ACADEMIC CALENDAR WITH ALL DEADLINES for 2008-2009

http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/ugrad_handbook/current/chapter1/2008-09.html

REGISTRAR’S FAQ PAGE

http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/fasro/common/faq.jsp#3_37

for answers to questions about:

Online Communication Packet FAQ
Online Directory Update Portal FAQ
Online Course Enrollment FAQ
Online Registration FAQ
Online Student Record FAQ
Course Evaluation FAQ

 

DO I NEED TO GET A GRADE OF “ C” OR BETTER TO MEET A CORE? CAN I TAKE A COURSE OVER TO IMPROVE MY GRADE AND GPA?

So long as you don’t receive a failing grade, the CORE will have been met.  If your final grade is a "D" or you will still have satisfied the requirement. The grade for any course you take, and its calculation into your GPA is final. Taking a course over with a better grade will not replace the original, nor apply for credit twice, and will not be calculated into your GPA.

 

IF I GET A “D” WILL I AUTO ATICALLY BE PLACED ON PROBATION AND WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL?
While anything less than a C- generally results in the student being placed on Academic probation, it is not an absolute foregone conclusion.  However, if placed on Academic pro, the general rule is that if the student receives no grade lower than a C- in their next consecutive term, they will be relieved from probation.  But if their next consecutive term results in any grades less than C- (note, the grade of "unsat" is the equivalent of a "Fail"), the student is "ordinarily" required to withdraw from the College for the period of one year, during which time that student must work a minimum of 6 months at a full time non-academic job.
There are sometimes nuances to the circumstances leading to an unsat record which could result in some variation to the consequences cited above, however, this can only be determined on a case-by-case basis, so rather than jump the gun, wait to see what your record is for this term, and in the meantime don't anticipate the worst - you could be worrying over what may never come to pass.

 

IS THERE ANY WAY TO SUBSTITUTE A COURSE VERY SIMILAR TO A CORE COURSE FOR THAT CORE REQUIREMENT?

You may petition the CORE if you can demonstrate that an alternate course should meet the same requirement, or to waive a requirement such as Science B if you have a qualifying AP Score, or one may meet a Foreign Cultures CORE if they are receiving a Language Citation. All such petitions must be made directly to the CORE at 77 Dunster, 617-495-2563 and all CORE questions should be addressed to the CORE Director, Susan Lewis, slewis@fas.harvard.edu or the Asst. Director Charles Ruberto ruberto@fas.harvard.edu.

 

WHEN I LOOKED AT MY RECORD ON LINE, I FOUND A MISTAKE WITH ONE OF MY COURSE CREDITS WHICH SHOULD HAVE APPLIED TOWARD MY CONCENTRATION APPLIED AS MEETING A CORE INSTEAD. HOW DO I CORRECT THIS?

The quickest, easiest way to correct such errors is to e-mail require@fas.harvard.edu. The Requirements Office, 5-1489 at 20 Garden St., keeps overall track of general requirements, what's met and what's not, and they can answer pretty much any question you have about your degree requirements.

DO GRADES FOR SUMMER SCHOOL COURSES AUTOMATICALLY APPEAR ON MY COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT? ARE THEY CALCULATED INTO MY COLLEGE GPA?

They do appear on the College transcript and are calculated into your College GPA if you enrolled in the Summer School using your existing Harvard undergraduate ID.  If you did not identify yourself as a full-time student in the College, the SS will not automatically know this, and you would need to then tell them you want AB degree credit for the SS course(s), or that you don't want degree credit but do want it to appear on your undergraduate transcript with the credit bracketed.   Otherwise, the only record you would have of the course(s) would be on a separate SS transcript. Any question about SS courses and credit should be directed to the Summer School Registrar (which is the same Registrar for both SS and Continuing Ed, at 51 Brattle, and last I checked this was Susan McGee at 617-495-5535). That office can tell you what will happen with your grades, if they are being reported to the FAS Registrar to include on your Harvard College record. But be sure that any SS course you plan to take for either CORE or Concentration credit must be pre-approved by these respective departments (just contact the CORE or your department to confirm before investing the time and effort in the course that credit will be accepted).

HOW TO GET AP & SAT SCORES?

For a copy of you SATs, and Advanced Placement Test scores you may need to apply to meet certain CORE requirements, you should contact Princeton ETS (Educational Testing Services) at 609-771-7300 or 609-921-9000 and request that an official copy be sent directly to the CORE Office.

HOW TO FIND COURSE MEETING LOCATIONS

to find course meeting schedules and locations on line, go to:
http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/reports/courses/classroom_meeting_locations.pdf once you have the location, you can find directions to the building at <www.map.harvard.edu>.

 

LATE STUDY CARDS

If you do not turn your Study Card in to the Adams Gold Room between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Study Card Day (Fri. Sept. 19 for the 2008 fall term and Wed Feb 4 for the 2008 spring term) :
1) your name will not appear on any course head enrollment lists.
2) instead of just needing your concentration advisor's signature, late cards require signed approval of every instructor who's course you list.
3) you will be fined $40 for each week the card is overdue, and
4) you are liable for disciplinary action including requirement to withdraw.

If undecided about your course selection, save yourself compounding late fees, extra hassle and Ad Board action by handing your Study Card in by the deadline, even if it is still incomplete, and THEN take your time making changes over the next four to seven weeks with Course Change petitions.  You are allowed one Add plus one Drop on each form, for which there is no charge until after the 3rd Monday of the term, when a $10 fee will be levied for each form until the 5th Monday, the last date to add/drop. This is also the last date for changing the grading status of a course, for which there is no charge.  And from the 5th to the 7th Monday, you may still Withdraw from a course for $10 a form.

(note: the Reg office reps who collect cards in the Gold Room on Study Card Day always leave precisely at 5 p.m., so don't wait till 5 to hand your Study Card in.  They will already be walking out the door.)

 

“WALKING” WITH YOUR CLASS THROUGH COMMENCEMENT & GOING TO ALL GRADUATION ACTIVITIES EVEN IF YOU WON’T HAVE FINISHED WITH ALL YOUR DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

It is possible to "walk" with your class at graduation even if you have not completed all your AB requirements (including how to rent a cap and gown and participate in all commencement activities, as well as getting invitations for your family to attend Yard exercises and comp tickets for the Class Day picnic and Commencement lunch and to get yourself on the mailing list for Senior Week events such as the booze cruise, the last chance dance, the Mohegan Sun gambling trip, graduates day at 6 flags, the family dinner, etc.) and receive a "blank" diploma to be “awarded” during the degree conferrals so no one who doesn't know your particular circumstances will be aware that you haven’t completed your undergraduate studies.
To exercise this option you must notify your house Administrator, Sophia Chaknis, of your intentions.  The Commencement website should have many other details http://www.commencementoffice.harvard.edu and can answer most if not all of your questions.  Their phone is 617-495-5726 if you don't find what you need on their web site.
You should also keep an eye on www.crimson09.com for links to useful sites for June degree candidates, as well as for a pretty complete calendar for Senior Week.

CROSS REGISTRATION A-Z

As with nearly all other forms and petitions you may need during your undergraduate career, this one is available from me in my C-18 office (and if I am out of the office, they can be found on the shelves in the hall immediately to the left of my C-18 door).
After you have filled out your part of the form completely, you will need to obtain the following signatures in the order listed :
1 - Instructor of the Cross-Registered course (note: the instructor must sign twice, in the second space provided, if you intend and have her/his permission to take the course Pass/Fail)
2 - ONLY if you want and are allowed to receive credit for the course applied toward your concentration, would you now need your concentration adviser, Head Tutor or Director of Undergraduate Studies in your department (DUS) to sign.  If the course is being taken for elective credit, you should NOT get a concentration signature.
3 - The host registrar must now sign (or stamp) and tear off their copy (the yellow, bottom carbon). (*note: there is an exception to this for HLS following 4.)
4 - If you have signed the form and the only missing signature is the Resident Dean's, bring the form back to C-18 and leave it with me (or in my door drop if the door is closed). You are now done.  I will have Sharon sign then will get the forms to the registrar to be processed. Virtually every form obtained from my office also ends in my office except for Study Cards, petitions to the CORE, and Study Abroad petitions.

* exception for HLS - The Law School Registrar requires the Resident Dean to sign before the Law School, so, for the Law School ONLY, after step 2, bring the form to me, I will get the Res Dean to sign, then you must come back for the form and bring it back to the HLS Registrar, who will then sign, tear of their carbon copy, give the rest of the form to you to return to me to be processed by our FAS Registrar.

