Featured Articles
Amid Harvard’s Protracted PILOT Negotiations, Other Ivies’ Agreements May Offer Roadmap
In a recent Cambridge City Council meeting, the tensions underlying negotiations between Harvard and the city over its Payment in Lieu of Taxes program came to the surface in a half-serious threat: opening up a sewer line running under Harvard, a certain nightmare for the University.
‘We Should Not Be an Institution That Operates Out of Fear’: Khurana Praises Diversity Amid Trump Threats
Outgoing Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana affirmed the importance of diversity at Harvard in a Friday interview amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing battle against universities’ diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Pforzheimer House To Install Locks on Bathrooms Following Repeated Indecent Exposure Incidents
Keypad locks will be installed on the communal bathrooms in Pforzheimer House after students repeatedly encountered a man allegedly entering the building half-naked, according to a Thursday email from Pforzheimer House administrators.
‘It’s Honestly Not That Serious’: Peer Advisors Help Freshmen Navigate Blocking Decisions
Freshmen annually learn of their housing assignments when upperclassmen boisterously storm into their dorms on Housing Day — a tradition that dates back to 1995. But tension builds in the weeks leading up to the reveal when freshmen must select up to eight other students to “block” with, forming blocking groups that are guaranteed to be assigned the same House.
SEAS Professors Partner with Meta, Amazon, OpenAI to Enhance Computer Science Courses
Meta, which has sponsored the Puzzle Day for almost 15 years, is just one of the many tech companies that support courses at Harvard. Professors at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have repeatedly collaborated with companies — like Amazon, OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft — to secure technical support for their students.
Harvard Jewish Groups Hold Vigil To Mourn Four Dead Hostages After Hamas Returns Remains
Around 100 people mourned the lives of four Israeli hostages at a vigil held in the Science Center Plaza Thursday afternoon after Hamas returned four bodies to Israel earlier Thursday.
Amid Fight with Administration, HLS Activists Introduce Divestment Referendum
Harvard Law School students have proposed a referendum urging the University to divest from companies involved in Israel’s war in Gaza and accusing Israel of committing a genocide.
DPU Orders Mass. Gas Companies to Cut Bills by 5 Percent
The companies have until Feb. 24 to file their proposals for adjustments, which will take effect on March 1. The move will afford residents some respite, with lower bills expected for the “peak season” months of March and April.
‘Harvard’s History is Black History’: Undergraduates Recognize Black History
Throughout the month of February, Harvard College student groups are commemorating Black History month, coordinating events to understand Black history and celebrate Black culture.
It Could Take Lifetimes To Catalog the Harvard Zoology Museum’s Collections Online. AI Tools Might Help.
The Museum of Comparative Zoology holds over 21 million specimens from its more than 150 year history, which could take lifetimes to catalogue manually, but researchers are considering the applications of artificial intelligence.
Biopharma Giant GSK to Expand Research and Development Footprint in Cambridge
International biotechnology company GlaxoSmithKline is moving its vaccine and infectious disease research teams to Cambridge, in a latest step to strengthen its presence in the Greater Boston area.
As Mass. Sues DOGE, HKS Professors Criticize Musk’s Broad Authority As ‘Absurd’
After Massachusetts joined thirteen states to sue the Department of Government Efficiency, Harvard Kennedy School professors are condemning the DOGE’s extensive use of executive power to cut federal spending.
The JFK Presidential Library Closed — Then Reopened — Amid Confusion Over DOGE Firings
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum abruptly closed indefinitely on Tuesday afternoon, following an executive order that triggered a new round of federal layoffs. But the library reopened Wednesday morning — without reinstating fired workers.
Ed Department Report Finds Massachusetts Fails to Support Students with Special Education Needs
A Department of Education report made public on Feb. 12 stated that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has failed to comply with a federal law to provide support for students with disabilities.
Woman Rescued from Freezing Charles River, Transported to Hospital with Serious Injuries
A woman was rescued from freezing water in the Charles River near the Massachusetts Avenue bridge near MIT on Tuesday morning.
Allston Residents, Elected Officials Ask for More Benefits from Harvard’s 10-Year Plan
As Harvard finalizes its Institutional Master Plan in Allston, residents and elected officials called on the University to fulfill its previous promises and increase contributions to the Boston neighborhood.
Nobel Laureate Claudia Goldin Warns of Federal Data Misuse at IOP Forum
Nobel laureate and Harvard Economics professor Claudia D. Goldin raised concerns about the Trump Administration’s “misuse” and removal of government data at an Institute of Politics forum Tuesday, warning of dire consequences for researchers and policymakers.
When Professors Speak Out, Some Students Stay Quiet. Can Harvard Keep Everyone Talking?
A faculty committee urged the FAS to assure professors that their opinions outside the classroom will not affect what courses they can teach — and advised instructors to make sure students know they won’t be penalized for disagreeing.
Harvard Researchers Develop New Technology to Map Neural Connections
Harvard affiliates developed a silicon chip that successfully mapped more than 70,000 synaptic connections from 2,000 rat neurons — advancing a new recording technology to address existing limitations in the specificity and scope of neural imaging.
Harvard GSAS Student Council Aims To Boost Attendance at Meetings
The Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Student Council is looking for new ways to make sure elected student representatives attend its monthly meetings.
Advocates Raise Concerns As Boston PILOT Report Remains Unreleased
While property taxes comprise nearly three quarters of Boston’s revenue, nonprofits are exempt from paying this tax. Instead, the PILOT program asks large non-profits to voluntarily pay a portion of what they would have otherwise paid in property taxes. The 2024 report on contributions has yet to be released.
As Lab Property Grows Out of Reach for Kendall Square Startups, Many Shift To Leasing Coworking Spaces
The Crimson spoke to a range of commercial realtors, startup founders, and a commercial lab space owner to understand how the immense draw of Kendall Square has forced the myriad startup companies that define its ecosystem to adapt to more challenging economic conditions as they fight for a prized place in “the most innovative square mile on the planet.”
Faculty of Arts and Sciences Diversity Dean Position Left Vacant For Nearly Two Years
Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences has been without an associate dean for diversity, inclusion, and belonging for nearly two years after Sheree M. Ohen left Harvard for Amherst University in April 2023.
Harvard DSO Begins Approving New Student Organizations Following Year-Long Club Freeze
The Dean of Students Office has begun approving new student organizations for the first time since spring 2023. The DSO previously paused its recognition of new clubs in order to conduct an internal audit of independent student organizations in conjunction with Harvard’s risk management office.
Mike Donilon Says Democratic Party ‘Melted Down’ After Biden’s June Debate at IOP
In a wide-ranging post mortem at the IOP Thursday evening, Donilon remained adamant that the former president would “still be the best” for the job – despite his poor performance in a June debate.