Licensee has been granted
permission to live off-campus, in either of which case there may be a cancellation fee of
up to one-quarter of the fee for the term.
The University reserves the right to terminate this license for any cause it deems
reasonable (including without limitation when Licensee’s conduct jeopardizes their
welfare or the welfare of the community), making an appropriate adjustment of the fee.
The University may also reassign Licensee to other Quarters at any time.
The University shall be under no obligation to furnish heat for the Quarters during any
academic vacation. If Licensee chooses to occupy and receives permission from the
House Office, Housing Office or Dean of Students Office to occupy the Quarters during
any such vacation, then any temporary source of heat utilized by Licensee must be first
inspected and approved by the University. Licensee shall have no right to occupy the
Quarters between the spring and fall terms and no storage for personal property shall be
81
OTHER RESIDENCES
OCCUPANCY DURING SUMMER AND BETWEEN TERMS
CANCELLATION FEES
provided in the building(s) in which the Quarters are located.
The University shall not be liable for any inconvenience, loss, or damage caused by
insufficiency of heat or irregularity in the supply of electric current, or for the loss or theft
of or damage to any property of Licensee or Licensee’s visitors, wherever situated. Each
occupant of the Quarters is responsible for the care of University property in the
Quarters, and the cost of loss or damage will be assessed to Licensee and student(s)
judged by University officials to be responsible. All occupants of a suite or room may be
held jointly responsible for any loss or damage to the suite or room. Licensee also
shares with other residents joint responsibility for the common areas of the suite, floor,
entry, residence hall, or other common facilities and may be subject to joint assessment
in the event loss or damage to such areas where University officials conclude that
individual responsibility cannot be established. A degree will not be granted to Licensee
until such assessments are paid in full.
The University reserves the right to enter the Quarters at times it deems reasonable for
standards of safety and/or building maintenance. For routine inspections, students will
ordinarily be notified in advance by the Building Manager.
The Licensee may not share or otherwise allow use of University identification or keys to
the Quarters with any other person(s). The Quarters may not be “sub-licensed” in any
manner.
Because College housing is limited, students may not hold a room in a House, Dudley
residence, or dormitory during term time if it is not their main residence for that period.
Individual students may not reside in the Houses during the summer unless enrolled in
programs conducted by the Summer School or another College-affiliated program.
Students are expected to leave at the end of the fall term and not return to campus until the
Houses and dorms reopen at the start of Wintersession and the spring term. Specific dates for
when the College is closed and when it reopens are available on the Housing Office website.
Please see the Housing Office website (https://dso.college.harvard.edu/leaving-and-returning)
for information about cancellation fees. Fees for late housing cancellation, late check-in, late
course registration, and change-of-course petitions are waived only when the University is
responsible for the difficulty or when the situation involves a serious illness of the student
(usually including hospitalization) or a death in the student’s immediate family.
Students are encouraged to cancel their housing as soon as possible so that other students can
be taken off the waitlist and so that houses can plan lottery and room assignments accordingly.
82
THE DUDLEY COOPERATIVE
COMMUTERS
STUDENTS WHO MOVE OFF CAMPUS
VISITING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Housing Alternatives
Although Harvard College is predominantly residential, some students do not live in College
housing. Nonresident students are held to the same standards of conduct required of students
living in the Houses and dormitories. They are expected to behave in a mature and responsible
manner, and that expectation extends to their academic performance no less than to their social
behavior.
The Dudley Cooperative provides undergraduates with an alternative to the residential Houses.
Students live in two cooperative houses located on Massachusetts Avenue and Sacramento
Street. The Dudley Co-op is a small community of about 32 students. Members pay a reduced
housing rent to the University and are responsible for the housing rent until the end of the term
even if they move out of the Dudley Co-op. Members also pay a reduced food fee. The
selection, preparation, and quality of food are taken very seriously, and residents are expected
to spend about six hours per week on chores related to community living. For more about the
Co-Op see the Dudley Co-op website (https://dudley.harvard.edu/co-op).
Occasionally, Harvard admits to the first-year class a student who is granted nonresident status
at the time of admission. These students are advised in their first year by a Resident Dean of
First-Year Students and participate in the activities and social programs of Harvard Yard. These
students may choose to live on campus as sophomores and will receive a House assignment
from the Rising Sophomore Lottery. In order to retain that House affiliation, the student will need
to live in the House for a full semester. Those students who continue to live off campus will
affiliate with the Dudley Community.
All upper-level students who choose to live off campus after having lived in their assigned
residential House for at least one semester may choose affiliation with the Dudley Community,
or may remain affiliated with their residential House. Choice of affiliation must be indicated on
the Housing Contract Cancellation form. This option to affiliate with the Dudley Community has
appealed to a number of students, including married students, upper-level students returning
from extended leaves of absence, and students who wish to be part of a fully nonresidential
community.
All first-year students who complete the fall term must enter the Rising Sophomore Lottery to
receive a House assignment before requesting approval to live off campus. Should they decide
to live off campus in their sophomore year, and never live in the House they were affiliated with,
they will automatically be affiliated with the Dudley Community. Students who elect to live in the
Dudley Cooperative are required to affiliate with the Dudley Community.
Those students who are admitted to Harvard as visitors for a term or a year are admitted as
nonresidents, although a small number of beds may be available to these students on a yearly
basis under the oversight of the Dudley Community.
83
DUDLEY COMMUNITY
DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS
Students who elect membership in the Dudley Community are eligible for partial or full meal
contracts and are included in all social and cultural activities sponsored by the Dudley
Community. They are advised and supported by the Dudley Community Resident Dean and are
advised for purposes of fellowship and professional school application by Dudley Community
tutors.
DEAN OF STUDENTS OFFICE: RESIDENTIAL LIFE
The Residential Life Office in the Dean of Students Office aims to promote a living-learning
community that supports the intellectual and effective growth of Harvard undergraduates. It
works closely with the residential communities, including the First Year Experience Office, the
Dudley Community, and the Houses, and oversees student support, Title IX resources,
residential life programs, and military student services.
Residential Life
Dean of Students Office
6 Prescott Street
Tel: 617-496-7700
dso.college.harvard.edu
Policies Governing Enrollment and Residency
It is the expectation of the College that all students, whether or not they are on campus or are
currently enrolled as degree candidates, will behave in a mature and responsible manner and
are familiar with the regulations governing membership in the Harvard community, set forth in
the pages that follow and the accompanying references on the Dean of Students Office website,
the Housing Office website and other websites.
Because students are expected to show good judgment and use common sense at all times, not
all kinds of misconduct or behavioral standards are codified here. The College takes all these
diverse principles very seriously; together they create a foundation for the responsible,
respectful society that Harvard seeks to foster among its students, faculty, and staff, and will
review matters that are brought to its attention to determine the appropriate response.
Disciplinary actions within the Houses, the Dudley Community, and dormitories under College
supervision include admonition, probation, and requirement to leave the premises. In the latter
instance, a written warning will describe what the unacceptable behavior is, the fact that the
Faculty Dean, Dudley Community Resident Dean, or First-Year Experience staff has the right to
require the student to leave, and what steps must be taken by the student in order to remain in
residence. Should the student be unable or unwilling to take the steps to improve the situation
and should the student continue to behave in a manner that is detrimental to the well-being of
the residential community, the Faculty Dean, Dudley Community Resident Dean, or First-Year
Experience staff, in consultation with the Dean of Harvard College, may then require the student
to leave the premises even though the student may continue to be enrolled in the College. A
student required to leave a House, the Dudley Co-op or other Dudley-supervised residence, or
dormitory for disciplinary reasons will not ordinarily have the opportunity to return to a College
residence.
84
ROOMMATE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITIES
GUESTS
Personal issues, such as academic stress, alcohol abuse, depression, and eating disorders,
may strain relationships in a living situation. It is both a student’s right and a student’s
responsibility to seek help when such issues become disruptive.
Studies on alcohol abuse at colleges and universities show that there are significant secondary
effects for roommates and friends of those who drink excessively.
Students’ concerns about protecting a roommate’s privacy, in this and other instances, should
not keep them from getting support personally or for that other person. If a student is worried
about a friend, if this concern affects living habits, the student has the right and responsibility to
seek help both personally and for that other person. It may be that the student’s action spares
the individual painful consequences now or later.
Sources of help are available here, https://handbook.college.harvard.edu/#resources.