HOW MANY CROSS-REGISTRATION & PASS FAIL COURSES MAY I TAKE?

There is no limit on the # of P/F and Cross-Registered courses one can enroll in so long as they:
a) are also enrolled in at least one letter graded course and receive no less than a C- grade in that course by term's end, and
b) they are keeping pace with ALL degree requirements (for concentration as well as the core, and including accruing the expected number of required passing letter-graded credits by the end of the academic year -- i.e. of 16 full course credits with passing grades to meet minimum degree requirements, at least 10.5 courses (12 for a degree with honors) given by FAS must be letter-graded C- or above.  The only exception is that a 1.0 "SAT" grade for a full year senior tutorial is equivalent to 1.0 of the total letter-graded requirement, and letter grades for cross-registered courses ONLY if the courses have been approved for concentration or UTEP credit.  

 

WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM # OF COURSES I MAY TAKE IN A TERM?

There is no limit on the maximum # of courses one can enroll in although any more than 5 half courses per term require a second Study Card and the signed approval of the Resident Dean (or any course above 5 may also be enrolled in using an Add form if your Study Card has already been turned in). You must, however, enroll in no less than 3 courses minimum per term with at least one being an FAS course in which you must receive a grade of C- or higher, and by the end of the academic year, you must have completed no less than the equivalent of 8 half courses (eg 3 half courses completed in a fall term and five completed in the following spring; or 1 full course take in Summer School, followed by a fall and spring term of at least 3 half courses each so that one is up to the 4 full course rate by the end of that academic year).

Exception: in the case of a verifiable medical or other issue which would make working at the full course rate unreasonable, one may petition the Ad Board to work and pay at a reduced rate.

SECONDARY FIELDS

 The Secondary Fields Web Tool is available at  http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~secfield/forms.html

If considering a secondary field, this can be used to create and save an online worksheet to track your progress toward the completion of a secondary field by recording which courses you want to count toward a given program. The worksheet can also help you think about progressing toward a secondary field, but no one else will see this information. After choosing a concentration at the end of fall semester sophomore year, you may then decide to make your plan to work toward the completion of the secondary field official. To do so, use this same tool to notify the program of your interest and send your contact information and course plan to the secondary field adviser. But remember: while it is your responsibility to track your own progress, you must talk to the secondary field adviser to make sure that the courses you choose will count for the secondary field.

If you change your mind, simply delete your worksheet and let the program know that you are no longer interested.

However, once you have completed the course requirements for your secondary field (or, if you are a second term senior, once you have enrolled in the last of the required courses), there are two things you must do:

•  File your application and send it to the program and to the Registrar. Note: Only seniors graduating in June or November 2009 may use this feature at this time. Once you click “file,” you cannot change anything on-line.

•  Print the form, have it approved and signed by the secondary field adviser, and hand it in to the Registrar. It is essential that the Registrar receive both the online and printed portions of your secondary field form no later than the March deadline (check the Registrar’s on-line calendar for the specific date, which has not yet been posted for this year at the time of this entry). A note of caution: In the Adams class of 2008, two grads were one day late in filing their applications with the Registrar, and both applications were denied. ***Seniors must submit their Secondary Field Application to the Registrar no later than the 7^th Monday of their final term.

In general, for all questions regarding Secondary Fields, go to http://www.secondaryfields.fas.harvard.edu/index.html  This is a very extensive website devoted to this topic with many links and (I think) very user friendly. If you are having difficulty finding your answer(s) there, it directs you to contact the Office of Academic Programs (oap@fas.harvard.edu).

 

ADAMS WEB PASSWORD REMINDER

If you have forgotten your password for the Adams Website, you can
always click the "Forgot your password?" link on the login page.  It
will direct you to this simple password reminder page:
http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/adams/reminder.php

HOUSING FORMS & INFO.

The URL for the Office of Residential Life website with downloadable forms is:
www.orl.fas.harvard.edu
Housing questions may be e-mailed to orl@fas.harvard.edu and/or Sophia Chaknis, Adams House Administrator at schaknis@fas.harvard.edu  

 

ADD/DROP PASS/FAIL WITHDRAW & DIVIDE WITH CREDIT PROCEEDURES:

 

ADD/DROP
1) pick up add/drop forms available outside and just to the left of my C-18 office door. Each form can accommodate one add and/or one drop.
2) all adds need instructors' signatures (If a drop, no instructor signature needed).
3) whether an add or a drop or both, forms next need a signature from your concentration (or Sophomore advisor if not in a concentration).
4) *if the only thing missing from the form is the signature of the Resident Dean, leave the form with me and I will take it from there unless you neglect to bubble in your ID, most common oversight (if the C-18 office is closed, leave your add/drop in the door drop)

PASS/FAIL
1) pick up pass/fail forms available outside and just to left of my C-18 office door.
2) from letter grade to pass/fail requires instructors' signatures (from pass/fail to letter grade does not).
3) to change either way requires a signature from your concentration (or sophomore advisor).
4) *if the only thing missing from the form is the signature of the Resident Dean, you just need to leave the form with me and you're done (I'll get Sharon to sign and submit - if C-18 is closed, leave your petition in the door drop)

WITHDRAW

Withdrawals are filed on the same form you use to Add/Drop, however, once we’re in the Withdraw only period, you must fill in the withdraw bubble, not the Drop bubble, or it will not scan.
1) pick form up outside and to the left of the C-18 door.  each form accommodates a single withdrawal.
2) an instructor signature is not needed however all withdrawals require your concentration's signature.
3) if the only thing missing from the form is the signature of the Resident Dean, leave the form with me and I will take it from there (if C-18 door is closed, leave your withdrawal in my C-18 door drop)

 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WITHDRAW AND DROP

A "Drop" deletes all trace of a course you enrolled in from your transcript.
After the Drop deadline, there is a window of two more weeks in which a student may formally "Withdraw" from a course (usually because they are not doing well in the course, or just don't have sufficient time to meet all the course requirements), however, a Withdraw remains on your transcript as a "W" (which is explained in the legend as meaning simply that a student enrolled in a course decided at mid-term to discontinue; a "W" is not a grade like an Incomplete, which would eventually turn into a failing grade).

DIVIDE WITH CREDIT

1) pick up green form outside C-18 office.

2) you need the instructor's signature first.

3) you need your concentration signature next.

4) leave form in C-18 door drop and you're done (Sharon will sign and  we'll get it to the Registrar).

*as a general rule, most forms begin and end at my office.

 

No fee for Pass/Fail
$10 per form for Add/Drop from the 3^rd Mon. of the term to the 5^th (one form can accommodate two actions, but is still $10 if used for only one change. If submitted before the 3^rd Mon., there is no charge.)
$15 for Divide with Credit    

 

WILL A DROP SHOW UP ON MY TRANSCRIPT?

Drops are never noted in the transcript.  It effectively expunges all trace of the course dropped.  That said, be aware that after the 5th Monday of a term and up to the 7th Monday, you may only "Withdraw" from a course, and all course "Withdrawals" are indicated on your permanent transcript by a "WD".  This translates simply and solely as a course you had been enrolled in but which you later withdrew from.  It carries no other connotation.

 

INDEPENDENT STUDY (three categories, their course #s and how to enroll)

There are three different forms of Independent Study, each with its own catalog #.

1)    Independent  Study Supervised Reading and Research, 91r is enrolled in using the catalog # designated by the department it is offered through .

2)    The 9999 catalog # is for Independent Study that is NOT supervised reading and research, but an independently structured and executed, self-directed project which is not restricted to research, although that is often the case, with a paper being produced at the end (some people have turned a summer internship experience into a I.S. which continues with the study or project they were involved in over the summer even after returning to school).  Some of these proposed I.S. projects have resulted in plays written and then produced and directed by the student (a graduate from several years ago wrote and mounted a production of his play about Abu Ghraib in the Loeb Ex as an Independent Study during his Sophomore year, for which he received degree credit and national attention). Someone from another class created a sculpture that was a model of some organism or element she researched independently as a Bio concentrator.  This form of I.S. cannot simply be added on a Add/Drop form, but also requires the submission at the same time of a written proposal and formal petition (which can be obtained from my office) and which also involves the student finding a faculty adviser agreeing to grade the project, and the Committee on Independent Study reviews project proposals and makes the final determination if a proposal I.S.-worthy.

3)    The 3rd form of Independent Study is in the practice and performance of music, or private music or voice lessons, which also has its own form to fill out and  requires the commitment of an advisor/coach which the student must find.

