Harvard Extension School Students Protest Degree Names Through Postcard Campaign

Harvard Extension School students have sent more than 5,000 postcards since August to top University administrators demanding a name change on Extension School degrees.

The postcard campaign — organized by the Harvard Extension Student Association — marks the latest move in a years-long effort by Extension School students to remove “in Extension Studies” from degrees offered by the school, a label students say does not accurately reflect their fields of study.

The postcards are addressed to interim Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76, the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Council, as well as the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers — the University’s highest and second-highest governing bodies, respectively.

HESA President Emina Dedić pointed to the negative connotation attached to “in Extension Studies” being included on degrees from the Extension School.

“My issue is with the stigma and Harvard Extension School being considered a lesser school than any of the other Harvard schools,” Dedić said.

In particular, Dedić said she was frustrated that students’ field of study “appears on our transcript, but not on anyone’s degrees.”

Dedić — who launched the campaign from China, asking Chinese HES affiliates and supporters to sign — said she started the effort because she “wanted to do something different.” She said she has reached out to people both on and off campus, relying on WhatsApp groups to reach more than 1,600 HES affiliates.

Last semester, HES students staged a protest outside of Massachusetts Hall, calling on former Harvard President Claudine Gay to make the degree name change.

Despite students’ efforts, Dedić’s said there has been no official response from the administration.

Some Extension School students said that while they were supportive of seeking a degree name change, a new strategy focused on collaboration with similar groups at other institutions may be more fruitful.

Caleb A. Hoagland, an HES student, wrote in an emailed statement that Extension School alumni should be honest about their degrees, but that does not exempt Harvard from allowing “degrees to reflect their fields of study.”

Still, Hoagland wrote that “a shift in strategy may be more persuasive,” suggesting that “HESA could focus on parity with other Ivy plus peers with substantial Divisions of Continuing Education.”

In an emailed statement, HES student Merve D. Hacialioglu highlighted the leadership change within Harvard’s top ranks following former Harvard President Claudine Gay’s resignation earlier last month.

“On our end, it is crucial to monitor how the new administration approaches the matter and to advocate effectively to ensure that our concerns are heard and addressed,” she wrote. “We don't just study extensions; we engage in rigorous work across a multitude of disciplines, and our degrees should reflect that.”

HES student Deepak Rana pointed to the “systemic issue of administrative bodies consistently overlooking these concerns.”

“Updating the degree to remove ‘In Extension Studies’ would exemplify Harvard's commitment to inclusivity, fairness, equality, and equity for all its students and alumni,” Rana wrote.

Correction: February 14, 2024

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Harvard Extension School students sent 3,000 postcards since December. In fact, students have sent 5,000 postcards since August.

—Staff writer Kirsten Agbenyega can be reached at kirsten.agbenyega@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Threads @kirstena006.

—Staff writer Lenny R. Pische can be reached at lenny.pische@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @lenny_787 or on Threads @lenny.787.