Central Administration
Harvard Names Klara Jelinkova As New Chief Information Officer
Klara Jelinkova, the vice president for international operations and IT at Rice University, will become Harvard’s next vice president and chief information officer, the University announced Tuesday.
Harvard, MIT To Sell Online Learning Platform edX to Tech Startup
Harvard University and MIT will sell edX — a virtual learning initiative launched jointly by the two schools in 2012 to expand education access — to the Maryland-based tech startup 2U, Inc., the schools announced Tuesday morning.
FGLI Students Celebrated in Inaugural First-Gen/Next Gen Graduation Ceremony
Harvard held its inaugural First-Gen/Next Gen Graduation Ceremony on May 23, a special commencement celebration honoring the achievements of graduating students across the University who are first generation, low income, undocumented, DACA or TPS recipients, or mixed-status.
Harvard Names New HR Vice President Following Central Admin Departures
Harvard announced Wednesday that Manuel Cuevas-Trisán will take over as the University’s vice president of human resources following the departure of several high-profile administrators, including the school’s HR head.
Bacow Confers 1,292 College Degrees in Harvard’s Second Virtual Graduation; Speaker Ruth Simmons Urges Grads to ‘Be a Force for Inclusion’
Harvard awarded 2,440 degrees across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at its second consecutive virtual Commencement ceremony Thursday, including 1,292 degrees to the College’s Class of 2021.
Supreme Court To Consider Taking Up Harvard Admissions Lawsuit During June 10 Conference
Supreme Court justices will discuss whether to take up a case against Harvard’s race-conscious admissions policies during their weekly conference on June 10, with a decision on whether to accept the petition from anti-affirmative action group Students for Fair Admissions likely coming as soon as June 14.
Bacow’s First Three Years ‘Colored by the Pandemic’
Three years into his term, University President Lawrence S. Bacow has weathered the worst of a pandemic and a fraught political climate for higher education under former President Donald Trump.
Harvard FAS To Expand Campus Housing, Host Exclusively In-Person Instruction in Fall 2021
Harvard will expand its undergraduate housing capacity on and near campus to accommodate “normal housing density” in fall 2021, even as it anticipates the largest matriculating class in its history, administrators wrote in an email to Faculty of Arts and Sciences affiliates Tuesday afternoon.
Grad Students Report Frustration with University In Union Bargaining Sessions
After attending bargaining sessions with Harvard for the graduate student union’s second contract, rank-and-file union members said the University’s bargaining team was resistant to the union’s proposed changes, especially on the topics of compensation and procedures for handling complaints of identity-based discrimination and sexual harassment.
Harvard Awards $1 Million to 2021 Climate Change Solutions Fund Recipients
Harvard’s annual Climate Change Solutions Fund awarded $1 million in funding last month to nine projects spanning the University’s 12 schools. The fund, which was founded by former University President Drew G. Faust in 2014, will help finance research initiatives focused on combating climate change and improving clean energy efficiency.
Faculty Discuss Response to Epstein Report, Conflict of Interest Reporting
Harvard administrators outlined responses the University has taken regarding the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey E. Epstein’s ties to Harvard during a monthly meeting of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Tuesday.
Jura Wins Extension School Student Government Election, Commits to Transparency After Election Rules Dispute
Kevin F. Jura will serve as the next president of the Harvard Extension Student Association for the 2021-2022 term after defeating opponent Antjaun Finch in a runoff election.
Helena Foulkes to Serve as Harvard Board of Overseers President
Helena Buonanno Foulkes ’86, a former corporate executive who has held top positions at CVS Health and served as CEO of the Hudson’s Bay Company, will serve as the president of Harvard’s Board of Overseers for the next year, the University announced Monday.
Bacow Calls for Visa Flexibility, Increased Access for International Students
University President Lawrence S. Bacow urged U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to “ease the return to campus” for international students by permanently increasing visa flexibility in a letter sent Monday.
Forty Percent of Surveyed Faculty Say Harvard’s Standing in Higher Ed Has Fallen
Over 40 percent of respondents to The Crimson’s survey of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences said they believe the University’s standing within higher education has fallen during the past decade.
Hundreds Sign Letter Asking Harvard to Designate Election Day as University-Wide ‘Democracy Day’
More than 600 Harvard affiliates signed an open letter asking University President Lawrence S. Bacow to designate federal Election Days as instruction-free “Democracy Days” that would offer a holiday to employees and students and provide civic engagement programming.
Texas Files Amicus Brief Supporting SFFA in Harvard Admissions Lawsuit
The state of Texas filed an amicus brief Tuesday in favor of the anti-affirmative action group suing Harvard over its race-conscious admissions policies.
Harvard Aims to Bring Back Faculty, Staff on Aug. 2
Harvard announced Monday it plans to reopen its campus to all faculty, staff, and researchers on Aug. 2 in light of expected vaccine availability.
Bacow Hopes for ‘As Close to a Traditional’ Post-Covid Commencement As Possible for Classes of ’20, ’21
University President Lawrence S. Bacow said in an interview Thursday that Harvard intends for future in-person celebrations for the Classes of 2020 and 2021 to closely mirror traditional Commencement Exercises with just “as much pomp and circumstance.”
Harvard Administrators Respond to Spike in Anti-Asian Hate Crimes, Atlanta Shootings
Harvard administrators responded to the rise in anti-Asian violence and hate crimes since the onset of the pandemic last year in a series of emails calling for the University to come together in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander students.
Bacow Defends Harvard’s Tenure Process Following Cornel West’s Decision to Depart
University President Lawrence S. Bacow declined to provide details on the circumstances that led to the departure of Cornel R. West ’74, citing confidentiality policies, but defended Harvard’s existing tenure process in a Thursday interview.
Grad Union and Harvard Begin Bargaining for Second Contract
Harvard and its graduate student union held their first bargaining session for a second contract Thursday, reopening negotiations just nine months after the two sides agreed on a first contract.
Harvard Could Be Eligible For $25 Million In Relief Funds Under Latest Stimulus Package, Per Report
Harvard may be eligible to receive nearly $25.5 million in aid from the latest federal stimulus package, according to an analysis published Monday by the American Council on Education, a higher education interest group.
Inside Harvard’s Cautious Reopening Approach in the Year of Covid
Backed by deep pockets and a slew of in-house resources and expertise, Harvard has opted for a conservative approach to reopening that has kept on-campus case rates consistently low but left students scattered across the globe.
Garber ‘Very Optimistic’ Ahead of Graduate Student Union Negotiations
With the negotiations over a second contract between Harvard and its graduate student union looming, University Provost Alan M. Garber ’76 said in an interview Friday that he is “very optimistic” going into bargaining.