AY23 Master's Student Handbook

History and Mission

Mission of Harvard Medical School

To nurture a diverse, inclusive community dedicated to alleviating suffering and improving health and well-being for all through excellence in teaching and learning, discovery and scholarship, and service and leadership.

The mission of Harvard Medical School Graduate Education is to teach, advise, and nurture a diverse, inclusive community of scholars that generate and disseminate new discoveries in life sciences to improve health and knowledge for all.

Harvard Medical School trains about 700 MD students, supports over 700 PhD students registered in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and enrolls over 250 Master’s degree students. Master’s degree programs are offered in bioethics, biomedical informatics, clinical investigation, clinical service operations, global health delivery, healthcare quality and safety, immunology, and medical education, with new programs in regular development.

PhD research training is provided in biological and biomedical sciences, bioinformatics and integrative genomics, biophysics, chemical biology, immunology, neuroscience, speech and hearing bioscience and technology, systems, synthetic, and quantitative biology, and virology and takes place both on the Quad and in hospital laboratories. Perhaps Harvard Medical School's most enduring contribution has been the education of leaders of medicine and health care, establishing a standard of excellence in research, teaching, and the care of patients in America and increasingly in other countries. In the academic realm, Harvard Medical School has trained more current fulltime academic faculty, department chairs, and medical school deans than any other single medical school. The challenge of each generation of students is to carry on that proud tradition.

1.The Master's Programs at Harvard Medical School

At times, a mid-year review of academic, financial, or other considerations may lead to changes in policies, rules, and regulations. Harvard Medical School therefore reserves the right at any time to make changes to the Student Handbook that may affect such matters as tuition and other fees, degrees and programs offered (including the modification or possible elimination of degrees and programs), degree and other academic requirements, academic policies, rules pertaining to student conduct and discipline, fields or areas of concentration, and other rules and regulations applicable to students.

Notice: Public Health and Delivery of Academic Programs

The public health crisis occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented social and economic disruption worldwide, in the United States, and in the Boston/Cambridge area. For the 2022-23 academic year, Harvard Medical School plans to deliver in-person instruction to the fullest extent possible, with appropriate measures and conditions in place to protect the health and safety of University students, staff, and faculty and surrounding communities. These measures and conditions include, among other things, the University’s requirement that students provide evidence of vaccination to Harvard University Health Services and participate if required in HUHS COVID-19 testing and tracing programs.

Unless they can demonstrate that they are eligible for a medical or religious exemption from these requirements, students who do not provide the HUHS-required documentation of COVID-19 vaccination and/or decline, refuse, or fail to be tested if required for COVID-19 may be placed on an involuntary leave or, at the School’s discretion, may face other consequences including, but not limited to, exclusion from participation in certain School or University activities, an instruction not to enter upon University property, the loss of access to University housing, or denial of registration.

In recent years Harvard Medical School has had to act quickly to implement contingency scenarios in order to protect the health and safety of our community, while ensuring the continuity of our teaching and research mission. Harvard Medical School

continues to retain the discretion to adjust its mode of teaching as it deems necessary in extraordinary circumstances, including by making recourse to online instruction. In addition, changes in conditions may result in the introduction or modification of mask and physical distancing mandates, the limitation of certain activities and services, and the implementation of compulsory testing and tracing programs for accessing the Harvard campus or Harvard facilities.

The Learning Environment at Harvard Medical School

Harvard Medical School and its affiliated hospitals are firmly committed to fostering a culture of mutual respect and trust. It is the strong and consistent policy of Harvard Medical School to treat all members of our community with respect, to provide an environment conducive to learning and working, and to ensure equal access to rights, privileges and opportunities without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected category. All members of the Harvard Medical School community are expected to create a positive learning environment where students, faculty, and members of the administrative staff treat each other with respect. The environment should be free of harassment, intimidation, exploitation, and abuse, and should be one in which feedback regarding performance can be shared without concern for ridicule or reprisal. See also:

 Responsibilities of Teachers and Learners

 Discrimination, Harassment, and Student Mistreatment

 Harvard University Policies and Procedures addressing Sexual and Gender Based Harassment and Other Sexual Misconduct

1.01 Office for Graduate Education

The Office for Graduate Education provides a central resource to support the students enrolled in the HMS Master’s programs. The office works with students to explore ways to enhance or address aspects of the student experience and with program directors to ensure that the needs of students are met and relevant policies are developed, implemented, and clarified as needed.

The office develops and organizes events for Master’s students throughout the academic year, including orientation, the Master’s-wide research symposium, graduation, as well as many other social and academic gatherings. The office serves as a liaison for students to services, administrative offices, and information throughout the Medical School and the larger university and is a resource to the school and larger community on issues that pertain to the Master’s programs and students.

The office staffs the HMS Committee on Governance and Oversight of Master’s Degree Programs and the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s programs and represents the Master’s programs on the Longwood Emergency Management Team and other Medical School committees as needed. Students are welcome to contact the office about ideas and projects and general issues of student importance or concerns.

Orientation

 At the start of the academic year, the Office for Graduate Education coordinates a welcome breakfast and orientation for all Master’s students, program directors, and program staff. The Welcome Breakfast and Orientation allows incoming students to meet fellow Master’s students, learn about the other Master’s programs at HMS, and learn about academic and social supports that exist at HMS and Harvard University.

Research Day Symposium

 Each spring, Master’s students participate in the Research Day Symposium. At the start of the second term, Master’s students are asked to submit abstracts of their mentored research or capstone projects to their programs to be considered for presentation at the Symposium. All students are encouraged to participate; in some cases, programs require participation.

Graduation

 HMS Master’s students who have successfully completed their program requirements are invited to participate in the HMS Master’s Graduation Ceremony, which is held each May, prior to University Commencement. Graduates are

strongly encouraged to participate in academic regalia (“cap and gown”) which will be coordinated by the Office for Graduate Education.

 Graduating Master’s students are also invited to participate in University Commencement in Tercentenary Theatre (Harvard Yard). Participation requires academic regalia.

 Graduating students will be contacted by their programs in late Winter/early Spring to determine if they will be attending the Master’s graduation ceremony and/or University Commencement and whether they need to rent regalia

1.02 Master’s Degree Students at Harvard Medical School

Master's degree students at Harvard Medical School are enrolled in post-baccalaureate and/or post-doctoral programs for the purposes of earning an academically-focused Master’s degree. Master’s degree students at HMS do not have any clinical responsibilities or obligations and are not insured by HMS for the provision of clinical care in any clinical setting. Clinical care cannot be provided by HMS Master’s degree students under the auspices of the Medical School.

Some Master’s degree students will, while enrolled at HMS, also be licensed clinical care providers with medical or other clinical staff appointments in HMS’s affiliated hospitals or other clinical settings. In such cases, all clinical activities will be performed under the auspices of the medical/clinical staff appointment provided by the clinical setting. Master’s students must not present themselves as acting on behalf of HMS when providing care to patients under the auspices of their clinical staff appointment. Furthermore, any Master’s student whose mentored research or capstone project involves human subjects should take particular care to separate the conduct of the research project with any clinical care that may be provided by the clinical setting that is incident to that research.

1.03 Plans of Instruction for Master of Medical Sciences Programs

A Master of Medical Sciences (MMSc) degree from HMS represents recognition of successfully completing advanced study and research within a specific topic area related to biomedical research. The requirements for receipt of such a degree are rigorous and standardized across programs. While each MMSc degree program may have a unique focus, all graduates of such programs will:

1. Achieve mastery in a core curriculum that prepares individuals for a biomedical research career

2. Conduct meritorious research that is presented in a thesis

3. Complete other courses that, together with the core curriculum, provide appropriate didactic training to match the program’s focus.

In keeping with this concept, each program has a Mission Statement that outlines the goals and objectives of the program.

The MMSc degree requires the completion of at least 64 credits of didactic and scholarly work, including a minimum of 32 credits in a mentored research experience culminating in a written thesis or similar work. The remaining credits consist of required core courses, electives, and seminars. A dual-degree, five-year MD-MMSc program is offered in some programs; for this program, a total of 56 credits, including the minimum 32-credit mentored research experience, are required. Students must be enrolled in the HMS Program in Medical Education to qualify for the dual-degree program. Descriptions of the MMSc programs and their plans of instruction follow:

Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation

Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery

Master of Medical Sciences in Immunology

Master of Medical Sciences in Medical Education

1.04 Plans of Instruction for Master of Science Programs

A Master of Science degree from HMS represents recognition of successfully completing advanced study within a specific topic area. The requirements for receipt of a Master of Science degree are rigorous and standardized across programs. While each Master of Science degree program may have a unique focus, it is expected that all graduates of such programs will: (a) achieve mastery in a core curriculum that enriches the biomedical research, teaching, and/or clinical career of the student and (b) complete other courses that, together with the core curriculum, provide appropriate didactic training to match the program’s focus. In keeping with this concept, each program has a Mission Statement that outlines the goals and objectives of the program.

Each Master of Science program requires the completion of at least 36 credits of instruction and scholarly work, including a 4-credit capstone project. The remaining credits consist of required core courses, electives, and seminars. Descriptions of the one-year programs and their curricula follow:

Master of Science in Bioethics

Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics

Master of Science in Clinical Service Operations

Master of Science in Healthcare Quality and Safety

Master of Science in Media, Medicine, and Health

1.05 Five-Year MD-MMSc Program

Certain MMSc and Master of Science programs may offer to enroll HMS MD students for a fifth year of study completed between the third and fourth years of medical school. Students should consult the plan of instruction above and/or the program’s website to determine if this option is available. In the dual degree MD-MMSc program, the student completes a 56-credit MMSc course of study, including the 32-credit mentored research requirement, together with the requirements for the MD degree. In the dual degree MDMaster of Science program, the student completes the 36-credit Master of Science course of study including the four-credit capstone requirement, together with the requirements for the MD degree.

HMS medical students interested in pursuing a dual degree should refer to the medical student handbook for additional information.

See Section 5.01 for information regarding tuition and fees for the Master's degree year.

2. Academic Information and Policies

2.01 Academic Calendar for the Master’s Programs

1. HMS Master’s students cross-registering in other schools must abide by the registration policies of that school and by the calendar of that school, should it differ from the calendar above.

2. The calendar is subject to change.

Academic Calendar (2022 – 2023)

2.02 Attendance

As a professional school, HMS expects attendance and active participation in all components of the curriculum, including all lectures, seminars, and other academicallyrelated program activities. The granting of a Master’s degree attests to the fact that the student has demonstrated a commitment to the student's professional responsibilities through participation in all aspects of the curriculum as defined by the faculty.

HMS recognizes that there may be unexpected events outside a student’s control that may justify absence from a class or other academically-related activity. These include medical emergencies, family emergencies, and sudden changes in life circumstances. In such circumstances, a student is required to report the absence to the course and program directors as soon as possible and to discuss any implications for progress with the program director. Unreported or unexcused absences may lead to disciplinary action.

Religious obligations are a valid reason for an absence from a class or other academically-related activity. Massachusetts state law provides that a student in an educational institution who is unable, because of the student's religious obligation, to attend a class, participate in an examination, or meet a study or work requirement shall be provided with the opportunity to make up this work (see Section 6.01, Harvard University Policy Regarding Religious Holidays). Students should use careful discretion in judging the importance of a particular holiday and in requesting travel days around such holidays. The student must inform the course and program director in advance when the student must be absent for a religious obligation. Extended time off beyond the timeframe of the official religious holiday will not be eligible for an approved absence. See also Section 2.03, Grading and Examinations.

Attendance at professional conferences is not considered sufficient reason for absence from a class or other academically-related activities of the program. While leadership in extracurricular and extramural activities is encouraged, such opportunities must not occur at the expense of a student’s required coursework and attendance responsibilities. Individual students may, however, request advance permission from the course and program directors to attend a scientific conference or meeting.

Requesting permission for any absence must be made in writing (email is acceptable) to the course and program directors.

Under no circumstances will an approved or unapproved absence relieve a student of meeting all of the academic requirements of the course or program; if the absence conflicts with a session or sessions that cannot be otherwise made up or completed, then it may affect the student’s grades or overall academic record.

Periods between terms are available as vacation periods. Students are not allowed to begin vacations prior to the term end dates or extend vacations beyond the start of the next term.

Master’s students may not enroll in more than one Master’s degree program concurrently.

Master’s students may not enroll in courses with overlapping meeting times. Registration in all courses, including electives, must be approved by the student’s program and programs may restrict enrollment in electives if they have concerns about academic performance or time management.

Registered students may audit courses with the permission of the instructors concerned and the permission of their program leadership. However, students auditing a class may not take course examinations or receive course grades, and audited courses do not appear on students’ transcripts or count toward required credits.

Consequences of Noncompliance with Attendance Policy

Students who fail to comply with the school’s attendance policy face a number of serious consequences. These include the following:

1. Grades may be lowered.

2. An unreported absence from a course may result in a failure.

3. The program director will review attendance noncompliance to determine whether such unprofessional behavior warrants official censure in the student’s academic record and/or consideration of disciplinary sanctions at the APRB.

4. Summative comments in the evaluations of courses may include descriptions of unapproved and/or unreported absences or tardiness.

Absent extenuating circumstances, any student who does not attend classes, is not working on the mentored research/capstone project, or fails to respond to communications from the program director, administration, or the Office for Graduate Education, for a period of 10 weekdays (during any term) without approval and has not been placed on an official leave of absence (LOA) will be considered absent without leave, and will be considered withdrawn from Harvard Medical School.

Graduate Student Travel Policy

Students enrolled in HMS Master's programs are required to comply with any Harvard restrictions on travel as well as the Harvard University Graduate Student Travel Policy. . Master's students conducting mentored research/capstone projects away from Harvard must comply with this policy in order to ensure that Harvard credit is awarded for their research.

2.03 Grading and Examinations

General Principles

1. HMS Master’s programs may be graded based on a letter (ordinal) grade (A, B, C, D, F), Pass/Fail, or satisfactory/unsatisfactory performance (SAT/UNSAT or S/U). Each individual program is expected to have a single grading system for all of its own offered courses although. Please note that different programs may have different grading systems.

If a course offers a choice of grading options and the student does not choose one by the end of the add/drop period for a given semester, then Registrar’s Office assigns the default grading option of ordinal.

2. Courses taken at other Harvard Schools will be graded based on the system in place for that school/course and all other policies related to academic performance at those Schools must be followed.

3. HMS master’s students are expected to maintain a “B” average or “satisfactory” standing throughout the course of study, and must earn a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to graduate. The B grade is defined numerically as a minimum grade of 80%. Program directors and administrators will monitor students' performance and provide academic counseling as required. No student may graduate with a failing grade in a required course or in the mentored research/capstone project. All failing/unsatisfactory grades must be remediated before a student may graduate. (See Section 2.15, Satisfactory Academic Progress.)

4. A grade of incomplete (INC) signifies the failure to complete course requirements because of personal illness, death in the family, or a similar compelling, serious reason. Incomplete grades must be resolved within six (6) months, or a failing grade will be recorded, unless an exception is made by the course director and program leadership, or by the Office for Graduate Education. A grade of incomplete may be given by a course director only for the reasons set forth in this paragraph and must be given before the end of a course. A grade of incomplete must be accompanied by a written explanation to the Registrar and to the student's program director.

5. When incomplete and/or unsatisfactory/failing grades have been remediated, the course/director should initiate the grade-change process via my.harvard as soon as possible in order for the grade to be updated in the student's permanent academic record. Grades of Incomplete will be replaced with final grades as soon as grades are submitted by the faculty member in my.harvard. It is important for students to verify their updated grade appears in my.harvard if they wish to graduate in the semester in which the coursework is completed. Information on how to check grades in my.harvard can be

found here. Students may not register for a new semester with more than one Incomplete, unless permitted by the program director and the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education. Students who have one or more incompletes in a given term should be in touch with their program staff and leadership to discuss how this will impact their enrollment.

6. A grade of Withdrawal (W) is noted when a student requests to drop a course after the term’s add/drop deadline for any course at HMS. The course withdrawal will be a part of the student's permanent academic record. Withdrawn course credits will not count towards attempted nor earned credits. Tuition is not refunded for withdrawn courses. See Section 5.03 for specific information about tuition obligations.

7. A grade of Failure (F) signifies the student failed the course. The failure will be a part of the student’s permanent academic record.

8. HMS Master’s Students are required to pass all courses and cannot graduate with a failing/unsatisfactory grade in any course, including electives. Students who fail a required course are required to take a re-examination and/or do remedial work as approved by the course director. If a student fails re-examination or the student performs unsatisfactorily in the remedial work, a failing grade will be reported to the Registrar and, in some instances, the student may be referred to the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs (APRB) (See Section 3.03). Based upon the plan of instruction for the student’s program, the student may be required to retake the same or an equivalent course as approved by the program director.

9. A student has only one opportunity to remediate an unsatisfactory or failing grade by repetition of a course. If a student fails to attain a satisfactory (or better) grade upon repetition of the course, then the final grade will be unsatisfactory, and the student will be referred to the program director for consideration of the student’s future status in the Master’s program.

10. All disciplinary cases involving a student must be resolved and the student’s status in the School must be restored to “good standing” before the student may receive a degree. Only students who are in good standing will be permitted to participate in commencement or related activities or exercises.

The table below reflects the grades used by HMS Master’s courses and their corresponding grade point values.

Letter Grades Numeric Value and Notation Definitions

A= 4.0

A- = 3.67

B+= 3.33

B = 3.0

B-= 2.67

C+= 2.33

C = 2.0

C-= 1.67

D+ =1.33

D = 1.00

D- = 0.67

F = 0.00

SAT* = Satisfactory

UNSAT* = Unsatisfactory

INC* = Incomplete

W* = Withdrawn

IP* = In progress

* Does not calculate into GPA

Examination Policies

The director of each course determines the nature, frequency, content, and scoring of student examinations.

In the unusual event that a student is excused from an examination, the course Director ordinarily will provide a make-up examination that is equivalent to, but not the same as the examination given on the scheduled day of the original exam.

In the extraordinary circumstance that a student has examinations in two courses simultaneously, the student will bear the responsibility of notifying both course directors of the conflict in writing. If both courses are required, then the course directors will consult with each other and the student to set the times at which their respective examinations are to be taken. If one course is required and the other elective, the student will take the exam in the required course at the scheduled time and work with the elective course director to arrange an alternative time for the elective course exam.

Final Examination Policy

HMS Master’s programs and HMS courses may or may not require final examinations at the discretion of the course directors. If a final exam is required, please note the following.

1. Students are required to take final exams on the dates identified by the course director.

2. Students may be permitted to take a final exam on a date later than the one identified in the course syllabus for the following reasons only:

A. Failure to pass the exam the first time taken (Section 2.03).

B. Extraordinary circumstances outside a student’s control that prevent the student from physically taking the final exam on the date identified in the course syllabus

3. In the event of 2b above, the student is required to immediately notify the course and program directors, who will determine whether the student may be permitted to take the final exam on a date later than the one identified in the course syllabus. All exams must be completed before the start of the subsequent semester.

4. In the event of 2a above, the student must sit for the exam on the designated make-up exam date. In the event of 2b above, the student must sit for the exam immediately following the circumstance that prevented the student from sitting for the exam, per arrangement with the course director.

5. In no case will a student be allowed to take a final exam before the date identified in the course syllabus.

6. Students who are unable to take a final exam for the reasons cited above will be given a grade of incomplete for the course until the exam has been taken and passed, at which time the grade will be changed on the transcript.

7. Students who fail to take a final exam for other, non-sanctioned reasons, will receive a failing grade, which will be recorded on the transcript.

8. No examinations shall be administered to an individual student via e-mail or any other remote arrangement unless this was the mechanism by which the original exam was administered to the entire class, or a formal disability accommodation is in place. Absent this arrangement, to ensure a ‘level playing field’ for every member of the class, students in residential programs must be physically present for all examinations and make-up examinations.

Students taking courses in other schools must follow the examination policies of that school.

Grade Changes and appeals

Evaluation of a student's performance in each course is the responsibility of the Course Director for that course. Normally, the instructor's decision is final. After an instructor has submitted the final course grade for a student in my.harvard, a subsequent grade change request may be submitted along with a reason for the change. Such grade change requests will only be accepted from the course’s instructor of record. If the grade submitted initially was incorrect due to a mathematical, administrative, or other clerical error, then the grade change will be posted immediately. If the grade change request was submitted for any other reason, then the HMS Registrar will refer the grade change request by the faculty member to the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education for review. Please note that grades cannot be changed after a degree has been conferred, nor will a grade change request be considered beyond one term following the initial due date of the grade.

If students have questions regarding a grade, they are encouraged to follow up directly with the instructor for more clarity. If no clerical mistake was made, then the instructor will explain the rationale for that grade.

Student Disagreement with Grades or Evaluations

A student’s disagreements with grades, evaluations, or reports of academic performance should be raised with the course director, who has ultimate authority over such grades, evaluations, and reports in each course. If such disagreements are not satisfactorily resolved, the student may then bring the concerns to the attention of the program director, who may consult with the course director to discuss the appropriateness of the grade, evaluation, or report in order to help the student understand the basis for the grade, evaluation, or report. In cases where the course director is the program director, concerns should be brought to the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education who may consult with the course director to discuss the appropriateness of the grade, evaluation, or report in order to help the student understand the basis for the grade, evaluation, or report. In all such cases, the decision of the course director, or Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education is binding.

2.04 Adding or Dropping Courses

For HMS courses, all courses must be added or dropped by the add/drop deadlines listed in the academic calendar.

Courses dropped after the add/drop deadline will receive a grade of “W” or withdrawn on the transcript. This does not calculate into the GPA. (See Section 2.03 for information on grading of HMS Master’s courses.)

For non-HMS courses, students must abide by the home school’s add/drop policy.

2.05 Cross Registration

Cross Registration Outside Harvard Medical School

HMS Master’s degree students wishing to cross-register into a cross-registration-eligible course at another Harvard School would enroll through the my.harvard.edu course registration system. Timing of these approvals are dictated by the home school policy. Please consult the home school registrar for more information, or contact registrar_masters@hms.harvard.edu.

Students who wish to cross-register into courses at MIT must have approval from their Master’s program director prior to registration. Without program approval, MIT courses may only be audited and will not count for credit.

N.B.: Courses taken through cross registration do not automatically count toward the Master’s degree requirements.

The student should confirm with the program director that the course meets the program’s requirements and should request academic credit from the HMS Registrar prior to enrolling in the course.

Cross Registration into Harvard Medical School

A limited number of elective courses at Harvard Medical School are open to crossregistration for students enrolled at other Harvard Schools. Candidates for Master’s degrees have first priority in registering for courses meeting core requirements; therefore, cross-registration requests are accommodated on a space-available basis.