 

CREDIT FOR SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

Many summer internships carry the stipulation that an applicant must be eligible for credit from their College on the completion of the internship. We can help students get around this most often by simply writing a letter which confirms that it is possible, in the term following the internship, to earn credit if the student writes a paper or completes some other appropriate project related to their internship. Of course, the proposed paper or project has to be approved by a faculty adviser, who would also grade the work if you were to enroll for an I.S. in the fall term following the internship.

However, if the organization offering the internship requires you to identify your I.S. adviser before you can be approved for the internship, it gets more complicated. Since you can't enroll in an Independent Study until the fall, after the internship is completed, it might be tough for you to find a faculty adviser this far in advance. It would necessitate your planning out and writing up a formal proposal, and finding a faculty member willing to commit to working with you and grading your project after it is completed in the fall.

In most cases, Internships carrying the credit option are satisfied just to receive the letter I routinely do confirming that our students have the option, without asking for details or faculty contacts.

A GRAD SCHOOL I APPLIED TO TOLD ME THEY HAVEN’T RECEIVED MY RECS YET.

Admissions offices process thousands of applications and are a perfect environment for a package to be misplaced. You are always welcome to have another copy of your letters sent out--just bring another stamped and addressed envelope to me in C-18. Or you can FedEx a sealed set which you can pick up from me if you bring the labeled Fed/Ex envelope.

It is important that you put adequate postage on the envelope, or the post office will return it. 41 cents is rarely enough and if several letters are to be enclosed, postage is priced by weight so it may be safer to stick on about $1.50 in stamps.

Also take care that you address your envelopes precisely as instructed. Even if the Post Office delivers the letter to the right school, schools will just return imprecisely addressed packets to the sender (most institutions’ mail departments don't have the capacity to spend the extra time figuring out where vaguely addressed packages go, so if the instructions specify a particular department or room #, be certain to include them as well).

HOW DO I GET THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN MY FILE SENT OUT?

Turnaround time: except for pre-professional packets (Medical and Law school), recommendations are sent within one working day from the time you bring an addressed, stamped envelope to C-18. You should make sure (1) that the letters from your recommenders have reached the House by checking the rolodex on my office desk or sending me an e-mail to ask and (2) that the envelope you bring also has your name and the names of the recommenders whose letters you want photocopied in the lower left-hand corner of the envelope. As for confirming that letters have been sent out, all I can tell you is that the turn-around time, if you meet the above two conditions, is usually same day to next day, and certainly never more than one work week (as in cases of holiday or illness). Because we sometimes receive as many as a hundred or more requests to send letters in a single week, we do not compound the processing time by keeping additional records of when each request is processed. However, we can guarantee that all requests are processed in the time frame I have given so it is not necessary to check back on the status of your requests. We have not yet failed to mail letters out, so if other institutions' admissions offices or potential employers should ever claim not to have received letters you have asked us to send, they are either tied up in U.S. mail or (more often than not) misplaced at the other end; (and if concerned that they have lost them at the other end – which they will never admit is even a possibility – just bring me another pre-prepared envelope and I will happily photocopy a new set and send them out again).

Medical and Law school packets, which have to include Dean's letters, are overseen by the House Law and Medical committee chairs, so refer to those sections of the House Website.

Faxing and e-mail: In general, faxed or e-mailed recommendations are not acceptable. The former are usually poor quality, and the latter are not that easy to verify unless they are sent directly from the recommender's own e-mail account, not from that of the House, and they include the recommender’s electronic signature and the rec is on their office letterhead). If you wish to get letters to their final destination as quickly as possible, pick up a signed and sealed copy from me and have it FedEx'd.

WHAT ADDRESS SHOULD RECOMMENDERS SEND THEIR LETTERS TO FOR MY HOUSE FILE?
Resident Dean, Adams House
26 Plympton St.
Cambridge, MA 02138-6607

This address is also given on the “Recommendation Request/Waiver Form”, which must be submitted with every letter you ask for, so be sure to download the form from this stage to provide your recommenders.

HOW CAN I OBTAIN A TRANSCRIPT OF MY GRADES?
You can get an official transcript from the Registrar's Office at 20 Garden St.. Detailed instructions, and a downloadable version of the transcript request form, at http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/

If it doesn't need to be official, you can get a list of courses and grades in PDF form from the Registrar's website. Click on "Undergraduates" and "Student Record.”

 

HOW DO I CONVERT HARVARD COURSES TO CREDIT HOURS?
A regular half-unit course, usually taken over one term, counts as 4 credit hours; a full-year (1-unit) course, ordinarily taken over two terms, counts as 8 credit hours.

 

WHERE MAY I FIND MY COURSE/GRADES?
Go to the course/grade website at http://www.fas.harvard.edu/registrargrades.

WHERE MAY I FIND MOVE-OUT/MOVE-IN AND OTHER ACADEMIC DATES AND DEADLINES?
All that is found in this year's Academic Calendar, which is in the beginning of both the on-line and hardcopies of your Handbook for Students. There is also a five-year academic calendar from the Registrar at
http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/AcademicCalendar.html and at http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/fasro/common/calendar.jsp?cat=ugrad&subcat=calenda

HOW TO CONFIRM YOUR ADD/DROP AND OTHER COURSE CHANGES

You can find your course and grade report through the Campus Resource tab at my.harvard.edu portal, which connects you to the Registrar’s website. Just be sure you are not going back into the study card tool (shopping tool) at the courses tab of the my.harvard.edu portal where your study card was first formed, because the study card tool and the shopping cart are not updated from the add/drop process.
To review: log-in to (http://my.harvard.edu), enter your HUID Number and PIN and then click
on the "Campus Resources" tab.

WHAT HAPPENS TO MAIL SENT OVER THE SUMMER?

The superintendent’s office oversees all House mail operations, however, when students leave for the summer, they need to initiate a mail-forwarding plan, which you can find more details on in the general Adams FAQ section . I do know that the Houses cannot continue to hold mail for students who are gone since the mailboxes in each House are reassigned to Summer School students. First class mail will be forwarded if you submit the written request. The magazines, newspapers and other 2^nd and 3^rd class mail can’t be forwarded so is recycled. And all packages are sent back to the deliverer... ie. Fedex, UPS, etc. because packages also cannot be forwarded.

Some people who know they have packages on the way call ahead of time so they can pick them up at Adams House so they are not sent back to the deliverer. I'm not sure if that is a possible option in all cases. Best to check with Jorge.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

Registration ends on Friday, September 12 at 5 p.m., which is when the Registrar's Office closes for the day.  Although one may still register the following Monday, there is a $50 late fee and you must register at 20 Garden St. (until 5 p.m. the 12th, you can register anywhere on campus where there is computer access to the Registrar's website).

STAYING THROUGH BREAKS

As for staying through Winter Break, there are no restrictions on this in the upperclass Houses, however there is no *board plan (the dining halls are closed) and the thermostats are turned down to a very low setting, so if it happens to be exceptionally cold over the break, you may want to invest in a space heater, but check with your super as it must meet with the College's safety specifications.  Also, there is a sign-up sheet maintained by the Super's Office in case of emergency over the break on which you must specify the dates you plan to be staying in Adams.

*while there is no board plan over school breaks, there is a fully equipped student kitchen for anyone who wishes to cook for themselves.  there are also some resident tutors who stay behind, and occasionally we will throw together a meal with enough to share with each other and students who stayed, but this generally is only announced on Schmooze, so it's worth checking the list-serve a couple times daily over breaks.

 

HONORS DEGREES

Beginning with the June 2005 graduating class the Faculty began awarding Degrees with honors such that the total number of degrees awarded Summa Cum Laude in a Field and Magna Cum Laude in a Field, upon the recommendation of the student's concentration, will represent not more than 20 percent of all June degree candidates. In addition, the total number of degrees awarded Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude in Field will represent not more than 50 percent of all June degree candidates. Students not recommended for honors in a concentration may be recommended by the Faculty for the degree Cum Laude on the basis of an overall grade point average that meets the minimum GPA established for Magna Cum Laude honors. The total number of degrees awarded Cum Laude on the basis of the overall grade point average will represent not more than 10 percent of all June degree candidates.

The following grade point average thresholds were established by the Faculty for awarding degrees Magna Cum Laude and Cum Laude in Field for the June 2008 degree period:

Magna Cum Laude -- 3.710
Cum Laude in Field -- 3.414
Cum Laude -- 3.710

Information regarding the criteria for selection for honors degrees may be found in the Handbook for Students. Questions from June degree candidates regarding qualifying for honors degrees should be directed to their Allston Burr Resident Dean.

