Former U.S. Ambassador to China To Return to Kennedy School Professorship
Former U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns will rejoin Harvard Kennedy School as a professor in April, contributing to the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. Burns, who led Harvard's Future of Diplomacy Project before his 2021 appointment, worked during his ambassadorship to stabilize U.S.-China relations amid tensions over Taiwan, China's support for Russia, and cyberattacks. Harvard faculty lauded Burns' diplomatic insights and firsthand experience, emphasizing the value his expertise will bring to students studying U.S.-China relations, considered one of the world's most pivotal geopolitical dynamics.
After Settlements, Harvard Revamps Non-Discrimination Guidelines With Focus on Israel-Palestine Conflict
By Annabel M. Yu and Sheerea X. Yu
Harvard has expanded its Non-Discrimination and Anti-Bullying Policies, adding protections for Zionists and addressing antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab discrimination. The update follows lawsuit settlements and incorporates definitions from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and the United Nations. The policy prohibits discriminatory harassment, including targeting based on political beliefs, but emphasizes academic freedom and reasoned dissent. Critics argue the revisions rely on previous policies and inadequately address concerns about fairness in enforcement. Harvard must further update its policies for federal approval within four months.
Harvard Consolidates Its Portfolio of Direct Holdings Amid Shift Toward Private Equity
Harvard Management Company (HMC) has drastically reduced its direct public equity holdings, from 121 in 2016 to 15 in 2024, reflecting CEO Narv Narvekar's shift towards private equity and hedge funds. This strategy aligns with the "Yale Swensen" model, emphasizing long-term, higher-return private investments over liquid public markets. The pivot has improved endowment returns but reduced transparency, as the majority of assets are now externally managed and not publicly disclosed. This approach minimizes risk and market exposure while potentially safeguarding strategic advantages. Further portfolio details are expected in early February.
Op Eds: My New Year’s Resolution? Ditch Dining Hall To-Go Boxes
In an op-ed, Theo C. Lebryk, a Harvard residential tutor and a First Year SM student in Data Science at the John A. Paulson School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, reflects on the impact of dining hall to-go containers, arguing that they diminish communal connections and house culture. While convenient, the shift away from shared dining experiences correlates with rising loneliness and stress among students. Lebryk highlights the mental health and social benefits of eating in communal spaces, even alone, as a way to foster unexpected connections and strengthen community bonds. He encourages students to spend more device-free time in dining halls, embracing opportunities for organic social interactions.
Columns: Every Harvard Student Should Write a Thesis
An op-ed advocates for Harvard to require all students to complete a senior thesis, arguing it is essential for academic mastery and professional growth. The piece highlights the unique skills thesis writing fosters—time management, discipline, creativity, and problem-solving—while lamenting that many students avoid theses due to their perceived difficulty. Drawing inspiration from Princeton, where every student completes a thesis, the author suggests workshops, increased funding, and tailored support for students across disciplines. By mandating theses, Harvard could better prepare graduates to produce original scholarship and excel in their fields.
Flyby - 93 Hard: The Harvard Student’s Semester-Long Challenge
This satirical op-ed humorously critiques the intensity of the Harvard student lifestyle by proposing a "93 Hard Challenge" for the spring semester. Mimicking the notorious "75 Hard Challenge," it emphasizes unrealistic expectations for perfection: finishing all readings and problem sets a day early, sleeping 7-9 hours, using the meal plan to curb spending, exercising daily, and documenting progress. Through hyperbole and wit, the piece highlights the relentless pressure to overachieve, poking fun at the idea of sacrificing fun and balance for productivity. It ultimately reflects on the absurdities of student life at an elite university.
Harvard students discuss ways to build China-U.S. friendship
Harvard University students Dipak and Thilo discuss how cultural exchanges foster empathy and understanding, helping people from countries like China and the U.S. learn about each other and build lasting friendships.
Bill Gates reveals how he was almost expelled from Harvard and his encounter with drugs
Bill Gates' memoir Source Code sheds light on his rebellious Harvard days, near-expulsion, and transformative experiences. Gates describes logging 711 hours at the Aiken Computation Lab in February 1975, earning a reputation as a "wise-ass" and sparking disciplinary concerns. He also reflects on experimenting with LSD and his realization that his intense focus on math and science might align with an autism diagnosis today. Gates discusses collaborating with Donald Trump on COVID-19 vaccine efforts while cautioning against cuts to life-saving programs like HIV funding. The memoir chronicles his evolution from defiance to global influence.
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