Every student is responsible for respectful treatment of neighbors in the community and in the
residences. In addition to students being responsible for the maintenance of good order and
reasonable quiet in their room, they are also responsible for maintenance of good order and
reasonable quiet in the neighborhoods in and around campus. Students shall at all times show
proper regard for others.
Harvard Yard is a tobacco-free space. Smoking, including vaping, is prohibited in all University
buildings. This includes, without limitation, in all administrative, academic, and residential
buildings and athletic facilities. Smoking is also prohibited within 25 feet of any residential
building as well as in any residential courtyard or breezeway. Students who violate this policy
may be banned from College housing and also may face disciplinary charges.
For more related to residential policies, see the Dean of Students Office website:
https://dso.college.harvard.edu/policies.
A Harvard student not regularly assigned to a particular dormitory, Dudley residence, or House
may not be lodged in that dormitory, residence, or House for more than a brief stay. The
consent of other occupants of the room is always required.
Students who wish to have guests who are not Harvard students for more than two nights must
first also obtain permission of the Faculty Dean, Dudley Community Resident Dean, or First-
Year Experience staff. The hosts of repeated overnight guests who are not Harvard students
must make their guests’ presence known to the Building Manager and security personnel due to
safety considerations. The College reserves the right to prohibit overnight guests when issues of
security are involved. Food may not be shared with or given to those who are not on a board
contract or who have not paid for the meal.
Guest and interhouse rules for each House are determined by the Faculty Dean and the House
Committee. Students may invite members of other Houses for any meal at which guests are
allowed. If the guest is “on board,” there will not be a charge, although an HUID must be shown.
Guests not on a meal plan or their hosts may pay the transient rates that are posted at the
checkers’ desk (cash, BoardPlus, and Crimson Cash are accepted for payment).
85
SECURITY AND ACCESS
FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS, INSTRUCTIONS, AND PROCEDURES
REGULATIONS
MISSING PERSONS POLICY
For the protection of students, their belongings, and University property, doors must be
locked at all times.
The University must have access to all student suites and the rooms within them. Therefore,
students are forbidden to install locks or any other security device (e.g., slide bolts, drop chains,
hook and eyes) to any doors of their suite.
Unauthorized or inappropriate possession of any key or passkey, reproduction of any key or
passkey, or interference with locks or other security devices is prohibited and makes a student
liable to disciplinary action by the Administrative Board and/or criminal prosecution.
Fire: 911
University Police: 617-495-1212
A student who violates any of the fire safety regulations or the fire emergency procedures,
including those pertaining to the abuse of fire alarm, smoke detector, sprinkler, or fire
extinguisher systems, will be subject to disciplinary action, including requirement to withdraw.
Students are urged to be thoroughly familiar with the fire safety regulations, instructions, and
procedures outlined here: https://dso.college.harvard.edu/policies/health-and-safety and here:
https://www.ehs.harvard.edu/programs/student-residential-fire-safety.
As required under federal law, Harvard College immediately will refer to the Harvard University
Police Department (HUPD) any missing persons report involving a student who lives in on-
campus housing. If any member of the Harvard community has reason to believe that a student
who resides in on-campus housing is missing, the member should immediately notify HUPD at
617-495-1212. If HUPD determines that the student has been missing for more than 24 hours,
then, within the 24 hours following this determination, the School or HUPD will:
▪ Notify an appropriate external law enforcement agency, unless the local law
enforcement agency was the entity that made the determination that the student
is missing.
▪ Contact anyone the student has identified as a missing person contact under the
procedures described below.
▪ Notify others at the University, as appropriate, about the student’s disappearance.
In addition to identifying a general emergency contact person, students residing in on-campus
housing have the option to identify confidentially a separate person to be contacted by Harvard
in the event that the student is determined to be missing for more than 24 hours.
Students are not required to designate a separate individual for this purpose, and if they choose
not to do so then Harvard will assume that they have chosen to treat their general emergency
contact as their missing person contact. Students who wish to identify a confidential missing
person contact should notify the Registrar’s Office. A student’s confidential missing person
contact information will be accessible only by authorized campus officials and by law
enforcement in the course of an investigation, and may not be disclosed outside of a missing
86
EFFECT OF HEALTH ISSUES ON DORMITORY OR HOUSE RESIDENCE
RESPONSIBILITIES OF HEALTH AND COUNSELING SERVICES
person investigation. In addition, if it has been determined that a student who is under 18 years
of age and not emancipated has been missing for more than 24 hours, then the School or
HUPD will contact that student’s custodial parent or guardian, in addition to contacting any
additional contact person designated by the student. Students are reminded that they must
provide the Registrar with emergency contact information and/or confidential missing person
contact information if they have not already done so.
Effect of Health Issues
As a residential college, Harvard takes seriously its obligation to support the well-being of all its
students. This charge involves not only meeting to the greatest degree possible the needs of
students whose continued residence may require reasonable accommodations in physical
space or other arrangements, but also safeguarding the right of all community members to be
free from undue disruption in their academic and residential lives. In a residential college, an
individual student’s medical illness or behavioral difficulties affect not only the individual, but
also may affect others in the community. How these issues may affect a student’s enrollment is
discussed elsewhere in this Handbook (see “Involuntary Leaves of Absence”). The principles of
consultation outlined here are based on the central importance of preserving suitable living
arrangements for all residents, while recognizing that each situation is unique, and that
fundamental principles, rather than ironclad rules, must govern consultation and decision-
making on residential life.
Medical care and medical decision-making are the province of clinicians. Thus, in consultation
with patients, clinicians recommend hospitalization, arrange procedures, prescribe medications,
conduct psychological evaluations, and recommend and implement ongoing treatment. Harvard
University Health Services (HUHS) preserves the rights to privacy and confidentiality of students
under its care, communicating with others about students only with those students’ knowledge
and consent, except as noted elsewhere (see “Confidentiality and Consent”).
In addition to providing student health and counseling services, HUHS also acts occasionally as
consultants to the College, advising College officers about individual students’ needs, ordinarily
with students’ full knowledge and consent. Two situations that routinely call for close
coordination and consultation between HUHS and the College involve relief or accommodations
for students experiencing difficulties, and leave of absence considerations. A student with a
medical illness or exhibiting behavior that affects functioning may need professional evaluation
of the condition to determine the appropriateness of temporary or ongoing arrangements, relief
or exception to academic requirements, or accommodations, until adequate functioning is
restored. In response to a request from a student’s Resident Dean or the DAO, HUHS clinicians
may evaluate a student’s condition and make recommendations to the College. In making such
recommendations, HUHS clinicians will not ordinarily disclose information they know
independently about a student’s medical or mental health condition without the student’s
consent and, in all cases, will not disclose information about the student that is not relevant to
the recommendations.
87
COLLEGE RESPONSIBILITIES
CLEARANCE FOR RETURN
Reason for Policy
The College, in consultation with the affected student, determines whether an injured or ill
student, or a student exhibiting disruptive behavior, may continue in residence, and whether the
student may return to residence after a short or longer-term absence due to accident, illness, or
behavioral disturbance. In situations where a student’s medical illness or behavioral disturbance
raises concerns about the practicality and appropriateness of the student’s residence in a
dormitory or House, the College values the expert advice of HUHS and DAO in reaching its
informed decision on the student’s remaining in or returning to residence at the College.
Questions about a student’s residence (as opposed to enrollment) most often arise after a
significant illness or injury that requires short- or longer-term follow-up care, but may also be
prompted by situations in which a student seriously disrupts others in the residential community,
or requires sustained services or monitoring beyond the capacity of a college to provide or
beyond the standard of care that can be expected of a college health service. Such situations
include — but are not limited to — the following:
▪ Any head injury.
▪ Any injury or illness that affects vision, hearing, speech, memory, balance, physical
mobility, or manual dexterity.
▪ Any illness for which treatment includes medications not readily self-administered, or
that requires special equipment for self-administration (IVs, for example).
▪ Any physical or mental illness whose behavioral manifestations have significantly
affected roommates or others in the community, or pose a threat to the individual or
community safety as assessed by HUHS clinicians.
▪ Any condition that requires frequent professional crisis intervention.
After a hospitalization or emergency room visit by one of its students that raises serious
concerns about the student's health or well-being, or in other circumstances that raise serious
concerns about the student’s health or well-being and reasonably call into question their ability
to function as a student in the Harvard College environment, Harvard College ordinarily will not
permit that student to return to residence and enrollment or participation in any Harvard-related
programs or activities before making its own assessment of the suitability of the student’s
return. (See “Procedure for Notice and Consultation”). To better inform that assessment,
students are expected to notify HUHS or any hospitalization or emergency department visit.