 

STORAGE OF YOUR PROPERTY WHILE ON LEAVE - the policy, as I've had it explained to me by House staff who oversee Summer storage, is that the Summer is the only time when storage is allowed, and then, only for students who were in residence immediately prior to that Summer, and who also will be returning to Adams immediately following that summer. The reason for this is that the only areas available for storage are designated public areas (such as the Pool Theater) which are in constant use throughout the Fall and Spring Terms, the House cannot accommodate longer term storage.
The only possible way to get around this that I can think of would be to find a friend in the House who is continuing this fall who both has space and would be willing to store your things with theirs in their room here till you return (quite a substantial favor to ask of someone, with all the moving, and then having to live with the inconvenience of their space crowded with your storage), and then they would also need to agree to moving your belongings back into storage with theirs for the summer if you are still on leave at the end of the spring term.
         
LEAVE OF ABSENCE/WITHDRAWAL PETITION
The following form, properly filled out and signed, along with a Notice of Intention to Return form, must be completed with your Assistant to the Resident Dean before you begin a Leave.  Without this petition to the Ad Board, a Housing cancellation will be interpreted solely as a move off-campus and you will continue to receive Term Bills with tuition charges. note:  Cancelling Housing does NOT cancel your tuition, just as cancelling your registrartion does NOT cancel your Housing (and if it is after the deadline for canceling Housing, you will be liable for substantial late Housing cancellation fees, so be certain to complete and return by their due dates the Housing and Returning Student forms which you can download from http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~uho


Name:__________________________________I.D.#:____________________
(please print all information clearly)

Permanent mailing address:_______________________________________
Usually parent(s) Or guardian address.     
 
_________________________________________________________________
(be sure to include zip code )            

Permanent  telephone number(s):(    ) _____________(   )__________

For which year and term do you presently expect to return?  We understand your plans may change.
 
Year________      Circle term:            Fall        Spring
 
Number of courses you are enrolled in for the current term ______
 
Expected date of graduation:________House Affiliation before leave: ________ after leave_________
 
Terms of departure from College (check one):
 
___Voluntary Leave of Absence   ___Medical Leave   ___Leave after Term has started   ___Required to Withdraw
If 1 or 3 are checked, please state briefly below your reason for leaving and your plans for your time away:
  
Have you applied to receive - or - will you be applying
to receive credit for courses taken out of residence?                  YES ___   NO ___
 
Finally, please be reminded that in addition to the Application for Returning Students obtainable from Housing website, you must notify the Assistant to your Resident Dean by separate written confirmation (a postcard would be sufficient) at least 10 weeks prior to the beginning of the term that you are indeed returning as planned or continuing your leave. 
 
 
Date:              Signature: ______________________________

 

 

RETURNING FROM LOA

You will need to visit the following websites:

Returning Student Worksheet https://sfsportal.harvard.edu/admin/sro/returningfromleave.shtml

Guide to Student Billing: https://sfsportal.harvard.edu/pdf/Guide%20to%20Student%20Billing.pdf

How E-billing Works: https://sfsportal.harvard.edu/pdf/How%20Ebilling%20Works.pdf

Billing Calendar: https://sfsportal.harvard.edu/pdf/Billing%20Calendar.pdf

Registration: www.registrar.has.harvard.edu

It is very important that all returning students understand that even though they have not received an official bill, they must pay their charges for the semester in order to register for classes. The only way for them to determine the amount due is to complete a Returning Student Worksheet. They are then required to mail or deliver the completed worksheet along with any payment required to the Student Receivables Office before the deadline for registration.

The Returning Student Worksheet also includes information about the optional fees which all College students are charged.   Students who meet certain requirements may be eligible to waive the charge for the Harvard sponsored Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance.  Eligible students may apply to waive coverage for the entire year, or apply each term to waive coverage for a single term. Like all students, returning students are subject to the deadlines to complete and submit a waiver to University Health Services.  The deadline for the fall 2008 semester is September 30, 2008.  The deadline for the spring 2009 semester is February 28, 2009.  Waivers received after these deadlines will not be accepted.

All College students are also charged the Undergraduate Council Fee. The Undergraduate Council is made up of College students who have been elected to serve as advocates for student concerns, organize campus-wide social events, and provide funding for student organizations. The UGC fee of $75 is charged once a year and is used to fund these activities.  In order to waive the Undergraduate Council Fee, students must write a letter requesting a waiver and mail or deliver it to: 

Harvard Student Receivables Office, 953 Holyoke, 1350 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA  02138. The deadline for the fall 2008 semester is September 30, 2008.  The deadline for students returning in the spring 2009 semester is February 28, 2009. All students are required to report any outside awards they expect to receive to Financial Aid using an online application at: http://admin-apps.fas.harvard.edu/oars.html

That’s it for the administrative details.  If you will be living on-campus, the House reopens on Saturday September 6th.

 

JOHN HARVARD & HARVARD COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

Letters are sent around mid-October to all students receiving these honors.

That letter is the only record of these honors, it is not noted in one’s permanent file, so be sure to save such letters in a secured space if you would like some means of verifying these honors somewhere further down the road. For the 2007 academic year (given here solely as an example) the GPA cut-offs were as follows:

 

John Harvard -

SR. 4.000 - 3.959

JR. 4.000 - 3.927

SO. 4.000 - 3.918

 

Harvard College -

SR. 3.953 - 3.904

JR. 3.926 - 3.868

SO. 3.916 - 3.859

 

The scholarship is based on the annual gpa from the prior year. Again, this is the Annual gpa, not Cumulative. The student must also have been in residence for the full year. Therefore, a student who enrolled in one term but was on leave during the other term in one year would not qualify.

PETITIONS FOR DEGREE CREDIT FOR STUDY OUT OF RESIDENCE -
Please note that you will need the signature of Head Tutor or D.U.S. in your concentration ONLY if applying for concentration credit. Once you have everything but the signature of your Resident Dean, you may leave the petition with me in C-18 (or in my door drop if I’m out) and after Sharon signs, your petition will be taped to the C-18 door  since YOU MUST PICK UP AND DELIVER THE COMPLETED FORM TO O.I.P.

 

PRE-MED

Questions you may have about the role of the pre-med committee and what resources they provide can be found on the House pre-Med web, which you can access by going to:
http://adams.student.harvard.edu/medical
and you might want to subscribe to the Adams-med list-serve at:
http://lists.hcs.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/Adams-premed

and drop a line to the House pre-med committee <adams-medical@hcs.harvard.edu> to let them know of your interest and they will respond as soon as possible.
And if you are an alumnus of the College, once reaching the Adams Web Web http://adams.student.harvard.edu/you will need to log-in. Use the following:
Username: adamsmed
Password: adamsmed

PRE-LAW

As to the pre-law process in the Houses:
pre-law tutors are typically unavailable over the summer as they are usually off clerking for judges or working in DAs offices and the like in various parts of the country or abroad till the first week of September.  So the pre-law pages of the Adams Web, which covers everything those applying to law schools through the House pre-law committee need to know, including how to be assigned a tutor to advise you and help write your Dean’s Letter.

And drop a line to the House pre-law committee < adamslaw@fas.harvard.edu> to let them know of your interest and they will respond as soon as possible..
The URL for the  Adams pre-Law website is  http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~adams/law/index.php
If you’re an alumnus, once you reach the Adams Web http://adams.student.harvard.edu/ you will need to log-in using the following:

Username: prelaw
Password: prelaw

HEAD OF THE CHARLES

With the influx of thousands from all across the globe to compete or to party or both, the Houses and H.U.P.D., in the interest of safety, will be enforcing the following:

1) NO PARTIES permitted in Adams this weekend.
2) NO KEGS allowed in the Houses this weekend.
3) GUESTS MUST BE REGISTERED in the Super's Office beforehand.
4) RANDOLPH COURTYARD GATES LOCKED from 6 pm Fri., Oct 19 until 6 pm Sun., Oct. 21.
5) HOUSE ACCESS RESTRICTED to persons with Harvard ID, who may accompany one guest.
6) LAWS AGAINST PUBLIC CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL STRICTLY ENFORCED, and
    OFFICERS WILL BE OPERATING ALCOHOL CHECKPOINTS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
7) ANYONE CAUGHT HAVING FUN OF ANY KIND WILL BE SENT TO THEIR ROOM WITHOUT SUPPER.
    (oh, all right, you can break # 7, but please take 1# through # 6 to heart)

 

PLAN OF STUDY

You must file your completed Plan of Study with the Registrar's Office by 5 pm on the deadline date, which you should find in the front of your Handbook for Students and at the Registrar’s website calendar. Remember that you will need three signatures: first, from a concentration adviser; second, from your sophomore adviser; and third, your own signature, knowing that when you sign you are taking full responsibility for understanding all of your degree requirements.