Students taking HMS courses are subject to all the HMS rules and policies. Crossregistered (i.e., non-HMS) students in HMS courses will be graded in accordance with the grading system in place for each course. (See Section 2.03 for information on grading of HMS Master’s courses.)

Students interested in cross registering should view the details posted on the my.harvard.edu course listings.

2.06 Full or Part-time Status Requirements

All students must be officially registered with the Registrar’s Office for each term of study.

Students who do not register and are not on an approved Leave of Absence are considered withdrawn from the School.

MMSc degree programs require the completion of at least 64 credits (or 56 for the dual MD-MMSc) with a minimum of 32 credits earned through a mentored research experience. Single degree MMSc programs encourage students to complete their degrees within an appropriate timeframe, preferably two years, although some students may be enrolled for three or more years. MMSc programs may offer a part-time option with the expectation that the requirements for the degree are completed within five years.

Master of Science degree programs require the completion of at least 36 credits with four or six credits earned through a capstone project. Master of Science programs may offer both full-time (one year) and part-time (two or more years) options.

Full-time and Part-time status are defined as follows:

1. Students enrolled in a standalone MMSc degree program with the expectation that requirements for the degree will be completed in two years are considered Fulltime.

2. Students enrolled in a fifth year of study (usually between M3 and M4) as part of a dual MD-Master’s program are considered Full-time.

3. Students enrolled in a Master of Science degree program with the expectation that requirements for the degree will be completed in one year are considered Fulltime.

4. Full time status requires registration in at least 14 credits per semester. Students registered for less than 14 credits in a given term are considered Part-time.

5. Part-time status is defined as any commitment less than those described above and must be approved by the program director.

6. For programs that offer both full and part time options, students must finalize their enrollment type by the add/drop deadline of any given year in the program. Therefore, students in one-year programs have until the add/drop deadline in

September of their first year to determine their enrollment status. Students in twoyear programs can elect to change their FT/PT status by the add/drop deadline in September of their second year. All requests to change status, including changing Full or Part Time status require approval by the program, the Financial Aid Office, and the Office for Graduate Education and must be initiated by the submission of a change of status form from the program on the student’s behalf. In some cases, change of status will incur additional tuition and/or fees and it is the student’s responsibility to be aware of any relevant changes in fees and/or tuition.

2.07 Policy on Length of Time to Complete a Master’s Degree

Master of Medical Sciences Programs

The minimum time to degree for a 64-credit, MMSc-only program is expected to be 16 months and the minimum time to degree for a 56-credit, combined MD-MMSc program is expected to be 14 months. In either case, it is likely that scheduling requirements and workload will result in students not completing the degree in 14 or 16 consecutive months, and the curriculum plan should reflect that accordingly.

Each program has specified its expectation for the maximum time to degree in Section 1.03 above.

Master of Science Programs

The minimum time to degree for a 36-credit, Master of Science program is expected to be one academic year. A part-time option may also be offered. The minimum time to degree for a 48 credit Master of Science program is expected to be 3 terms.

Each program has specified its expectation for the maximum time to degree in Section 1.04 above.

Extension of Time

Students who need time off for extenuating medical/personal issues are advised to take a Leave of Absence from the School (Section 2.08). Students may be eligible to be enrolled at HMS for additional periods for purposes of remediation or completion of degree requirements. Requests for extensions of time are subject to review by the program director and the Academic Progress and Review Board (APRB) for the Master’s programs. See also Section 1.05, Five-Year MD-MMSc Program. Additional time to degree may also incur additional fees and/or tuition requirements. See Section 5.02 for more information about tuition and fees.

Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to take: (1) more than five years from the time of matriculation to complete the requirements for the MMSc degree or any 3year part-time degree; (2) more than three years for the 36 credit Master of Science degree (other than a 3-year PT option); or (3) more than four years from the time of matriculation for the 48 credit Master of Science degree/SM, or for the 2-year part-time Master of Science degree. This includes any leaves of absence.

Review of Time to Degree

The academic records of HMS Master’s students are reviewed at least twice per year by the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs to ensure that the standards of satisfactory academic progress are being met (see Section 2.17, Satisfactory Academic Progress).

Impact on Financial Aid

A student is eligible for financial aid for a maximum of 150% of the standard time to complete the degree, excluding time spent on an approved leave of absence

2.08 Leave of Absence

A leave of absence (LOA) is a period of non-enrollment during which a student is not considered to be working toward a Master’s degree. A voluntary LOA may be granted for up to one year with the possibility of a one-year extension, on a case-by-case basis after review by the program director in consultation with the APRB. Students who are on leave (whether voluntary or involuntary) for more than two years, whether consecutive or not, are automatically considered to have withdrawn from the School. In such an instance, the student may apply for readmission through the applicable program. If a student is readmitted, the student may be required to repeat a designated number of courses, at the discretion of HMS.

Students contemplating a leave of absence should meet with their program director, the HMS Registrar, and the financial aid office for guidance. International students studying in the U.S. on a visa are responsible for contacting the Harvard International Office to understand the implications of the LOA on their visa status.

Absent extenuating circumstances, any student who does not attend classes, is not working on the mentored research/capstone project, or fails to respond to communications from the program director, administration, or the Office for Graduate Education, for a period of 10 weekdays (during any term) without approval and has not been placed on an official leave of absence (LOA) will be considered absent without leave, and will be considered withdrawn from Harvard Medical School.

Any student who does not initiate a request to return from a LOA at least six weeks prior to their expected LOA end date will be considered absent without leave and will be withdrawn from Harvard Medical School.

In addition, any student who does not initiate a request for an extension of a voluntary LOA at least six weeks prior to their expected LOA end date will be considered absent without leave and will be withdrawn from Harvard Medical School.

Voluntary Leaves of Absence

Students who wish to interrupt their studies at any time before graduation may request a leave of absence. Requests for a leave of absence may be granted by the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education in consultation with other officers of the University, as appropriate. With respect to a voluntary leave of absence for medical reasons, the Senior Associate Dean ordinarily will consult with Harvard University

Health Services (which may consider information from the student’s current and/or former health care providers, if made available by the student).

Application for a Voluntary Leave of Absence

Students applying for a leave of absence must follow the steps outlined below:

1. Discuss the request for a Leave with the program director and administration. The program should then submit a change of status request form signed by the student and the program representative to the Office for Graduate Education. This form requires the inclusion of the last date of attendance in class, which must be no more than 10 days before the request to take a leave. Note that students ordinarily will not be permitted to take a voluntary leave of absence (other than for medical reasons) within the last month of the term.

2. Students are required to meet with the Financial Aid Office to understand the financial implications of the requested Leave. The Financial Aid Office is also required to sign off on the change of status form before it is submitted to the Registrar’s Office for final approval. If the request is approved, the Registrar’s Office will confirm the Leave in writing and will provide additional information regarding the student’s official status, and other relevant matters. The Registrar will notify all courses in which the student is registered and adjust tuition per the refund policy (See Section 5.03).

3. If the student is on financial aid, the student is required to meet with a financial aid officer and complete a loan exit interview (if applicable).

4. In consultation with the Academic Progress and Review Board of the Master’s Programs, as appropriate, the student’s program director will follow up with the student and describe any requirements the student must complete before returning from the leave. A student on a leave should update the program director periodically throughout the leave.

5. If a student is studying in the U.S. on a visa, they are responsible for meeting with the Harvard International Office to understand the impact on their visa status of the requested leave.

Involuntary Leaves of Absence

In certain circumstances, a student may be placed on an involuntary leave of absence. An involuntary leave of absence is not a disciplinary sanction. However, an incident that gives rise to a leave of absence, whether voluntary or involuntary, may subsequently be the basis for disciplinary action. A student who prefers to take a voluntary leave of absence for medical reasons rather than to be placed on an involuntary leave of absence for medical reasons is ordinarily allowed to do so. Transcripts do not distinguish between voluntary and involuntary leaves of absence.

An involuntary leave of absence may be required for the following reasons:

1. Medical circumstances: (a) The student’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of any person, or has seriously disrupted others in the student’s residential community or academic environment; and (b) either the student’s threatening, self-destructive, or disruptive behavior is determined to be the result of a medical condition or the student has refused to cooperate with efforts by Harvard University Health Services to determine the cause of the behavior. The decision to place a student on an involuntary leave of absence for health related reasons is made in consultation with Harvard University Health Services (which may consider information from the student’s current and/or former health care providers, if made available by the student), after an individualized assessment of all of the pertinent factors, such as: the nature of the student’s conduct; the nature, duration and severity of the risk; the likelihood of potential injury; and whether reasonable modifications of policies, practices or procedures will mitigate the risk. However, reasonable modifications do not include changes that would fundamentally alter the academic program or unduly burden the School’s resources or staffing capabilities or, with respect to the required level of care or monitoring, that would exceed the standard of care that a university health service can be expected to provide.

2. Alleged criminal behavior: The student has been arrested on allegations of serious criminal behavior or has been charged with such behavior by law enforcement authorities.

3. Risk to the community. The student has been charged with a violation of a disciplinary rule of the School, and his or her presence on campus poses a significant risk to the safety of others or to the educational environment of the community.

4. Indebtedness. The student’s term bill is unpaid and the student has not made arrangements acceptable to the School to address the issue.

5. Failure to provide medical documentation of required immunizations.

6. Unfulfilled academic requirements. The student has not met an academic requirement and has not taken steps acceptable to the School to meet the requirement.

7. Failure to register. The student has not registered as required at the beginning of each term.

The decision to place a student on involuntary leave is made either: by the Senior Associate Dean in consultation with the Dean for Graduate Education, chairperson of the Academic Progress and Review Board (APRB) or such other person as the Dean for Graduate Education designates; or by the APRB. As noted above, in the case of an involuntary leave of absence for medical reasons, the School will consult with an appropriate person at Harvard University Health Services.

A student is notified in writing that he or she has been placed on involuntary leave. The student may petition the Senior Associate Dean for reconsideration and may appeal a final decision to the Dean of the School.

While on Leave of Absence

Any student who goes on leave of absence during the academic year is charged tuition and any applicable fees, including rent, to the end of the period in which he or she leaves.

Students receiving scholarship or other financial aid should consult the Financial Aid Office concerning the financial implications of going on leave. Students studying in the U.S. on a visa should consult the Harvard International Office to understand the impact on their visa status of being placed on leave.

The date a student goes on leave will affect the student's health insurance through Harvard. For details, review the Leave of Absence policy on the HUHSP website, or contact the Student Health Insurance Office, Member Services, at 617-495-2008 or mservices@huhs.harvard.edu.

Students on leave may not enroll in any courses, work on course requirements, work with course faculty or TA’s, or engage in any university activities limited to enrolled and active students.

Libraries and other facilities normally may be used only by students who are currently registered. Students on leave may not participate in extracurricular activities. Exceptions to these rules must be specifically approved in advance by the School. If so instructed by the Senior Associate Dean, a student on leave must remain away from the University campus.

Students going on leave are reminded that all degree candidates, whether currently registered or not, are expected to maintain a satisfactory standard of conduct.

Following an individualized assessment, the School may require students who are on leave for medical reasons to comply with a treatment plan during their time away.

Returning to School

A student in good standing on a voluntary leave of absence ordinarily may return by notifying the Registrar, Senior Associate Dean, and Program Director at least six weeks in advance of the start of any term, although it remains the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have adequate time to complete the degree within the time limits established by the School.

Students who were not in good standing at the time a voluntary leave of absence was granted and students who were placed on an involuntary leave of absence must petition the Senior Associate Dean for permission to return to the School and must demonstrate that the circumstances that led to their leave have been satisfactorily addressed and that they are ready to resume their studies. The decision whether to allow a student to return is made by the Senior Associate Dean, in consultation with the chairperson of the APRB or such other person as the Dean designates.

If the leave, whether voluntary or involuntary, was for medical reasons, then the student must petition the Senior Associate Dean for permission to return to the School and must demonstrate that the circumstances that led to their leave have been satisfactorily addressed and that they are ready to resume their studies. In addition, so that the School may conduct an individualized assessment of their circumstances, students on medical leave ordinarily will be required to consult with Harvard University Health Services (and to grant permission to Harvard University Health Services to obtain their treatment records and communicate with their treatment providers) so that a professional assessment about the student’s stability and readiness to return can be shared with the School. Please also note that if the School learns of serious concerns about the health or well-being of a student who is away from School but not on a medical leave of absence, then the School similarly may require the student to consult with Harvard University Health Services (and to grant permission to Harvard University Health Services to obtain their treatment records and communicate with their treatment providers) so that a professional assessment about the student’s stability and readiness to return can be shared with the School. The School may also request a letter from a student's private healthcare provider indicating that the student is ready to resume their studies. In that event, the student shall cooperate with the School, including granting permission to the School to communicate with the provider. In all such cases, the decision whether to allow a student to return is made by the Senior Associate Dean, in consultation with the chairperson of the APRB or such other person as the Dean designates.

Any disciplinary matter must be resolved before a student on leave of absence will be allowed to return and, if the student has been required to withdraw while on leave of absence, then any conditions for return after a required withdrawal also must be satisfied.

Students returning from a leave who wish to apply for financial aid must notify the Financial Aid Office and file the necessary application forms by April 15 for the following fall term, and by October 1 for the following spring term. Late applicants cannot be assured that their aid will be available in time for registration payment deadlines.

Students who have been granted a leave and who have borrowed money through Harvard must submit an annual loan deferment form to the Student Loan Office upon their return to Harvard. Deferment forms may be obtained through either the Student Loan Office or the Financial Aid Office and must be completed and certified by the

Registrar immediately following Registration. Failure to file a deferment form upon return will cause payments to be due on loans and could affect future borrowing eligibility.

A student will not be allowed to register in the University again until all previous term-bill charges have been paid and no loan is in default.

A student who is on leave (voluntary, involuntary, or medical) who does not request to return, or request an extension, or petition the Senior Associate Dean to return, within six weeks of the end date of the LOA noted on the original LOA documentation will be considered absent without leave, and will be withdrawn from Harvard Medical School at the start of the subsequent semester.

Contracts for Enrollment

The School may condition a student’s enrollment on certain terms or conditions, as set forth in a written contract between the School and the student, when the student’s conduct or circumstances have caused heightened concerns about the student’s safety and/or well-being and: (a) the appropriateness of the student’s continued enrollment; or (b) the student’s readiness to return to the Harvard community. The contract may include, among other things, compliance with a medical treatment plan, regular consultations with health care professionals, communication with administrators, and limited disclosure of relevant medical information, on a need-to-know basis, such as compliance with treatment and restrictions on certain activities. The decision to require such a contract is arrived at in consultation with Harvard University Health Services after an individualized assessment of the nature of the student’s conduct and circumstances and any other pertinent factors.

Clearance for Return Related to Serious Concerns about the Health or well-being of a student

If Harvard Medical School learns of serious concerns about the health or well-being of an enrolled student, for example, because the student has been hospitalized or has visited an emergency room, HMS ordinarily will not permit that student to return to a campus residence, continue enrollment, or participate in any Harvard-related programs or activities, without making its own assessment of the suitability of the student’s return. With respect to returning to campus housing, see Procedure for Notice and Consultation on Effects of Health Issues on Campus Housing, below. For students who do not reside in campus housing, HMS also may require the student to consult with HUHS (and to grant permission to HUHS to obtain their treatment records and communicate with their treatment providers) so that a professional assessment about the student’s stability and readiness to return can be shared with the School. Any student may, of course, refuse to allow consultation between the student's clinician(s) and Harvard Medical School, but such a refusal will not prevent HMS from making a

decision regarding a student’s continued enrollment. The decision whether to allow a student to return is made by the Senior Associate Dean, in consultation with others as appropriate.

Students are expected to notify Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) of any hospitalization or emergency department visit. HUHS can be notified by phone 24 hours a day and 7 days a week at 617-495-5711.

Procedure for Notice and Consultation on Effects of Health Issues on Campus Housing

In situations where a student’s medical condition causes concern about the appropriateness and/or feasibility of their continuing to reside in or returning to a campus residence, HMS, in consultation with clinicians at Harvard University Health Services (HUHS), will determine whether a student can remain in or return to campus housing. Such situations can include notification to HMS that a student has been treated in the emergency department of a hospital or been hospitalized. In those instances, the student’s medical record, including their mental health record, will not be available to officers of HMS.

Consultation between clinicians and officers of HMS should occur at least 24 hours prior to the anticipated possible return of a student to campus housing. An important factor in the decision about whether a student may return to campus housing is the effect of the student’s presence on members of the residential community. Consultation about whether it is appropriate or feasible for a student to return to campus housing therefore also may include consultation with residents who are affected and with residential staff, only as necessary and with respect for confidentiality and the student’s right to privacy. Another important factor to be considered is whether the type of care and accommodation necessary for the student’s recovery extends beyond the physical resources or appropriate responsibilities of staff.

Any student may, of course, refuse to allow consultation between the student's clinician(s) and Harvard Medical School, but such a refusal will not prevent HMS from making a decision regarding a student’s return to campus residence. The final decision about returning to and/or continuing in campus housing will rest with the HMS Dean for Graduate Education.

In certain instances, in which there is concern regarding the well-being of a student and/or if the student is hospitalized, the individual whose name the student has provided as their emergency contact may be notified by an officer of HMS.

Curriculum Continuity: Policy on Interruption

It is expected that students enrolled solely in a Master’s program will not interrupt their progress towards degree completion except for the kinds of extenuating circumstances warranting a leave of absence as described above.

See Section 2.18 in the Program in Medical Education handbook for the policy on interrupting progress as an HMS medical student to enroll in a Master’s degree.

2.09 Withdrawal

A student who decides to withdraw from HMS must notify the Registrar’s Office in writing of the decision to withdraw. The letter must indicate the reason for withdrawal and the effective date of withdrawal.

The Academic Progress and Review Board (APRB) for the Master’s programs, under certain circumstances, may require a student to withdraw and also may recommend that a student be dismissed or expelled. In these cases, the APRB will determine the effective date of withdrawal and notify the student in writing (see Section 3.03 for more information). The Registrar will be copied on this correspondence.

Students who have a balance of $1,000 or more on their term bill at the beginning of the add/drop period for any given term will be automatically considered to be withdrawn. The registrar’s office will notify these students in writing.

In any case of withdrawal, the student’s Harvard University ID card must be turned over to the Registrar’s Office and will be deactivated on the effective date of withdrawal. The amount of tuition to be charged will be based on the date of withdrawal and the tuition and fee adjustment schedule (See Section 5.03). Students who withdraw are responsible for paying all outstanding charges on their term bill.

Students receiving financial aid will need to meet with their financial aid officer to discuss implications of withdrawal on student’s financial aid. Students who live in Harvard University housing and withdraw or are required to withdraw from HMS must vacate their housing by the effective date of their withdrawal. Students who are studying in the U.S. on a visa should immediately contact the Harvard International Office to understand the impact of withdrawal on their visa status.

2.10 Readmission

Any Master’s student who has withdrawn or has been withdrawn from an HMS Master’s program and wishes to reapply for the Master’s program must follow all of the processes and procedures of the regular admissions process for that program. In addition, applications for readmission must be supported by two new letters of recommendation as well as by transcripts of any formal academic training taken since leaving HMS.

Any Master’s student who was required to withdraw ordinarily may not submit an application for readmission until two academic terms have passed. Master’s students who previously had been dismissed (Section 3.04) from an HMS Master’s program by vote of the HMS Faculty Council must petition the HMS Faculty Council for approval to be readmitted to HMS. A letter requesting readmission should be sent to the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education as chair of the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs no later than six months prior to the requested readmission date. The letter should specify the reasons for the petition for readmission and must describe all remedial actions and activities undertaken by the former student. Any Master’s student who was dismissed ordinarily may not submit a petition to the HMS Faculty Council until two academic terms have passed.

In all requests for readmission, consideration for readmission is given to the record of each applicant, the length of absence, the activities undertaken during the absence, including any remediation activities, and the number of student places available in the program.

Students are encouraged to contact the program director before seeking readmission to clarify any courses or exams to be taken, to specify the timeframe or duration to completion of the degree, to confirm consent of the program, and to determine what additional supporting documentation should be submitted with their application. Readmission, if offered, may be conditional, requiring performance of a specific task at a specific standard, either prior to or following readmission. Students who are offered readmission may be required to retake some or all courses as outlined in the programs' plan of instruction. Credits from previous enrollment may not be awarded; this will be determined by the program leadership in consultation with the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and the APRB.

To be offered readmission, a student must not have any outstanding debt to the university and may need to provide evidence of ability to pay tuition during the enrolled terms. Applicants should consult the Financial Aid Office in advance regarding financial aid issues related to readmission.

The HMS Master’s programs will not consider more than two applications for readmission from any individual.

2.11 Deferral Policy

Offers of admission are made with the expectation that students will matriculate in the semester for which they applied. If circumstances change, a request can be made to defer matriculation for one year.

Students requesting to defer matriculation must submit the request in writing to the program to which they were admitted no later than June 1. The request to defer matriculation must be approved by the Program Director and the Office for Graduate Education.

2.12 Credit for Work Done Prior to Matriculation

Students wishing credit for Harvard University courses taken prior to matriculation should apply directly to the program director before or as soon as possible after matriculation at HMS. Credit is not guaranteed, however, and is awarded at the discretion of the program director. Students will be required to certify that they have not used these credits for any other degree program. Credit will not be given for any courses completed more than 12 months prior to matriculation.

In no case will these credits be applied retroactively if the student did not pay tuition at the then-posted special student tuition rate to HMS for the courses at the time they were taken. Exception: There are certain courses for which HMS transfers HMS tuition to other Harvard Schools on behalf of the students. If any of these are the courses for which retroactive credit is requested and granted and the student had previously paid tuition to the other School directly, the student will not be required to pay tuition for those courses to HMS. Students should be advised to clarify their particular situations prior to enrollment in the HMS Master's degree program.

Transfers into HMS Master’s programs from other schools are not possible.

Note: Credits for courses taken at other colleges and universities cannot be transferred to an HMS Master's program. In certain cases, a program director may waive a student's requirement to take certain core courses but that does not change the student's obligation to complete the stated minimum credits at Harvard required for the granting of the HMS Master’s degree nor does it reduce the student's tuition obligation.

2.13 Credit for Mentored Research/Capstone Project Conducted Away from HMS

MMSc degree programs require a minimum 32-credit, mentored research component for which the student is assigned to work with a mentor from the HMS faculty. All mentors are reviewed and approved by the program and all mentors shall ensure an appropriate environment for research. Based on the individual student’s needs and objectives, the student's research may be conducted in collaboration with faculty from other entities either within or outside of Harvard University. However, the HMS faculty mentor shall be fully responsible for the student’s progress and evaluation during the conduct of the student’s research.