HUHS can be notified by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 617-495-5711.
An important consideration in the College’s decision whether a student may continue in or return
to residence is the impact of the student’s presence on the community. A student who is injured,
ill, or exhibiting disturbing or disruptive behavior may require ongoing care. Serious alcohol- or
drug-related problems, in particular, have the potential to disrupt dormitory life and life in the
academic community significantly and impair a student’s ability to function academically and
socially. Harvard College regards as unreasonable the expectation that roommates, suitemates,
friends, or residential staff will take on health care responsibilities for other students.
Any student may, of course, refuse to allow consultation between the student’s clinician(s) and
Harvard College, but such a refusal will not prevent the College from making a decision
regarding a student’s return to residence or continued enrollment.
88
AGREEMENTS TO ENGAGE IN TREATMENT
PROCEDURE FOR NOTICE AND CONSULTATION
The School may condition a student’s enrollment and/or residence on certain terms or
conditions, as set forth in a written agreement between the School and the student, when the
student’s conduct or circumstances have caused heightened concerns about the student’s
safety and/or well-being and: (a) the appropriateness of the student’s continued enrollment
and/or residence; or (b) the student’s readiness to return to the Harvard community. The
agreement to engage in treatment may include, among other things, compliance with a medical
treatment plan, regular consultations with health care professionals, communication with
administrators, and limited disclosure of relevant medical information, on a need-to-know basis,
such as compliance with treatment and restrictions on certain activities. The decision to require
such an agreement is arrived at in consultation with Harvard University Health Services after an
individualized assessment of the nature of the student’s conduct and circumstances and any
other pertinent factors.
In such circumstances, officers of the College will consult with clinicians at HUHS or, if the
student has been treated elsewhere, clinicians at other facilities or in private practice, ordinarily
with the student’s permission. Depending on all of the relevant circumstances, such consultation
may be initiated either by appropriate officers of the College or by clinicians at HUHS. Notice by
HUHS that a student has been hospitalized or treated in an emergency department of an area
hospital may prompt the College to begin a process of consultation through which it will decide
whether and under what circumstances the student may continue in or return to dormitory or
House residence (see “Confidentiality and Consent”).
The College may also independently decide that, based on its observations or other information
it has about a student, it should initiate the process of consultation with HUHS clinicians, which
may include ascertaining whether that student has been hospitalized or treated by an
emergency department. Consultation will be focused on general information regarding concerns
raised by the student’s condition or behavior and requirements for continued care, in order to
facilitate the College’s decision about the student’s capacity to maintain residence. Neither the
student’s medical nor mental health record will be available to officers of the College. College
officers, who may consult with other affected students and responsible staff (only as necessary
and in accordance with respect for the individual student’s right to privacy), will then determine
whether it is appropriate for the student to continue in or return to residence.
An important consideration in the College’s decision whether a student may continue in or return
to residence is the impact of the student’s presence on the community. The College regards as
unreasonable the expectation that roommates, suitemates, friends, or residential staff will take
on health care responsibilities for other students. Therefore, the College will consider
unacceptable any return-to-residence plan that requires other students to monitor a student’s
condition or provide care.
Any student may refuse to allow consultation between their clinician(s) and officers of the
College, but a refusal to allow consultation will not prevent the College from meeting its
obligation to reach a decision regarding a student’s return to or continuation in residence. In
some circumstances, the level of care recommended by clinicians may cause the College
temporarily to change a student’s place of residence or to deny residence, if in the judgment of
College officers necessary and recommended care cannot appropriately be provided in a
student residential setting or is beyond the capacity and purpose of the College to provide.
Since appropriate residential accommodations and follow-up treatment take time to arrange,
students who have been hospitalized should expect that consultation between clinicians and
officers of the College will need to occur at least 24 hours prior to a student’s anticipated return
89
CONSULTATIONS AND INTERVENTIONS FOR BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCES DUE
TO ALCOHOL OR DRUG ABUSE OR OTHER HEALTH ISSUES
Health Concerns
Referrals for Interventions/Treatment Regarding Alcohol and/or Other Drug Abuse
to residence. Both clinicians and College officers will make every effort to resolve questions
promptly and, in case of disagreement, to discuss issues immediately and openly with the
affected student. Ordinarily, consultation will occur between the student’s attending clinician, the
relevant HUHS clinician coordinating the case, and the student’s Resident Dean. In the event of
disagreement, the HUHS clinician, the Resident Dean, or the student may ask that the
appropriate Chief of Service at HUHS, the Dean of Students, or another senior College official
designated by the Dean of Harvard College be involved. While HUHS clinicians and officers of
the College will endeavor to respect the wishes of students regarding treatment
recommendations and residential arrangements, the final determination about residence in
Harvard housing will rest with the Dean of Harvard College.
The College’s concern for students’ well-being encompasses the preservation of a safe
environment and the proactive provision of health resources. The College communicates to all
students the availability of psychological, psychiatric, and medical resources at HUHS for
consultation, assessment, education, intervention, and possible ongoing treatment of behavioral
disturbances arising from alcohol or drug abuse and other health issues. The College
encourages students’ voluntary use of these confidential resources, and proctors, tutors, and
Resident Deans routinely refer students to them or remind students of their availability.
Occasionally, a student having potentially significant problems with the use of alcohol or the use
of drugs, or having other health issues, does not voluntarily seek help to ameliorate them.
These problems often become apparent to residential staff, Harvard police, or other University
officers in the form of significant disruption of, for example, life in the residential community,
disturbance of personal relationships, or threats to the safety of individuals or of property. A
student’s behavioral problems resulting from substance use or a psychological disorder also
may recur or persist over time, and thus may pose a significant threat to the student’s own
health and well-being or the health and well-being of others. The College may initiate
disciplinary proceedings in response to the student’s conduct. In addition, regardless of whether
disciplinary proceedings are initiated, if a student has not voluntarily sought help, the student’s
Resident Dean may formally refer the student to HUHS for evaluation, ideally in consultation
and cooperation with the student.
The use of illicit drugs and the misuse of alcohol or prescription drugs are potentially harmful to
health. In particular, synthetically produced drugs often have unpredictable emotional and
physical side effects that constitute an extreme health hazard. Students should also weigh the
seriousness of potential loss of function that may come from ingesting illicit drugs or too much
alcohol. Because of the considerable hazards involved in drug and alcohol use, administrative,
medical, and psychiatric help for students having alcohol or other drug problems are available
on a confidential basis from the Center for Wellness and Health Promotion (CWHP) and other
departments within HUHS, as well from Resident Deans and other officers of the University.
The following procedures outline the process for obtaining consultation for a Harvard College
student whose known or suspected alcohol or drug use is affecting the student’s ability to
function effectively as a student and/or as a member of the Harvard community. Referrals may
be made by a Resident Dean based on incidents that come to the Resident Dean’s attention or
as a result of Administrative Board action. Interventions with the Center for Wellness and Health
Promotion are not intended to take the place of routine advising conversations between
Resident Deans and students. Rather, they provide an opportunity for structured consultation,
90
Grounds for Referral
Referral Letter
CHWP Interventions
Monitoring Student Compliance with Interventions for Alcohol/Substance Use
particularly for those students who may not view their substance use or related negative
consequences as problematic. The procedures and resources outlined below focus on the
health and safety of the student.
Any of the following conditions may lead a Resident Dean or the Administrative Board to refer a
student for an intervention with CWHP about the student’s known or suspected alcohol or
drug use:
▪ A medical complication resulting from alcohol or drug use (e.g., aspiration, traumatic
accident, alcohol poisoning, seizure, blackout, overdose, infection from intravenous use).
▪ Repeated incidents related to alcohol or drug use that require medical intervention.
▪ A serious behavioral or disciplinary problem related to alcohol or drug use.
▪ Disruption in the residential community or academic environment related to alcohol or
drug use.
▪ Academic difficulties or other problems in functioning related to misuse of alcohol
or drugs.
▪ Repeated minor infraction of rules regarding alcohol or drug use.
The Resident Dean makes the referral for an intervention in writing to the student with a copy to
the Prevention Specialist/Health Educator at CWHP and a copy for the student’s College file.