The Plan of Study is available online at the APO website www.fas.harvard.edu/advising. You can fill it in online and then print it out and get the requisite signatures, or you can print it out first and then write in the necessary information before collecting signatures.

 

OPTIONAL LISTING OF SUMMER AND POST-GRADUATE PLANS ON YOU PLAN OF STUDY:

Many, many Harvard students have absolutely no idea what they are going to do over their summers, to say nothing of what they are going to do when they graduate. (This is true even of seniors!) So, you should feel no pressure when you see the opportunity to list these plans on the Plan of Study. This option of listing such plans gives you two opportunities: 1) if there's something specific you know you want to do, it allows you to alert advisers to that fact, and they may be able to offer you useful guidance in the pursuit of your interest. 2) If there's an area that intrigues you but you're not quite sure how to explore it, you can indicate that here and again, advisers may be able to offer you helpful information or point you in the direction of appropriate resources. However, it is of course perfectly fine to leave these lines blank.

 

IF YOU ARE DECLARING A JOINT CONCENTRATION, concentration advisers from both concentrations must sign your Plan of Study. Your primary concentration, which is the one you list first on the Plan, is the concentration that determines your Core requirements. Remember that some concentrations require an application for joint concentrators, so you should be in touch early with both concentrations to learn how they do things.

 

CHANGES TO YOUR PLAN OF STUDY

As your interests evolve, and as courses are added to or removed from the curriculum, the list of courses you actually take during the next five semesters will most likely differ somewhat from the ones listed on your Plan. Nonetheless, the more thought you put into choosing courses that interest you now, the more you will have gained from this opportunity to explore the offerings of the curriculum and to reflect on your own emerging interests. Although a course you pick now might not be available in four semesters, one like it might be. And if having trouble deciding on what to concentrate in, here are two things to try: 1) Fill out a complete Plan of Study for each concentration, and speak to concentration advisers in each concentration you are considering. Hopefully this process will make the choice clear. If not, then 2) declare the concentration that seems most appropriate right now, and try to take a requirement for the other concentration next semester, just in case you decide to change concentrations. (See the section titled “CHANGE OF CONCENTRATION”)

 

CHANGE OF CONCENTRATION
1) pick up form at C-18 office (usually stocked outside door; if not, come back during office hours)
2) fill out completely, being certain to mark X for any CORE exemptions, and if you have unmet CORE for your new concentration, you still need to write something on every line - we realize your choice of course to meet these CORES may change.
3) meet with an advisor and Head Tutor or Director of Undergraduate Studies in your new department and they will go over concentration requirements. The form will require separate signatures from a concentration adviser and another from the Head Tutor or DUS. However, this can also be the same individual in both roles, in which case they need to sign twice.
4) you sign, then bring to C-18 and leave with me (or in my door drop if the office door is closed)
You are now done.  I will get your Resident Dean’s signature for you and process the paperwork with the Registrar.

CROSS REGISTRATION A-Z
This link lays out the deadlines for cross-registering at all the Harvard schools:
https://crossreg.harvard.edu/OASIS/CourseCat/calendar.jsp?mode=crossreg
As with all other forms and petitions, this one too is available from me in C-18 (and if I am out of the office, they can be found in the hall on the shelf on the wall immediately to the left of my C-18 office door). DO NOT put cross-registered courses on your Study Cards.
After you have filled out your part of the form completely, you will need to obtain the following signatures in the order listed:
1 - Instructor of the Cross-Registered course (note: the instructor must sign twice, in the second space provided, if you intend and have her/his permission to take the course Pass/Fail)
2 - ONLY if you want and are allowed to receive credit for the course applied toward your concentration, would you now need your concentration adviser, Head Tutor or DUS to sign.  If the course is being taken for elective credit, you should NOT get a concentration signature.
3 - The host registrar must now sign and they will tear off their carbon (yellow, bottom copy). (*note: exception for HLS following 4.)
4 - If you have signed the form and the only missing signature is the Resident Dean's, bring the form back to C-18 and leave it me. You are now done.  I will have Sharon sign and will get the forms to the FAS Registrar for processing. Virtually every form obtained from my office also ends in my office except for Study Cards, petitions to the CORE, and Study Abroad petitions.

* exception for HLS - The Law School Registrar requires the Resident Dean (Sharon) to sign before the Law School, so, for the Law School ONLY, after step 2, bring the form to me, I will get Sharon to sign, you come back for the form and bring it to the HLS Registrar, who will then sign, tear of their carbon copy, and then you must bring the rest of the form back to me to be processed by the FAS Registrar.

REQUIRED READING BEFORE HOSTING A PARTY IN YOUR ROOM

Because of increasing alcohol-related problems across campus, U-Hall has implemented a new policy requiring that the entryway tutor who signs your Party Registration form must check in on your party at least once during the evening. However, your resident tutors are as reluctant to intrude on your gatherings as much as you are reluctant to have tutors making an appearance. So, to minimize the extent of such reconnaissance visits to your festivities, know and follow the party regulations (i.e. no revelers spilling out to the halls, no used syringes lying around the door, no blood-curdling screams or chants of "chug, chug, chug" or "take it off" or sounds of an Uzi discharging or a strong "grassy" odor billowing out on a cloud of smoke, or any smoke for that matter, or other obvious hint of trouble). No one wants to be the party police, so don’t give your tutors a reason to disrupt your gatherings, and if you have a disruptive guest you need help with, ask for it – that’s precisely what your entryway tutors are there for, to ensure the welfare of everyone in your entry.

Party Rules and Regulations

 

§       All parties must be registered by submitting the completed and fully signed Party Registration Form (the link to download the form is on the Adams Web homepage, in the same box as this FAQ link) no later than 5 p.m. the Thursday before the weekend night of the party. No parties are permitted on school nights.

 

§       You are responsible for your guests and their behavior, including physical damage done to the room and the surrounding area.

 

§       The legal drinking age in Massachusetts is 21. It is a violation of Massachusetts law for anyone under 21 years of age to possess alcohol and for anyone of legal drinking age to provide alcohol to someone under 21 years of age. It is also illegal for anyone to procure, possess, use or distribute illegal drugs. As hosts you are responsible for all infractions of these laws. It is up to you to monitor your guests for any such violations of State law.Violators will be subject to College sanctions and state law. It is up to you to monitor the conduct of your guests.

 

§       Disciplinary action will not be taken against those who ask for or receive medical help related to alcohol consumption; the violation of other College rules (for example: damage to property) will be taken into account, however.

 

§       Kegs will only be allowed with the permission and signature of the Resident Dean.

 

§       Parties can ordinarily only be held on Friday, Saturday, and days immediately preceding a holiday. Loud music must be turned off by 1:30am, and parties must end by 2:00 a.m.. As the host(s), it is your responsibility to ensure that people exit your party, as well as the House, quietly.

 

§       Parties are limited to a 40 guests in a suite.

 

§       Parties must be contained within the suite and must not overflow into the entry.

Entry/suite doors may not be propped open.

 

§       Food and non-alcoholic beverages must be provided at any party at which alcohol is served.

 

§       You are responsible for cleaning the floors and collecting and removing all trash, especially in public areas like hallways and stairwells. Any damage should be reported to the House Superintendent, Jorge Teixeira, jteixeir@fas.harvard.edu, 5-2258.

 

§       You must recycle cans, bottles, and paper products. This is a Cambridge City law.

Strategies for Being a Good Host

·      Notify dorm neighbors about a party and provide a phone number they can call before filing a complaint with HUPD. Alert entryway of your party plans via e-mail (contact tutor for entryway e-mail list).

 

·      Encourage your guests who are of age to drink responsibly. When consumed irresponsibly, alcohol poses a serious health and safety risk.

 

·      Ensure your guests get home safely. Call a cab or Harvard University Shuttle at 495-0400, if necessary.

·      Anticipate “crashing” by outsiders attracted by music or word of mouth. Ask friends to be ready to assist you in asking uninvited and unwanted guests to leave. And if you experience overcrowding, don’t forget that the tutors are ready to help.

 

 

Important Safety Information

 

Protect yourself against GHB, rohypnol and ketamine, also called the "date rape drugs".

Don't accept drinks from others, open containers yourself and keep your drink with you at all times.

 

Signs of life threatening levels of intoxication:

                                   

• Person has passed out, is asleep and cannot be aroused, or can only be slightly aroused for a few moments.
• Person’s breathing is very slow, and perhaps irregular.
• Person’s pulse is weak, or is either very slow or very fast.

