November 11. For most Harvard students, the day denotes a forgone holiday respite or a chance to fulfill wishful superstition at 11:11 on the palindrome date, 11/11. For a small flock of eight, however, November 11 signifies a day of cognitive dissonance: a day of self-celebration, representative of a formative time in their lives while … Read more
Slaveholders. Abusers. Criminals. In the past 383 years, Harvard has accepted donations from countless despicable offenders. Last year, Harvard received $1.4 billion in donations. Some of that money was “dirty” money, sullied by the various infractions of its donors. Jeffrey Epstein abused and assaulted tens of girls, and he faced too few repercussions too late. … Read more
With nearly 7,000 students enrolled in courses each semester, Harvard College has nearly 7,000 different sources of input on how the University should be run. Students from all different walks of life bring differing ideas about the countless decisions university administrators make. Harvard College is undoubtedly free to make complex and challenging decisions as it … Read more
It is hard to attend Harvard without comparing it to Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. Acceptance letters feel as magical as those delivered by owls, and Annenberg Hall could have easily hosted Harry and Voldemort’s final duel. Most strikingly, in a somewhat mysterious process not unlike that of the Sorting Hat, an algorithm adjusted only for gender … Read more
Lawrence S. Bacow was inaugurated as the 29th President of Harvard University on October 5, 2018. Even before his inauguration, the new president was busy at work, appointing deans and meeting with fellow administrators. Bacow took the helm of a universitythat faces major issues and ambitions, including social group sanctions, numerous lawsuits, campus expansion, and … Read more
Harvard was founded in 1636, but there is one professor who predates even that: Greg Nagy. That is by no means an insult to the classicist — over dinner he confirmed to me and a few of my Ancient Greek Lyric classmates that he was, in fact, a Greek god. That was one of the … Read more
The Harvard Political Review was founded 50 years ago amidst student strikes at Harvard that rocked campus power structures, led to the arrests of many students, and created a legacy of activism that current student organizers seek to follow. Although the setting remains the same, many of the issues have changed — and some question … Read more
“It seems to me,” I asked hesitantly, “that a student could go through all four years of college here without really talking about race or connecting with a person of color. Am I misunderstanding something?” Jasmine Waddell, Harvard’s dean of first-year students, nodded. “You’re right,” she said slowly. “I have not seen the leadership … Read more
Clubs are undeniably a large part of Harvard student life, regardless of whether they are pre-professional groups, performing groups, or social organizations. For students, it can seem like many of the most exclusive exist in a shroud of mystery. Despite that, we can shed some light on those that classify themselves as non-profits. Clubs that … Read more
Sixty-seven thousand, five hundred and eighty dollars. This is the cost of tuition, fees, room, and board for a year at Harvard College, up nearly $2,000 from just last year. Many students and families squeeze their pocketbooks and scrape for financial aid or loans, while others must simply walk away. Even as a college education … Read more