Editorials
What Harvard Won’t Let Interviewers Say
But given the headwinds of higher education, the disappointing change isn’t unexpected. Harvard and other universities are moving to inaugurate colorblindness as the standard for discussing race, scrubbing identity with the hope that “intellectual vitality” or “viewpoint diversity” can take its place.
Dissent: The Editorial Board Cannot Whitewash Hate
House resident deans shouldn’t advocate hate towards anyone — full stop. To do so prior to their appointment should be disqualifying; to do so while they are supposedly supporting their students’ wellbeing should result in resignation.
Harvard’s Latest Speech Controversy
For the sake of Harvard’s intellectual community, University employees should be able to articulate their personal beliefs without fear of retribution.
Don’t Let Diversity Die At the Starting Line
Household wealth plays an enormous role in applicants’ lived experiences; considering it will create a less homogenous campus and contribute to a more enriching college experience for all — all while turning Harvard into a more equitable engine of social mobility.
The Challenge Harvard Faces Goes Deeper Than Funding
Still, as long as Harvard is, well, Harvard — the peak of an unpopular ivory tower — its funding will make a useful political football for lawmakers hoping to score points with the public.
HMS Can’t Regulate Grief
When discomfort discussing Palestine extends to a disallowance of grief, Harvard descends into a true den of iniquity.
College Students Study Less. Harvard’s Just Honest About It.
Diminished focus on academics is real — and a legitimate cause for concern. But behind the headline lies a far broader story: Declining focus on coursework is a national problem.
Harvard Must Choose Engagement Over Censorship
Using rhetoric that echoes Hitler is vile and unacceptable — full stop. Still, a University move to punish the Salient would set a dangerous precedent of policing student publications.
Reload Ethical Entrepreneurship at Harvard
In the modern attention economy, aspiring entrepreneurs are rewarded for creating the most disruptive, flashy, and viral projects possible.
A Rare Piece of Good News at Harvard
Indeed, HUPD’s latest crime numbers show us that campus reality is far more benign than sensationalist accounts would have it. Harvard’s faced a lot of bad news in the last year — the recent crime statistics are a welcome respite.
Trump’s Campaign Hit Harvard’s Coffers. It and America Will Suffer
Up against a pugnacious Trump administration, Harvard has downsized to protect its coffers once again. And while the University is sure to feel the hurt, America will be the ultimate loser.
The Free Speech Battle Isn’t Over Yet
The court’s decision is a welcome affirmation that free speech protections apply to all, regardless of citizenship status or federal government whims. Now, to defend the promise of the First Amendment on campus, it’s time for Harvard to turn its sights inwards to continued threats to speech on campus.
As Students in the AI Age, This Is the Choice We Face.
Faculty efforts to adapt and prioritize learning in this brave new world are certainly worthwhile. But as it becomes easier and easier to churn out a passable paper undetected with just a few keystrokes, the responsibility of deciding whether or not to rely on AI — and, indeed, determining the very purpose of our education — ultimately falls to us students.
Is Harvard’s Speech Culture on Fire?
Harvard's jump in the FIRE rankings might seem like cause for celebration — but the threats to free speech on our campus loom large.
Harvard’s Hazing Policy Has Gone Too Far
Surely, Harvard can meet the letter of federal law without completely criminalizing culture. Students deserve policies that treat them as adults capable of consent and community, not problems to be managed.
What Happened to HBS’s ‘Highest Aspirations’?
As Harvard internally separates the wheat from the chaff, it must exhibit prudence and care, applying a forward-thinking approach to ensure $25 million won’t mysteriously vanish in a few years time. As the seas of public opinion rise and fall, Harvard shouldn’t let its best DEI initiatives drown.
Harvard Won in Court. Research Still Isn’t Safe.
Harvard may have won its most recent battle, but it hasn’t won the war. With a murky funding future ahead, the University must adapt its approach to scientific research and find out how to ditch its rainy day fund for good.
You Can’t Admit Talent You Don’t Reach
So reinstate UMRP, or stand up an equally muscular replacement. Harvard cannot claim to educate society’s leaders while quietly pulling up the ladder that helped so many find the first rung.
This November, Vote for Housing and Bikes
For the sake of a better and more livable Cambridge, we urge our neighbors to support pro-housing and pro-bike policies come November.
Charlie Kirk’s Death Isn’t About College Campuses
Kirk's assassination isn’t a story of universities. Instead, it’s about two other deep-rooted issues: gun violence and internet radicalization.
On Mental Health, Harvard Isn’t Out of the Woods Yet
On campus mental health, we’re not sure Harvard has all that much to celebrate yet. A step in the right direction is just that — when it comes to wellbeing, our campus needs a paradigm shift.
DEI May Have Failed at Harvard. So Will the Rebrand.
Absent that, the OCC will merely inherit the worst of DEI’s reputation: symbolism without substance. DEI as Harvard practiced it fell short, but giving it a hasty, ill-explained paint job isn’t sensible reform.
Dissent: Much Ado About Nothing
But, alas, the folding of several of the College’s DEI offices into the Harvard Foundation — a part of the newly rebranded Office of Culture and Community — is nothing more than a cosmetic makeover.
Harvard’s Lawsuit Proves That Resistance Is Possible
Against that backdrop, the ruling in Harvard’s lawsuit provides a welcome reminder that universities don’t have to sacrifice their values in service of their research. Of course, there will be more letters filled with infeasible or unconstitutional demands. But now, there’s a precedent for how to fight back.
Who Does Harvard Owe?
This year, Harvard has been pulled in every direction — by Congress, donors, media, and its own constituents. In all the noise, one fundamental question remains unanswered: Who gets a say as to how Harvard is governed?