The referral letter frames the referral as a consultation regarding the student’s alcohol or drug
use, rather than as treatment or counseling. The referral letter clearly communicates that the
student is expected to schedule the appointment(s) with an CWHP staff member and complete
the designated program within a specified time of receiving the letter (ordinarily, no more than
three weeks) and is to comply with all of the provider’s recommendations. It is also made clear
in the referral letter that, should the student choose to decline the referral, the Resident Dean
and senior officers of the House and the College will assess, on the basis of available
information, whether it is appropriate for the student to continue in residence and to remain
enrolled in the College. For more information on this topic, see the sections “Policies Governing
Enrollment and Residency,” and “Consultations and Interventions Due to Alcohol or Drug Abuse
or Other Health Issues.”
The CWHP staff member will meet with the student individually either for an individual
consultation or for two BASICS (BASICS stands for “Brief Alcohol Screening & Intervention for
College Students”) sessions. Both interventions involve discussing the student’s substance use
history and circumstances surrounding the referral, and CHWP staff may then direct the student
to further resources. Resources include, but are not limited to, alcohol education (individual
consultations or BASICS), further assessment, ongoing counseling, and/or substance abuse
groups, which are offered by CAMHS. It should also be noted that support is available from
HUHS with or without a referral from a University officer; students can also access CWHP
services on their own.
During the intervention, the CWHP staff member will seek permission from the student to
contact the appropriate College officer (typically, the student’s Resident Dean) regarding the
student’s attendance and participation in the session(s) and what further action, if any, is
recommended. Authorized release forms are used as necessary.
It is the responsibility of the Resident Dean, in consultation with the Prevention Specialist/Health
Educator of CWHP and other senior College officials, to follow up with the student upon
91
AGREEMENT TO TREATMENT
MONITORING STUDENT COMPLIANCE – ALL HEALTH ISSUES
notification of a student’s failure to comply with the recommended assessment, intervention, or
treatment.
In the referral, the Resident Dean will communicate both to the student and to the clinician the
basis of the College’s concerns, and will make note of the referral in the student’s file. Should
the student choose to decline the referral, then the Resident Dean and senior officers of the
College will assess on the basis of available information whether it is appropriate for the student
to continue in residence or remain enrolled in the College. The Dean of Harvard College may, if
the Dean deems it necessary and appropriate, place such a student on an involuntary leave of
absence from the College. (See “Involuntary Leaves.”)
Either at that time, based on the concerns that led to the referral, or other health concerns,
should the student’s problems persist, the Dean of Harvard College, in consultation with the
student’s Resident Dean and with HUHS, may condition the student’s continued residence or
enrollment in the College on the student’s participation in ongoing counseling or other medical
treatment. In this case, the Resident Dean will propose a formal agreement with the student,
which will summarize the reasons for the College’s concern and the requirement that the
College be informed in the event that the student should fail to keep appointments, interrupt
counseling against clinical advice, or otherwise undermine the therapeutic process. The student
must sign the agreement, and a copy will be given to all members of the student’s treatment
team. Another copy will be placed in the student’s file.
HUHS clinicians will determine the appropriate nature and venue of services for addressing the
student’s substance abuse or other health issues. These services may include individual
counseling or therapy, medical evaluation by a primary care clinician, ongoing groups for
students with substance abuse or behavioral disturbances, and/or other services available to
students at HUHS. As with other clinical issues, in certain instances HUHS may deem it
appropriate to refer a student to an outside clinician or program. In the event that the student
receives ongoing services from an outside resource, the student must agree to permit that
clinician or program to inform HUHS and the College if the student does not comply with
treatment.
Should the student decline to participate in counseling, fail actively to engage in ongoing
treatment, or continue to manifest behavioral disturbance, the College will assess whether the
student may appropriately remain within the residential community, and the College will reserve
the right to terminate the student’s residence, or enrollment in the College, if appropriate. In this
instance too, the Dean of Harvard College may, if the Dean deems it necessary and
appropriate, place such a student on an involuntary leave of absence from the College (see
“Involuntary Leaves”). A student placed on leave may request to return to the College when
clinicians at HUHS are able to conclude, with the student’s voluntary cooperation with their
assessment, that the student may appropriately resume participation in the College community.
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MEDICAL INSURANCE AND HUHS
Massachusetts Insurance Requirements
Massachusetts law requires that all students enrolled in an institution of higher learning in
Massachusetts participate in a qualifying student health insurance program or in a health
plan with comparable coverage. All Harvard students are automatically enrolled in the Harvard
University Student Health Program (HUSHP) and the cost of the program is applied to their
student bill.
Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP)
hushp.harvard.edu
The Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP) comprises two parts:
▪ The Student Health Fee is required of all students who are more than half time and
studying in Massachusetts. This fee covers most services at HUHS, including internal
medicine, medical/surgical specialty care, mental health/counseling services, physical
therapy, radiology, and urgent care.
▪ The Student Health Insurance Plan coverage includes emergency room visits,
hospitalizations, diagnostic lab/radiology services, ambulatory surgery, specialty care
outside HUHS (limited), and prescription drug coverage. Benefit limits and cost-sharing
may apply—visit hushp.harvard.edu for more details.
Waiving the HUSHP Student Health Insurance Plan
Students enrolled in a comparable health insurance plan may be eligible to waive the Student
Health Insurance Plan. Waivers must be completed by the appropriate deadline or the charges
will remain on your student bill. See https://hushp.harvard.edu/waiving-health-insurance-
coverage for more information.
▪ Before waiving, carefully evaluate whether your existing health plan will provide
adequate, comprehensive coverage in the Boston area. Visit hushp.harvard.edu to
review the waiver checklist for guidance. You will be fully responsible for all medical
claims and prescription drug costs if you waive the Student Health Insurance Plan.
▪ International students studying on campus at Harvard are not eligible to waive the
Student Health Insurance Plan with foreign insurance, including those with a U.S.-based
administrator. This is a requirement pursuant to the Massachusetts student health
program regulations.
For detailed information on the Harvard University Student Health Program policies, benefits,
limitations, and exclusions, visit hushp.harvard.edu.
Mental Health Coverage
The Student Health Insurance Plan covers mental health inpatient and outpatient services
outside of HUHS.
Students who waive the Student Health Insurance Plan portion are eligible to receive care in the
Counseling and Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in HUHS or through its telehealth partnership
with TimelyCare under the Student Health Fee. There is no specific visit limit within CAMHS; the
number of CAMHS visits is based on medical necessity and treatment recommendations as
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determined by the provider. Students who waive the Student Health Insurance Plan are
responsible for understanding their particular insurance coverage and payment of costs of
mental health care they receive outside of CAMHS and its partnership with TimelyCare.
Dental Coverage Options
An optional dental plan is available for students and their eligible dependents. Rates,
enrollment, and benefit information is available at hushp.harvard.edu.
Students who do not enroll in a dental plan may choose to receive care on a fee-for-service
basis, including Harvard Dental Service, that offers students a preventive care package and a
discount on all specialty services and/or HSDM Dental Center that provides dental care to
students.
Confidentiality and Consent
HUHS protects the confidentiality of all health and health-related records to the full extent of the
law. Patient health records are stored electronically and are only accessed by HUHS staff
members directly involved in the case. Each and every staff member employed by or affiliated
with HUHS must participate in a thorough training and orientation on health information privacy
and security laws and standards, and sign a confidentiality statement agreeing to maintain
patient privacy within and outside the workplace. Written authorization from the student is
necessary to release record information to any third party, except in highly unusual
circumstances as required by law, or as indicated in the following paragraphs. Any questions or
concerns about issues of confidentiality or patient rights at HUHS should be addressed to the
Patient Advocate at 617-495-7583 or patadv[email protected].
The College may call upon professional staff at HUHS for consultation regarding the impact of a
student’s physical or emotional health on residence, on the necessity of a medical leave of
absence, or on special academic or residential arrangements or accommodations (see also
“Effect of Health Issues”, “Clearance for Return”, and “Attendance, Absences, Reading Period,
Examinations, and Extensions”). If, as part of the consultation, the College requests medical
information from HUHS about a student, then that information may be provided, in ordinary
circumstances, only with the student’s permission. Where permission is given, only relevant
information about the impact of a physical illness, disability, emotional difficulty, or other health
condition on a student’s residential and academic life is discussed; information that is not
relevant to the arrangements of residential and academic adjustments under consideration will
not be disclosed. When a student chooses not to allow HUHS to provide such information to the
College regarding pending academic or residential arrangements or accommodations, then the
College will proceed to make decisions in the absence of this information. It is also possible for
students to initiate a consultation between their health care providers at HUHS and College
administration.
