Erroneous Payment Plan Email Sparks Confusion Among HES Students, Alumni

An erroneous email from the Harvard Extension School administration last week falsely warned recipients — both current enrollees and alumni — that they were in default on their spring 2026 payment plan, prompting confusion and concern.

The first message, sent Wednesday afternoon, read: “Our records indicate that, as of today, you are in default on your Spring 2026 payment plan.” It warned that students could be removed from payment plans, dropped from courses, and denied future enrollment in any payment plans if they did not pay immediately.

Some recipients, including graduates who no longer regularly access Harvard systems, struggled to verify whether the message applied to them.

HES graduate Daniel Gold said he had never enrolled in a finance or payment plan and was puzzled as to why he received the email.

“I was just very confused,” Gold said.

The email directed students to contact HES’ Student Financial Services, but Gold said he was unable to reach the office during its posted business office hours. He then attempted to log into the student portal, a process he said took significant time due to updated security requirements.

“It was actually quite a laborious process,” Gold said of the procedure of calling Student Financial Services, resetting his student portal password, and downloading a third party app.

After logging in, he saw a public notice posted on the platform instructing students to disregard the initial email.

Roughly an hour and a half after the first message, HES sent a second email acknowledging the error.

“This afternoon you may have received an email in error regarding delinquency on payment plan,” it read. “You may disregard the message. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.”

HES graduate Alexander M. Ponce said issuing a correction was the “correct course of action,” adding that he has seen similar mass-email errors at other institutions in the past.

“It’s annoying to some and upsetting to most, especially because so many live on edge that they’re at ‘Harvard,’” he said. “Once they start owning that they do indeed belong, they take these type errors in stride.”

However, some recipients said the follow-up email did not fully address the stress caused by the original warning, which used strong language and threatened enrollment consequences.

Gold said the email’s tone was alarming even for alumni and caused “distress.”

“It said you would not be able to enroll in future courses, which is something that I might be interested in doing,” he said.

“It’s harder to raise money for people voluntarily if you’re also demanding money,” Gold added.

The incident was caused by “a technical glitch,” HES spokesperson Harry J. Pierre wrote in a statement to The Crimson.

“HES quickly resolved the issue and notified those who received the message to disregard the email,” he added.

Pierre did not specify what caused the error or if any mechanisms were put in place to prevent similar mistakes in the future.

Gold, for his part, was less than pleased.

“I think, as a courtesy to people that they make monetary demands of, it would be appropriate to explain what the breakdown was,” he said. “That would be my request.”

—Staff writer Subah Sumaiiyat can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on X at @ssumaiiyat_ and Signal at ssumaiiyat.14.