 

If any of these signs is evident, first call Harvard Police 495-1212, then call UHS 495-5711

 

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN CARING FOR AN INTOXICATED PERSON?

 

DO

·      Do keep the person comfortable—but not by giving him/her another drink

·      Do position her/him on the stomach or side if s/he goes to bed or passes out. Be sure s/he is not lying on her/his back as vomiting could choke or suffocate her/him.

·      Do keep the person from driving, biking, or transporting him/her self anywhere alone.

·      Do keep your distance if the person gets agitated. Some people who are usually gentle-natured may become violent when intoxicated.

·      Do talk to the person about his/her behavior under the influence of alcohol later on, in a private place. Don’t be surprised if you encounter denial or irritation.

·      Do call UHS at 495-2001 or 495-8414, or Mental Health at 495-2042 or The Center for Wellness & Health Communication at 495-9629 if you need follow-up information or resources to deal with the situation.

 

DON’T

·      Don’t leave the person alone, for safety reasons.

·      Don’t give her/him any drugs or medication (not even aspirin) to try to sober her/him up.

·      Don’t give the person food in attempts to “absorb the alcohol.” This will increase the risk of vomiting.

·      Don’t give the person coffee, tea, or other liquid stimulants. You’ll just have a wide-awake, agitated drunk person.

·      Don’t give the person a cold shower. S/he could fall, or the shock could make the person pass out.

·      Don’t try to exercise the person in hopes of “burning off the booze.” This will not help, and could cause injuries.

 

To Minimize the Environmental Impact of Your Party

 

·      If buying a keg, the Undergraduate Council initiated a keg return service. See www.uc.fas.harvard.edu for details.

·      Go BYOM: "Bring your own mug." Alternatively, try to have people just use one cup and buy cups made of recycled material. Have a marker so people can label their cups.

·      Strategically place bins or bags for collection. It usually helps to have trash and recycling next to each other, but clearly labeled (with samples of what goes in) to avoid contamination and save time sorting..

·      Recycle all cans and bottles—plastic, aluminum, and glass. Remember to empty all containers and leave the caps off (but still recycle the caps).

·      Buy items in bulk rather than individually wrapped.

·      Serve finger-food: pre-sliced fruit, cake, etc so people can just grab and go without needing plates, knives etc.

·      (Consider buying local/organic food. (Check out Whole Foods on River St near Mather House or Whole Foods and Harvest Coop in Central Square for snacks and produce.) Look for recycled content plates and napkins.

 

PLEASE PARTY RESPONSIBLY

 

CASCADING HONORS

Although you may be recommended by your department for honors, that is not a guarantee. Honors may "cascade" (the honors they had been recommended for were not voted by the faculty committee on degrees). Depending on which level of honors your department recommended you for, you could have cascade to the next lower level of honors, if above the minimum gpa for that next level of honors and within the maximum percentage of your graduating class eligible for those honors.
the gpa cut-off this year for magna cum laude was 3.710 and cum laude was 3.414 (they did not post the cut off for summa).  And if someone was not recommended by their department for honors, but their GPA is above the magna cut-off then they would receive cum laude honors. They do not release the summa cutoff. You should refer to the section of your Handbook for Students on honors.  If you do not have your hard copy handy, it is on line at http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/handbooks/student/ there is also a handy tool for determining your GPAs at http://hcs.harvard.edu/~philz/gpa/

PHI BETA KAPPA

PBK is determined by the 24 top cum GPAs for Juniors in the spring and 48 top Senior cum GPAs in the fall, and a final election for Seniors just prior to commencement to bring the total for each graduating class to no more than 10%. Go to http://www.college.harvard.edu/academic/phibetakappa for more details on applying.

LANGUAGE CITATIONS

The forms are available outside my C-18 office. Citations for June and November Senior degree candidates in their final term will NOT be accepted by the Registrar after the Friday, April 10, 2009 deadine this date, which means anyone still in need of submitting one, YOU MUST HAND DELIVER THE FORMS TO THE FAS REGISTRAR @ 20 GARDEN ST. after Sharon signs - otherwise, your forms may NOT reach the Registrar by the hard and fast April 10 deadline. There are no exceptions to this deadline.

Each language citation program consists of four half-courses of language instruction beyond the first-year level and/or half-courses taught primarily in the foreign language. At least two of these half-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 Core and/or concentration requirements, as appropriate, but only one half-course may count towards a secondary field. Also, some students who complete the requirements for the Citation in Foreign Language are able to satisfy the Foreign Cultures requirement of the Core Program; students who wish to pursue this option must file an application with the Core Office.

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 half-courses 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 file this form with the Registrar no later than the deadline for degree applications in their final term in the College. Students are encouraged to file their intentions to satisfy the requirements for a foreign language citation as early as the declaration of a concentration so that they may benefit from advising by the department that will provide the recognition. Students will benefit from planning ahead and taking courses in consecutive terms, so as not to lose ground between language courses; this is especially important at the early stages of language study. Students planning their courses around a study-abroad or work-abroad experience should consult with relevant advisers upon their return, as their language experience abroad may have an effect on the courses students may use for the Language Citation. Those students who later decide not to complete the requirements for a citation in a foreign language are asked to complete a new Plan of Study indicating this fact uages and Literatures, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Romance Languages and Literatures, Sanskrit and Indian Studies, or Slavic Languages and Literatures, whose concentration work is built on a particular language or set of languages, are not also eligible for citations in those languages.

 

Each language citation program consists of four half-courses of language instruction beyond the first-year level and/or half-courses taught primarily in the foreign language. At least two of these half-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 Core and/or concentration requirements, as appropriate, but only one half-course may count towards a secondary field (see page 34). Also, some students who complete the requirements for the Citation in Foreign Language are able to satisfy the Foreign Cultures requirement of the Core Program; students who wish to pursue this option must file an application with the Core Office.

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 half-courses 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 file this form with the Registrar no later than the deadline for degree applications in their final term in the College. Students are encouraged to file their intentions to satisfy the requirements for a foreign language citation as early as the declaration of a concentration so that they may benefit from advising by the department that will provide the recognition. Students will benefit from planning ahead and taking courses in consecutive terms, so as not to lose ground between language courses; this is especially important at the early stages of language study. Students planning their courses around a study-abroad or work-abroad experience should consult with relevant advisers upon their return, as their language experience abroad may have an effect on the courses students may use for the Language Citation. Those students who later decide not to complete the requirements for a citation in a foreign language are asked to complete a new Plan of Study indicating this fact in order to inform the relevant department and the Registrar.

Concentrators, including joint concentrators, in African and African American Studies, the Classics, East Asian Studies, Germanic Languages and Literatures, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Romance Languages and Literatures, Sanskrit and Indian Studies, or Slavic Languages and Literatures, whose concentration work is built on a particular language or set of languages, are not also eligible for citations in those languages. for anyone planning to graduate in 6 or 7 terms or to begin a 4th year AM program in Fall 2009.                                                                  

ADVANCED STANDING

Advanced Standing-eligible students planning to graduate after six or seven terms in March 2010, or to begin a fourth year AM program in spring term 2009, must file "Advanced Standing Activation Form" by Monday, November 24. New students, excepting all those admitted as transfer students from other colleges, will be eligible for Advanced Standing if they have completed four or more college-level Advanced Placement courses and have received advanced placement at Harvard in those courses by receiving qualifying scores on the College Board Advanced Placement examinations. (Some examinations are granted only one half-course credit toward Advanced Standing. Consult Advanced Standing at Harvard College for details.)
Advanced Standing is designed for students who wish to accelerate their study and for those ready to undertake specialized work early. An eligible student who wishes to use Advanced Standing to graduate after only six or seven terms in the College or, if accepted, remain a fourth year to pursue one of several specific Master’s degree programs, must activate Advanced Standing by the advertised deadline for degree applications during the third term before the student intends to complete the undergraduate requirements (consult Advanced Standing at Harvard College, and Chapter 1, Academic Calendar, for details). Advanced Standing-eligible students who are considering pursuing the AB/AM degree program may, with the permission of the Administrative Board, "bracket" certain courses in their second, third, or fourth year. "Bracketed" courses are not counted toward the bachelor’s degree but count toward the master’s degree. ("Bracketed" courses are so called because they appear in brackets on the transcript.) The last date for “bracketing” courses is the fifth Monday of the term in which the course is being taken. Petitions to retroactively “bracket” courses may be considered by the Administrative Board from candidates admitted for the AB/AM degrees. If a student does not enroll in the AB/AM program, or does not complete the AB/AM program, any courses that he or she may have “bracketed” earlier will be automatically “unbracketed.”
For specific information on the number of letter-graded courses and the total course requirements for the degree required of Advanced Standing students, see Course Requirements for the Degree.

