Academics
SEAS Cancels Class on Controversial Policing Strategy After Student Petition
The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences canceled a new course this semester focused on police counterinsurgency tactics after a widespread petition called for its withdrawal, SEAS Dean Francis J. Doyle III wrote in an email to school affiliates Monday.
Across the World, Harvard Students Log onto Zoom for First Day of Spring Semester
Despite being scattered across the globe, all enrolled Harvard students faced the same experience Monday — the start of the spring semester.
Covid-19 Sends Students Home, Ushers in Remote Learning
Five days after waking up to a March 10 email informing them of Harvard’s decision to de-densify campus, most College students found themselves uprooted from residential life and scattered across the globe.
Undergrads Adjust to Virtual Fall Semester
Harvard announced in July that it would welcome only freshmen and students with extenuating circumstances to campus for the fall semester and conduct its courses entirely online.
Harvard Students Launch Voter Monitoring Service in Time for Georgia Senate Runoffs
Harvard students launched a tool Friday for Georgia residents to monitor their voter registration statuses ahead of next month’s contentious Senate runoff elections in the state.
The Good, The Bad, and The Awkward: Faculty and Students Reflect on a Virtual Fall Semester
While the University’s decision to abruptly de-densify its campus in the spring gave little time to shift to virtual learning, faculty spent the summer making numerous adaptations to their courses, some of which clicked with students and others of which were met with less enthusiasm.
Students Lament Decline in Courses Soliciting Qualitative Q Guide Feedback
Some undergraduates expressed frustration that some professors did not give the option to make qualitative comments for future students to read on the Q Guide.
Despite Decrease in Concentrators, Students and Faculty Alike Defend the Humanities
Of the 18 concentrations in the Arts and Humanities division, 10 have experienced significant decreases in numbers of concentrators, six remained relatively steady, and two saw slight increases between 2015 and 2019.
Phi Beta Kappa Inducts Senior 48
Forty-eight College seniors became members of academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa’s Alpha Iota chapter on Nov. 16, joining twenty-four classmates who were elected to the society in April.
Sophomores Select Concentrations in First Completely Virtual Declaration
More than 1,300 sophomore students declared their concentrations virtually last Thursday evening, drawn mostly towards concentrations consistent with past years.
Departments Court Prospective Concentrators Amid Remote Fall
As undergraduate classes pass the midpoint of a second virtual semester, department leaders within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences say they are unsure how the coronavirus will affect students’ concentration choice.
‘I’m Absolutely Terrified’: International Students Fear a Trump Re-Election
Believing their ability to live, work, and study in the United States is in jeopardy, several of Harvard’s international students say they are afraid of the prospect that President Donald J. Trump may be re-elected less than a week from the end of voting.
Graduate School of Design Faces Backlash After Restructuring Master of Design Studies Program
The Harvard Graduate School of Design announced Friday it has restructured its Masters of Design Studies Program, raising concerns among students and alumni over how administrators came to the decision and whether the shift will dilute the degree’s educational value.
GSAS Remains Online for Spring Semester, Continues Emergency Support Initiative
The Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences will continue all instruction and cohort-building activities for the spring 2021 semester remotely, GSAS Dean Emma Dench wrote in an email to students last Wednesday.
Harvard Kennedy School Students Grapple with Spring 2021 Decision
Harvard Kennedy School students say they are conflicted about spring plans following the school’s decision to offer in-person classes for international students in the spring.
College Extends Deadline to Switch to Pass-Fail Grading to Nov. 16
The Undergraduate Educational Policy Committee extended the deadline for students to change a course’s grading basis between letter-graded and pass-fail to Nov. 16, Faculty of Arts and Sciences Registrar Michael P. Burke wrote in an email to students Tuesday morning.
Social Science Concentrators Adapt to the Virtual Thesis Process
In an unprecedented semester of virtual learning, seniors concentrating in social science disciplines say they have faced a host of new challenges in completing their theses — but also a few upsides which come with an all-virtual writing process.
Scholars Trace Violent History of Immigration Policy at 'Border Inhumanities' Panel
Scholars discussed the origins and evolution of migration and border politics at a panel discussion Monday evening, pointing out violence throughout the history of American immigration policy.
A ‘Huge Opportunity Cost’: International Students Navigate Midnight Classes, Limited Extracurricular Opportunities
Last spring, Amy M. Zhou ’21 went to sleep at 2 a.m., woke up at 6 a.m., went back to sleep at noon, and woke up at 4 p.m. each day. Classes had transitioned online, and Zhou had to accommodate Cambridge timetables from 14 time zones away.
Gov 50 Students React to Allegations Against Instructor with Anger, Surprise
Dozens of students condemn allegations that Government instructor David D. Kane authored racist blog posts endorsing bigotry and white supremacy.
HKS Alumni, Professors Develop App to Promote Inclusive Learning
As faculty and students across the University adjust to this fall’s online academic model, some are turning to a web app developed by a team of Harvard affiliates to promote inclusive classroom learning.
Dozens of Fall Courses Address Race, Inequality in America
A host of Harvard departments are offering courses this semester that aim to engage with the racial injustice in America after a summer of protests over anti-Black racism.
Arts and Humanities Division Outlines New Undergraduate Fellowship Program
The Arts and Humanities Division has announced initial details on their website regarding the launch of a new humanities fellowship program in the spring of 2021.
Arts and Humanities Ring in Fall Semester with New Interdisciplinary Courses
As Harvard begins its first all-online semester, the Arts and Humanities division is offering a new set of interdisciplinary courses designed to meet the needs of a virtual classroom.
Undergraduates Give Virtual Shopping Week Mixed Reviews
Harvard undergraduates traded in-person lectures for online course previews this week, voicing mixed feelings about Harvard’s new take on shopping period, a longstanding scheduling quirk that allows students to sample classes before officially enrolling.