Master of Science degree programs require a four-credit capstone project which may consist of an “externship” away from HMS. Each student shall be assigned to work with a mentor from the HMS faculty and must identify a secondary mentor at the site where the externship takes place. The HMS faculty mentor shall be fully responsible for the student’s progress and for evaluation of the capstone project. The program director must approve all capstone and thesis mentors, both at HMS and secondary, and the program director must approve all projects conducted away from HMS.

2.14

Transcripts and Enrollment Confirmation Statements

Students may request complete transcripts of their own records or statements certifying their registration at HMS from the Registrar’s Office.

HMS Students: Requests for transcripts must be made in writing and submitted to the HMS Registrar. Details and forms to make these requests are available at: https://meded.hms.harvard.edu/registrar

Please allow up to five business days for processing a request. Processing time may vary depending on the time of year and volume of requests; therefore, submitting the request(s) one to two weeks in advance of your deadline is advisable.

2.15 Access to Educational Records

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (“FERPA”) is a federal law that gives students certain rights with respect to their education records.

Education Records

The Harvard Medical School routinely maintains records for its students that describe and document their work and progress. These education records generally include records such as permanent and local addresses, admissions records, enrollment status, course grades, reports and evaluations, completion of requirements and progress toward the degree, records of disciplinary actions, letters of recommendation, and other correspondence with or concerning the student.

Access

To be useful, a student’s records must be accurate and complete. The officials who maintain them are those in charge of the functions reflected in the records and the offices where the records are kept. At Harvard Medical School, these include the Registrar, and may include other institutional officials. All students have access to their own education records and may contribute to them if they feel there is need for clarification. Students wishing access to their education records should contact the Registrar’s Office. Ordinarily, students are asked to submit a written request that identifies the specific record or records they wish to inspect. Access will be given within 45 days from the receipt of the request. When a record contains information about more than one student, the student requesting access may inspect and review only the portion of the record relating to him or her. Students also are not permitted to view letters and statements of recommendation to which they waived their right of access, or that were placed in their file before January 1, 1975.

Students should direct any questions they have about the accuracy of records to the person in charge of the office where the records are kept. If questions still remain, the matter may be referred to the Registrar’s Office. Should it be necessary, a hearing may be held to resolve challenges concerning the accuracy of records in those cases where informal discussions have not satisfactorily settled the questions raised.

Directory Information

Although ordinarily, students must consent to the disclosure of information from their education records, FERPA allows certain types of information, known as “directory information,” to be made available to the general public.

The Registrars of Harvard College and of Harvard’s graduate and professional schools have jointly adopted a set of Common FERPA Directory Information Elements (the “Common List”). Individual Harvard Schools may select any number of elements from the Common List when creating a School-specific definition of “directory information.” However, Schools may not disclose as directory information data elements not included on the Common List. Of the elements included in the “Common List,” the Medical School has classified the following as directory information: full name, photo, local address, telephone number, electronic address, degrees and dates of enrollment. In addition, for student employees, directory information includes job title, teaching appointment (if applicable), employing department and dates of employment.

Because Harvard University’s definition of “directory information,” includes all of the elements on the Common List, requests for directory information received at the University level rather than at the individual Harvard School level may result in disclosure of additional elements. The Common List can be found here Students may opt out of public disclosure of directory information by requesting what is known as a “FERPA Block.”

FERPA Blocks and Effects

Students who wish to put in place a “FERPA Block” must inform the Registrar’s Office, in writing, of that decision. A student who is cross-registered at more than one Harvard School must submit separate FERPA Block forms to each School.

Students should be aware of the possible consequences of putting in place a FERPA Block, such as missed mailings, messages, and announcements. Students also should understand that: unless another FERPA exception permits disclosure, an active FERPA Block will prevent Harvard from disclosing that the student once attended or is currently enrolled in a Harvard School; and directory information relating to a student with an active FERPA Block will not appear in any Harvard publication, including Harvard phone directories and the Harvard Commencement booklet.

Students who previously have chosen to put in place a FERPA Block may decide to reverse this decision, also by written request to the Registrar’s Office.

Other Disclosures permitted under FERPA

In addition to permitting the disclosure of directory information, as set forth above, FERPA permits disclosure of educational records without a student’s knowledge or consent under certain circumstances. For example, disclosure is permitted to Harvard officials with a legitimate educational interest in the records, meaning that the person needs the information in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities, including instructional, supervisory, advisory, administrative, academic or research, staff support or other duties. “Harvard officials” include: faculty; administrators; clerical employees; professional employees; Harvard University Health Services professionals; Harvard University Police Department officers; agents of the University, such as independent contractors or vendors performing functions on behalf of a Harvard School or the University; members of Harvard’s governing boards; and students serving on an official School or University committee, or assisting other Harvard officials in performing their tasks. A student’s education record also may be shared with parties outside the University under certain conditions, including, for example, in situations involving a health and safety emergency. In addition, the Medical School will forward a student’s education records to other agencies or institutions that have requested the records and in which the student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student's enrollment or transfer.

If the Medical School finds that a student has committed a disciplinary violation involving a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense, then it also may, if legally permitted and in the judgment of the Medical School appropriate, disclose certain information about the disciplinary case. The disclosure may include the student’s name, the violation committed, and the sanction imposed.

Student Rights under FERPA

As set forth above, under both Harvard policy and FERPA, students and former students may inspect and review certain of their education records that are maintained by Harvard. They also have the right to: exercise limited control over other people’s access to their education records; seek to correct their education records if they believe them to be inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of their FERPA rights; file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe Harvard has not complied with the requirements of FERPA; and be fully informed of their rights under FERPA. Complaints regarding alleged violation of rights of students under FERPA may be submitted in writing within 180 days to the Family Policy Compliance Office, US Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-5920.

Program Evaluation and Education Research

Aggregated, de-identified student data also may form the basis for professional publications and scholarly presentations at professional meetings by HMS faculty. HMS policy (as reviewed and approved by the HMS Committee on Human Subjects; see Section 10.04) provides that student data may be used for purposes of educational scholarship, provided that the identity of individual students is not possible to ascertain. When reported, any research involving aggregated/de-identified student data will use only aggregate student information to maintain strict confidentiality. For more information on program evaluation and medical education research involving student data, see Section 6.05 Program Evaluation and Section 10.04 Office for Research Subject Protection.

2.16 Satisfactory Academic Progress

The academic requirements for Master’s degrees include the satisfactory completion of the student’s Master’s program curriculum at Harvard Medical School as described above (Sections 1.02, 1.03 and 1.04). The progress of each student working toward a Master’s degree is monitored carefully, and the determination of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is reviewed at least annually. At the end of each academic year, students must have academic standing consistent with HMS’s curricular and graduation requirements. The Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs (APRB) will review, at least annually, the academic performance and conduct status of each student. The APRB will review students’ academic and conduct status each semester in one-year Master of Science programs.

Federal law and regulations require that all students receiving financial assistance maintain satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory academic progress is the successful completion of degree requirements according to established increments that lead to awarding the degree within published time limits. The following policy delineates the standards for satisfactory academic progress in HMS Master’s programs, which apply to all matriculated students, whether or not they are recipients of financial aid.

Qualitative Measures of SAP

Each Master’s student at HMS is required to complete successfully all of the required courses, examinations, and scholarly projects required for their specific Master’s program (MMSc: mentored research project; Master of Academic Discipline: capstone project) in order to graduate with a Master’s degree. Successful completion means that students receive passing grades (A, B, or satisfactory) in each course and for the scholarly project as defined by each program. For letter grade courses, students are required to maintain a B average. SAP for the scholarly project is defined by each program and described in Sections 1.02, 1.03 and 1.04 above. HMS Master’s students cannot graduate with a failing (F) or unsatisfactory (UNSAT) grade in any course, including the scholarly project. In addition, HMS Master’s degree students are expected to meet professional conduct standards.

Students who are not on track to complete the program requirements within the allowed timeframe (see section 2.07) may also be considered to not be making Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Review and Notification of Lack of Satisfactory Academic Progress

The program director will review each students SAP at least once per term and will make a recommendation regarding progression to the next academic year. For oneyear programs, the program director will review each students SAP once per term. Any student who has not achieved a minimum of a passing grade in all courses will be required to develop a remedial plan with the program director.

The Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs (APRB); Section 3.03), in consultation with the Registrar, will notify in writing all students who have not met the standards for satisfactory academic progress outlined above (Qualitative Measures and/or Maximum Time Frame). The notification will indicate the nature of the deficiency, any methods that may be available for correcting the deficiency, and any consequences that have resulted or may result, such as Formal Notice, Monitored Academic Progress, Academic Probation, or Requirement to Withdraw. A student who fails to meet one or more of the standards for SAP (qualitative and/or time frame) is ineligible for financial aid beginning with the term immediately following the term in which the SAP requirements were not met, pending results of the appeal process, outlined below. A designation of Formal Notice or Monitored Academic Progress can occur for a variety of reasons and does not necessarily affect SAP if the student is still considered to be progressing toward the degree (see Section 3.03).

Appeals to reinstate financial aid

Eligibility for continued financial aid will only be re-established if the student subsequently meets Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements, or if the student successfully appeals the decision to the APRB. The appeal must state the reasons for failing to meet SAP requirements, including, if applicable, special circumstances that contributed to the student’s failure to make satisfactory academic progress (e.g., an injury or illness of the student, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances), and the changes in circumstances that will allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation.

The assistance of the student’s program director may be sought in the preparation of appeal. A student may also be required to submit a degree audit, course plan, and/or letter from the program director. All relevant materials will be presented to the APRB. If the APRB determines that the student’s appeal should be approved, the student’s aid will be reinstated.

Financial Aid Probation

Once an appeal has been approved, a student is placed on financial aid probation and is eligible for financial aid. The program director, in conjunction with the student, will develop an academic plan for the student that will ensure, if followed, that the student is able to meet the program’s SAP standards by a specific point of time. Ordinarily, this time frame will be for an academic term. The student is eligible for financial aid during the time frame stated in the academic plan. During this time, the student will be monitored during each term to ensure that the conditions of the academic plan continue to be met. The academic plan may be shared with the APRB in reviewing a student’s status. At the end of the time frame stated in the academic plan, the student must have met the SAP standards. A student who does not comply with each SAP standard by the end of the financial aid probationary period is suspended from financial aid eligibility. A student shall be reinstated for financial aid eligibility when they have satisfactorily completed sufficient coursework to meet the standards of progress within the maximum time frames delineated above.

Note: A student who has lost eligibility for financial aid due to deficiencies in satisfactory academic progress cannot automatically regain eligibility by paying tuition for a term or by sitting out a term. Eligibility may be regained only by eliminating all SAP deficiencies at the student’s expense until all requirements of this policy are met.

Withdrawal

Students who are withdrawn from HMS are not making satisfactory academic progress and are not eligible to receive financial aid.

Enforcement

The Offices of the Registrar and Financial Aid, the program directors, and the APRB collaboratively shall have the responsibility for monitoring and enforcing Satisfactory Academic Progress. The program directors will notify the APRB at the end of each year, or more frequently if requested, of any students who are not making satisfactory academic progress. The APRB will determine whether academic sanctions are warranted and will inform each student accordingly. The Financial Aid Office will inform any student whose financial aid has been impacted.

2.17 Student Workload

Generally, students who are enrolled full time will take a combination of half-, quarter-, and short courses in addition to their mentored research (MMSc programs) and capstone (Master of Academic Discipline programs) projects. Some programs require additional coursework in the summer and/or January sessions. Because HMS does not have formal summer or January terms, courses that take place in July through August are considered part of the subsequent Fall term and courses that take place in January are considered part of the subsequent Spring term.

Course types

Master’s courses at Harvard Medical School cover a wide range of disciplines and are taught in multiple formats, including residential, virtual, or blended.

The guidelines for residential courses are as follows:

*Note: Students’ ability to take short and intensive courses may be limited due to the curriculum requirements of a particular program.

The guidelines for blended courses are as follows:

Sync.: Synchronous activities, Async.: Asynchronous activities

 Synchronous activities: Class sessions conducted where learners are required to participate simultaneously, usually facilitated by a videoconferencing platform.

 Asynchronous activities: Course related activities that are conducted at different time/place. This is inclusive of readings, assignments, group projects, etc.

The minimum credits by type of course are as follows:

 In any given semester, full-time enrollment requires a minimum of 14 credits. Part time enrollment requires 7 to 13 credits.

 All MMSc and MAD/SM programs require a minimum of 16 credits from didactic courses, ordinarily from half and quarter courses

 All MMSc and MAD/SM require an additional 16 didactic course credits from a mix of half courses, quarter courses, and short courses. The MMSc programs require a minimum of 32 credits for the mentored research project. The Master of Science programs require four credits from a capstone project.

Maximum Allowed Credits Per Semester

The typical course load is 16 credits per term with a maximum of 4 credits per month, or 20 total credits in the Fall or Spring semesters (summer courses count toward the subsequent Fall term and January courses count toward the subsequent Spring term). Programs may propose to allow full-time students with exceptional academic standing to take up to six 4-credit courses (24 credits) during their first-year Spring semester or their second year Fall or Spring semesters, including credits for summer or January term courses.

Only full-time students with exceptional academic standing, defined as A- or above in all courses, or SAT in all courses, are eligible to take additional credits over the defined plan of instruction, and program and Dean’s office approval is required. Part time students can take half the maximum credit load defined above for full time students. Although students may take additional courses, they may not accelerate their time to graduation for Full-Time enrollment and they must fulfill the Full-Time tuition obligation for the program they are enrolled in. Therefore, students enrolled in a standalone MMSc degree program are expected to complete the degree in no less than

two years. Students enrolled in a fifth year of study (usually between M3 and M4) as part of a dual HMS MD-Master’s program are expected to complete their Master’s degree requirements in no less than one year. Students enrolled in a Master of Academic Discipline degree program are expected to complete the degree in no less than one year.

Monitoring

Monitoring of these guidelines is the responsibility of the program directors and the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs.

2.18 Pregnancy and Childbirth

Harvard Medical School is committed to supporting students who have children while participating in Master’s programs and to working with such students to facilitate the completion of their education. Our goal is to provide options for the student to continue making satisfactory progress toward completion of the Master’s degree during the maximum time allowed.

Students expecting the birth or adoption of a child while they are participating in a Master’s program should consult with the program director as soon as possible to develop an appropriate plan of action. Students who expect to go on a leave of absence as a result of childbirth or adoption and are recipients of financial aid also must meet with their financial aid officer. Should a leave of absence be necessary, ordinary policies governing leaves of absence will apply (See Section 2.08). Students who are engaged in a mentored research or capstone project and are expecting the birth of a child are strongly encouraged to consult with their own obstetrician regarding prevention of potentially harmful exposures in those research environments.

Unless formal disability accommodations are in place, programs cannot adapt the mode of instruction (virtual, blended, residential) to accommodate pregnant student's plans of study. See Section 8.01 Services for Students with Disabilities.

See also: Section 2.07 Policy on Length of Time to Complete the Master’s Degree

2.19 Special Students

With the permission of the program director, individuals may enroll as non-matriculated students in certain courses at Harvard University. Such students may wish to explore new disciplines or build skills and knowledge that could enable career advancement. Special students pay for the courses at the current per-credit basis that is defined annually, are officially registered, and participate in coursework as a conventional master’s student would.

Special students may obtain an official registrar's transcript of courses and grades received, but are not candidates for any degree at Harvard University. Individuals denied admission to a master’s program at HMS ordinarily cannot apply as a special student within the same academic year.

Special students do not have priority for limited-enrollment courses. Official registration in any course is subject to the approval of the course’s instructor.

Special students who later apply, and are admitted, to the HMS Master’s degree program in which the required courses were taken may petition for appropriate academic credit earned as a special student to be applied toward satisfying the requirements of the master’s program. (See Section 2.11, Credit for Work Done Prior to Matriculation)

3. Student Conduct and Responsibility

3.00 Principles of Student Conduct and Responsibility

Health-related professions are founded on the highest standards of conduct. In admitting a student, Harvard Medical School believes the student already to have demonstrated that the student’s behavior in person—both on campus and off—and in the student’s electronic presence reflects the maturity and civility that are the necessary underpinnings of the student’s chosen profession. After a student is admitted, enrollment remains contingent on a continuation of this high standard of conduct

3.01 Responsibilities of Teachers and Learners

The teacher-learner relationship confers rights and responsibilities on both parties. Behaving in a way that embodies the ideal teacher-learner relationship creates a culture of mutual respect, minimizes the likelihood of student mistreatment, and optimizes the educational experience.

Responsibilities of Teachers

 Treat learners fairly, respectfully, and without bias related to their age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or national origin.

 Distinguish between the Socratic method, in which insightful questions are a stimulus to learning and discovery, and overly aggressive questioning, in which detailed questions are repeatedly presented with the end point of belittlement or humiliation of the learner.

 Give learners timely, constructive, and accurate feedback and opportunities for remediation, and submit grades and evaluations within four weeks of the end of a course.

 Be prepared and on time for all activities.

 Provide learners with current material and information and appropriate educational activities.

Responsibilities of Learners

Once a student is formally admitted to Harvard Medical School (HMS), the School’s responsibility is to ensure that its graduates meet certain standards of professional conduct and responsibility. These standards include reliability, honesty and integrity, responsibility in professional relationships, responsibility in relationships with others, including members of the Harvard community, and responsibility related to personal health issues and substance abuse.

Achieving these standards is expected during the student’s tenure at HMS. The School is committed to providing structured opportunities for students to reflect upon—and learn from—lapses in compliance with these standards.

Students will be evaluated repeatedly on the basis of these standards, examples of which include the following:

Reliability

 Can be depended upon to do the student's duty as defined by course and program objectives;

 Completes tasks the student was assigned or agreed to perform;

 Attends, is prepared, and participates in a timely fashion in all scheduled activities, including classes/lectures, tutorials, labs, etc.

 Complies with administrative/regulatory requirements of HMS and affiliated institutions, as well as with all external sites where mentored research and capstone projects may be conducted

Publishing or Distributing Course Materials

Students or anyone with access to these course materials may not post, publish, sell, or otherwise publicly distribute course materials without the written permission of the course instructor. Such materials include, but are not limited to, the following: course syllabus, lecture notes, lecture slides, video, or audio recordings, assignments, problem sets, examinations, other students’ work, and answer keys. Students who sell, post, publish, or distribute course materials without written permission, whether for the purposes of soliciting answers or otherwise, may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including requirement to withdraw. Further, students may not make video or audio recordings of class sessions for their own use without written permission of the instructor.

Honesty and Integrity

 Is honest and ethical with regard to assignments, examinations, and research activities;

 Acknowledges mistakes, reflects upon them, learns from them, and takes active and effective steps to correct them;

 Adheres to ethical and legal standards of conduct.

Responsibility in Professional Relationships

 Knows and acts in accordance with the student's own cognitive, physical, and emotional limitations;

 Takes steps to act on constructive criticism;

 Handles stress appropriately;

 Is considerate and respectful of colleagues, sustaining collegiality faithfully;

 Listens to and maintains effective communication with colleagues;

 In written, voice, e-mail and other electronic communications, including blogs and social media sites, as well as in published writing, reflects thoughtfully and treats fellow students and faculty with mutual respect and understanding;

 Uses professional judgment and respectful language when providing feedback in student surveys about courses and teachers;

 Uses appropriate language and tact in all professional situations; including email communications;

 Does not make inappropriate demands on colleagues;

 Does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, ethnic background, political beliefs, veteran status, disability status, or any other improper basis;

 Shows appropriate judgment in responding to unethical, unprofessional, or dangerous behavior on the part of others;

 Acts professionally at all times.

Responsibility in Relationships with Patients and Families

Although Master’s students are not involved in patient care as part of their Master’s programs, some Master’s degree students will, while enrolled at HMS, also be licensed clinical care providers with medical or other clinical staff appointments in HMS’s affiliated hospitals or other clinical settings.  Master’s students are required to abide by these standards of conduct to the extent they are serving as clinical care providers.

 Knows and acts in accordance with the student's own cognitive, physical and emotional limitations;

 Is considerate, conscientious, and respectful toward a patient’s and family’s physical needs and emotional concerns;

 Listens to and maintains effective communication with patients and families;

 Uses appropriate language and tact in all professional situations;

 Keeps accurate medical records;

 Maintains patient confidentiality where and when required and in written, voice, email and other electronic communications, including blogs and social media sites, as well as in published writing;

 Does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, ethnic background, political beliefs, veteran status, disability status, or any other improper basis;

 Is appropriately groomed in all professional situations;

 Maintains appropriate boundaries in the doctor/patient relationship;

 Acts professionally at all times.

Responsibility in Relationships with Others, including Members of the Harvard Community

 Abides by all expectations for conduct set forth in the HMS Master’s Programs Student Handbook.

Responsibility Related to Personal Health Issues and Substance Abuse

 Shows appropriate judgment in seeking evaluation and assistance if, as a result of injury, illness, emotional difficulties, or substance abuse, a student’s ability to meet academic responsibilities becomes impaired or potentially impaired;

 Is aware that substance abuse is not compatible with professional conduct;

 Is aware that the use of any substance while engaged in academic activities is not compatible with professional conduct.

Although Master’s degree students at HMS do not have any clinical responsibilities or obligations and may not provide clinical care under the auspices of the Medical School, HMS recognizes that some Master’s degree students will, while enrolled at HMS, also be licensed clinical care providers with medical or other clinical staff appointments in HMS’s affiliated hospitals or other clinical settings.

HMS may consider, as appropriate, allegations that a Master’s student’s ability to meet the student’s clinical responsibilities has been impaired or potentially impaired as a result of injury, illness, emotional difficulties or substance abuse.

Expectations of Students in Courses

In an effort to encourage a positive learning atmosphere of respect and good will among students and course instructors, the following expectations have been developed:

 Attend all required activities (see Section 2.02 for attendance policies)

 Students must attend all class meetings. If a student is unable to attend a class meeting due to emergency, students must notify the course director by email as soon as possible

 Be on time to sessions; be in the classroom and ready to go by the time the class starts

 Show courtesy to speakers and others; quiet down when the session starts without needing to be asked

 Actively engage in class discussions as directed by course instructors, but also allow time for fellow classmates to engage; don't dominate the discussion

 If a student is late, enter the classroom from the back; do not walk in front of the speaker

 Come to class prepared by completing all assigned readings and other work prior to the session when they will be discussed.

 Accept feedback, whether written, oral, or graded, with professionalism and refrain from arguing with faculty over grades beyond requesting rationale for the grades. All grade petitions should follow the process outlined in handbook Section 2.03 Grading and Examinations.