In certain circumstances it may not be possible or advisable for professional staff at HUHS to
obtain a student’s consent to a disclosure of health or health-related information. Circumstances
worthy of note include the following:
Danger to Self or Others
One exception to obtaining a student’s consent is the rare instance in which a student’s medical
condition or behavioral disturbance poses a danger to the student or threat to others or to the
community. HUHS professional staff may then disclose any relevant information to any
appropriate person, including College officials, for the purpose of protecting the student, others,
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or the community from harm. Generally, even in this situation, every effort is made to notify the
student of the need to disclose and the reason for such disclosure.
Treatment at Area Hospitals or Medical Facilities
It is the policy of HUHS to notify the College of student transfers to local emergency
departments. Such notification is provided to the appropriate Resident Dean, and is
documented at HUHS. If a Resident Dean, other residential official, or College administrator has
reason to believe that a student is not in residence and may be in a medical facility, that
individual may contact HUHS regarding a student’s whereabouts. The HUHS clinician ordinarily
will disclose only that the student is safely in care. When, in an HUHS clinician’s medical
judgment, a student is in a life-threatening condition, or is psychologically unstable, or has
sustained an illness or injury that will likely result in a hospital admission or require care after
discharge, that clinician will notify the student’s Resident Dean, residential official, or College
administrator. Only information regarding the fact of the admission/discharge, location of the
student, general medical condition, and prospects for return to residence is shared; information
regarding diagnosis or treatment is not shared. Students returning from emergency care or
hospitalization at area facilities are expected to update HUHS and ordinarily will be assessed
regarding suitability to return to residence (See “Procedure for Notification and Consultation”,
and “Clearance for Return”).
When HUHS is aware that a student who has been hospitalized or received emergency
treatment decides to leave a medical facility against medical advice, an HUHS clinician may
apprise that student’s Resident Dean or other appropriate College official of this decision, if in
the clinician’s judgment the student’s decision may pose a significant risk of physical or
emotional danger to the student, to roommates or suitemates, or to members of the residential
community. Depending upon the circumstances, the clinician may inform a College official of the
student’s location, decision to leave a facility against medical advice, risk of further injury or
relapse, or possible threat to the student’s own safety or to that of others.
Patient Advocate
The HUHS Patient Advocate is available to help you:
▪ Navigate the health care system.
▪ Explore choices for your medical care.
▪ Resolve or mediate problems.
▪ Discuss financial assistance options.
▪ Coordinate special needs arrangements.
For more information about the ways that the Patient Advocate can help you, please visit
https://huhs.harvard.edu/about-us/patient-advocate or contact the HUHS Patient Advocate
directly at [email protected] or 617-495-7583.
Accessible Healthcare at Harvard
HUHS is prepared to meet the general and some specialized health care needs of students.
Early contact with a primary care physician is advised to establish a base for continuity of care
during a student’s active enrollment at Harvard. Should a student need accommodations for
consulting with their physician, including sign language interpreters or alternative format text,
they should consult with the DAO in advance. The Patient Advocates and the Care Coordination
department in HUHS are also available to assist individuals who have unique needs or complex
follow-up care.
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Required Immunizations
Massachusetts has strict immunization requirements that you must meet in order to register for
classes. Immunizations help protect you from illnesses and contribute to the overall well-being
of our community. Students are encouraged to receive any required immunizations before
arriving at Harvard, as many private health plans will cover the cost. If students are unable
to obtain these prior to arrival on campus, immunizations may be arranged at various locations
in the area, including HUHS. Please note that health plans may not cover immunizations
received at HUHS, in which case students will be responsible for the cost of the immunizations.
Please note that the Student Health Insurance Plan covers preventive immunizations only
administered at HUHS.
All students are required to comply with the Massachusetts immunization regulations and
submit a complete immunization history to HUHS prior to registration. Non-submission and/or
missing required immunizations will place a hold on the student’s account and prevent
registering for classes.
Travel Health Immunizations and Information
HUHS provides immunizations and related services, including expert counseling and advice for
individual travel health needs, on a fee-for-service basis. HUHS recommends scheduling travel
health appointments six to eight weeks in advance of travel.
The Student Health Fee covers care at HUHS, but does not cover care elsewhere. Students
enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan are covered throughout the United States and
abroad; however, these benefits are limited while traveling. Review Travel in the U.S. and
Travel outside the U.S. for details. Students enrolled in non-Harvard insurance should contact
their insurance company to verify their coverage while traveling. Be sure to ask about benefits
and potential out-of-pocket costs.
POLICIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
The College views a commitment to nondiscrimination as essential to its pedagogical objectives
and institutional mission. This commitment is reflected in the expectations outlined below for
students as members of our College community and members of undergraduate organizations.
Discrimination based on race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed,
national origin, age, ancestry, veteran status, disability, military service, or any other legally
protected basis is contrary to the principles and policies of Harvard University. (See
“Discrimination” and “Unrecognized and Non-Harvard Organizations”).
Harvard College categorizes student organizations in the following way:
▪ Independent Student Organizations (ISOs). ISOs receive designated benefits from the
College, are responsible for meeting filing requirements with the Dean of Students
Office, and are accountable to the College for responsible use of those benefits.
▪ Department Sponsored Student Organizations (DSSOs): DSSOs are led, organized, or
sponsored by University departments, offices, or units and thus do not meet the
definition of recognized Independent Student Organizations. DSSOs receive designated
benefits afforded to ISOs and file with the Dean of Students Office to obtain access to
those benefits.
▪ Recognized Social Organizations (RSOs): RSOs are organizations composed primarily
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of Harvard College undergraduates, whose purpose is primarily social and which do not
discriminate on the basis of gender. RSOs work closely with the Dean of Students Office
to be considered for, and to maintain, their recognition.
▪ Unrecognized or Non-Harvard Organizations: As these organizations are not
recognized, the College does not provide them with access, support, or benefits.
Individual students involved in such organizations of course remain subject to the
College’s policies including the policy with regard to unrecognized organizations
discussed further below.
For more on these categories and the process by which they are governed, see the Recognized
Student Organization Resource Guide.
Unrecognized and Non-Harvard Organizations
The regulations for ISOs require that they maintain local autonomy. This means that all policy
decisions must be made without obligation to any parent organization. The regulations also
require ISOs to comply with the University’s policy that discrimination based on race, color, sex,
gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, age, ancestry, veteran status,
disability, military service, or any other legally protected basis is contrary to the principles and
policies of Harvard University (see “Discrimination”). In this way, the independence and integrity
of the College are maintained.
From time to time, undergraduates raise questions about their membership in unrecognized or
non-Harvard organizations. It is important that students make well-informed decisions when
considering membership in these organizations. Organizations defined as non-Harvard or as
unrecognized organizations are not permitted to conduct any activity at Harvard even though
their activities involve Harvard undergraduates.
However, in special circumstances, unrecognized student organizations whose membership
consists entirely of Harvard College undergraduates may, at the discretion of a particular
Harvard office or department, be permitted to co-sponsor educational programs organized by
that office or department.
Hazing
The laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts forbid any form of hazing in connection with
initiation into a student organization (see “Hazing”). As a condition of College recognition, all
student organizations must file non-hazing attestation forms with the Dean of Students Office.
These policies also apply to unrecognized organizations whose membership is made up of
Harvard College students. See https://dso.college.harvard.edu/student-organizations.
Religion
The ability to express one’s views regarding religion is a significant freedom of speech that the
College upholds. In some instances, this type of expression becomes an avenue for persuasion
to affiliate with a particular religion. Discussion in this vein is prohibited when the educational
and work environment of an individual or the community is jeopardized. Harassment is defined
as actions on the part of an individual or group that demean or abuse another individual
because of religious beliefs or that continue after the affected individual has requested a
termination of that type of discussion. In all instances in which a particular religion sponsors an
event or discussion, the individual or group initiating such contact must clearly identify its
sponsorship or the sectarian religious nature of its agenda.
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On occasion, students have expressed concerns about feeling pressure to join a particular
religious organization. The Harvard Chaplains, the interfaith association of chaplains at Harvard,
are attuned to some of the issues related to religious recruitment through high-pressure tactics
and can offer suggestions for intervention and prevention. More information is available in the
Harvard Chaplains Office (617-495-5529) located in the basement of the Memorial Church.
