Masters Urge Caution Over Unofficial Class

Leverett and Pforzheimer House Masters sent e-mails to students yesterday cautioning them against taking unauthorized courses on Harvard’s campus—especially those that charge participants—after someone unaffiliated with the University had been issued a trespass warning for holding a weekly course in the Science Center.

The e-mail stated that the person had recently offered unauthorized arts courses to Harvard students for a fee.

“We live in a busy urban environment, and unfortunately, from time to time, people who are not affiliated with the University want to take advantage of our open community to gain access to our students and the resources we have to offer,” the House Masters wrote in their e-mails.

In early March, some students had received an e-mail advertising a “very popular non-credit screenwriting seminar” called “Screenwriting from the Heart.” According to the e-mail, the seminar was being offered on “a special basis to Harvard students, affiliates, friends and the community.”

Though it was billed as free for undergraduates, the course charged a $50 fee for textbook and handout materials.

Two students who participated in the course identified the instructor as Andrew Arthur, whose resume on his Web site states that he completed graduate work in psychology and counseling at Harvard from 1988 to 2002 and that he has served as both a non-resident film and drama tutor at the University.

A Harvard student enrolled in the course, who wished to remain anonymous as she was still taking the seminar, said that two Harvard University Police Department officers informed her when she came to the Science Center for the class on April 5 that the seminar was not allowed to meet on Harvard property. She said she did not see Arthur that day.

The HUPD log noted that an individual who was not authorized to be in the Science Center received a trespass warning for all Harvard property on April 5 and a subsequent trespass letter the following week.

The student reported that the class of about 10 students met again on April 12 in a building on Brattle Street. According to the student, Arthur said he had been teaching the course for five years and showed the class e-mails proving that he had booked the Science Center room for the course, which first met March 8.

The student added that she does not believe Arthur and the two men who help him run the course are earning a profit from the $50 materials fee.

“Basically, the instructor just personally enjoys teaching a class on screenwriting,” she said.

The student said that she had learned of the class through an e-mail that the Archeology Department’s undergraduate coordinator Elizabeth Rew sent to the concentration list. She added that she was aware the course was not offered through Harvard.

—Staff writer Julie M. Zauzmer can be reached at jzauzmer@college.harvard.edu.