 Participate actively in sessions and give classmates an opportunity to participate

 Actively engage in class discussions as directed by course instructors, but also allow time for fellow classmates to engage; don't dominate the discussion

 Allow for other points of view and engage in disagreement respectfully

 Use electronic devices appropriately

 Laptops/tablets are acceptable for accessing course materials during sessions

 Students should not send e-mail, access social media or surf the web for non-course related purposes during class.

 Students must abide by the guidelines below on Slack or any related message and collaboration platforms hosted by Harvard.

 Choose appropriate resources for course study and exam preparation; resources that are approved by course directors may be posted on Canvas

 It is not acceptable to use old exams, study guides or tutorial materials handed down by students in previous year’s classes without permission of course director

 Complete all mid and end of course evaluations to provide feedback on the course teaching and curriculum.

 Complete all end of program evaluations.

 The course and program evaluation feedback should be respectful. Derogatory comments or criticisms based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc. will be removed from the evaluation reports. Note: evaluations including such comments and or criticisms may subject the student(s) to disciplinary action under Section 3.08.

Expectations for students in Harvard Slack communities:

 Treat the student Slack community as an extension of the Harvard student experience. All Harvard Slack interactions are subject to the policies and regulations of the University.

 Participation in Slack is entirely voluntary. You can leave any channel at any time. All official information will be sent via email or posted in University Websites.

 Be professional in your posting and treat others with respect and kindness. We expect students to communicate with one another (in Slack and outside of it) in a kind and civil manner.

 Be clear and professional in all communications in the student Slack workspace. Proofread important messages. Check for readability, clarity, and formatting. Make your message easy and simple to understand.

 The student Slack workspaces are intended to help students connect with one another. Faculty are not part of these Slack communities, but Program Administrators will intermittently monitor the Program Slack channels. Anonymous posts are not allowed.

 Posts that violate University policies or these community standards are not allowed. If you find any problematic posts, please take a screen shot and email it to the Program administrator. Concerns may also be reported through the Harvard University site for anonymous reporting (Harvard University Anonymous Reporting ). Any student who posts content that in Harvard’s good faith judgment violates University policy may have their access to the student Slack workspace suspended or ended, as appropriate without awaiting a finding of a policy violation. Students may also face disciplinary action for findings of violations of University policy.

 Conversations on Slack are not intended for public dissemination. Please do not share comments outside of the community (other than reporting violations of University policy).

3.02 Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs

The Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs (APRB) is a subcommittee of the HMS Committee on Governance and Oversight of Master’s Degree Programs (the Governance committee) chaired by the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education. The charge to the APRB is to provide periodic review of student academic progress and to hear and adjudicate both progress and conduct issues.  The APRB reviews student performance to ensure that each HMS student meets HMS's standards of professional conduct and responsibility and the requirements for graduation. University counsel and HMS Advising Resources faculty also may consult to the APRB.

Membership

The members of the Governance Committee are:

 Dean for Graduate Education (Co-Chair)

 Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education (Co-Chair)

 Program directors, or their approved designees, of all programs;

 Master’s designee of the registrar’s office

 Designee of the Office of Financial Aid

The members of the APRB are:

 Dean for Graduate Education (Co-Chair)

 Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education (Co-Chair)

 Program directors, or their approved designees, of all programs;

 Director of Administration and Student Affairs (ex officio)

 Master’s designee of the registrar’s office (ex officio)

The APRB will determine whether a conflict of interest would preclude any member from participating in discussion or decision-making.

The APRB considers all difficulties that arise with students’ performance and/or conduct during the course of their Master’s degree programs.  The APRB ordinarily will consider employing various mechanisms to remediate difficulties and foster development which include, but are not limited to, mentoring, counseling and/or tutoring; allowing time for reflection; requesting written documents; and providing opportunities

for demonstration of improvement in performance and/or conduct. A variety of mechanisms, including requiring a leave of absence and various other sanctions, may be employed by the APRB to facilitate the process of professional development.

In cases where academic remediation has been unsuccessful or the APRB determines that no further action on the part of the School or the student can reasonably assure the student’s eventual successful completion of an HMS Master’s degree program, the APRB may require a student to withdraw or may recommend dismissal or expulsion.

3.03 Academic Progress and Review Board and Student Disciplinary Actions

The Academic Progress and Review Board reviews student grades, evaluations, and reports of academic performance at least twice each year.  Performance issues that are raised as a result of the APRB’s review and/or are referred to the APRB by the HMS Registrar, the Office for Graduate Education, or by program directors also may trigger review at a meeting of the APRB.

In addition, unprofessional, inappropriate or irresponsible conduct by a student in connection with academic or extracurricular activities will be considered by the APRB.   Such conduct may include, but is not limited to, breaches of trust or confidence in personal actions including cheating, plagiarism, or unauthorized use of materials in academic exercises or examinations; misrepresentations, distortions or serious omissions in data or reports in the mentored research or capstone projects; abuse, misrepresentation, or other improper conduct in relation to colleagues in academic settings; repeated failures to meet assigned obligations in professional or research training programs; and lapses in standards of professional conduct and responsibility. Illegal, unethical, or other behavior inappropriate to the medical, clinical, or scientific profession that is engaged in by a student outside of the Medical School community may also be considered.  As noted above, although Master’s degree students at HMS do not have any clinical responsibilities or obligations and are not permitted to provide clinical care under the auspices of the Medical School, HMS recognizes that some Master’s degree students will, while enrolled at HMS, also be licensed clinical care providers with medical or other clinical staff appointments in HMS’s affiliated hospitals or other clinical settings. Therefore, the APRB also may consider, as appropriate, allegations regarding a Master’s student’s unprofessional, inappropriate or irresponsible conduct in a clinical setting.

As stated elsewhere in the Student Handbook, because students are expected to show good judgment and use common sense at all times, not all kinds of misconduct or behavioral standards are codified here.  Evidence of student performance will be considered by the APRB in conjunction with the program director in the context of the student’s specific problems and/or needs. Students are expected to comply with all disciplinary rules from matriculation until the conferring of the degree. A degree will not be granted to a student who is not in good standing or against whom a disciplinary charge is pending

Review Process

The program director will first review each student's academic performance and/or conduct issue and, for issues that fall solely within the program director’s purview, develop a remediation plan. The program director may consult with the APRB for counsel.  Issues for which the program director may not take unilateral action will be immediately referred to the APRB, which will review the case and render a decision regarding the student’s status.

Sharing Information about Student Performance or Conduct with Institutions in which Students have Appointments or are Conducting Research

When a student is placed in certain structured academic categories (see below), then, depending upon the nature and seriousness of the issue, the institution(s) at which the student has an appointment or is conducting research may be notified.  The student will be advised of these notifications.

Sharing Information about Student Performance or Conduct with Course Directors

When a student is placed in certain structured academic categories (see below) or is repeating an academic term, the APRB may inform one or more course directors of a student’s past performance in other courses before the student begins a course or program. This action is undertaken to ensure adequate observation and supervision of the student’s performance and to permit a comprehensive evaluation of the student’s progress at the conclusion of the prescribed course work.

Medical or Mental Health Issues

In appropriate circumstances, the APRB may require that a student receive a medical and/or psychiatric evaluation to assess whether a medical or mental health condition may be interfering with a student’s satisfactory academic performance or ability to meet standards of professional conduct. Among other things, such evaluation may inform the APRB’s thinking about whether reasonable accommodations might assist a student. If a student’s presence is deemed to be a potential threat to order, health, safety, or patient care, the Associate Dean for Graduate Education will take any action that is deemed appropriate, including placing the student on a temporary leave of absence.

Structured Academic Categories

Based on its review of student performance, the program director or the APRB may place a student in any one of structured academic categories for remediation and/or sanction. Ordinarily, remedial and/or sanction programs will be implemented by the student’s Program and be monitored by the APRB. The seven structured academic categories include the following:

1. Formal Notice

2. Monitored Academic Status

3. Academic Probation

4. Suspension

5. Requirement to Withdraw

6. Dismissal

7. Expulsion

1.  Formal Notice

Formal Notice status indicates that a student requires closer monitoring by the program director. Formal Notice is designed primarily as a program for remediation tailored to an individual student’s specific challenges and/or needs. Students on Formal Notice are strongly encouraged to work with the program director to remediate academic difficulties and to employ all available resources of the school to address issues that may have contributed to their academic difficulties. Students are placed on Formal Notice by their program and this designation does not require a vote of the APRB, although the APRB will be notified and may be consulted in the decision.

Ordinarily students will be placed on Formal Notice status for one or more of the following reasons:

 Serious comments of concern from a course director or other individual;

 Unsatisfactory or failing grade on an exam in a required/core course

 Failure to meet initial milestones for the mentored research or capstone project; or

 Any deviation from the student's initial plan of instruction because of leave of absence, or requirements to remediate

Formal Notice is not reported on the student’s official HMS record.  It is, however, reported to the APRB, and the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education.

2. Monitored Academic Status

Monitored Academic Status (MAS) indicates that a student requires closer monitoring by the school. MAS is designed primarily as a program for remediation tailored to an individual student’s specific challenges and/or needs. Each student on MAS is strongly encouraged to work with the program director to remediate academic difficulties and to employ all available resources of the school to address issues that may have contributed to the student's academic difficulties. Students are placed on Monitored Academic Status by their program and this designation does not require a vote of the APRB, although the APRB will be notified and may be consulted in the decision.

Ordinarily students will be placed on Monitored Academic status for one or more of the following reasons:

 Continued serious comments of concern from a course director or other individual;

 Unsatisfactory or failing grade in a required/core course;

 Requirement to discontinue participation in a course for academic reasons;

 Continued failure to meet milestones in the mentored research or capstone project; or

 Failure to meet HMS standards of professional conduct and responsibility. Students on MAS are required to limit their extracurricular activities in order to focus more on their course of study and will not be granted a leave of absence for other than medical reasons.

MAS is not reported on the student’s official HMS record. It is, however, reported to the HMS APRB, and the Dean for Graduate Education.

Program directors will determine when students are eligible to be taken off MAS.  Any MAS period is likely to be a minimum of one term, to allow sufficient time for close monitoring of student performance (although disciplinary sanctions can be elevated beyond MAS at any point if warranted by these policies). Any MAS period may be extended past the original period if the program director determines that the student requires continued monitoring and the situation does not require more intensive oversight.

During this period, the program director will report to the APRB regularly concerning the student's progress.

3. Academic Probation

Academic Probation is a formal action by the APRB that changes a student’s status in the School from “good standing” to “academic probation.” Academic Probation is noted permanently in the student’s official HMS record and places a student on notice that the student’s academic performance or behavior has created considerable cause for concern and is subject to critical and ongoing evaluation and monitoring.

Ordinarily students will be placed on Academic Probation for one or more of the following reasons:

 Failure to remediate issues raised by the program director as part of Formal Notice or MAS as described;

 Requirement to repeat a term;

 Two or more failing grades in courses;

 Failure of a course while on Formal Notice or Monitored Academic Status;

 Failure to comply with conditions specified by the APRB or program director;

 Serious or repeated failure to meet the HMS standards of professional conduct and responsibility;

 Continuing pattern of Formal Notice or Monitored Academic Status (3 or more terms).

Students on Academic Probation are not allowed to serve on appointed committees at the School, are required to discontinue their extracurricular activities, and are not granted a leave of absence for other than medical reasons. Students are eligible to be taken off Academic Probation when they have completed all conditions specified by the APRB. Any probation period will be a minimum of one term, to allow sufficient time for correction and close monitoring of student performance (although more severe sanctions can be imposed at any point).

4. Suspension

When the health, safety, or welfare of students, patients, or other members of the HMS community are deemed to be at risk due to the behavior or presence of the student, the Dean for Graduate Education, independently, or at the request of the APRB, will suspend the student from the school or take any other protective action pending the outcome of APRB or other administrative review.   Suspension may also be warranted when a student is accused of serious misconduct that requires further

investigation and/or when a student’s behavior raises significant concerns regarding the student’s suitability for a career in the student’s chosen health profession.

A suspended student must discontinue all academic and extra-curricular activities at HMS and may not access the resources of HMS and the University.

Lifting of the suspension is at the discretion of the APRB.  The student may appear before the APRB to present the student’s account of the case.  If allowed, when a suspended student returns to HMS, the student will be placed on Academic Probation for a period of time to be determined by the APRB.

5.  Requirement to Withdraw

Students may be required to withdraw in situations involving repeated failures, when attempts of academic remediation have been unsuccessful, or when students have failed to meet APRB requirements while subject to Formal Notice, Monitored Academic Status, or Academic Probation, or during an APRB-imposed LOA. Students also may be required to withdraw if found to have committed an act of academic dishonesty or for the repeated or gross failure to meet professional standards of conduct.  In addition, as set forth elsewhere in this Handbook, students will be considered withdrawn automatically if they:

 Have a balance of $1,000 or more on their term bill at the beginning of the add/drop period for any given term;

 Fail to adhere to time to degree requirements;

 Are on a LOA for more than two years (whether consecutive or not);

 Fail to register with the Registrar’s Office for each term of study; or

 Fail to attend classes or work on a mentored research/capstone project for a period of 10 business days, without prior approval.

 Fail to respond to requests from the program director, administration, or Office for Graduate Education for a period of 10 business days, without prior approval and while actively enrolled.

Students who are required to withdraw may request an appeal of the APRB decision. Please see section 3.04 Appellate Review for more information. Students who are required to withdraw may reapply to the HMS Master’s program as set forth in Sections 2.09 and 2.10.

6. Dismissal

Dismissal is an action taken in serious disciplinary cases whereby a student’s connection with the University is ended by vote of the HMS Faculty Council. (The action taken by the APRB is a vote of requirement to withdraw with a recommendation to the HMS Faculty Council that the student be dismissed.) Dismissal is triggered by serious misconduct or a continuing pattern of academic and/or behavioral failures that have not been remediated. Dismissal does not necessarily preclude a student’s return, but readmission is granted rarely and only by vote of the HMS Faculty Council. A dismissed student is not in good standing until readmitted. Dismissal requires support by a twothirds vote of the HMS Faculty Council.

7. Expulsion

Expulsion is the most extreme disciplinary action possible and is triggered by egregious misconduct or extreme academic and/or behavioral failures that have not been successfully remediated. (The action taken by the APRB is a vote of requirement to withdraw with a recommendation to the HMS Faculty Council that the student be expelled.) Expulsion requires support by a two-thirds vote of the HMS Faculty Council.

A student who is expelled can never be readmitted or restored to good standing and is precluded from admission to any program at Harvard University.

3.04 Appellate Review of a Request to Withdraw

Any student required to withdraw by the APRB (with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel) can appeal the withdrawal only after a request for reconsideration has been decided by the APRB as described in Section 3.07. An appeal shall be based only on one or both of the following grounds: (1) a procedural error occurred that may change the outcome of the decision; or (2) the appellant has substantive and relevant new information that was not available at the time of the original decision (or request for reconsideration, if applicable) and that may change the outcome of the decision. Disagreement with the APRB’s findings or determination is not, by itself, a ground for appeal. The student’s appeal must be in writing and must contain a full statement of the grounds upon which an appeal is requested. Appeals must be submitted within 10 business days of the date of final action by the APRB. The student is considered withdrawn after the final appeal decision of the APRB is determined and throughout the duration of any subsequent appeals. Students are responsible for contracting the relevant Harvard offices to understand the impact of withdrawal on Harvard University housing, financial aid, and visa status (see Section 2.09).

Appeals ordinarily will be heard by a three-member Appeals Panel designated by the Chair of the Standing Committee on Rights and Responsibilities (SCRR; see below) in consultation with the Chair of the APRB. However, the Chair of the SCRR may determine, in the Chair’s sole discretion, and in consultation with others as appropriate, that review by a three-member Appeals Panel is not warranted in a particular case. In such cases, the Chair of the SCRR will give the student an opportunity to appear, will review the documentary record, and may adduce and consider any other information the Chair deems useful in reaching a decision. The Chair of the SCRR will submit a written report of the Chair's findings and recommendations to the student and to the Dean for Graduate Education, also informing the APRB and the Registrar of the outcome of the Appeal. In so doing, the Chair of the SCRR may affirm, revise (make more or less severe), or revoke the final action of the APRB.

If an Appeals Panel is convened, then the Appeals Panel will give the student an opportunity to appear and will review the documentary record. The Appeals Panel may adduce and consider any other information it deems useful in reaching a decision. The Appeals Panel will submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the student and to the Dean for Graduate Education, the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education, also informing the APRB and the Registrar of the outcome of the Appeal. In so doing, the Appeals Panel may affirm, revise (make more or less severe), or revoke the final action of the APRB.

The student may request review of the decision of the Chair of the SCRR or the Appeals Panel by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine must receive any such request for review within five business days of the date of the decision of the Chair of the SCRR or the Appeals Panel. The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine will review the matter, in consultation with the Dean for Graduate Education, the program director, or others (e.g., the Faculty Council) if the Dean wishes, and will provide a written decision to the student, the program director, the Dean for Graduate Education, the HMS Registrar, and the APRB. The Dean’s decision will be final and binding, except in cases of dismissal or expulsion, in which a two-thirds vote of the Faculty Council is required.

Withdrawal or Leave of Absence during Pendency of a Disciplinary Proceeding

The transcripts of students who are withdrawn or placed on a leave of absence from the Master’s program pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings will contain an appropriate notation.

Standing Committee on Rights and Responsibilities (SCRR)

A Standing Committee on Rights and Responsibilities (SCRR) comprised of fifteen voting members of the Faculty of Medicine of diverse experience is appointed by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. Each member serves a three-year term, with the possibility of reappointment. These terms are staggered so that each year approximately one-third of the Committee will retire and new members will be appointed. The members comprise a diverse group drawn from the voting members of the Faculty who have demonstrated interest and involvement in training or teaching of HMS students.

Members of the SCRR will be designated, as needed, to function as members of the following reviewing bodies:

· Appeals Panel under the Procedures for Consideration of Academic Performance (Section 3.07); and

· Appeals Panels under the Procedures for Consideration of Unprofessional Conduct (Section 3.08); and Grievance and Appeals Panels under the Procedures for Resolving Complaints of Discrimination, Harassment, or Unprofessional Relations and Abuse of Authority (Section 6.17).

When additional or special expertise would be useful, the Dean may designate other members of the senior faculty of the University to serve on these Panels.

Note on cases involving allegations of sexual and gender-based harassment and other sexual misconduct:

As set forth in Section 6.17 of the Handbook, Harvard Medical School has adopted the University-wide Interim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy and Interim Other Sexual Misconduct Policy. In addition, the University’s Sexual and Gender Based Harassment policy addresses sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct alleged to have occurred before August 14, 2020. Copies of all policies and their associated grievance procedures can be found here. In all such cases, the Harvard University Office for Dispute Resolution (“ODR”) is responsible for implementing the University’s grievance procedures, which will determine whether a student committed a policy violation. Whenever a formal complaint of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct is investigated and the University’s grievance procedures result in a finding that a policy violation has occurred, the APRB must accept that finding as final and non-reviewable. The only opportunity to appeal the determination of a policy violation is provided within the grievance procedures implemented by the ODR. Appeals within HMS pertain only to the decision of the APRB in determining discipline.

3.05 General Principles for Consideration of Student Performance and Conduct

These general principles are applicable to the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs (APRB) and the Standing Committee on Rights and Responsibilities (SCRR) and will be employed in consideration of academic performance, unprofessional conduct, and procedures on student rights and responsibilities.

Administrative titles used in describing these procedures may change from time to time. The term “reviewing body” refers to any individual or panel with responsibility for factfinding or decision-making under these procedures. The term “days” as used herein means business days.

These procedures will be implemented with fairness, objectivity, and thoroughness, and with appropriate regard for the reputation of individuals. To that end, the confidentiality of these procedures will be maintained to the extent consistent with their effective use and with other obligations of the School.

These review procedures are academic, not legal. Any evidence that a reviewing body deems relevant and trustworthy may be considered. Formal rules of evidence do not apply. In any matter, a reviewing body will have access to and may consider a student’s academic or disciplinary record as a whole. A student may be accompanied to any appearance before a reviewing body by an advisor who is a member of the student body, faculty, or administrative staff of the Medical School. Although a student may seek legal advice with respect to these procedures, students may not be represented by an attorney before a reviewing body, and attorneys will not attend interviews of a student or other witnesses by a reviewing body. The exception to this is disciplinary reviews related to Title IX violations; for these reviews, students may not be accompanied by a member of the student body, but may be accompanied by an attorney. The Dean of the Faculty, the Dean for Graduate Education, and any other academic leader with responsibility for the Master’s programs (e.g., Dean of Students, Associate Dean for Graduate Education, etc.) may attend any interview or meeting by a reviewing body.

Reviewing bodies are permitted and encouraged to take advantage of University staff and resources, including technical, legal, administrative, and medical resources, in discharging their responsibilities under these procedures. Specifically, counsel for the University may be involved to provide legal advice and staff support to a reviewing body

but will not serve in a prosecutorial or other advocacy role. Counsel for the University will not attend interviews of a student or other witnesses by a reviewing body.

Information obtained from the student in confidence by the Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) or other health care provider, whether medical or psychiatric, will neither be sought by a reviewing body nor disclosed to a reviewing body without the student’s consent. The absence of such information may, however, properly preclude the reviewing body from considering a medical excuse, explanation, or justification in a particular case. A reviewing body may require that, in connection with its deliberations or as part of a remedial or corrective action or sanction, a student obtain medical or psychiatric evaluation and/or treatment and may request that the student consent to disclosure of relevant information from that health care provider to the reviewing body or its designee.

At the appellate level, a student may object for good cause, such as evidence of conflict of interest or bias, to the service of any member of a reviewing body. Such objection must be in writing, must fully state the reasons for the objection, and must be received by the Chair of the SCRR within three days after the student is notified of the membership of a reviewing body. The Chair of the APRB or the SCRR may, if warranted, remove and replace a member of a reviewing body.

These procedures may be supplemented or modified, upon prior notice to the student, when necessary to achieve a full and fair resolution of the matter. Remedial and corrective actions and sanctions that may be imposed by the reviewing bodies under these procedures include, but are not limited to, academic remediation, personal counseling, community service, warning, reprimand, censure, probation, requirement to withdraw, dismissal and expulsion.

For disciplinary cases in which the sanction is dismissal or expulsion from the Medical School, a two-thirds vote of the Faculty Council is required. When the remedial or corrective action or sanction is probation of any kind, the decision of the reviewing body must specify the conditions and duration of the probation and the conditions for its termination. The reviewing body is responsible for assessing the satisfactory completion of the conditions of any probation and for terminating it. Imposition of a remedial or corrective action or sanction under these procedures may be included in any reference letters and given the weight that the program director and the Dean for Graduate Education determine that the action/sanction deserves in the context of that letter.