Distribution of Printed Matter
Distribution of printed matter in the Houses, dormitories, Dudley residences, Annenberg Hall, or
on Harvard property must be approved by the Dean of Students Office. The Faculty Deans,
Dudley Community Resident Dean, and the First-Year Experience Office have the right to
regulate the time, place, and manner of distribution in their areas. In each of the above cases,
permission to distribute printed matter may be granted upon outreach to the respective House
or Office. Student groups may also wish to use the distribution services of Harvard Student
Agencies (see https://www.hsa.net/). For distribution of materials outdoors, all ISOs must
register with the Dean of Students Office.
Solicitation
Solicitation in University buildings and on University property must have prior approval of the
proper authority. For more specifics, see the Dean of Students website.
Use of Harvard University Trademarks
The use of the names and insignia of Harvard College and Harvard University or any of the
University’s units by any student is permitted only as spelled out in the University “Policy on the
Use of the Harvard Names and Insignias,” found at https://trademark.harvard.edu/policy-on-use-
of-harvard-names-and-insignias. In particular, reference to “Harvard,” “Harvard College,” or
“Harvard University,” or suggestions of affiliation with the College or University in connection
with any organization, publication, activity, or third party is allowable only with advance
permission of the Dean of Harvard College or the Provost.
The Harvard Trademark Program (http://trademark.harvard.edu) is charged with the protection
and licensing of Harvard’s trademarks worldwide and the administration of the University’s
internal use-of-name policies and guidelines. The office also provides advice to members of the
Harvard community on a wide range of trademark-related issues.
In its protection efforts, the Trademark Program registers Harvard’s various trademarks and
works to stop their unauthorized use around the world. Through its domestic and international
licensing endeavors, the office licenses the University’s trademarks (e.g., Harvard, Harvard
University, Harvard College, Harvard Medical School, HBS, Harvard Football, the VERITAS
shield, etc.) to qualified companies to produce a variety of insignia items; proceeds from the
sales of these items are provided to the FAS for undergraduate financial aid. The office also
administers Harvard’s use-of-name policies, which were established by the University to ensure
that the Harvard name and insignias are used appropriately and accurately by the University
community and in accordance with the principles contained in the policies.
All Harvard student group names incorporating any of the University’s trademarks are owned by
the President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard University) and are used by permission
of the University. In addition, the use of any of Harvard’s shields/logos by student groups is by
permission of the University. Also, any use of Harvard’s names/logos by student groups or
students must comply with all relevant University policies, including the “Policy on the Use of
Harvard Names and Insignias,” available at https://trademark.harvard.edu/policy-on-use-of-
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harvard-names-and-insignias.
No student shall be connected with any advertising medium (including the press, the internet, or
other public forum) or publication that makes use of the name of Harvard or Radcliffe or implies
without permission of the University, through its title or otherwise, a connection with the
University.
Fundraising and Development
Any ISO/DSSO wishing to raise funds outside the Harvard University campus — whether from
an individual, alumni/ae, or from an organization — must receive prior approval from the Dean
of Students Office. ISOs/RSOs must also obtain permission of the Dean to solicit support from
alumni/ae and may request information on ways to reach alumni/ae for the purpose of
development through the Dean of Students Office. Regulations regarding fundraising can be
found in the Recognized Student Organization Resource Guide.
Meetings and Events
Complete information regarding policies and procedures for planning student organization
events and activities can be found online on TheHub: Student Organization Portal and in the
Recognized Student Organization Resource Guide.
Officers of ISOs, RSOs, and DSSOs must receive approval for conferences and other large
events from the Dean of Students Office prior to planning such events. In addition, officers of
ISOs and RSOs should alert the Dean of Students Office before signing any contracts with
vendors, hotels, consultants, or performers. (DSSOs may not sign contracts on their own
behalf.)
Restricted Dates for Events
Permission will not be given to hold concerts, dramatic performances, debates, meetings,
rallies, contests of any kind, etc., during Examination Periods. Late night social events also will
not be approved during the weekend of the Head of the Charles Regatta. In addition, restrictions
will be placed on events during Reading Periods if they interfere with residential areas and
libraries where exam preparation is underway.
Working with Minors
Harvard University is committed to providing a safe environment for everyone on its campuses
and in its programs. This commitment includes the thousands of minors who participate in
programs and activities both on and off campus. Members of the Harvard community who
interact with minors in any official capacity are expected to foster and maintain an appropriate
and secure environment for minors. The University policy can be found here:
http://youthprotection.harvard.edu/policy. Guidance for ISOs/RSOs to comply with this policy
can be found in the Recognized Student Organization Resource Guide.
Exceptions to Student Organization Policies
The Dean of Students Office may grant exceptions to the rules for ad hoc groups of enrolled
students may also petition the Dean of Students Office for permission to poster on campus.
Groups petitioning must list at least 10 enrolled students and include a contact name on the
poster.
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It will be understood that these ad hoc groups must observe the regulations of the College and
the policies of the FAS in the use of Harvard facilities, and, in particular, must be autonomous of
outside organizations. They may not act to endanger the tax-exempt status of the University nor
fail to comply with its policies regarding nondiscrimination and harassment.
Exceptions to the Regulations may be granted only by petition to the Dean of Students Office.
FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS
A student’s total financial obligation in the event of a leave of absence, requirement to withdraw,
or move off-campus can be determined from the chart available on the Registrar’s website
(https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/enrollment). In addition to the cancellation fee, housing and
food charges are prorated and continue to the day a student leaves College residence. During
the academic year, cancellation of housing and food charges is contingent on submitting the
proper paperwork to the Housing Office. Students who move off-campus during the academic
year must submit the proper paperwork via the online Residential Portal to the Housing Office;
however, the complete Student Services fee continues to be assessed. For students who do not
fall into one of the above categories (i.e., a leave of absence, a requirement to withdraw, or a
move off-campus) but who are absent from Cambridge for whatever reason, housing and food
charges continue to be assessed through the end of the term. When a student moves into on-
campus housing from off-campus during the academic year, housing rent and food charges will
be assessed from the day the student takes up residence in the College. Full food charges are
prorated to the day that the student moves on campus. For specific deadlines, see the Dean of
Students Office and Housing Office websites.
Payment Policy
Students are responsible for payment of their tuition and fees. This responsibility includes
reviewing student accounts on my.harvard upon receipt of an account notification each month
and making sure that payments are made by the due dates. Students must ensure that parents
and others who make payments on their behalf are able to access the student account. Tuition
and fees must be paid in full in order for students to enroll in classes each term. The College
may deny enrollment to those students whose charges are not paid by the established
deadlines. Payments for Commencement, and for the November and March degree periods,
must also be made by the designated due dates. No degree can be conferred until all
indebtedness to the University is paid in full. Additional charges that may be added to the
student account after degrees are conferred must also be paid in full.
Amount Due
The amount due includes all charges on the student’s account on my.harvard that have not
been paid, and are not being covered by anticipated aid. Email notifications are sent when new
charges are added to the account, or when charges are due within the next two weeks. Charges
for the fall term are added to the student account in July with a payment due date in mid-August.
Spring term charges are added to the account in December and due in January. Upon receipt of
the first account notification, students are expected to review the transactions and set up
parents and all others (besides sponsors) who need access to the account as delegates. Once
set up, delegates will also receive account notifications. More detailed information is available
on the University Student Financial Services website or by emailing
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Monthly Payment Plan
The University offers a monthly payment plan that allows eligible students to pay tuition and
required fees in four monthly installments each term. Under this plan, fall term installments are
due in August, September, October, and November. Spring term installments are due in
January, February, March, and April. There is a $35 charge per term for use of this plan.
Any balance due from a prior term must be paid in full before students can enroll in the payment
plan. Once enrolled, payment plan installments must be paid by the due date each month.
Students who do not pay their installments on time may not be permitted to continue to use the
payment plan.
Students can enroll in the monthly payment plan on my.harvard from their student account. For
more information on the payment plan, see the University Student Financial Services website at
https://sfs.harvard.edu/.
Late Payment of Tuition and Fees
Charges for tuition and fees must be paid in full by the due dates indicated on the student
account. Any student whose indebtedness to the University remains unpaid after the designated
payment due dates may be deprived of the privileges of the University. Reinstatement is
possible only after all charges have been paid and consent of the Dean of Harvard College is
obtained.
