Beyond J-cation

This weekend, students returned to campus with bags in their hands instead of under their eyes after Harvard’s first five-week-long winter vacation. Now that the pilot J-term is over, it seems clear that the new schedule succeeded in offering students time to relax or travel that they otherwise might not have taken. Still, while we recognize the College’s current financial constraints, we believe that Harvard should present students with more J-term opportunities in the future, allowing the young program to grow in size, quality, and popularity.

Next year, Harvard should offer optional enrichment programming that would not count toward academic credit. These ungraded classes would give students a chance to explore new fields and interests without the pressure of competition or GPAs. Meanwhile, those who enjoyed spending time at home, traveling, or working during this J-term could continue to do so. In this way, Harvard could support the relaxing component of vacation while still encouraging students to keep their minds engaged in non-competitive, stimulating pursuits.

In the future, we hope that the College extends its definition of a “legitimate” reason to stay on campus during the month of January. We were pleased that nearly all J-term applicants received housing this year. However, we believe the list of eligible J-term students should grow to include students engaging in other productive activites, such as classes, extracurriculars, or exam preparation. However, the College should continue to require applications from prospective J-term students presenting a clear reason for their desire to stay.

In light of its financial difficulties, Harvard will likely need to cut costs in order to accommodate more residents over the break. Thus, the College should consider having students apply separately for room and board. Ideally, everyone who remains on campus during J-term would receive a meal plan. However, Harvard cannot wait to expand the program until economic conditions improve. Awarding HUDS privileges based on an application process that considers financial need could allow the College to increase the number of students in residence over J-term at low cost.

We feel certain that the recent five-week break was an improvement over Harvard’s previous calendar. If the College can provide additional programming and housing in the years to come, then we remain optimistic about the future of J-term.