3.06 Falsification of Admissions Application

Occasionally candidates for admission will make inaccurate or misleading statements or submit false material in connection with their application. In most cases, these misrepresentations are discovered during the admission process, and the application is rejected. If a misrepresentation is discovered after a candidate is admitted, the offer of admission is withdrawn. If a misrepresentation is discovered after a student has registered, the offer of admission will be revoked, and the student will be required to leave the School. If the discovery occurs after a degree has been awarded, the degree will be rescinded. The determination that an application is inaccurate or contains misrepresentations rests with the individual Master’s programs in consultation with the Dean for Graduate Education, who have the authority to resolve the matter outside the student disciplinary process.

3.07 Procedures for Consideration of Academic Performance

Faculty and staff of the Registrar’s Office, the programs, and the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs (APRB) regularly review all grades, evaluations, and reports of academic performance. In the case of a student who shows an initial performance deficiency, or when concerns arise about inappropriate or irresponsible conduct, the student’s program will prepare a plan of remedial action with the student within a reasonable period of time.

Each program will monitor the student’s progress with the remediation plan. If the deficiencies continue or are repeated, the APRB will take up the case officially. The APRB will review the student’s record and current situation in consultation with the student’s program and will determine a course of action that may include, but is not limited to, placement in any of the previously indicated structured academic categories (Section 3.03). The student will be notified in writing of the decision of the APRB. A copy of such notice will be sent to the student’s program director, the Dean for Graduate Education, and the Registrar. The student and/or program director may be asked to respond to the stated concerns of the APRB.

Reconsideration of Academic Probation (AP)

A student who is placed on Academic Probation may be given an opportunity to request the APRB’s reconsideration of an AP sanction, since it is a permanent citation in the student’s academic record. The student may request that the APRB reconsider the sanction in writing to introduce new information that the APRB was not aware of during its deliberations. The request must be received by the APRB within 10 business days of the student’s receipt of notice of the decision for placement on AP. The APRB will consider the appeal at its subsequent meeting and will notify the student of its decision in writing following the meeting.

Requirement to Withdraw or Expulsion

A student who is being presented to the APRB for consideration of a serious academic or professionalism infraction that could result in requiring the student to withdraw or in expulsion may submit to the APRB a written response to the concerns being considered before a serious sanction is imposed. In the event that a student is required to withdraw by the APRB (with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel), the

student may request that the APRB reconsider its decision. The request must be in writing and must be based on one or both of the following grounds: a procedural error occurred that may change the outcome of the decision; or the student has substantive and relevant new information that was not available at the time of investigation and that may change the outcome of the decision. Disagreement with the APRB’s findings or determination is not, by itself, a ground for this request. The request must be received by the APRB within 10 business days of the student’s receipt of notice of the APRB’s decision.

The APRB may consult with HMS faculty and/or administrators or conduct other fact finding to better understand the grounds upon which the student has requested reconsideration. The APRB can choose to uphold its original sanction, or to reconsider the sanction. If the committee chooses to reconsider, the APRB will then meet to discuss the case. Ordinarily the student will be permitted to attend this meeting and may make a presentation to the APRB. The APRB then may affirm, revise (make more or less severe), or revoke its decision. Written notification of the action on reconsideration will be sent to the student, to the program director, and to the HMS Registrar, ordinarily within 10 business days of the meeting at which the request was considered and the decision was rendered. Such notification will constitute the final action of the APRB.

Any student who is required to withdraw (with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel) may appeal the final action of the APRB as set forth in section 3.04 Appellate Review

Withdrawal or Leave of Absence during Pendency of a Disciplinary Proceeding

The transcripts of students who are withdrawn or placed on a leave of absence from the Master’s program pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings will contain an appropriate notation.

3.08 Procedures for Consideration of Unprofessional Conduct

Inappropriate or unprofessional conduct is behavior that raises serious doubts about the integrity, character, and faithfulness of a student in meeting the obligations of the student’s professional career. Illegal, unethical, or other behavior inappropriate to the student’s profession that is engaged in by a student outside of the Medical School community may also be considered and addressed under these procedures. It is the expectation of the Medical School that all students, whether or not they are on campus or are currently enrolled as degree candidates, will behave in a mature and responsible manner. This expectation for mature and responsible conduct also encompasses accountability for one’s own well-being, including responsible decision-making regarding physical and mental health. Further, the Medical School expects every student to be familiar with the regulations governing membership in the Harvard community. Because students are expected to show good judgment and use common sense at all times, not all kinds of misconduct or behavioral standards are codified here. See generally Section 3.01: Responsibilities of Teachers and Learners  and Section 6.21: University-Wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities.

When information suggesting the possibility that a student has engaged in inappropriate or unprofessional conduct is brought to the attention of the Dean for Graduate Education, the Associate Dean for Graduate Education, the program director, the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs (APRB), or any other academic leader with responsibility for the Master’s Programs (e.g., Dean of Students, etc.) the APRB will take up the matter formally. Where the health, safety, or welfare of students, patients, or other members of the Medical School community is deemed to be at risk, the Dean for Graduate Education will suspend the student from the Medical School or take any other protective action pending the outcome of these procedures.

Ordinarily, allegations that are raised about conduct inappropriate to the student’s profession will be handled by the APRB. When a student’s behavior raises both academic and professional conduct concerns, ordinarily the matter will be handled under the Procedures for Consideration of Unprofessional Conduct. In all such cases, however, to the extent that the allegations implicate the University’s policies on sexual and gender-based harassment and other sexual misconduct, they shall be handled under the associated University grievance procedures as set forth below; copies of these policies and procedures can be found here on the website of the University’s Title IX Office.

When the student is cross-registered in a course in another School and/or is simultaneously a candidate for a degree in another School, the program director, in consultation with the Dean for Graduate Education will consult with that School to review the complaint. Any disciplinary actions or processes will be conducted by the Harvard Medical School.

For allegations of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct:

As set forth in Section 6.17 Discrimination, Harassment, and Student Mistreatment, Harvard Medical School has adopted the University-wide Interim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy and Interim Other Sexual Misconduct Policy.  In addition, the University’s Sexual and Gender Based Harassment policy addresses sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct alleged to have occurred before August 14, 2020.  Copies of all policies and their associated grievance procedures can be found here.  In all such cases, the Harvard University Office for Dispute Resolution (“ODR”) and the Harvard University Title IX Office are responsible for implementing the University’s grievance procedures, which will determine whether a student committed a policy violation. Whenever a formal complaint of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct is investigated and the University’s grievance procedures result in a finding that a policy violation has occurred, the APRB must accept that finding as final and nonreviewable. The only opportunity to appeal the determination of a policy violation is provided within the grievance procedures implemented by the ODR and the Harvard University Title IX Office. Appeals within HMS pertain only to the decision of the APRB in determining discipline.

HMS remains responsible for the discipline of Master’s students through the APRB. All members of the APRB will receive appropriate training in the handling and resolution of allegations of sexual or gender-based harassment.

When the APRB learns that a formal complaint has been filed with ODR, an APRB representative will meet with the respondent to explain, among other things, the APRB disciplinary process and how it relates to the grievance procedures implemented by the ODR, that may take place following the issuance of the ODR’s final report, the range of disciplinary sanctions, and the appeals process following the imposition of any discipline. The APRB representative will also will be available to meet with the complainant.

Whenever a formal complaint of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct is investigated and the University’s grievance procedures result in a finding that a policy

violation has occurred, the APRB must accept that finding as final and non-reviewable. The APRB’s disciplinary proceedings against the student based on conduct addressed by the finding will proceed with the understanding that it carries the same validity as a finding reached by the APRB itself. The role of the APRB is solely to determine the appropriate disciplinary response. The APRB may interview the student and may undertake any other action it deems necessary to arrive at its conclusions, including consulting with senior faculty or administrators at the University when it feels additional expertise or advice would be useful. The complainant will have the option of meeting with the APRB, but is not required to do so. The APRB may take a number of disciplinary actions, including probation, with or without requirements or restrictions; suspension; and requirement to withdraw, with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel. When no University policy violation has been found, the APRB will review the factual findings resulting from the University’s grievance procedures. Should the APRB conclude that the alleged conduct might violate other HMS policies or expectations for conduct, then the APRB will take up the case as set forth below. Once an outcome has been reached, an appropriate representative of the Medical School will notify the student and the complainant of the disciplinary decision.

Any student who is required to withdraw by the APRB (with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel) may request in writing that the APRB reconsider its decision. The request for reconsideration may not challenge the validity of the findings and conclusions resulting from the University’s grievance procedures, nor may it introduce facts that could have been presented previously or that conflict with any of those findings and conclusions. The request must be received by the APRB within 10 business days of the student’s receipt of notice of the decision on remedial action or sanction.

If it chooses to reconsider, the APRB may affirm, revise (make more or less severe), or revoke its decision. Written notification of the action on reconsideration will be sent to the student, to the program director, and to the HMS Registrar, ordinarily within 10 business days of the meeting at which the request was considered and the decision was rendered. Such notification will constitute the final action of the APRB.

Any student who is required to withdraw (with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel) may appeal the final action of the APRB to a three-member Appeals Panel designated by the Chair of the Standing Committee on Rights and Responsibilities (SCRR; Section 4.04) in consultation with the Chair of the APRB. All members of the Appeals Panel will receive appropriate training in the handling and resolution of allegations of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct. The student’s appeal must be in writing and must contain a full statement of the reasons upon which an

appeal is requested. The Appeals Panel must receive the appeal within 10 business days of the date of final action by the APRB. The Appeals Panel will hear the student in person and will review the documentary record. The complainant will have the option of meeting with the Appeals Panel, but is not required to do so. The only role of the Appeals Panel is to review the disciplinary actions taken by the APRB; the Appeals Panel will accept as true and non-reviewable the findings of fact and conclusions resulting from the University’s grievance procedures. The Appeals Panel will submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Dean for Graduate Education. In so doing, the Appeals Panel may affirm, revise (make more or less severe), or revoke the final action of the APRB.

Both the student and the complainant may bring a personal advisor to any interviews with the APRB or the Appeals Panel. A personal advisor may be an officer of the University, or another member of the student body who is affiliated with HMS, but may not be related to anyone involved in the complaint or have any other involvement in the process. Personal advisors may view a redacted version of any documents provided to the parties and provide general advice. During interviews, personal advisors may not speak for their advisees, although they may ask to suspend the interviews briefly if they feel their advisees would benefit from a short break.

Finally, the student may request review of the decision of the Appeals Panel by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine must receive any such request for review within five business days of the date of the decision of the Appeals Panel. The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine will review the matter, in consultation with the Dean for Graduate Education, the program director, or others (e.g., the Faculty Council) if the Dean wishes, and will provide a written decision to the student, the program director, the Dean for Graduate Education, the HMS Registrar, and the APRB. The Dean’s decision will be final and binding, except in cases of dismissal or expulsion in which a two-thirds vote of the Faculty Council is required. The complainant will be notified of the final disciplinary decision.

For all other allegations of unprofessional misconduct:

When, after an initial review of the information suggesting possible inappropriate conduct, further action is deemed necessary by the APRB, the APRB may appoint one or more independent fact-finders. Fact-finders will be a Harvard administrators or faculty members drawn from the Medical School or elsewhere. Fact finders may also be independent contractors engaged by Harvard. The fact-finder(s) will interview the student and may interview other individuals with relevant knowledge, solicit written statements, review the documentary record, and undertake whatever action is required

to elucidate the relevant facts. At the conclusion of the inquiry, the fact-finder(s) will prepare a written report describing the inquiry process and the findings of fact, identifying any disputed facts. Ordinarily, it is expected that fact-finding will be completed within thirty days, though this timeframe may be extended under extenuating circumstances, including but not limited to complex fact patterns, large numbers of witness interviews, and/or difficulty in scheduling witness interviews. The fact-finder’s report will be submitted to the APRB. The student will also be provided with a copy of the report for the student's written comments. Any comments must be submitted to the APRB within 10 days of receipt of the fact-finder’s report.

The APRB will review the student’s record and current situation in consultation with the student’s program director and will determine a course of action that may include, but not be limited to, placement in any of the previously indicated structured academic categories (Section 4.03). In matters of consideration of unprofessional conduct, the APRB may also interview the student and may undertake any other action it deems necessary to arrive at its conclusions, including consulting with senior faculty or administrators at the University when it feels additional expertise or advice would be useful. The APRB may take a number of disciplinary actions including: probation, with or without requirements or restrictions; suspension; and requirement to withdraw, with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel.

The student will be notified in writing of the decision of the APRB. A copy of such notice will be sent to the student’s program director, the Dean for Graduate Education, the Dean for Students, and the HMS Registrar. The student and/or program director may be asked to respond to the stated concerns of the APRB.

Any student who is required to withdraw by the APRB (with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel) may request that the APRB reconsider its decision, based on one or both of the following grounds: a procedural error occurred that may change the outcome of the decision; or the student has substantive and relevant new information that was not available at the time of the investigation and that may change the outcome of the decision. The request must be in writing and must explain the specific grounds upon which reconsideration is requested. Disagreement with the APRB’s findings or determination is not, by itself, a ground for appeal. The request must be received by the APRB within 10 business days of the student’s receipt of notice of the decision.

The APRB may consult with HMS faculty and/or administrators or conduct other fact finding to better understand the grounds upon which the student has requested reconsideration. If it chooses to reconsider, the APRB will then meet to discuss the

case. Ordinarily the student will be permitted to attend this meeting for the purpose of making a presentation to the APRB, and answering questions from the APRB. The APRB then may affirm, revise (make more or less severe), or revoke its decision. Written notification of the action on reconsideration will be sent to the student, to the program director, and to the HMS Registrar, ordinarily within 10 days of the meeting at which the request was considered and the decision was rendered. Such notification will constitute the final action of the APRB.

Any student who is required to withdraw (with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel) may appeal the final action of the APRB as set forth in section 3.04 Appellate Review.

Withdrawal or Leave of Absence during Pendency of a Disciplinary Proceeding

The transcripts of students who are withdrawn or placed on a leave of absence from a Master’s program pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings will contain an appropriate notation.

Procedure on Unprofessional Student Comments in Course Surveys

Harvard Medical School (HMS) regularly solicits student feedback on various aspects of the curriculum in order to improve the educational experience for all students. To that end, students are asked to provide feedback that is candid, constructive, and critical.

Each course will implement a confidential course survey process and all course surveys and accompanying comments are withheld from course directors until after the course grades have been submitted to the Registrar.

In certain rare cases, however, comments from students cross a clear line from critical to offensive, while possessing no redeeming constructive value. Because these comments are made available to the individual faculty member as well as a number of educational professionals at HMS, unprofessional comments have the potential to inflict real harm on an individual faculty member, which violates a key tenet of professionalism.

A process has been established that will ensure the continued integrity and confidentiality of the course survey process while providing an outlet to address the rare abuses that occur within the system.

In order to achieve this goal, a joint ad hoc committee comprised of three students and two program directors will be established to review any comment on a course survey deemed to be unprofessional by a course director, instructor, or other relevant official. To ensure that students on this committee represent the will of the student body, student members of this committee will be either elected student representatives or students recommended from a program other than that of the student under review. If a majority of the ad hoc committee agrees that the comment does indeed constitute unprofessional conduct, the Dean for Graduate Education will authorize any relevant parties to override any confidentiality protections and identify the responsible student. This information will be provided exclusively to the student’s program director, who will determine the appropriate response, which could include reporting the unprofessional comment to the APRB for consideration of disciplinary sanctions. The comment will also be redacted from the course survey record.

3.09 Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

All work submitted for credit is expected to be the student’s own work. In the preparation of all papers and other written work, students should always take great care to distinguish their own ideas and knowledge from information derived from other sources. The term “sources” includes not only published primary and secondary material, but also information and opinions gained directly from other people (See Harvard Guide to Using Sources in Section 3.08: Harvard University Resources for Students). The responsibility for learning the proper forms of citation lies with the individual student. Quotations must be properly placed within quotation marks and must be fully cited. In addition, all paraphrased material must be completely acknowledged. Whenever ideas or facts are derived from a student’s reading and research, the sources must be indicated.

The amount of collaboration with others that is permitted in the completion of assignments can vary, depending upon the policy set by the Course Director or the research mentor. Students must assume that collaboration in the completion of assignments is prohibited unless explicitly permitted by the instructor. Students must acknowledge any collaboration and its extent in all submitted work.

Students who are in any doubt about the preparation of academic work should consult with their course instructor and/or Program Director before it is prepared or submitted.

Students are expected to record honestly and accurately the results of all their research. HMS prohibits research misconduct, defined as fabrication, falsification or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results. Fabrication means making up data or results and recording or reporting them. Falsification means manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record. Plagiarism is the appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results or words without giving appropriate credit. Research misconduct is considered a serious violation of academic honesty.

Concerns about plagiarism can be brought to the attention of a Course Director, Program Director, program administrator, Office for Graduate Education administrator, or another member of the HMS faculty or staff. HMS may use plagiarism detection tools and software to evaluate assignments at any time and independent reviewers may be asked to review an assignment to help evaluate plagiarism concerns. Plagiarism, fabrication and/or falsification of research results ordinarily will result in a student’s

being required withdraw (with or without a recommendation for dismissal or expulsion) even if the student has had no prior disciplinary record.

The School is deeply concerned for the integrity of science conducted by students and faculty and with sound and safe research practices. Student and faculty researchers are, individually and collectively, expected to safeguard and maintain the University’s policies and practices and to avoid scientific misconduct. Students taking part in research involving human subjects or research involving the use of animals must comply with all Federal, State, and University policies. Questions about these compliance obligations should be directed to the HMS Office for Research Subject Protection at 617-432-3192 or http://www.hms.harvard.edu/orsp. All researchers are reminded that sponsoring agencies also have such concerns, that the School must inform sponsors of serious transgressions of sponsors’ policies as well as of any investigations related to sponsored research and that sponsors may act independent of HMS. See also Section 10.04, Office for Research Subject Protection.

Violations of this policy may result in a requirement to withdraw (with or without a recommendation for dismissal or expulsion), even if the student has had no prior disciplinary record.

3.10 Violation of Examination Rules

No communication is permitted between students during an examination, and no student is permitted to bring books, papers, or electronic devices of any kind into an examination, except with the express permission of the instructor or proctor. Eating and drinking are not permitted in any examination room.

For violation of the examination rules or dishonesty in an examination, a student may be required to withdraw from the Medical School. Students who fail to obey the instructions of an examination proctor may be subject to disciplinary action.

3.11 Submission of Written Work

Students are responsible for ensuring that required written course work is submitted and received on time. Written work should not be left in open mailboxes or other unattended places but rather given personally and directly to the Course Director or other faculty member or school administrator designated to act on their behalf. Written work that is mailed to instructors should be sent by certified mail and a receipt of delivery should be requested from the Postal Service. The student should keep both the postal receipt and a copy of the written work. Written work that is sent through an e-mail system should be transmitted with a ‘receipt requested’ notification. Papers submitted through the Canvas learning management system are automatically tracked and require no further recordkeeping by the student, however students are responsible for ensuring that they are submitted successfully.

3.12 Submission of the Same Work to More than One Course

Students who wish to submit the same or similar work to more than one course must get prior written permission from both or all of the instructors involved. Instructors expect that each paper or exercise submitted is written specifically for that assignment. Under that assumption, failure to obtain prior written permission can be deceptive and students who fail to do so may be required to withdraw from their Master’s program at Harvard Medical School (HMS). Instructors do not always give permission, and, even if permission is granted, they may ask for a longer or a somewhat different product than they expect from students who produce work solely for a single course. Thus, clarifying the expectations for the assignment in advance of the work’s due date(s) is essential.

Each instructor should write a letter to the HMS Registrar giving permission for the student to submit the material to meet course requirements in more than one class. The student may draft a letter giving permission for the paper to be submitted to both classes and have both instructors sign the letter. These letters will be placed in the student’s academic folder.

3.13 Library Policies

A student who violates the lending policies of any Harvard University library may be subject to disciplinary action. In particular, removal of a book or journal from any University library without authorization, or mutilation, defacement, or abuse of any library book or library resources ordinarily will lead to disciplinary action.

3.14 Conflict of Interest

Harvard Master’s students must abide by the Harvard Medical School (HMS) Faculty Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment in all activities, including research toward a degree. In particular, the research project cannot be affected adversely by any contractual or other financial obligations of the principal investigator or mentor. Students should check with their Program Director and/or research mentor when planning such activities to make sure they are in compliance with HMS policy.

Policy on Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest Related to the Pharmaceutical Industry and Undergraduate Medical Education

Conflicts of interest are becoming of increasing concern to our students, our faculty members, and to the public.

Faculty and students must disclose any financial interests they may have in a pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical instrument/device company, or other business which owns or has a contractual relationship to the subject matter being reported or discussed in a presentation, lecture, tutorial, paper, or other teaching exercise or assignment. For example, faculty who have received research support or who have consulted for a pharmaceutical company and whose teaching includes a discussion of drugs developed by that company should disclose the association in advance. Each instructor must disclose whether or not any potential conflict exists and, if a potential conflict exists, the nature of the relationship.  Faculty who teach in the Master’s programs will be required to determine and declare any such conflicts and report them to students.

Faculty members and students who have any questions about what to disclose may contact Kristin Bittinger, J.D., Dean for Faculty and Research Integrity.

Policy on Sponsorship, Gifts, Meals, and Access of Pharmaceutical Representatives to the HMS Campus

Sales and marketing representatives of pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, and medical supply companies are not permitted to visit or interact with students on the HMS campus, and pharmaceutical, medical device or medical supply company sponsorship of student events are strictly prohibited. Master’s students may

not accept any gifts from pharmaceutical, medical device or medical supply companies, and these companies may not provide meals or refreshments for any student function.

3.15 Policies Regarding Drugs and Alcohol

The following policy statement on drugs and alcohol is designed to address the University’s concerns about substance abuse and to ensure that the Harvard community complies with the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (the “Drug-Free Workplace Act”) and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989 (the “Drug-Free Schools Act”; collectively, the “Acts”).

Violations of laws relating to controlled substances or alcohol are prohibited in or on Harvard premises, in vehicles provided by Harvard, at any site or location at which University duties are being performed by Harvard students, or as a part of any of Harvard’s activities. Common examples of controlled substances, as defined by law, are cocaine, marijuana, and heroin. Although Massachusetts law now permits adults aged 21 or older to possess and consume marijuana under certain circumstances, federal law prohibits the possession, use, or distribution of marijuana, including for medical purposes, on Harvard property or as part of a Harvard activity.  Thus, even if possession of use of marijuana would be permitted under Massachusetts law, it remains prohibited on campus. Additionally, the misuse of prescription drugs (sharing, buying, or using in a manner different than that prescribed) is a violation of University policy. More information can be found in the University’s Annual Security Report, published by the Harvard University Police Department.