 

DEGREE APPLICATIONS

Are due by Friday April 10, 2009 for the class of June ’09 and they can be filed online at the Registrar's website: http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/fasro/ugrad/degree_application.jsp?cat=ugrad&subcat=information

 

FINAL EXAMS

The 2008-2009 Final Exam Schedule and all forms listed below will be available on the Registrar’s website: http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/general_docs/exams/final_exams.html.  

 

In Absentia

The Application for In Absentia Examination can be found on the Registrar’s website at http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/general_docs/application_form_for_in_absentia_exam.pdf.

Students must complete a separate application for each in absentia examination and the Administrative Board must approve student petitions for in absentia examinations. Read all pages of the Application for In Absentia Examinations, including In Absentia Examination Rules and Regulations and the Student Responsibilities for In Absentia Examinations. The application is due no later than one month before the first day of finals. Note that your Resident Dean will not sign your application until you have COMPLETELY filled it out and have already obtained the course instructor’s signature and all requested details on the proctor. Approved applications must be returned in person to 20 Garden St., Rm. 009/008, located in the basement. The primary contact for In Absentia exams is Regina Laskowski.

 

Request for Out of Sequence Exam due to Religious Obligations

Students who need to reschedule an exam because of a conflict with a religious day of obligation should complete the Request for Out of Sequence Exam due to Religious Obligations available at http://webdocs.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/general_docs/request_religious_oos_form.doc  and e-mail it to the Exams Office (fasexams@fas.harvard.edu). This form must be submitted by the last day of scheduled classes. 

 

 Exam Conflicts due to Athletic Competitions

Students involved in Harvard College Intercollegiate Athletic teams who will be unable to sit for their examination(s) in Cambridge because of tournament play, will be approved for the appropriate out of sequence or in absentia exam by the FAS Registrar. Details about the athletic eligibility are worked out directly with the Registrar’s Office (Exams Office) through the Athletic Department.  These students do not need to fill out individual in absentia applications.

Please note that students involved in certain Club Sports who are unable to sit for their regularly scheduled exams, no longer need to petition the Administrative Board.  They should contact the Athletic Department.

 

Accessible Education Office for Accommodations due to Learning or Physical Disabilities

You must submit beforehand a Special Examination Request with the Accessible Education Office, www.aeo@fas.harvard.edu 617-496-8707. Proctors have no authority to grant exceptions.
Students who are already registered with AEO and receive accommodations will receive final exam information from the Exams Office by the last day of classes. Any such student who has not heard from the Exams Office by the last day of classes should contact AEO or the Exams Office immediately. 

 

Simultaneously Scheduled Exams

Students with a conflict between two scheduled FAS exams will be contacted by the Exams Office by the last day of classes.  The Exams Office is aware of the conflict and will resolve the conflict automatically by scheduling an out of sequence exam for the student for one of the conflicting courses. Those students do not need to contact the Exams Office. (This is not an uncommon occurrence, and the Registrar always accommodates by rescheduling one of the two within 24 hours before or after it was originally scheduled. Regrettably, neither we nor the effected students will have any power to influence the Registrar's decision on which of the 2 to rescheduled or when. This is determined solely on the basis of how many others will need either exam rescheduled due to a similar conflict, availability of a location and proctor.)

 

WHERE MAY I FIND EXAMS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS?
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~exams/ or http://hcl.harvard.edu/libraries/lamont/past_finals.html

 

ALL MAKE-UPS, AND ANY EXTENSIONS BEYOND THE END OF EXAM PERIOD can be granted only by the Ad Board, not by instructors.  An instructor may grant an extension only up to the last day of the finals period. If granted two or more make-ups or extensions by the Ad Board for this term, you will also require Ad Board approval to continue as a student during the next term.

EXAMS AND BAD WEATHER - Non-resident Students: If inclement weather
prevents you from getting to required exams, call us at 617-495-2260 ASAP.  The Administrative Board can make some exceptions to certain rules if bad weather makes it impossible for you to get to required academic exercises, but immediate notice and action is vital to this process.

IF LATE FOR AN EXAM - You will not ordinarily be allowed to sit for an exam if you arrive after anyone else has left the room, or arrive 30 minutes after the start (after 9:15 for a.m. exams and 2:15 for p.m. exams). In either case, report immediately to the Exams Office, Science Center Room 112, where it will be determined whether it is still possible to admit you to the exam.  But even then, you will not be allowed any “make-up” time due to lateness. So check the exam schedule carefully, be sure that alarm clocks are properly set, keep them beyond the reach of somnambulant arms, and avoid the 'quick nap' just before an exam.

MEDICAL MAKE-UPS - Even though you may feel less than 100% physically, you should make every effort to take your exams on schedule.  Spring term make-ups are given in October, long after you have stopped thinking about the course and its subject matter, and time required to prepare for a make-up could jeopardize work in your next term courses. However, if flu or other debilitating medical problems strike just before an exam, go to the UHS Rapid Access desk as soon as possible. If admitted to Stillman, you may have your exam administered at your bedside within 24 hours of the scheduled exam time.  Consult with me or Sharon about this alternative. If you are not admitted, you will be treated or given an appointment and a *MEDICAL MAKE-UP FORM, and you must BRING THE FORM TO MY C-18 OFFICE IMMEDIATELY i.e. BEFORE RETURNING TO YOUR ROOM (if I have stepped out of the office, you should leave the form in the C-18 door drop).  To petition the Ad Board for a medical make-up, you must be seen by a UHS physician or nurse within the 24-hour period before the exam.  So don't wait to seek relief for a headache or flu symptoms.  Early prevention could improve both your health and morale at the time of your exam.

 

Candidates for the Degree Cum Laude in general studies must take all final exams, even if eligible for 'senior hourlies'.
Any exam procedural questions not answered above should be directed to Regina Laskowski

Exams Office, FAS Registrar's Office, 20 Garden Street #009 or fasexams@fas.harvard.edu

617/495-1542

 

 READING PERIOD & NOISE DISRUPTIONS IN THE HOUSE

1ST & FOREMOST – Reading and Exams period can be a very trying time.  Your usual considerateness can be more important than ever.  Study requires concentration, and concentration requires quiet and adequate rest.  If academic or other problems are making it hard to study, remember that help is available - from Sharon, the Palfreys, myself and all your other House tutors, as well as from the Bureau of Study Counsel, 5 Linden Street, 5-2581, and UHS 24/7 Urgent Care 5-5711 and Mental Health Services 5-2042.  Please also be aware that if you finish work and exams for the term early, your neighbors still have exams to prepare for and papers to complete; for this reason, NO parties are permitted during this period.  It is also expected that special attention will be given to the College policy on NOISE DISTURBANCES, including being responsible for taking quick action to silence any disruptive guests as outlined in the Handbook for Students.  This applies not only within students’ rooms, but also in adjacent areas such as stairwells and hallways (these are not appropriate places to congregate).  When leaving or returning to your room kindly remember that loud noise and extended conversations just outside other students’ doors is disruptive to both sleep and study. If you are experiencing this problem, do not hesitate to let the offender (or your entryway tutor if you feel uncomfortable confronting the offender) know.

WEB ACCESS TO GRADE AND COURSE REPORTS is usually available to non-graduates within two weeks following finals. This service should also be used by those returning in the next term to check that Study Cards and drop/add petitions have been correctly processed or to identify any "bubbling errors".  From the FAS Registrar's webpage, simply choose the link for course and grade reports and enter your HUID and Personal Identification Number (PIN). Students who have forgotten their PINs may request a new one on-line at www.fas.harvard.edu/PIN/

 

THESIS WORKSHOP

Each fall I co-facilitate a Thesis Survival Workshop for extended honors research projects as well as thesis writing with Dr. Sheila Reindl from the BSC . This is a one shot session in the Adams Conservatory scheduled to coincide with dinner in order to minimize conflicts with extracurricular, social or study time.
If interested, just send an e-mail to give me some idea of how many workbooks and survival packets to make up, then just show up with your tray in the Conservatory (I will notify you of the time and date as soon as they are finalized). Topics range from how to manage my time, my notes, focusing my argument, foreground myself as a scholar, break through writer's block, field research tips, finding the path to excellence in your project!

