Student Life
‘We Have To Show Out’: Undergrads Get Energized for First Day of Classes
On Tuesday, the steps of Widener Library buzzed with excitement as Harvard students reunited with friends and stopped for pictures to commemorate the first day of classes.
HUA to Accept Direct Donations After $10K Gift From Alum
After a $10,000 donation from former Undergraduate Council member Ian T. Simmons ’98-’00, the Harvard Undergraduate Association will accept direct donations for club funding.
On Allston Christmas, Thrifters Celebrate the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Each September 1, hundreds of U-hauls and pickup trucks descend upon Allston as thousands of resident leases end and students move in and out of their housing for the school year.
Harvard College To Remove Designated Spaces for Women’s Center, Office for BGLTQ Student Life
Harvard College will close the designated spaces that previously housed the Women’s Center and the Office for BGLTQ Student Life, following a July decision to shutter those offices — along with one for minority students — and fold their staff into a new center within the Office of Culture and Community.
2026 Harvard-Yale Game To Be Held at Fenway Park
For the first time since 2018, Harvard is set to face off against Yale at Fenway Park in the 142nd playing of The Game on Nov. 21, 2026 — rather than holding its home game at Harvard Stadium in Allston.
Harvard College Removes First-Gen, LGBTQ Support Titles for Proctors and Tutors
Harvard College will no longer designate residential proctors and tutors to serve as dedicated support for LGBTQ and first-generation or low-income students, instead folding their responsibilities into a new “Culture and Community” specialty role.
Blocked By Trump’s Travel Ban, One Iranian Student Wonders If She Will Ever Make It to Harvard
Rozhan Rasti was admitted to Harvard’s Class of 2029. But she can’t enter the United States — and so far, no lawyers have taken up her case against the proclamation that’s keeping her far from campus.
HUDS To Replace Compostable To-Go Boxes With Reusable Containers
Harvard University Dining Services will no longer offer disposable to-go containers but will replace them with a reusable alternative that students can check out like library books, the school announced online this week.
Harvard Will Open New Muslim, Hindu Prayer Spaces After Years of Uneven Access
For years, Harvard’s only dedicated spaces for Muslim and Hindu worship were in a dormitory basement. This fall, the University will open two new prayer spaces following April recommendations from two internal task forces to overhaul its approach to religious life on campus.
Harvard College Closes Diversity Offices, Reassigns Staff to New ‘Harvard Foundation’
Harvard College will close its offices for minority students, LGBTQ students, and women and fold their staff under a new Office of Culture and Community, according to a Wednesday message from College Dean David J. Deming.
Lights Back On After Manhole Incident Knocks Out Power to Harvard’s River Houses
Students were left without power for several hours on Thursday morning after a power outage — caused by an “underground electrical incident” that injured a contractor — hit several University buildings near the river.
Without AC, Students Simmer Through Summer Heat in Harvard Dorms
Students living on campus this summer are weathering this summer’s heat wave from their Harvard dorm rooms, many of which are not equipped with air conditioning.
Climate Scientist Peter Huybers, Health Administrator Downing Lu Named Interim Kirkland House Faculty Deans
Earth and Planetary Sciences department chair Peter J. Huybers and Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative senior fellow Downing Lu will serve as Kirkland House’s interim faculty deans, outgoing Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana announced in an email to Kirkland affiliates Tuesday.
Harvard Students Will Switch to New Payment Systems for Laundry, Printing With End of Crimson Cash in Sight
As Harvard phases out Crimson Cash, students will need to use new online payment portals for laundry, printing, and student grilles starting by June 30, when the program will be fully retired.
Harvard Celebrates, With Unity and Defiance, as Courtroom Battle Coincides With 374th Commencement
For the crowd at Harvard’s 374th Commencement, the day was shaped by a legal fight over the fate of Harvard’s international students that played out simultaneously with the ceremony — and by Harvard’s historic, high-stakes standoff with the Trump administration.
Students Hold Unofficial Affinity Celebrations, Marked by Anger at University Decision to Withdraw Support
Eight affinity groups held celebrations for Commencement this week, despite having been denied funding and access to campus venues by Harvard officials.
Flush With Cash and Hype, Defense Tech Is a New Career Target for Some Harvard Students
As they enter the workforce, Harvard students are increasingly feeling the pull of defense technology firms.
Weeks After Cutting Off Support for Affinity Grad Events, Harvard Funds ASL Interpreter for Disability Celebration
After the University announced it would no longer host or fund affinity group celebrations for Commencement, Harvard funded an interpreter for a Tuesday disability affinity ceremony but told organizers to distance the event from traditional affinity celebrations held in previous years.
States Across the Country Are Trying to Ban Legacy Admissions. Will Massachusetts Do it Too?
After a bill to ban legacy admissions died in committee last legislative session, some Massachusetts officials are optimistic their efforts will come to fruition.
Harvard Activists Have a New Reason To Protest. Does Palestine Fit In?
As Harvard students and faculty protest the second Trump administration, they sometimes coexist uneasily with the pro-Palestine activists who defined protests last year. Is the campaign for academic freedom inseparable from Palestine, or will the two movements find themselves at odds?
Too Rigorous for Romance: How Harvard Students Navigate a ‘Nonexistent’ Dating Scene
The Crimson spoke with more than 75 undergraduates and relationship experts about why Harvard students are too tied up to tie the knot.
What SEVP Revocation Would Mean for International Students at Harvard
After the Trump administration announced it revoked Harvard’s authorization to enroll international students, The Crimson spoke to several immigration attorneys to understand what this means for Harvard students.
Faculty Deans, Department Administrators Express Support for International Students
Harvard College faculty deans and departmental administrators sent messages of support for international students after the Trump administration revoked the University’s ability to enroll them — even as Harvard’s top leaders remain quiet.
A Quiet Year at the Harvard Undergraduate Association
In a year when Harvard was racked by protests and political attacks, former HUA co-presidents Ashley C. Adirika ’26 and Jonathan Haileselassie ’26 opted to keep both drama and headlines to a minimum.