The University will take disciplinary action against violators, consistent with Federal, State, and local laws. Such action may include requiring satisfactory participation in a substance abuse treatment, counseling, or education program as a condition of reinstatement or continued enrollment at Harvard; suspension; requirement to withdraw; dismissal or expulsion; and referral for prosecution.

Substance abuse is potentially harmful to health. Because of the considerable health risks involved in drug and alcohol use, resources are available to assist the Harvard community in understanding and dealing with drug and alcohol abuse problems. Harvard students can learn about the dangers of substance abuse and get information about treatment and counseling options available to the Harvard community through the Harvard University Health Services, which is part of Harvard’s ongoing efforts to maintain a drug-free environment. Any member of the University community may use the Harvard University Health Services on an emergency basis at any time, day and night (Section 7.02).

Any Master’s student who is also a physician and has a concern about drug or alcohol use may contact the Physician Health Services at the Massachusetts Medical Society (see Section 9.10 for more information).

3.16 Policies Regarding Hazing

Students are advised that Massachusetts law expressly prohibits any form of hazing in connection with initiation into a student organization. The relevant statutes are provided below. The law applies to all student groups, whether or not officially recognized, and to practices conducted both on- and off-campus.  Each student organization must file with the Office for Graduate Education “an attested acknowledgment that such organization understands and agrees to comply with these provisions” that has been signed by the head of the student organization.

Using the definition of hazing set forth in the Massachusetts statute, the Medical School will consider all reports of hazing in the normal course of its oversight, taking disciplinary action in appropriate cases, and will report confirmed incidents to appropriate law enforcement officials.  If you have any questions about the hazing law or have concerns about an incident you have witnessed, please contact the Office for Graduate Education at Harvard Medical School.

Massachusetts Hazing Statute

Section 17. Whoever is a principal organizer or participant in the crime of hazing, as defined herein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment.

The term “hazing” as used in this section and in sections eighteen and nineteen, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any such student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section to the contrary, consent shall not be available as a defense to any prosecution under this action.

Section 18. Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an

appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.

Section 19. Each institution of secondary education and each public and private institution of post-secondary education shall issue to every student group, student team or student organization which is part of such institution or is recognized by the institution or permitted by the institution to use its name or facilities or is known by the institution to exist as an unaffiliated student group, student team or student organization, a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen; provided, however, that an institution’s compliance with this section’s requirements that an institution issue copies of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations shall not constitute evidence of the institution’s recognition or endorsement of said unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations. Each such group, team or organization shall distribute a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to each of its members, plebes, pledges or applicants for membership. It shall be the duty of each such group, team or organization, acting through its designated officer, to deliver annually, to the institution an attested acknowledgement stating that such group, team or organization has received a copy of this section and said sections seventeen and eighteen, that each of its members, plebes, pledges, or applicants has received a copy of sections seventeen and eighteen, and that such group, team or organization understands and agrees to comply with the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.

Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of postsecondary education shall, at least annually, before or at the start of enrollment, deliver to each person who enrolls as a full-time student in such institution a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.

Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of postsecondary education shall file, at least annually, a report with the board of higher education and in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education, certifying that such institution has complied with its responsibility to inform student groups, teams or organizations and to notify each full time student enrolled by it of the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen and also certifying that said institution has adopted a disciplinary policy with regard to the organizers and participants of hazing, and that such policy has been set forth with appropriate emphasis in the student handbook or similar means of communicating the institution’s policies to its students. The board of higher education and, in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education shall promulgate regulations governing the content and frequency of such

reports, and shall forthwith report to the attorney general any such institution which fails to make such report.

Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 17, 18 and 19.

3.17 Financial Aid Fraud

Students who are deliberately deceptive in their financial aid applications are subject to disciplinary action. If you purposely give false information in the aid application process and receive aid from federal programs, you may be subject to fine, or imprisonment, or both.

If, after reviewing an application for financial aid, the School has reason to suspect that an aid applicant may have deliberately misrepresented information resulting in fraud or other criminal misconduct in connection with the aid application, disciplinary action may be taken. Referral in such cases for applicants receiving federal aid may be made to the US Department of Education's Office of Inspector General, or, if more appropriate, to a state or local authority. If evidence of fraud or criminal misconduct is documented, the School will review the matter to determine if the student should be sanctioned or dismissed.

3.18 Patient Confidentiality

In cases where a Master’s student is involved in activities involving patients as part of her/his program of study, the student must abide by the HMS Policy on Patient Confidentiality and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) in addition to any patient confidentiality policies at the clinical site.  Some Master’s students may also be employees or affiliates of a clinical institution or organization, and will also be subject to all relevant policies of that institution or organization. When concern that a student has violated the confidentiality of a patient arises, the Medical School will initiate a fair process to determine the validity of the concern. (Master’s students who are also clinicians at the institution at which the violation occurred also will be subject to the rules and processes of that institution, though HMS may impose separate consequences.)  Students, faculty and administrators are expected to act in good faith while carrying out this process. The Medical School will convene a committee, composed of three student representatives and three faculty members, to evaluate the concern. The faculty members appointed to the committee should have no evaluative responsibility for the student, should not be administrators of a program in which the student participates, and should not be the faculty members who initially raised the concern. The members of the committee, as well as any community members who were involved in alerting the Medical School to the potential violation, should maintain the confidentiality of the committee’s proceedings, including the confidentiality of the student. The committee will make its decisions by majority vote.

The committee first will determine if patient confidentiality has been violated, consulting as necessary with representatives from the clinical site. If patient confidentiality has been violated, the committee then will determine the circumstances of the violation, including, for example, whether or not the student believed he or she was acting in good faith. In making this determination, the committee will take into account that the student's understanding of patient confidentiality may be limited by his or her level of training on the topic. If the committee concludes that the student acted in good faith, then the committee will discuss the matter with the student, help the student learn from the experience, and find an appropriate resolution. The focus of this process is on creating an educational, rather than a disciplinary, experience for the student. If the committee concludes that the student acted in bad faith, then the committee ordinarily will discuss the matter with the student and the student’s Program Director or research mentor. In this case, the committee may consider referring the case to the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs (APRB) for further evaluation and/or disciplinary action.

All students must follow HIPAA rules when participating in clinical or clinicallyrelated activities at U.S.-based clinical sites and any local policies or laws in non-U.S.based clinical sites. HIPAA compliance includes maintaining confidentiality of paper and electronic health records. When violations of HIPAA by a student are identified by a hospital, clinic, physician’s office, etc., the violation will be reviewed by the APRB, which will recommend remediation and and/or sanctions, including the possibility of required withdrawal (with or without a recommendation to dismiss or expel).

3.19 Harvard University Sexual and GenderBased Harassment Policy

Harvard Medical School has adopted the University-wide Interim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy and Interim Other Sexual Misconduct Policy.  In addition, the University’s Sexual and Gender Based Harassment policy addresses sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct alleged to have occurred before August 14, 2020.  Copies of all policies and their associated grievance procedures can be found here.

4. Dual degree Programs

4.01 MD-MMSc or MD-Master of Discipline/Master of Science Programs

In certain programs, HMS medical students are permitted to pursue a master’s degree as part of a five-year combined MD-Master’s Degree program. See Section 2.06 for a description of full-time status during the Master’s year. Other descriptions and requirements may be found in the HMS Medical School handbook.

Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid

During the years in which the student is enrolled in the MD program, all policies related to tuition, fees, and financial aid for medical students will apply. During the year in which the student is enrolled in the Master’s program, the Master’s tuition and fees policy will apply and financial aid, if any, will be determined based upon the student’s financial aid profile in the medical student program. Prospective students should discuss any questions with the Master’s program and the HMS Office for Financial Aid. More information is available in the Medical Student handbook in Section 6.07.

5. Financial Obligations

5.01 Tuition, Fees, and Living Expenses

Tuition, fees, and expenses comprise the cost of attendance for master’s programs at HMS. A Student Cost of Attendance (COA) Budget is developed each academic year for use in the evaluation of financial need. The student budget has two primary purposes: 1) to give students an estimate of reasonable costs to attend the School; and 2) to establish the federally required uniform cost of attendance standard against which to measure financial need.

Harvard Medical School Cost of Attendance Budgets

HMS complies with the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, specifically S2248 PL 115-407 Section 103. HMS will not impose a late fee, prevent a student from attending classes, or demand payment for funds expected to be covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) until 90 days after the beginning of the term. Students are responsible for all charges posted to their student accounts beyond the amount of tuition and fee payment from the VA. At HMS’ request, students must provide documentation to ensure they are entitled to GI Bill benefits.

5.02 Tuition Requirements for Master’s Degree Candidates

Harvard Medical School tuition rates are set annually and cover courses taken from July 1 through June 30 each year up to the final year of enrollment, ending with graduation, which occurs prior to June 30th. Tuition is billed by term. For students enrolled on a fulltime basis, four terms of the full MMSc rate are required for the MMSc program; four terms of full-time tuition are due. Two terms of tuition at the full MMSc rate are required for the MMSc year of the dual-degree MD-MMSc program. Two terms of tuition at the full Master of Discipline/Science rate are required for the Master of Discipline/Science program; two terms of full-time tuition are due. Some programs offer formal part-time options. If a student enrolls in a formal part-time program, half-time tuition is based on the number of terms in the formal part-time option.

Note that the tuition rate is subject to change each year and proration will be based upon the rate in effect during the year of enrollment.

Students who have a balance of $1,000 or more on their term bill at the beginning of the add/drop period for any given term will be automatically considered to be withdrawn.

Tuition for Additional Time

Students who require additional time to complete degree requirements not including requirement to register in courses, may be charged additional tuition for each additional term at the posted “additional time” tuition rate. Additional tuition will be assessed for students not completing their degree requirements prior to September 1 following the expected May graduation. Students required to enroll in additional courses will pay the part or full-time rate, depending on the number of credits for which they enroll. Note that registration and health fees will also be charged for students enrolled for additional terms, whether for additional time, or course registration.

Tuition for additional courses

In the event that a student needs to take one additional course to satisfy an academic remediation requirement imposed by the APRB, tuition can be assessed for one course only on a per-credit basis. This must be approved by the APRB and in this instance, a

student can pay the per-credit tuition for that one course, in addition to all required registration fees. This will only be granted one time to any student. If any additional courses are required in order to satisfy an academic remediation requirement imposed by the APRB or for graduation, tuition will be assessed at the proportionate amount of full-time tuition, depending on the credit load.

Impact of Approved Leaves of Absence

If a student takes a leave of absence for personal or medical reasons during the course of a term, they will be charged tuition according to the Tuition and Fee Adjustment Calendar (Section 5.03).

5.03 Students Withdrawing Mid-Term

Registered students who withdraw formally or are withdrawn, or who take a Leave of Absence from the Medical School after the dates listed below are ordinarily charged tuition according to the following Tuition and Fee Adjustment Calendar:

Fall (on or before):



September 19: one-fourth tuition for the term



October 15: one-half



November 15: three-fourths after November 15: full tuition

Spring (on or before):



February 10: one-fourth tuition for the term



March 15: one-half



April 15: three-fourths

 after April 15 full tuition

Appeals

An administrative committee will be convened to answer written appeals to this policy.

Refund Policy

If a student who is receiving any form of financial aid withdraws and is entitled to a refund, a portion of that refund may be returned. If the student’s award package included any federal funds other than Federal Work-Study and the withdrawal occurs in the first 60% of the term, federal regulations require that a portion of the student’s federal aid be returned to the aid programs. For more information, please review the Policies and Disclosures section available on the HMS Financial Aid Office website.

5.04 Teaching and Other Harvard Employment

Students in Harvard Medical School Master’s Programs are not guaranteed employment of any kind as part of their admission. Some programs may have academic teaching or research requirements; these are part of the progress towards degree and are not supplemental employment. HMS Master’s students may seek part time employment in Harvard labs or as Teaching Fellows or Teaching Assistants in Harvard University courses, but HMS in no way guarantees this employment and all such appointments are between the student and the hiring department or school. Students are expected to commit to the required workload for their program (see section 2.16) and as such, any outside employment must not interfere with the workload requirements of their program (see program specific plans of instruction in sections 1.03 and 1.04).

Students may not be paid for their capstone or thesis work, but they can be otherwise employed in the lab of their thesis or capstone work, as long as that work is distinct from the work for their degree requirements.

Enrolled HMS Master’s students employed by Harvard University who provide instructional services at Harvard University, including graduate and undergraduate Teaching Fellows (teaching assistants, teaching fellows, course assistants), or who serve as Research Assistants (regardless of funding sources, including those compensated through training grants) are included within the bargaining unit of the Harvard Graduate Student Union.

5.05 Health Insurance/Fees

The Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP) Student Health Fee is a required fee and covers most outpatient care at Harvard University Health Services. This requirement is a result of a Harvard Corporation vote and a Massachusetts state mandate. Please visit the HUSHP website for the most up to date information on student health fees.

Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (Blue Cross Blue Shield) covers hospital and emergency room visits. Unlike the HUSHP Student Health Fee, the Student Health Insurance Plan charge and insurance coverage may be waived. In order to have the Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan charge waived, students must verify that they are covered by equivalent medical insurance.

Two opportunities exist to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan. A student may file a waiver for the entire academic year or for only the fall or spring term. Financial aid recipients who choose to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan will have this budget item removed from their cost of attendance budget. This removal may result in an adjustment to the financial aid package. Please be aware that the Student Health Insurance Plan charge will appear on the term bill until the waiver has been processed fully. Waivers are available online at www.hushp.harvard.edu/. For details and waiver deadlines, students should consult the Member Services office at Harvard University Health Services, Smith Campus Center, first floor, 617-495-2008.

The charge for Harvard-sponsored Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage is included on the term bill in two installments.

For students who have Harvard-sponsored Blue Cross Blue Shield and/or the Student Health Fee coverage in the spring term and receive terminal degrees in May, the Harvard-sponsored Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Student Health Fee coverage extends through July 31. Additional information regarding health insurance coverage is available at www.hushp.harvard.edu/.

Students interested in enrolling dependents in HUSHP should contact the Member Services Office for enrollment details. The cost to add dependents is available online at www.hushp.harvard.edu/

Foreign students are not eligible to waive the Student Health Insurance plan with international insurance. Students with J-1 visas are required to purchase coverage for their families as well, and foreign students with other visas are strongly recommended to do so.

Fees for the current academic year may be found at http://hushp.harvard.edu/ratesplan-dates

Note: HMS Master’s students are not required to have disability insurance while enrolled as a Master’s student.

5.06 Payment of University Obligations

Term bills are assessed semiannually; please refer to http://termbill.harvard.edu for additional information and the billing calendar.

Registration: No enrolled Harvard Medical School Master’s student will be permitted to register for an upcoming term until all tuition, fees, and other charges due from a prior term are paid in full. This policy applies to students who are expecting to enroll in another degree program as well.

Students whose accounts have not been paid in full by the specified deadlines may jeopardize their registration status; in addition, late fees may be assessed on outstanding term bill balances per term as follows:

$5,001 - $10,000

At least once per term, the Registrar notifies students whose accounts are in arrears.

HMS may, in its sole discretion, make exceptions to this policy in extenuating circumstances. Students should discuss such circumstances with their Program Directors who may consult with the Office for Graduate Education. The decision of the Medical School as to whether to grant an exception shall be final.

Graduation: Students should be aware that the degree may not be conferred upon students whose term bill charges from the University, including late fees, are not paid in full prior to the final voting of the degree. When a balance remains but the degree has been voted, the School will withhold the diploma until the term bill account is paid in full.

Any student who leaves the University with an amount due on their student bill that is unpaid for sixty days or more may be subject to collection activities. The costs associated with collecting an unpaid account will be added to the student’s outstanding debt and must be paid in full.

5.07 Dishonored Checks

If an e-payment or check is returned by the bank, your student account will be charged a $25 returned check fee. Multiple returned payments may result in the University requiring future payments to be made by certified or bank check. Please note that it can take a week or more before a bank notifies us that your payment has been returned. Your account will not reflect a returned payment until we receive that information from the bank.

5.08 Financial Aid

The goal of the HMS financial aid program is to assist eligible students in managing a financial plan for obtaining an HMS degree.

HMS Master’s students are eligible to receive financial assistance from certain government programs. In addition, each program may have resources available for both need and merit awards. Students are encouraged to review the HMS Financial Aid Office Website for information regarding the financial aid process at HMS.

Student financial aid packages are constructed based on funds available at the time the application is completed. To apply for financial aid, HMS students file the HMS Application for Financial Aid and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Master’s students may be eligible for HMS institutional funding awarded through the Financial Aid Office. Students may also receive funding through their program to the extent that the student’s program has program-based funds available for scholarships.

The Financial Aid Office maintains outside scholarship opportunities on the Financial Aid Office website. Applicants are welcome to stop by the office in Gordon Hall (Room 211) or email the Financial Aid Office at financial_aid@hms.harvard.edu to have any general questions answered. Additional information is available on the HMS Financial Aid Office website.

Deadlines for Financial Aid Application

The financial aid deadline for all Master’s students is June 30th. Timely submission of all application materials is essential, as financial aid decisions are based upon financial need and availability of funds; late applicants could jeopardize their access to limited sources of aid.

Please refer to the Apply section of the HMS Financial Aid Office Website for more information on the financial aid application process.

Sources of Financial Aid for Master’s Students

Program-Based Funds - Individual Master’s programs may have their own programbased resources from research and training grants and institutional and philanthropic resources. Certain types of funds are restricted in terms of use and may not be

available to all students. Programs review their resources and assign funding based on both need and merit.

Institutional Funds – HMS has limited sources of scholarship funding for eligible Master’s students. For more information, please see Types of Funding

Federal Loan Funds – Master’s students may apply for federal loans through the HMS Office of Financial Aid.

Private Loan Funds – This option may be available to U.S. citizens and non-citizens with a good credit history. International students may have options with or without a U.S. co-signer. For more information, please review the Harvard University private loans webpage.

Financial Aid for Students Enrolled in a Dual Degree MDMaster’s Program

Medical students taking an additional year to complete an HMS Master’s degree are eligible to apply for financial aid during all five years. Living expenses mirror the fourthyear budget. Students are required to speak with their financial aid counselor to discuss how pursuing a Master’s degree will impact their specific financial aid package and overall debt.

Students who choose the 5-year dual degree program are charged medical student tuition for the years enrolled in the MD program and Master’s tuition for the year enrolled in the Master’s program.

Financial Aid When on a Leave of Absence (LOA)

If a student takes a leave of absence after the term has begun, tuition and living expenses may be prorated based upon when the student ceases enrollment at HMS. The Financial Aid Office will revise the standard budget to reflect adjustments to tuition and living expenses as well as prorations to other costs, and will calculate an adjusted award. Students must contact the Financial Aid Office to set up a mandatory loan exit interview counseling session. For more information on how a leave of absence impacts a student’s financial aid package, please see the Policies and Disclosures section of the HMS Financial Aid Office website

5.09 Returning of Federal/Title IV Funding

The Return of Federal/Title IV Policy applies to students who withdraw, are approved for a leave of absence or are withdrawn, dismissed or expelled from the institution. Tuition refunds for these students are determined according to the following:

1. The term “Title IV Funds” refers to the federal financial aid programs such as Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans.

2. A student’s withdrawal date can be:

 The date the student began the institution’s withdrawal process or officially notified the institution of intent to withdraw or

 The student’s last date of attendance as documented by academically related activity or

 The midpoint of the period of enrollment for a student who leaves without notifying the institution

3. Determination of the amount of Title IV Funds to be returned:

 Refunds on all allowable charges including tuition and fees will be prorated on a per diem basis based on the number of days in attendance as a proportion to the number of days in the term or period of enrollment, up to the 60% point in the semester. There are no refunds after the 60% point in time, as the federal regulations view the aid has been “100% earned” after that point in time.

 In accordance with federal regulations, the return of Title IV funds is paid in the following order:

 Unsubsidized Direct Loans

 Subsidized Direct Loans

 Direct PLUS Loans

4. Institutional and student responsibilities in regard to the return of Title IV Funds

Harvard Medical School is responsible for:

 Providing each student with the information given in this policy

 Identifying students who are affected by this policy

 Completing the Return of Title IV Funds calculation for students who are subject to the policy

 Returning the Title IV Funds that are due to the Title IV programs

 Conducting a loan exit interview with the student

Students are responsible for:

 Returning to the Title IV programs any funds that were disbursed directly to the student which the student was determined to be ineligible via the Return of Title IV Funds calculation

 Attending an exit loan interview

Federal refunds must be made within 45 days of the date of withdrawal or leave.

6. General Policies

6.01 Harvard University Policy Regarding Religious Holidays

In accordance with Massachusetts State law, any student in an educational institution who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination, study, or work requirement. The student shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such examination, study or work requirement, which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day, provided that such makeup examination or work does not create an unreasonable burden upon the School. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such opportunity. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of their availing themselves of the provisions of this section.

6.02 Vacations and Holidays

Vacations

Vacation or recess periods are built into the school year. All students have a recess at the end of December (includes Christmas Day and New Year’s Day), which is determined annually by the academic schedule. Other breaks are as follows:

 A one-week break during the Fall semester beginning the Monday of Thanksgiving week. Note, this one-week break only applies to HMS courses. Students cross-registered at other institutions must adhere to that institution’s attendance policy.

 A one-week break during the January – June term and a summer break from June to August unless a program requires a summer session.

 Approximately 3 weeks in January unless a program requires a January-term course

Please refer to the calendar in Section 2.01 for specific dates.

Holidays

Classes are not scheduled on the following Harvard-observed holidays:

 Labor Day

 Columbus Day

 Veteran’s Day

 Thanksgiving and the following Friday (classes end at 12:30 on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving)

 Christmas Day (included in the holiday recess period)

 New Year’s Day (included in the holiday recess period)

 Martin Luther King Day

 Presidents’ Day

 Memorial Day

6.03 Transportation Policy

Harvard Medical School recognizes that Master’s students may benefit from educational experiences beyond those available on the Longwood campus and in our neighboring affiliated teaching hospitals. For some programs this includes activities around the globe.

Financial Responsibility for Transportation

Harvard Medical School policy is that students are responsible for arranging their own transportation, including that to and from their research sites. The HMS-affiliated hospitals, with some exceptions, are accessible by public transportation from the Medical School and shuttle services between hospitals.

Students who choose to take cars to their sites are responsible for covering all gas, parking fees and other expenses incurred by this mode of travel.

Certain Master’s programs with unique training requirements in distant locations may have limited resources for travel/transportation costs.

Cases of Financial Hardship

Students who are unable to afford the cost of transportation to a research site should consult their Program.

Note: the average cost for travel to research sites is included in the standard student budget used to assess financial need; in some cases, additional travel costs are included.