 

THESIS SHOW

if you ARE at work on a written or applied thesis project (all the Sciences, Engineering and VES etc. as well as all the Humanities and Social Sciences), please let me know if you might have an interest in presenting your work at the ANNUAL ADAMS THESIS SHOW in late April.
The event will be scheduled over several nights in the House Library, with each presenter allotted 10 to 15 minutes.  This is immeasurably valuable not only to sophomores and juniors who are considering undertaking a theses or equivalent Senior honors project, but to the rest of us who love hearing about your discoveries and ideas.  It's also great practice in public speaking (and to a rapt, fully supportive audience), but first and foremost, it is a rare opportunity to show off what an expert you've become on your topic.  Plus, I make a big fuss over you with fancy food and wine and moderators and lots of pomp, all of which you each richly deserve.

If you are considering participating in this House event which is an Adams-only tradition (no other Houses have anything comparable) send me your working title (I won't need a finalized title until a few days before, when ready to print the program). We want as wide a range of disciplines as possible – from econ, biochem, math, comp sci, hist and lit, psych, social studies, engineering to creative theses, VES Senior film projects, painting exhibits, a musical performance or segment of an honors dramatic piece. So please don't be shy or doubt the range of your audience's interest.  And if your own enthusiasm for your thesis has waned, remember, for the rest of us, it will be fresh and fascinating, and an invaluable opportunity for anyone contemplating a thesis to see what they could be in for (even if what you set out to prove you instead have disproved , the process itself, both the most punishing and most gratifying  moments are all of great interest.)

So please, consider participating. All your hard work and perseverance deserves to be appreciated and your House community wants to celebrate you and your accomplishment.  Also please, don't ever hesitate to contact me if feeling the symptoms of Thesisitis and you could use a fresh, unbiased sounding board or feedback on rocky stretches in the process not always available from advisers, most of whom are focused mainly on content (and we know a few of you have advisers who are rarely available at all). In any case, good luck to all of you in the home stretch, and I'm looking forward to hearing about your work at the "Show" if not sooner.

HOTELS & PARKING FOR COMMENCEMENT

Many families make reservations for graduation accommodations at the same time they drop their Freshman off in the Yard for their first term. Waiting till a few weeks or even months before commencement to start looking for accommodations can often result in families finding that the closest accommodations still available are as far away as Quincy (but at least that is on the red line, albeit the last stop). When your parents should plan to arrive you may want to check first with the Commencement and Alumni offices, as there are a number of activities/ceremonies during Senior Week (the week in which Commencement occurs), some including families (there is a big family dinner in Bright Hockey Ctr. sometime that week, and the Class Day picnic and ceremony,  and special House receptions for parents etc.) and some restricted to grads only such as Commencement breakfast, and of course the 6 Flags outing and trip to Mohican Sun Casinos, the “Booze Cruise” and Last Chance Dance where legendary, and often quite embarrassing memories are made). The Commencement Office is at 617-495-5726, URL http://www.commencementoffice.harvard.edu and located at Wadsworth House in the Yard, in a yellow wood frame house across the street from Au Bon Pain; and HAA  is at 617-495-5731, with an office at 124 Mt. Auburn St.
For COMMENCEMENT PARKING, for families renting or driving their own cars, this is a link to what Harvard has to offer:
http://www.uos.harvard.edu/transportation/par_spe.shtml#comweekpark
And alternatively, if your entourage is not staying west of Cambridge, in towns such as Belmont or Arlington, Lexington, Concord and points further away, the safest, least expensive and hassle free option is to park at the Alewife Brook T-stop parking garages on Rt. 2 coming into Cambridge.  The complex is huge, always space to park, the T-station is right inside (many people who commute to work in this area park there to avoid the traffic, cost and difficulty in finding parking close to Harvard Sq..).
You should make guests traveling by cars aware that the day before, the day of, and the day following commencement are typically utter traffic nightmares everywhere around the Sq. (the day after for all the moving) so if they want to be on time for different events those three days, the ride from Alewife is just a few minutes and the stations at both ends are handicap accessible (and then it is just a couple of blocks to Linden St. with wheelchair access through the Apthorp driveway to the reception for family following the Class  Day picnic and  events in the Yard, and to the House ceremony for diploma conferrals after Commencement morning exercises in Tercentenary Theater).

DIPLOMAS DEPRIVED DUE TO OUTSTANDING TERM BILL CHARGES

Seniors check your balances online at http://www.termbill.harvard.edu/SISWeb
Any amount due Harvard over $300 results in a 'deprived diploma'.  Once the bill is paid, the diploma will be released to the graduate.

MAIL FORWARDING

http://www.uos.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/mail/mail_pass.pl

 

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH TRAVEL CONCERNS FOR STUDENTS

Harvard has contracted with International SOS to provide emergency medical and security evacuation services to Harvard faculty, students, and staff traveling outside the U.S. on a University-related activity. In brief, International SOS can provide you with emergency medical care while you are traveling abroad - or can transport you to a facility that can provide it - or can help move you to a secure location if the country or region in which you are traveling has become unsafe.

 

International SOS also provides a wide range of other services, from pre-travel security alerts to overseas legal referrals. All registered Harvard students and benefits-eligible employees traveling abroad for a University activity or for University-related business are eligible to use International SOS's services.

 

While you do not need to sign up to use these services, you do need to print out or obtain an International SOS Membership card and keep it with you during travel, as this card contains International SOS's various contact numbers and the unique Harvard ID number that identifies you as a Harvard affiliate. To print a card, and to obtain more informational about International SOS, please visit the Harvard-SOS website: http://vpf-web.harvard.edu/rmas/4_insurance/Intnlsos.html (You may also visit International SOS's website: www.internationalsos.com) Or, you may pick up a card from your department administrator, from the international research center under whose auspices you are traveling, or from the Office of International Programs in the basement of University Hall. Parents, I especially hope you will encourage your children at Harvard, if they are planning to travel abroad for Harvard work (e.g. study abroad, summer or term-time research, Harvard-coordinated internships), to familiarize themselves with International SOS and to obtain an International SOS card to keep with them during their travel.

 

While International SOS does not replace your heath insurance (International SOS will arrange for or pay for medical care in an emergency, but will expect to be reimbursed at a later date, either by your insurance company or by you), it provides extremely important benefits to those on international travel for Harvard business and student activities. I urge you to keep an International SOS card with you during all of your future international travel.

 

VISA AND IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR AMERICAN STUDENTS TRAVELLING ABROAD

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1136.html 

OVERLAPPING CLASSES or SIMULTANEOUS ENROLLMENT

This is one of the least flexible rules we have, which is spelled out in the Handbook for Students.  There are only three possible (emphasis on possible, not often probable) ways to get around it:
1) is for when the instructor in the course you will be missing agrees to provide "direct, hour-for-hour, personal compensatory instruction" for the class time you will miss.  Videotapes, or attending office hours, will not normally be approved.  For this option to work, you will need a note from both of your instructors agreeing to the simultaneous enrollment, and the note from the instructor whose class you will be missing needs to state how they will provide the required "direct, hour-for-hour, personal instruction” for class time missed.  The Registrar will normally follow-up with a phone call to be sure that the instructor understands what they are agreeing to and that they still agree to do it.
2) allows for the use of videotapes with certain conditions. You still may not, however, miss more than 1/3 of the class meetings.  This will not work if the class meets only twice weekly.  In such cases, to miss even 10 minutes of a class which may be 1 and 1/2 hours long meeting twice a week is considered, by the Ad Board, to be no different than missing half the class meetings (any portion of a class missed is a whole class missed, in their assessment, so the class one is missing time from must meet at least three times weekly and only one of those three would be missed in part or in full).
3) is for those cases in which the two classes are required to graduate at the end of this current term.

If your circumstances satisfied at least one of the above guidelines, you would then have to provide a written statement which would tell the Board what the courses are and when they meet, why you should be allowed to take both classes, which class you will be missing and how much of it, and how you will make up for the missed class time.  In addition, corroborating letters from instructors in both overlapping courses, even for the one you're missing no class time from, are required and it would be your responsibility to get all three documents to our office no later than the 5th Monday, which is the final date on which Add/Drops (and Pass/Fails) are allowed.

Probably not what you wanted to hear, but that is the situation.  Let me or Sharon know if you have any questions and if you would like to go forward with such a petition.

 

COURSE SCHEDULE CONFLICTS

The Registrar runs a program on your study card after Study Card Day which picks up any courses which are listed in the Catalog as having overlapping meeting times. If there has been a time change for the meetings of either course, please have the Administrator of the Department offering the course notify Patricia O'Brien (6-5140) of such a change. You cannot remain in overlapping courses without Ad Board approval. See above.