Additionally, students who leave the University with an amount due on their student account and
who fail to make acceptable payment arrangements to bring their account current, may be
referred to a collection agency. It is further understood that students may be responsible for
paying a collection agency fee, which may be based on a percentage at a maximum of 40
percent of their delinquent balance, plus all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorney’s
fees, necessary for the collection of their delinquent account. Finally, it is understood that their
delinquent account may be reported to one or more credit bureaus.
Information for Degree Candidates
Students who have applied for graduation must pay any outstanding amount due to the
University by the designated due date in order for degrees to be conferred. Additional charges
that may be added to the student account after degrees are conferred must also be paid in full.
Acceleration
Students who have completed degree requirements in fewer terms than the number required
had they worked at an average rate of 16 credits (four courses per term, 4 credits per course)
may petition the Registrar through their Resident Dean for waiver of the residency requirement.
(See also “Residency Requirement,” “Rate of Work,” and “Study Abroad”).
An accelerated degree program has serious and sometimes complex academic implications.
Students should have a discussion with their Resident Dean before undertaking such a plan.
Dishonored Payments
A $25 fee is assessed for payments returned by Harvard University’s bank. A payment is
it has been stopped by the payer. After the initial return, the University may also require that
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future payments be made by certified check or money order.
Information for Students Leaving the College
Students who leave the College for any reason must pay all due charges on their student
account. Students who leave during the academic year are charged tuition and the student
services fee to the end of the period in which they leave; housing rent and food charges are
calculated on a daily basis (see “Students’ Financial Obligations in the Event of a Leave of
Absence or Requirement to Withdraw” or https://registrar.fas.harvard.edu/students-financial-
obligations to view the chart). When a student leaves the College, student loans may go directly
into grace or repayment. The student’s Last Date of Attendance (LDA) is the date that is
considered the start of the grace or repayment period, and that date will have occurred in the
past, prior to the Administrative Board’s action. Students should contact the Harvard University
Student Loan Office at student_loans@harvard.edu or https://sfs.harvard.edu/loans or their loan
servicer directly with any questions regarding their loans.
The chart does not include any charges for the Harvard University Student Health Insurance
Program. Separate policies apply to these fees; additional information regarding charges for
Student Health Services fees or Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance can be found at
hushp.harvard.edu. Housing rent charges continue to the day the student leaves College
residence. Full-food charges will continue to the day the student submits the proper paperwork
to their House office or the Housing Office. The room key must also be returned to the House
Office or building manager’s office.
The fee schedule also applies to those students who move off-campus during the academic
year; however, the complete Student Services Fee continues to be assessed. For those
students who do not fall into the category of a leave of absence, requirement to withdraw, or
move off-campus but who are absent from Cambridge for whatever reason, housing and food
charges continue to be assessed through the end of term.
Students who fail to pay their University bills by the prescribed date will be deprived of the
privileges of the University and not allowed to graduate.
FINANCIAL AID
The Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid strives to make a Harvard education
affordable for all admitted students. Financial aid awards are need-based and consist of grants
and employment.
Conditions Governing Financial Aid Awards
1. Neither the amount of institutional financial aid granted nor the amount lent to any
student shall be altered during any given academic year because of changes in the
student’s academic or disciplinary status, so long as the student is permitted to remain
enrolled at the College. However, adjustments in the amount of financial aid awarded
may be made at any time in response to unanticipated changes in a student’s financial
circumstances, additional information received about resources or expenses, or if a
student is enrolled less than full time.
2. The nature and amount of financial aid to be awarded for the following academic year
will be reviewed each year, taking into account the financial need and the academic
progress of the individual student and the resources available to the Committee on
Admissions and Financial Aid.
3. All financial aid awards are based on demonstrated need, and students seeking
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assistance must file a renewal application each year. Renewal application instructions
are emailed to students in February, and completed application forms are due May 1.
Students must comply with the May 1 deadline in order to be assured of continued
financial aid eligibility. The Committee on Financial Aid will not consider applications for
assistance after August 1 without an appeal in writing.
4. If an award holder takes a leave of absence or is required to withdraw before completing
the period covered by the award, an adjustment of the award will be necessary. That
part of the award used to cover educational costs may reduce students’ eligibility for
scholarship aid in their later terms. Students are typically eligible to apply for 8
semesters of financial aid. Any additional aid will be awarded at the discretion of the
Committee on Financial Aid in accordance with College and FAS policies.
5. If an award holder takes a leave of absence after an award has been determined, but
before completing the check-in process for the academic year, the award will be
canceled. Students may apply for an award when they are ready to return to the College.
Students returning from a leave should be aware that all loan repayments and/or term
bill obligations must be current before any financial aid can be granted.
6. Students returning to the College after an interval of five or more years will ordinarily not
be eligible for scholarship aid from institutional sources. Exceptions because of unusual
circumstances will be considered by the Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid
with input from the Administrative Board. Petitions for an exception should be made
through the Griffin Financial Aid Office.
7. Awards are available only if the holder is regularly registered in the College as an
undergraduate. The Committee will normally reduce the amount of the award if holders
choose to live at the home of their parents/guardian during the academic year; study
abroad for credit at a reduced cost; or are granted permission by the Disaibility Access
Office to work and pay at a reduced course rate.
8. Typically, students have eight semesters of financial aid eligibility. If a student has taken
a leave during a term and used a portion of their financial aid eligibility, they will need to
petition the Financial Aid Committee to be considered for full eligibility for their final term.
9. Award holders must notify the Griffin Financial Aid Office of any change in residence
during the academic year for which they have an award.
10. Award holders are required to notify the Griffin Financial Aid Office of any substantial
change in their financial resources for the year, such as receipt of additional outside
scholarship assistance. The Committee reserves the right to review the award in the
event of a change in the student’s resources.
11. Students who have borrowed from loan funds must report to the Griffin Financial Aid
Office for an exit interview prior to graduation or at the time of a leave of absence or
requirement to withdraw.
Basis of Original Award
Scholarships are awarded to students who need financial assistance in order to pursue their
course of studies. Awards are based solely on need, and the Committee on Financial Aid makes
the final determination of family need.
All awards are made annually on the basis of financial need as demonstrated through a variety
of forms, including the College Scholarship Service PROFILE and the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial need is determined in accordance with federal and
institutional guidelines, and it follows the general procedures of the College Scholarship Service
and the assessment guidelines established by the Committee on Financial Aid. Detailed
information regarding financial aid awards and procedures can be found on Harvard’s financial
aid website at https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid.
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PARENTAL CONTRIBUTION
PARENT LOANS
SUMMER EARNINGS
STUDENT’S OWN SAVINGS
OUTSIDE SCHOLARSHIPS
Reapplication of Financial Aid after First Year
Students in the College must file an application each year to reapply for financial aid. Renewal
aid application materials are described on the financial aid website
(https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid). The nature and amount of financial aid to be awarded
for the following academic year will be reviewed each year, typically in the summer, taking into
account the financial need and the academic progression of the individual student and the
resources available to the Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid.
Applications for aid are considered carefully every year for changes in financial need, and
awards will be adjusted accordingly if a student’s family financial resources increase or
decrease. The Committee is ready at all times to consider initial or additional requests for
assistance from any student in the College whose family encounters financial hardship.
Expectations Regarding Other Contributions
The Committee expects parents to provide as much assistance from both income and assets as
is feasible, by determination of institutional need analysis guidelines. The Committee also
expects parents to provide assistance for the student during the student’s entire undergraduate
career. When a student’s parents are divorced, both parents are ordinarily required to file
financial statements and to provide a portion of the parental contribution. Arbitrary withdrawal of
parental support will not ordinarily be met with increased scholarship funds. Students facing
irreconcilable differences with their parents should contact the Griffin Financial Aid Office to
discuss the College’s independent student policy guidelines.
Parents of students in Harvard College have access to various loan plans. Information is
available from the Griffin Financial Aid Office website, at https://college.harvard.edu/financial-
aid/how-aid-works/types-aid/parent-loans.
Harvard does not have a summer earnings expectation.
In assessing a student’s resources, the Griffin Financial Aid Office will ordinarily ask that a small
percentage of the student’s savings be used to pay for college costs.
Students receiving scholarship assistance are required to report to the Griffin Financial Aid
Office any outside scholarships they receive through the Outside Award Reporting System
(OARS), at https://oars.fas.harvard.edu/login.jsp. Notifying another office at Harvard (i.e., the
Student Accounts Office) of the receipt of an outside award does not satisfy this requirement.