LMA Harvard Medical School Shuttle (M2)

MASCO manages the Harvard Medical School shuttle, which runs between the Longwood Medical Area (LMA) and Harvard University in Cambridge. This service is free to all students, faculty, and staff; you must show your Harvard ID card to access this service. For others, tickets for the Harvard M2 shuttle can be bought at the HMS Parking Office or at the cashier’s office at Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center in Cambridge. The M2 schedule is available at the parking office, the Information

Office at Smith Campus Center Arcade, the security desk at Vanderbilt Hall, and online. Please go to http://www.masco.org for more information.

MBTA

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is the public transit system for Greater Boston. For information go to the MBTA website at http://www.mbta.com.

For more information and a Transportation Guide, go to http://mycourses.med.harvard.edu/ResCourses/CampusWide/HMSTG/hmstg.htm .

6.04 Weather and Emergency Conditions

Weather Emergencies

During a weather emergency or other emergency, all members of the HMS community may call 617-432-6666 to hear the latest information on the status of the School via a listen-only voice mail box.

The Medical School's general position regarding inclement weather is that, short of a declared State of Emergency (see below), the School remains open. The teaching and research activities of HMS continue despite inclement weather. In such weather emergencies, however, the Deans for Medical and Graduate Education may decide to cancel classes. Unless a message to the contrary is communicated through one of the means outlined below, you should assume that classes are held as scheduled; however, use your discretion regarding travel safety.

 During periods of inclement weather, if a decision is made to cancel classes, information is available to the HMS community through the following channels: HMS home page hms.harvard.edu

 MyHMS my.hms.harvard.edu

 HMS emergency phone line (listen only): 617-432-6666

 The Harvard University phone line for info on all schools (listen only): 866-496NEWS (6397)

 Channel 4 (also WBZ radio), Channel 5 and Channel 7

 Students should refer to Canvas for updates about specific courses and sessions.

Even in lesser storms, some faculty tutors, lecturers, or lab instructors may not be able to make it in from distant suburbs. Programs will be notified of a faculty absence.

If the emergency situation is inclement weather, all students at course sites are responsible for contacting and following the reporting instructions of their site or Program Director. Students must use their own discretion regarding the safety of travel to their course location.

When a State of Emergency is declared by the Governor or other local governing official, school personnel are expected to abide by those directives, and no classes will take place.

6.05 Program Evaluation – External Review

External Review

To maintain and strengthen its position as a leader and innovator in medical and graduate biomedical education, Harvard Medical School is engaged in ongoing efforts to monitor, evaluate, and improve the Master’s curricula and their impact on students. We want to ensure that specific curricular objectives are met and outcomes related to our education mission are achieved; that educational resources are allocated to maximize the educational experiences of HMS students; and that HMS students receive professional training that prepares them for leadership in their respective fields.

On a periodic basis, each Master’s program at Harvard Medical School undergoes a formal review by an external review committee consisting of at least three reviewers approved by the Dean and Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education. The purpose of the review is to identify the importance and value of the program and to obtain constructive feedback on the program. All aspects of the review process are managed by the Office for Graduate Education.

Student Evaluation of Courses and Programs

All students are strongly encouraged to complete course evaluations. As of Spring 2021, all students are asked to participate in annual program evaluations. Both course and program evaluations aim to collect data to support continuous quality improvement.

Students who complete all of their HMS course evaluations in a given term have the ability to view their final grades early. Students who do not complete all of their HMS course evaluations will have to wait until the final grade release date to view their grades. The early and final grade release dates are communicated with the published course evaluations.

6.06 Student and Identification Cards

Identification (ID) cards are the property of Harvard University and are intended for University purposes only. ID cards are required for admission to most Harvard activities and facilities, including libraries, museums, dining halls, athletic buildings, and student residences. Some facilities may also require a sticker for entry. The front of the card and the magnetic strips on the back, however, must be kept free from stickers.

ID cards are not transferable; a student may not allow any other person to use his or her card for any purpose. Every student is responsible for his or her ID and the consequences of its misuse. A student who alters or falsifies his or her University identification card or produces or distributes false IDs of any kind is subject to disciplinary action. Students must show their identification cards or otherwise identify themselves upon request to any properly identified officer of the University.

Lost cards should be reported immediately to the Longwood ID office (677 Huntington Ave). There is a charge of $35.00 for a lost student photo ID. The ID office cannot mail ID cards. Those working or studying remotely will receive their ID card when they return to campus. For more information about ID cards, go to https://www.campusservicecenter.harvard.edu/services/id-cards.

6.07 Computers, Networks and Technology Requirements

Students who are provided access to Medical School computer facilities and to the campus-wide communication network assume responsibility for their appropriate use. The Medical School expects students to be careful, honest, responsible, and civil in the use of computers and networks. Those who use wide-area networks (such as the Internet) to communicate with individuals or to connect to computers at other institutions are expected to abide by the rules for the remote systems and networks as well as those for Harvard’s systems. Be advised that, in addition to being a violation of School rules, certain computer misconduct is prohibited under Massachusetts General Laws, c.266 subsection 33 (a) and 12 (f) and is, therefore, subject to criminal penalties. Such misconduct includes knowingly gaining unauthorized access to a computer system or database, falsely obtaining electronic services or data without payment of required charges, and destroying of electronically processed, stored, or in-transit data. Such misconduct may also violate federal laws and be subject to federal civil and criminal penalties. In addition, students may be held responsible for misuse that occurs by allowing access to a third party to their own computer or account.

Use of Facilities

Computer and network facilities are provided to students primarily for their educational use. These facilities have tangible value. Consequently, attempts to circumvent accounting systems or to use the computer accounts of others will be treated as forms of attempted theft.

Students may not attempt to damage or to degrade the performance of Medical School computers and networks and should not disrupt the work of other users. Students may not attempt to circumvent security systems or to exploit or probe for security holes in any Harvard network or system, nor may students attempt any such activity against other systems accessed through Harvard’s facilities. Execution or compilation of programs designed to breach system security is prohibited unless authorized in advance. Students assume personal responsibility for the use of their accounts. Consequently, students may not disclose their passwords or otherwise make Harvard’s

facilities available to unauthorized persons (including family or friends). Moreover, the possession or collection of others’ passwords, personal identification numbers (PINs), private digital certificates, or other secure identification information is prohibited. Use of Harvard’s computers and networks for non-school-related purposes without authorization is prohibited.

Computing requirements for remote or residential learning

To participate in online learning, students are expected to adhere to the hardware and software recommendations found here

Each device must adhere to the security standards put forth by the HMS Office for Information Technology.

Residential students in need of a temporary laptop computer for an exam or while their personal computer is being repaired should contact the HMS IT Service Desk or stop by the Computer Resource Center located in Tosteson Medical Education Center (TMEC)

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Financial concerns related to this requirement: The “other costs” portion of the student cost of attendance budget is intended to be sufficient to cover any charges associated with this requirement. Budget adjustment requests to increase financial aid for this purpose will not be approved.

Student Computing Ethics

As in all other areas of your academic life, the use of computing technology should be undertaken in a manner consistent with the high standards of professional conduct. In addition, the internet and electronic mail may create additional challenges to students’ responsibility for ensuring confidentiality, especially patient confidentiality. To protect this fundamental patient right, you should not use this medium to transmit information containing: (1) patient names or other medical records data that may be used to identify individual patients; or (2) names and/or other data that may be used to identify individual human subjects research participants. When you are involved in research at a clinical site, your strict compliance with patient confidentiality rules and regulations is expected, and lapses are subject to disciplinary procedures.

Additional information regarding information technology at HMS is available at HMS Office for Information Technology.

Expectations for students in Harvard Slack communities:

 Treat the student Slack community as an extension of the Harvard student experience. All Harvard Slack interactions are subject to the policies and regulations of the University.

 Participation in Slack is entirely voluntary. You can leave any channel at any time. All official information will be sent via email or posted in University Websites.

 Be professional in your posting and treat others with respect and kindness. We expect students to communicate with one another (in Slack and outside of it) in a kind and civil manner.

 Be clear and professional in all communications in the student Slack workspace. Proofread important messages. Check for readability, clarity, and formatting. Make your message easy and simple to understand.

 The student Slack workspaces are intended to help students connect with one another. Faculty are not part of these Slack communities, but Program Administrators will intermittently monitor the Program Slack channels. Anonymous posts are not allowed.

 Posts that violate University policies or these community standards are not allowed. If you find any problematic posts, please take a screen shot and email it to the Program administrator. Concerns may also be reported through the Harvard University site for anonymous reporting (Harvard University Anonymous Reporting ). Any student who posts content that in Harvard’s good faith judgment violates University policy may have their access to the student Slack workspace suspended or ended, as appropriate without awaiting a finding of a policy violation. Students may also face disciplinary action for findings of violations of University policy.

 Conversations on Slack are not intended for public dissemination. Please do not share comments outside of the community (other than reporting violations of University policy).

6.08 Student E-mail Accounts

All HMS students are provided an official HMS e-mail account. Because the Medical School and other offices at Harvard send official information and notifications to this designated account, students are responsible for regularly monitoring their Harvard email account for important communications. Students are expected to reply promptly to email communications from their program faculty and leadership. Students should also be aware that e-mail is NOT a highly secure form of communication and should never be used to store or transmit high risk confidential information such as social security numbers, patient information, or any confidential information that you do not want to be public. Sensitive files should be shared through encrypted emails.

Student HMS email accounts are deactivated 90 days after graduation. Students should forward personal communications to a personal account as to avoid any interruptions. Students may not retain possession, without obtaining HMS permission in advance, of research data acquired or generated while at Harvard without obtaining HMS permission in advance; patient information; or Harvard confidential information. In addition, students should include a “this account will be deactivated on or around [date]” message in an auto-reply. Student email accounts are also deactivated immediately upon withdrawal, dismissal, or expulsion.

6.09 Electronic Communication and Social Media

Electronic Communication

Harvard neither sanctions nor censors individual expression of opinion on its systems. The same standards of behavior, however, are expected in the use of electronic mail as in the use of telephones and written and oral communication. Therefore, electronic mail, like telephone messages, must be neither obscene nor harassing. Similarly, messages must not misrepresent the identity of the sender and should not be sent as chain letters or be broadcast indiscriminately to large numbers of recipients. This prohibition includes unauthorized mass electronic mailings. For example, e-mail on a given topic that is sent to large numbers of recipients should in general be directed only to those who have indicated a willingness to receive such e-mail.

Social Media

Caution is recommended as well in using social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter. HMS is committed to the highest standards of conduct. In admitting a student to HMS, we believe you have already demonstrated that your behavior in person – both on campus and off – and in your electronic presence reflects the maturity and civility that are the necessary underpinnings of any profession. After you are admitted, enrollment remains contingent on a continuation of this high standard of conduct. Items that represent unprofessional behavior that are posted by you on social networking sites reflect poorly on you and on your profession. Such items may become public and could subject you to unintended exposure and consequences. Harvard University’s social media guidelines can be found here. When students are in the hospital or other clinical settings, they must adhere to each clinical institution’s privacy and social media policies (e.g., see MGH social media policy http://www.massgeneral.org/notices/socialmediapolicy.aspx).

6.10 Privacy of Information

Information stored on a computer system or sent electronically over a network is the property of the person who created it. Examination, collection, or dissemination of that information without authorization from the owner is a violation of the owner’s rights to control his or her own property. Systems administrators, however, may gain access to user’s data or programs when maintaining or preventing damage to systems or ensuring compliance with other University rules is necessary.

Computer systems and networks provide mechanisms for the protection of private information from examination by unauthorized persons. These mechanisms are necessarily imperfect, and any attempt to circumvent them or to gain unauthorized access to private information (including both stored computer files and messages transmitted over a network) will be treated as a violation of privacy and will be cause for disciplinary action.

In general, information that the owner would reasonably regard as private must be treated as private by other users. Examples include the contents of electronic mail boxes, the private file storage areas of individual users, and information stored in other areas that are not public. That measures have not been taken to protect such information does not make inspection of such information by others permissible.

On shared and networked computer systems, certain information about users and their activities is visible to others. Users are cautioned that certain accounting and directory information (for example, user names and electronic mail addresses), certain records of file names and executed commands, and information stored in public areas are not private. Nonetheless, such unsecured information about other users must not be manipulated in ways that the rightful user might reasonably find intrusive; for example, eavesdropping by computer and systematic monitoring of the behavior of others are likely to be considered invasions of privacy that would be cause for disciplinary action. The compilation or redistribution of information from University directories (printed or electronic) to third parties, especially those outside the University, is forbidden. To learn more about policies and procedures regarding information security and privacy at Harvard, please refer to http://www.security.harvard.edu/.

Notwithstanding the above, students are advised that pursuant to Harvard’s Policy for Access to Electronic Information, the University may access a user’s electronic records, including emails, in certain circumstances. To learn more about the Policy, please refer

to

https://hwpi.harvard.edu/files/provost/files/policy_on_access_to_electronic_information. pdf.

6.11 Security Checks

HMS will conduct security checks on all Master's applicants.

In the event that a security record is returned on an HMS student, HMS will need to contact each affiliate where that student will be involved with patients and advise each affiliate that it needs to conduct its own security or Criminal Offender Record Information check on that student.

Other security checks will be performed for international students who must also meet all the requirements for an appropriate student visa.

6.12 Sign and Banner Posting

Boards are provided in various buildings, but may not necessarily be used by Master’s students for posting signs and fliers. Permission to post must be obtained from the department or program owner of the bulletin board. Postings on painted or glass surfaces will be removed. All fliers and notices should be put on bulletin boards and must pertain to student activities or interests. Students who wish to post larger easelsized posters or fliers, etc., in other HMS buildings should have their poster/flier reviewed and approved by their Program Director prior to posting. All postings must be appropriate and related to school activities.

6.13 Firearms, Explosives, Combustible Fuels, Fireworks, and Dangerous Weapons

Possession and/or use on university property of firearms or other dangerous weapons (as defined below) or ammunition, explosives, combustible fuels, firecrackers, and potential ingredients thereof is forbidden by University policy. The applicable Massachusetts law is as follows:

For the purpose of this paragraph “firearm” shall mean any pistol, revolver, rifle or smoothbore arm from which a shot, bullet or pellet can be discharged.

Whoever, not being a law enforcement officer, and notwithstanding any license obtained by the person pursuant to chapter 140, carries on the person a firearm, loaded or unloaded, or other dangerous weapon in any building or on the grounds of any elementary or secondary school, college or university without the written authorization of the board or officer in charge of such elementary or secondary school, college or university shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or both. A law enforcement officer may arrest without a warrant and detain a person found carrying a firearm in violation of this paragraph.

Any officer in charge of an elementary or secondary school, college or university, or any faculty member or administrative officer of an elementary or secondary school, college or university that fails to report violations of this paragraph shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by a fine of not more than $500. Massachusetts General Laws, c.269§ 10(j).

Under Massachusetts law, the definition of dangerous weapons includes many items designed to do bodily injury:

. . . any stiletto, dagger or a device or case which enables a knife with a locking blade to be drawn at a locked position, any ballistic knife, or any knife with a detachable blade capable of being propelled by any mechanism, dirk knife, any knife having a double-edged blade, or a switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release device by which the blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches, or a slung shot, blowgun, blackjack, metallic knuckles or knuckles of any substance which could be put to the same use with the same or similar effect as metallic knuckles, nunchaku,

zoobow, also known as klackers or kung fu sticks, or any similar weapon consisting of two sticks of wood, plastic or metal connected at one end by a length of rope, chain, wire or leather, a shuriken or any similar pointed starlike object intended to injure a person when thrown, or any armband, made with leather which has metallic spikes, points or studs or any similar device made from any other substance or a cestus or similar material weighted with metal or other substance and worn on the hand, or a Manriki-Gusari or similar length of chain having weighted ends . . . . Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 10(b).

In addition, students should recognize that even when they are away from the University, Massachusetts law requires a permit or firearms identification card or compliance with other specialized rules (depending upon the type of weapon) for possession of any firearms. Carrying any firearm (even if unloaded) in violation of the law is punishable by imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of eighteen months, which cannot be suspended or reduced. Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269 § 10(a).

Students should consult the local police department in the city or town in which they reside if they intend to possess firearms on non-University property, in order to assure strict compliance with the applicable statutes.

6.14 Threats Involving Deadly Weapons, Explosives, Bombs, Chemical or Biological Agents, or Other Deadly Devices or Substance

The following provision of Massachusetts law concerning certain kinds of threats underscores why such behavior must be treated by Harvard Medical School as an actionable offense:

1, Whoever willfully communicates or causes to be communicated, either directly or indirectly, orally, in writing, by mail, by use of a telephone or telecommunication device including, but not limited to, electronic mail, Internet communications and facsimile communications, through an electronic communication device or by any other means, a threat: (1) that a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon, as defined in section 121 of chapter 140, an explosive or incendiary device, a dangerous chemical or biological agent, a poison, a harmful radioactive substance or any other device, substance or item capable of causing death, serious bodily injury or substantial property damage, will be used at a place or location, or is present or will be present at a place or location, whether or not the same is in fact used or present; or (2) to hijack an aircraft, ship, or common carrier thereby causing anxiety, unrest, fear, or personal discomfort to any person or group of persons shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 20 years or imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 21/2 years, or by fine of not more than $10,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

2. Whoever willfully communicates or causes to be communicated such a threat thereby causing either the evacuation or serious disruption of a school, school related event, school transportation, or a dwelling, building, place of assembly, facility or public transport, or an aircraft, ship or common carrier, or willfully communicates or causes serious public inconvenience or alarm, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 3 years nor more than 20 years or imprisonment in the house of correction for not less than 6 months nor more than 21/2 years, or by fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $50,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Massachusetts General Laws, c.269§ 14(b)-(c).

6.15 Obscene or Harassing Telephone Calls

The placement of an obscene or harassing telephone call, which is a criminal offense, punishable to the full extent of the law in the courts, is treated as a serious disciplinary issue within the Medical School.

Information from the Harvard Police is available for anyone receiving such a call.

6.16 Patents, Trademarks, and “Use of Name” Regulations

Members of the University, including students, are expected to notify and to disclose to the Office of Technology Development (OTD) any discovery or invention they have made in connection with their University work. Copies of the University policy regarding inventions, patents, and copyrights are available from OTD here. When inventions are subject to the University policy, OTD determines whether a patent application should be filed (the cost of which is borne by the University) and undertakes a marketing effort to license the invention to one or more companies for development into commercial products. Net income received from licenses is shared with the inventors.

Use of the names and insignia of the University or any of its units by any student or student group is permitted only as spelled out in the University Policy on the Use of the Harvard Names and Insignias. In particular, reference to “Harvard” or “Harvard University” or suggestions of affiliation with any school or unit of the University in connection with any organization, publication, activity, or third-party is allowable only with advance permission of the Dean or Provost.

All student group names, logos, or publications incorporating any of the University’s trademarks (e.g., “Harvard Polo Club”) are owned by the President and Fellows of Harvard College and are used by permission of the University.

Harvard University’s Trademark Program, operated out of the Office of Technology Development, is responsible for licensing the use of Harvard’s various trademarks (e.g., “Harvard,” “Harvard College,” “Harvard Medical School,” “the VERITAS shield,” etc.) throughout the world. Revenue from the program is provided to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and is used for undergraduate financial aid. Any student group wishing to reproduce any University trademark on products (e.g., t-shirts, mugs, etc.) must contact the Trademark Program for written approval. The Trademark Program will provide guidance on how the marks may be used, can recommend licensed manufacturers, and will advise when royalty exemptions apply. In addition to licensing, the Trademark Program is responsible for dealing with the unauthorized use of the University’s trademarks by third parties worldwide. Any unauthorized use of the Harvard trademarks should be reported to the Trademark Program. The Trademark Program also provides advice on trademark-related issues and assists departments in obtaining trademark protection for any trademarks they are using, whether or not they include the word “Harvard.”

For questions and/or additional information please contact the Office of Technology Development at 1350 Massachusetts Avenue, Smith Campus Center #727; 617-4953067; or, at HMS, Gordon Hall, Suite 414; (617) 432-0920; hms_otd@harvard.edu.

6.17 Discrimination, Harassment, and Student Mistreatment

Harvard Medical School (HMS) takes issues of mistreatment seriously and aspires to a culture of zero tolerance for instances of abuse, mistreatment, and disrespect. HMS is committed to maintaining an environment free from discrimination, sexual harassment, unprofessional relationships, and abuses of authority. It is the strong and consistent policy of Harvard Medical School to treat all members of our community with respect, to provide an environment conducive to learning and working, and to ensure equal access to rights, privileges and opportunities without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected category. Discrimination or harassment on the basis of these characteristics is inconsistent with Harvard’s principles and policies. Harvard expects that all those who interact with members of our community will comply with our policies and with all applicable anti-discrimination laws.

See also the HMS Ombuds website

Policies

Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and other Sexual Misconduct

Harvard Medical School has adopted the University-wide Interim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy and Interim Other Sexual Misconduct Policy. In addition, the University’s Sexual and Gender Based Harassment policy addresses sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct alleged to have occurred between September 1, 2014 and August 14, 2020.

Copies of all policies and their associated grievance procedures can be found here. To the extent any existing HMS policies or procedures interfere with compliance with these policies and procedures, application of such HMS policies and procedures shall be suspended.

The policy can be reviewed on the University Title IX Website

Non-Discrimination

HMS is committed to maintaining an environment free from discrimination. Discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, age, ancestry, veteran status, disability unrelated to job requirements, genetic information, military service, or any other legally protected basis is prohibited. Please see: Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine Anti-Discrimination Policy

Abusive and/or Intimidating Behavior

HMS is committed to maintaining an environment free from abusive and/or intimidating behavior, defined as harmful mistreatment by works or actions that humiliate, degrade, demean, intimidate and/or threaten an individual or a group. To violate this policy, the behavior must be sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent such that a reasonable person would find it creates inhospitable working conditions and/or impairs the ability to carry out responsibilities to the institution. Please see: Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine Abusive and/or Intimidating Behavior Policy

Unprofessional Relationships and Abuse of Authority

Consensual romantic relationships that might be appropriate in other circumstances have inherent dangers when they occur between any HMS faculty member, fellow, or officer and any person over whom they have a professional responsibility (e.g., teacher, advisor, preceptor, or supervisor). Such relationships are fundamentally asymmetric and are considered to be unprofessional, because among other things, they may create an impression of inappropriate or inequitable academic or professional advantage or favoritism that can be destructive in the learning and working environments. These relationships may also be considered an abuse of authority. See also Section 4 generally and Section 4.08 specifically: Policy and Procedures for Consideration of Unprofessional Conduct; the HMS Ombuds website.

