Dean Deming’s Instagram Is Fun — But the Moment Demands More

On August 26, fifty-six days after becoming the Dean of Harvard College, Dean David J. Deming resurrected a familiar ritual.

He launched his Instagram account, @deandeming. Since then, he has posted twenty-six times, filmed one get-ready-with-me, referenced “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” and amassed almost two thousand followers.

Deming is now not only the Dean of Harvard College but also, apparently, an influencer. However, Harvard students need more. We need direct, ongoing, transparent communication administrators about the state of our college.

Over the past several months, the University has undergone a period of significant turmoil. We’ve lost billions of dollars in funding, sued the current presidential administration, won some of that funding back, and closed diversity offices. Not to mention, we’re still in negotiations with the White House over the remainder of our funding. Unfortunately, many Harvard students have found out about these developments not from our University’s leaders, but from news outlets, Sidechat, or word of mouth.

I suppose knowing that Dean Deming is Team Conrad over Jeremiah or that his dream Yard Fest performer would be One Direction is one way to ease communication with a Harvard administrator. But, the current moment requires more. In this time of immense political upheaval and financial uncertainty, we need upfront, transparent communication on the state of the University from the College administration. Instagram reels aren’t enough.

Deming’s Instagram account isn’t without precedent. Former Dean of the College Rakesh Khurana famously ran the “Khuranagram,” and boasted over twenty-three thousand followers. The account is filled with blurry pictures of Harvard students smiling for a photo in groups of friends or with Khurana himself. Earnestness and sincerity ooze from every post. It made him approachable for students, even during times of intense scrutiny from them. Right now, Deming’s account lacks some of this authenticity. The posts are too curated, following trends of the current moment.

Deming’s Instagram seems like it’s there to sell a product — the Harvard experience — and we’re the consumers. This transactional relationship forecloses the possibility of fostering genuine relationships between administrators and students. If the College seeks to strengthen this connection, heavily manicured posts are not the solution.

Even if Deming does take steps to make himself appear more approachable online, Harvard students still require more communication from the administration. Since the start of the school year, we’ve received three emails from University President Alan M. Garber ’76, only one of which refers to the current state of affairs at Harvard, and one from Dean Deming. Sure it’s just over one month into the semester — but in order for students to trust and have faith in the College administration, we need to hear more.

So, what should communication look like between the Harvard administration and students? It’s pretty simple: The College should offer updates to students more regularly and be honest in these updates, to the greatest extent possible.

Hearing regularly, candidly, and directly from figures of authority within the University, such as Deming and Garber, would go a long way in garnering the support of the student body. They could host monthly in-person question and answer sessions in Sanders Theater, rather than on social media. Or if administrators prefer a more controlled form of communication, they could even use Deming’s reels as an opportunity to constructively explain the rationale behind major changes happening at the University.

Of course, the entirety of this critical communication should not take place via Instagram. Dean Deming’s fledgling account can exist as a place for him to genuinely connect and have fun with students — still building trust in the process. The trivial communication can be relegated to social media, while the crucial, newsworthy updates require a space of their own.

Obviously, Dean Deming’s Instagram won’t solve all our problems. But in this time of unprecedented peril for higher education, every effort helps.

Claire V. Miller ’28, a Crimson Editorial editor, lives in Mather House.