POLICY IN REGARD TO HOLIDAY CUTS OUTLINED IN FULL

Because of numerous inquiries at the University Office concerning the new ruling on holiday cuts, Dean Hanford has issued the following notice supplementary to that of last October.

"Since there are several one-day holidays in November, it seems desirable, to repeat the statement regarding cuts before and after such holidays which was issued by the Dean's Office on October 4th and also to make somewhat more clear the purpose and meaning of the policy explained in that statement.

"According to the notice issued on October 4th:

Cuts taken by upper classmen in good standing from the last class before and the first class after a one-day holiday will not necessarily result in probation. Such cuts will, however, be especially noted on the student's record and if, at any future time during that year, such a man's record becomes unsatisfactory in any particular, the fact that he has taken holiday cuts will weigh heavily against him.

The last class before and the first class after both the Christmas and April recess periods must be attended. If a cut is taken from such a class, save for illness or some other unavoidable reason, a man in good standing will be placed on probation; and a man on probation will run the risk of having his probation closed.

Freshmen in good standing are required to attend their last class before and their first class after all holidays, whether they are one-day holidays or holidays of longer duration. Freshmen in good standing breaking this rule, except on account of illness or some other unavoidable reason, will be placed on probation. Freshmen on trial breaking this rule, except on account of illness or some other unavoidable reason, will doubtless have their trial closed.

This year, however, on the week-end of the Michigan game Freshmen in good standing will be allowed the privileges of upper classmen so far as af- tendance upon the last class before the holiday is concerned. That is, they will not necessarily be placed on probation if they cut the last class before the November 11th holiday. However, if they do take such cuts and their records subsequently become in any particular unsatisfactory, these cuts will weigh heavily against them.

"The policy outlined above is one which has been followed by the Dean's Office for the last two years and is in accordance with our desire to regard attendance on the part of upper classmen in good standing not as an end in itself, but as a means to an end. Under this policy, instead of taking disciplinary action on a holiday cut as such, the effect of the extension of a holiday on the student's record is considered. For example, upper classmen are not ordinarily placed on probation for unsatisfactory records at November or April, and even at mid years all students with unsatisfactory records are not necessarily placed on probation, since each case is treated individually. If, however, the grades of a student in good standing who has extended a holiday should become unsatisfactory at any time during the year, the Administrative Board would regard the extension of a holiday as prima facie evidence of neglect of work, and probation would naturally follow. To take another example, holiday cuts would count against a student if his absences from classes at other times during the year should become excessive in number.

"In other words, it should be emphasized that all holiday cuts are taken at a student's own risk and will weigh heavily against him if his record becomes in any way unsatisfactory during the course of the year. The responsibility is thus placed squarely on the undergraduate, and it has been our experience that once a policy has been explained, we can count on the Harvard student to live up to his responsibilities without abuse.

"Since Freshmen will on the single holiday of November 11th be governed by the same policy as upper classmen, they are especially warned that cuts taken from the last class before November 11th are taken at their own risk.