Outside scholarships are first used to replace the job expectation in the financial aid award. If
the amount of outside scholarships exceeds the term-time work expectation, then the Harvard
Scholarship will be reduced.
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NONRESIDENT STUDENTS
MARRIED STUDENTS OR STUDENTS WITH DEPENDENTS
STUDENTS STUDYING OUT OF RESIDENCE
Nonresident, Married, and Out-of-Residence Students
The charges for nonresident students are tuition, the Student Services fee, and the Health
Services Fee. Students who receive permission to live off-campus are budgeted the same
amount for housing, food, and personal expenses as students living on campus, depending on
circumstances. Students desiring to live off-campus may want to consider the fact that off-
campus costs may be higher than on-campus expenses.
The College has no scholarship funds with which to provide extra help to married students. It is
the policy of the Griffin Financial Aid Office to treat married students as if they are nonresident
single students, expecting the student’s parents or spouse to provide the necessary extra
support. In some extraordinary cases, additional loan and/or job assistance may be available.
Students studying at other institutions during the academic year who are receiving academic
credit toward Harvard degrees will ordinarily be eligible for financial aid in accordance with the
usual conditions.
Summer School
Students who are eligible for need-based financial aid from Harvard College, and who are
attending Harvard Summer School for degree credit, may apply for loan assistance from the
Griffin Financial Aid Office. Some limited scholarship funding for summer study abroad is
available through the Office of International Education with limited need-based loans
coordinated through the Griffin Financial Aid Office.
Refund Policy
If a student who is receiving any form of financial aid takes a leave of absence or is required to
withdraw, the refund of institutional funds will be based on the amount of tuition and fees
abated, and that amount will be returned to the financial aid fund. A special refund rule applies
to Federal Direct Student and Parent Loans, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental
Education Grants, and Massachusetts State Grants. These Title IV federal and state funds will
be returned to the agencies based on the amount for which the student is no longer eligible.
Copies of these refund policies are available upon request from the Griffin Financial Aid Office
at 617-495-1581 or faoinfo@fas.harvard.edu.
Federal Verification
Harvard University participates in the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Verification
Program, which may require additional documentation of certain data elements reported on a
student’s FAFSA form.
Statement of Privacy
All information submitted for the purpose of securing financial aid is protected under Harvard’s
Enterprise Security policy, the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA),
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and the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act of 2000 (GLB). Under these provisions, Harvard ensures the
privacy and safeguarding of all financial aid information. For additional information, please
contact the Griffin Financial Aid Office at 617-495-1581.
EDUCATION RECORDS
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (FERPA), is a federal law
that gives students certain rights with respect to their education records.
Education Records
Harvard’s FAS includes both Harvard College and the GSAS, routinely maintains records for its
students that describe and document their work and progress. These education records
generally include records such as permanent and local addresses, admissions records,
enrollment status, course grades, reports and evaluations, completion of requirements and
progress toward the degree, records of disciplinary actions, letters of recommendation, and
other correspondence with or concerning the student.
Access
To be useful, students’ records must be accurate and complete. The officials who maintain
these records are those in charge of the functions reflected in the records and the offices where
the records are kept. These ordinarily include the Registrar of FAS, as well as certain officers
of the GSAS and Harvard College, including, for example, the Divisional Deans, the Chairs of
academic departments and/or concentration committees, the Director of Admissions, the Dean
of Students, the Resident Deans, and the Head Tutors or Directors of Undergraduate Studies.
All students have access to their own education records and may contribute to them if they feel
there is need for clarification. Students wishing access to their education records should contact
the Registrar’s Office. Ordinarily, students are asked to submit a written request that identifies
the specific record or records they wish to inspect. Access will be given within 45 days from
receipt of the request. When a record contains information about more than one student, the
student requesting access may inspect and review only the portion of the record relating to
themselves. Students also are not permitted to view letters and statements of recommendation
to which they waived their right of access, or that were placed in their file before January 1,
1975.
Students should direct any questions they have about the accuracy of records to the person in
ch
arge of the office where the records are kept. If questions still remain, the matter may be
referred to the Associate Registrar for Operations in the Registrar’s Office. Should it be
necessary, a hearing may be held to resolve challenges concerning the accuracy of records in
those cases where informal discussions have not satisfactorily settled the questions raised.
Directory Information
The FAS regards the following information as “directory information,” that is, information that,
u
nder FERPA, can be made available to the general public: full name; reported date of birth;
dates of attendance; concentration; class year; digitized image (please note that while Harvard
classifies photos and images as directory information, these are rarely released to parties
outside the University without the student’s permission); local or campus residence address and
telephone number; University email address; secondary school (for College students);
undergraduate college (for GSAS students); home town or city at the time the application for
admission was filed by the student; original class at time of matriculation; degree candidate
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status; date of graduation (actual or expected); degree(s) received with field of concentration
and level of honors granted (if any); department of study; University prizes, fellowships, and
similar honors awarded; and, in certain cases, students’ and parents’ or guardians’ home
addresses and telephone numbers. For student employees: job title, teaching appointment (if
applicable), employing department, and dates of employment. For Harvard College, directory
information also includes House affiliation, and height and weight of members of athletic teams.
Please note that Harvard University’s definition of directory information, found at
http://provost.harvard.edu/files/provost/files/ferpa_overview.pdf may include elements in
addition to those used by FAS, and that requests for directory information received at the
University level thus may result in disclosure of such additional elements.
Students may direct FAS not to disclose their directory information, usually known as putting in
place a “FERPA Block.” To do so, a student must inform the Registrar’s Office in person and
sign a form requesting that the information be blocked. Students should be aware of the
possible consequences of putting in place a FERPA Block, such as missed mailings, messages,
and announcements, non-verification of enrollment or degree status, and non-inclusion in the
Harvard Commencement booklet. Students who have previously chosen to put in place a
FERPA Block may decide to reverse this decision, also by informing the Registrar’s Office
in writing.
Other Disclosures Permitted under FERPA
Parents or legal guardians of students are ordinarily informed of important changes of status,
such as leaves of absence, probation, and requirement to withdraw. Under certain extenuating
circumstances, a student may request an exception to this rule.
In addition to permitting the disclosure of directory information, as set forth above, FERPA
permits disclosure of educational records without a student’s knowledge or consent under
certain circumstances. For example, disclosure is permitted to Harvard officials with a legitimate
educational interest in the records, meaning that the person needs the information in order to
fulfill their professional responsibilities, including instructional, supervisory, advisory,
administrative, academic or research, staff support or other duties. “Harvard officials” include
faculty; administrators; clerical employees; professional employees; Harvard University Health
Services staff members; Harvard University Police Department officers; agents of the University,
such as independent contractors performing functions on behalf of FAS or the University;
members of Harvard’s governing boards; and students serving on an official FAS, College,
GSAS, or University committee, or assisting another Harvard official in performing their tasks.
A student’s education record also may be shared with parties outside the University under
certain conditions, including, for example, in situations involving a health and safety emergency.
In addition, the Registrar’s Office will forward a student’s education records to other agencies or
institutions that have requested the records and in which the student seeks or intends to enroll
or is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s
enrollment or transfer.
If either Harvard College or the GSAS finds that a student has committed a disciplinary
violation involving a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense, then FAS also may, if
legally permitted and appropriate in the judgment of Harvard College or the GSAS, disclose
certain information about the disciplinary case.
The disclosure may include the student’s name, the violation committed, and the
sanction imposed.
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Student Rights under FERPA
As set forth above, under both Harvard policy and FERPA, students and former students may
inspect and review certain of their education records that are maintained by Harvard. They also
have the right to exercise limited control over other people’s access to their education records;
seek to correct their education records if they believe them to be inaccurate, misleading, or
otherwise in violation of their FERPA rights; file a complaint with the U.S. Department of
Education if they believe Harvard has not complied with the requirements of FERPA; and be
fully informed of their rights under FERPA. Complaints regarding alleged violation of rights of
students under FERPA may be submitted in writing within 180 days to the Family Policy
Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20202-5920.
Users Located in the European Economic Area
Students located in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Norway (the “European
Economic Area”), should visit https://gdpr.harvard.edu/eeaprivacydisclosures regarding ways
that certain Harvard University Schools, centers, units, and controlled entities, including this
one, may collect, use, and share information about them.
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