Academic Retaliation for Union Activity Policy and Process

Using an academic assessment or other academic action as a means to retaliate against a student for engaging in conduct protected by the HGSU-UAW bargaining agreement is unacceptable and prohibited. Examples of prohibited academic retaliation

include basing a grade, academic credit, authorship, or other academic judgment on a student’s participation in activities protected by the HGSU-UAW bargaining agreement.

A student who believes that they have been the subject of a retaliatory academic action as a result of union-related conduct that is protected under the HGSU-UAW bargaining agreement should initially discuss their concern with their academic dean, the Director of Graduate Studies or Director of Undergraduate Studies in the course or program in question. That individual will notify a representative from The Office of Labor and Employee Relations. The representative from The Office of Labor and Employee Relations, in consultation with the academic dean, the Director of Graduate Studies or Director of Undergraduate Studies, will determine if the student has engaged in conduct that is protected from retaliation under the HGSU-UAW bargaining agreement. If so, the representative from The Office of Labor and Employee Relations and the academic dean will engage with the student and relevant faculty member to attempt to resolve the matter informally. A matter will be deemed satisfactorily resolved when both parties expressly agree, in writing, to an outcome.

If the parties do not come to an informal resolution, the academic dean, the Director of Graduate Studies or Director of Undergraduate Studies in the course or program in question or a designee (the “Reviewer”) will conduct a review, which will include the following steps as relevant to the alleged retaliatory action:

(1) Ask the faculty member who took the academic action to explain the basis for the action.

(2) Identify a faculty member with subject matter expertise, and no involvement in the matter at issue, to review the student’s work product or the action and advise as to whether the action was reasonable.

(3) If the faculty member with subject expertise does not find that the action was reasonable, they will review other recent assessments of comparable student work by the same faculty member.

(4) Taking into account the information gathered by the faculty member with subject expertise, the Reviewer will issue a determination as to whether the challenged action was retaliatory.

Students who raise a concern under this policy may have a personal advisor (including, for members of the HGSU-UAW bargaining unit, a union representative) with them throughout this process.

In the event of a finding of academic retaliation, the Reviewer will forward their finding to the student’s Administrative Board which will determine the appropriate resolution. The Reviewer will forward their finding to the Dean of Harvard Medical School who will determine what action to take with respect to a faculty member found to have engaged in academic retaliation. The outcome of this process is final.

Reporting Allegations

Online Reporting

Any instances of mistreatment can be reported anonymously via phone or online through the ALERT Reporting Hotline—the Anonymous Learning Environment Reporting Tool. ALERT is a 24/7 anonymous mechanism for reporting mistreatment or any other student concerns. This reporting portal allows students to submit concerns to an outsourced third party that directs reports to the appropriate office: Title IX concerns to the HMS Title IX officer and all other student concerns to the Dean for Graduate Education, the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education, and the Director of Administration and Student Affairs. Reported incidents are treated seriously and responded to appropriately, fairly and expeditiously. HMS has a zero-tolerance policy for student mistreatment.

HMS Ombuds Office

The Ombuds Office is a confidential resource and will maintain anonymity.

Direct Reporting to Dean for Graduate Education

Students have the option, and are encouraged, to report incidents to the immediate attention of the Dean for Graduate Education, who will treat such reports with discretion.

Allegations of Sexual and Gender Based Harassment

HMS students wishing to report a violation of the University Policy should begin in all cases by contacting the Harvard University Office for Sexual and Gender-Based Dispute Resolution (“ODR”) or an HMS Title IX Coordinator

The Program in Graduate Education (PGE) works with offices at the affiliated hospitals, e.g., the Center for Professionalism and Peer Support at the Brigham & Women’s

Hospital, to address complaints of mistreatment. In addition, PGE leadership communicates with residency and fellowship directors for complaints against residents and fellows, with division chiefs and/or department chairs for complaints about faculty, and with hospital leaders for complaints about department chairs.

In cases where there is significant uncertainty and ambiguity, the Dean for Graduate Education appoints a joint faculty-student ad hoc committee to consider the complaint of mistreatment and relies on the committee’s recommendation for reporting and remediation.

For allegations against students: Cases of alleged harassment by medical students are adjudicated by the Harvard Medical School Promotion and Review Board (see Section 4).

For reports of sexual and gender-based harassment or other sexual misconduct: Harvard Medical School has adopted the University-wide Interim Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy and Interim Other Sexual Misconduct Policy. In addition, the University’s Sexual and Gender Based Harassment policy addresses sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct alleged to have occurred between September 1, 2014 and August 14, 2020. Copies of all policies and their associated grievance procedures can be found here.

Additional Resources

A student may seek counsel in a matter involving mistreatment, discrimination, affirmative action, or harassment through an appropriate officer, such as the University Title IX Coordinator or an HMS Title IX Resource Coordinator; a faculty advisor/mentor; a course director; the Director of Disability Services; the Associate Dean; the Director of Administration and Student Affairs. Students may wish to consult with the following offices which can provide information, assistance and support.

• Office for Dispute Resolution

• University Title IX Office

• HMS Title IX Resource Coordinators (Section 10.16)

• Office of Advising Resources

• Office of Recruitment and Multicultural Affairs

• Office for Academic and Research Integrity

• Director of Disability Services (Section 10.03)

• Ombuds Offices

- HMS (Section 10.05)

- HU

- Hospitals: The affiliated hospitals and institutions may have their own policies pertaining to your concern. Discuss your issue with the HMS Ombudsperson and/or check with the appropriate office in the institution in which you are rotating.

6.18 Missing Persons Policy

As required under federal law, Harvard Medical School immediately will refer to the Harvard University Police Department any missing persons report involving a student who lives in on-campus housing. If any member of the Harvard community has reason to believe that a student who resides in on-campus housing is missing, he or she should immediately notify HUPD at 617-495-1212. If HUPD determines that the student has been missing for more than 24 hours, then, within the 24 hours following this determination, the School or HUPD will:

1. Notify an appropriate external law enforcement agency, unless the local law enforcement agency was the entity that made the determination that the student is missing;

2. Contact anyone the student has identified as a missing person contact under the procedures described below; and

3. Notify others at the University, as appropriate, about the student’s disappearance.

In addition to identifying a general emergency contact person, students residing in oncampus housing have the option to identify confidentially a separate person to be contacted by Harvard in the event that the student is determined to be missing for more than 24 hours. Students are not required to designate a separate individual for this purpose and if they choose not to do so, then Harvard will assume that they have chosen to treat their general emergency contact as their missing person contact. Students who wish to identify a confidential missing person contact should notify the Registrar. A student’s confidential missing person contact information will be accessible only by authorized campus officials and by law enforcement in the course of an investigation, and may not be disclosed outside of a missing person investigation. In addition, if it has been determined that a student who is under 18 years of age and not emancipated has been missing for more than 24 hours, then the Harvard Medical School or HUPD will contact that student’s custodial parent or guardian, in addition to contacting any additional contact person designated by the student. Students are reminded that they must provide the Registrar with emergency contact information and/or confidential missing person contact information if they have not already done so.

6.19 Emergency Notification System (MessageMe Policy)

Emergency Notification System

All students will receive emergency notifications from Harvard University’s Community Emergency Notification System called MessageMe, which allows the University to quickly distribute critical information to you, wherever you are located, during an emergency.

MessageMe helps you stay informed in the event of an emergency by sending alerts to your personal electronic device (cell phone, PDA, smartphone, etc.) through text messaging, voicemail, and/or e-mail.

Students can update their MessageMe profile and provide additional notification methods by going to https://messageme.harvard.edu/.

6.20 Digital Millennium Copyright Act: Annual Notice to Students

Harvard University is committed to maintaining the integrity and availability of the Harvard network for the vital educational and research purposes for which it was designed and prohibits the use of its network to violate the law, including the U.S. Copyright Act. The unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, violates the Copyright Act and may subject you to civil and criminal liabilities.

Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or "statutory" damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For "willful" infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys' fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505. Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to ten years and a fine of $250,000 for an individual. For more information, please see the Web site of the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov, especially their FAQ's at https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/.

Harvard complies fully with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"). Users of the Harvard network found to have engaged in repeated infringement of copyright are subject to termination of their network access and may be reported to the appropriate Dean or Human Resources officer for disciplinary action. Use these links to find Harvard's policy or review the FAQs

6.21 University-Wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities

The central functions of an academic community are learning, teaching, research and scholarship. By accepting membership in the University, an individual joins a community ideally characterized by free expression, free inquiry, intellectual honesty, respect for the dignity of others, and openness to constructive change. The rights and responsibilities exercised within the community must be compatible with these qualities.

The rights of members of the University are not fundamentally different from those of other members of society. The University, however, has a special autonomy and reasoned dissent plays a particularly vital part in its existence. All members of the University have the right to press for action on matters of concern by any appropriate means. The University must affirm, assure and protect the rights of its members to organize and join political associations, convene and conduct public meetings, publicly demonstrate and picket in orderly fashion, advocate and publicize opinion by print, sign, and voice.

The University places special emphasis, as well, upon certain values which are essential to its nature as an academic community. Among these are freedom of speech and academic freedom, freedom from personal force and violence, and freedom of movement. Interference with any of these freedoms must be regarded as a serious violation of the personal rights upon which the community is based. Furthermore, although the administrative process and activities of the University cannot be ends in themselves, such functions are vital to the orderly pursuit of the work of all members of the University. Therefore, interference with members of the University in performance of their normal duties and activities must be regarded as unacceptable obstruction of the essential processes of the University. Theft or willful destruction of the property of the University or its members must also be considered as unacceptable violation of the rights of individuals or of the community as a whole.

Moreover, it is the responsibility of all members of the academic community to maintain an atmosphere in which violations of rights are unlikely to occur and to develop processes by which these rights are fully assured. In particular, it is the responsibility of officers of administration and instruction to be alert to the needs of the University community; to give full and fair hearing to reasoned expressions of grievances; and to respond promptly and in good faith to such expressions and to widely expressed needs for change. In making decisions which concern the community as a whole or any part of

the community, officers are expected to consult with those affected by the decisions. Failures to meet these responsibilities may be profoundly damaging to the life of the University. Therefore, the University community has the right to establish orderly procedures consistent with imperatives of academic freedom to assess the policies and assure the responsibility of those whose decisions affect the life of the University.

No violation of the rights of members of the University, nor any failure to meet responsibilities, should be interpreted as justifying any violation of the rights of members of the University. All members of the community — students and officers alike – should uphold the rights and responsibilities expressed in this Statement if the University is to be characterized by mutual respect and trust.

Interpretation

It is implicit in the language of the Statement on Rights and Responsibilities that intense personal harassment of such a character as to amount to grave disrespect for the dignity of others be regarded as an unacceptable violation of the personal rights on which the University is based.

It is implicit in the University-wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities that any unauthorized occupation of a University building, or any part of it, that interferes with the ability of members of the University to perform their normal activities constitutes unacceptable conduct in violation of the Statement and is subject to appropriate discipline.

This University-wide Statement and its first interpretation were adopted on an interim basis by the Governing Boards on September 20, 1970, and were voted to remain in effect indefinitely in May 1977. The second interpretation was adopted by the Governing Boards in January-February 2002.

6.22 Harvard University Policy on Access to Electronic Information

Harvard established a policy that sets out guidelines and processes for University access to user electronic information stored in or transmitted through any University system. This policy applies to all Schools and units of the University.

6.23 Crime Awareness and Campus Security for Members of the Harvard Community

The Harvard University Police Department is committed to assisting all members of the Harvard community in providing for their own safety and security. Harvard’s annual security report, prepared in compliance with The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the “Clery Act”), is entitled Playing it Safe, and can be found on the HUPD’s website.

Playing it Safe includes information about the HUPD, how to report a crime, HUPD’s crime prevention programs, substance abuse, sensitive crimes, and other important information about security and HUPD services on campus. It also contains three years of statistics on reported campus or campus-related crimes. A hard copy of Playing it Safe may be obtained by contacting the Harvard University Police Department at 1033 Massachusetts Avenue, 6th floor, Cambridge, MA 02138, (617) 495-1215.

6.24 Policy on Pets in the Classroom

Pets (animals of any kind, including dogs, cats, reptiles, etc.) are not permitted in classrooms, labs or in learning sessions of any kind, except for registered service animals. The presence of pets in the classroom may result in distractions for students and faculty; concerns of those who suffer from allergies or have a fear of animals; and a potentially unsafe environment for the animal (in the case of labs or proximity of hazardous materials). The Master’s program reserves the right at any time to require students or faculty who violate the policy to immediately leave the class session.

7. Student Health

7.01 General Information

Personal Responsibility: Harvard Medical School encourages Master’s students to pay close attention to immunization, standard precautions, and other preventive measures. The following sections outline these measures. Anyone who expects to spend time in a clinical facility must also meet the requirements of that facility for any and all immunizations and vaccinations.

Immunization: Under Commonwealth of Massachusetts legislation, students must present evidence of vaccination to many communicable diseases. Please refer to the Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) Immunizations page for up to date information about all required vaccines.

The only circumstances under which you may be exempted from the Massachusetts Immunization Law and the requirements of Harvard Medical School for serologies are as follows:

 You have certification, in writing, by a physician who has personally examined you and is of the opinion that your physical condition is such that your health would be endangered by one or more of the required immunizations; or

 You state in writing that such immunizations as required would conflict with your religious beliefs.

Infection Control: Students exposed to or with infectious or communicable illnesses, including COVID-19, diarrheal illness; pertussis (whooping cough); shingles; tuberculosis (TB); methicillin resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA) infection; Group A strep. infection; or draining lesions on the hands, must consult with HUHS/MAHS. In addition, a student in such circumstances should consult with the infection control office in the institution wherein the exposure occurred about the advisability of continuing to work in a setting that provides clinical care and to be sure they are following the local regulations. When for the student’s mentored research or capstone project involves human research subjects with certain respiratory infectious diseases, students must adhere to local regulations regarding precautions, including wearing appropriate masks. (see 9.09)

7.02 University Health Services

Harvard University Health Services

Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) provides comprehensive primary and specialty care to the Harvard community. The main location is in the Smith Campus Center in Harvard Square, and satellite clinics are located on the Business School, Law School, and Medical Area campuses. The Medical Area Clinic is located on the first floor of the west wing of Vanderbilt Hall. Patients are seen by appointment except in cases of emergency. Visit huhs.harvard.edu for additional information. Urgent Care for non-routine, urgent medical concerns or symptoms is available 24 hours a day at the Smith Campus Center location in Harvard Square. Students can schedule same-day non-routine appointments online through the Patient Portal or by calling 617-495-5711. Whenever possible, students are encouraged to call their health care team or mental health provider for advice during regular office hours. The Student Health Fee covers most medical and mental health care provided at HUHS facilities.

Students intending to use HUHS as their primary care provider are encouraged to establish a relationship with one of the internists at the Medical Area Clinic soon after arrival. Students should make an appointment for a medical history and a physical examination. Students are urged to take advantage of this opportunity to review the state of their health and to become acquainted with a specific physician or nurse practitioner whom the student may choose to see at future visits.

Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP)

All Harvard University students who are registered as more than half time pay the Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP) Student Health Fee, which enables them to use HUHS without additional charge for most services. Students who are half time or less can waive the Student Health Fee. Please note, students who waive the Student Health Fee as half time or less must also waive the Student Health Insurance Plan component. Additional information regarding waiving the Student Health Fee (and waiving in general) can be found on the HUSHP website here - (Select + WAIVING THE STUDENT HEALTH FEE). Students’ dependents may also enroll in HUSHP. Please refer to hushp.harvard.edu and to Sections 6.04: Medical Fees and 9.03: Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP) for more information.

Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS):

Psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric social workers are available for consultation at the Medical Area Health Service. Treatment options include individual psychotherapy, medication management, and group therapy. All visits are confidential and mental health records are held separately from the rest of the medical record, except for information on medications and hospitalizations. Counseling and Mental Health Services are also offered at satellite health clinics on the Business School, Law School, and Medical Area campuses. Please visit https://camhs.huhs.harvard.edu for more information.

Medical Specialty Care: A wide range of medical specialty services, including surgical and medical subspecialties, is available at Harvard University Health Services at the Smith Campus Center location in Harvard Square. Appointments are made by referral from one of the Medical Area Clinic physicians or nurse practitioners.

Dental Care: Dental coverage is not included in the Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP); however, an optional dental plan is available for students and their eligible dependents. Rates and enrollment and benefit information are available on the HUSHP website.

The Harvard Dental Service in Harvard Square also provides a full array of dental services at a discount to Harvard students. Full dental care is also available to students on a fee-for-service basis at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Faculty Group Practice on Longwood Avenue and at the Student Clinic of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

7.03 Student Health Program

Detailed information regarding the Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP) can be found at hushp.harvard.edu. Students should read the details of the Plan carefully and familiarize themselves with the coverage available. Students with questions should contact HUSHP Member Services at mservices@huhs.harvard.edu. For information about fees, see Sections 6.01 (Tuition, Fees, and Living Expenses) and 6.04 (Medical Fees).

Massachusetts Insurance Requirements

Massachusetts law requires that all full-time or part-time students enrolled in an institution of higher learning in Massachusetts participate in a qualifying student health insurance program or in a health plan of comparable coverage. All Harvard students are automatically enrolled in the Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP) and charges are applied to their student bill.

HUSHP is a comprehensive health program comprised of two parts:

Student Health Fee

Required of all students who are more than half-time and studying in Massachusetts. This fee covers most services at Harvard University Health Services (HUHS), including internal medicine, medical/surgical specialty care, mental health/counseling services, physical therapy, radiology, and urgent care.

Student Health Insurance Plan

Provides hospital/specialty care through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and prescription drug coverage administered by Catamaran. Coverage includes emergency room visits, hospitalizations, diagnostic lab/radiology services, ambulatory surgery, specialty care outside HUHS (limited), and prescription drug coverage. Benefit limits and cost-sharing may apply – visit hushp.harvard.edu for more details.

Waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan

Students enrolled in a comparable health insurance plan may be eligible to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan. Waivers must be completed by the appropriate deadline or the charges will remain on the student’s term bill. Information regarding waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan and fees can be found on the HUSHP website, hushp.harvard.edu/waive. Before waiving, students should carefully evaluate whether their existing health plan will provide adequate, comprehensive coverage in the Boston area. Visit the HUSHP website to review a waiver checklist for guidance. Students who waive the Student Health Insurance Plan will be fully responsible for all medical claims and prescription drug costs.

 International students studying on campus at Harvard are not eligible to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan with foreign insurance, including those with a U.S.-based administrator. This is a requirement pursuant to the Massachusetts student health program regulations. Only a limited number of students who meet certain criteria are also able to waive the Student Health Fee. Visit hushp.harvard.edu for additional waiver information and the online waiver application.

7.04 Reproductive Health

Harvard Medical School is committed to providing as safe an environment as possible for all students. Students with specific concerns about reproductive health may wish to contact the Safety Officer in the hospital to which they are currently assigned.

Additionally, if a student will be working with or around radioactive materials, Harvard’s Radiation Protection Office (46 Blackstone St., Cambridge, 617-496-3797 or 24-hour emergency number, 617-495-5560, or radiation_protection@harvard.edu) can provide confidential consultation and can enroll the student in the declared pregnant program.

Masters students involved in clinical rotations who wish to pump breast milk should contact the lactation consultant at the hospital to which they are assigned. Following are hospital-based consultants:

 Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: 617-667-5765 or 617-667-4695

 Brigham & Women’s Hospital: 617-732-6017 or 1-866-724-4327

 Children’s Hospital Boston: 617-355-0005

 Massachusetts General Hospital: 617-726-6976

 Cambridge Hospital: 617-665-1374 (Labor and Delivery)

The Harvard Longwood Campus has several private and comfortable Lactation Rooms in the Longwood area.

Logistics

The rooms are maintained by the Harvard Longwood Campus Offices of Human Resources

All rooms are equipped with Medela Symphony pumps. You would need to bring your own accessories when using Harvard’s Lactation Rooms.

When using a Lactation Room, you may lock the door from the inside for privacy. Note the time you will be finished on the white board on the door.

Log your time on the log sheets inside each Lactation Room.

Support

Accessory kits for Medela Symphony pumps can be purchased at a discounted rate at Harvard University Health Services Pharmacy at 75 Mount Auburn Street. Please call first to see if they are in stock prior to making the trip.

Nursing and working: guidelines and best practices

In case anyone forgets or breaks an accessory kit piece needed for the pump:

BWH has a pump accessories vending machine. Take the J elevator to the 6th floor (NICU). The vending machine takes cash or CC.

Boston Children’s Hospital has a pump accessories vending machine. Take the Hunnewell or Fegan elevator to the 1st floor. Turn left upon exiting the elevator and then take another left. The vending machine takes cash or CC.

Contact Harvard Longwood Campus Work/Life Program Manager, with further questions: worklife.hlc@harvard.edu

Please visit the Harvard Longwood Campus Lactation Rooms site for more detailed information.

7.05 Standard Precautions

Students working in the laboratory, in clinical simulations (such as teaching sessions that involve practice on volunteers or fellow students), or with patients or human subjects research participants, should follow standard precautions at all times:

1. Always wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer before and after touching a patient, after using the restroom, and after touching a contaminated surface. Infections are caused by bacteria or viruses MOST COMMONLY SPREAD BY UNWASHED HANDS.

2. Consider all blood, all body fluids, and all mucous membranes or non-intact skin from ALL PATIENTS to be infectious.

3. Wear gloves when exposure to blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, or nonintact skin may occur. Change your gloves and wash your hands after each procedure and before contact with another patient.

4. Wear a mask and protective eyewear (or face shield) when blood or body fluids may splash into your face.

5. Wear a fluid resistant gown during activity that may generate splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions.

6. DO NOT RECAP NEEDLES OR SHARPS after use. Place all disposable sharps into puncture-proof containers immediately after use. Locate the designated container before you begin the procedure.

7. Always use needle safety devices when available and activate the safety feature.

First – Attend to the injury

For example, if there is a wound from a sharp object, wash it with soap and water and apply direct pressure if it is bleeding. If clothing is contaminated from a chemical, biological, or radiation spill, remove it and wash the exposed area. Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are available when laboratory reagents and chemicals are used and may be a useful resource for immediate care. Be sure to inform your supervisor of the injury.

Second – Seek immediate medical attention at your clinical site

Your PCE or clinical supervisor has given you specific instructions for your site. If in doubt, you can also find the hospital-specific contact numbers for our 20 clinical sites below.

Note, when seeking immediate care in a hospital emergency department, medical and dental students should register using their Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP) Student Health Insurance Plan or other insurance. Do not register in the hospital emergency department as a hospital employee or you may be subject to higher bills than the copayment required by HUSHP or your other insurance.

Third – Plan any follow-up care with your primary care physician or their designee at HUHS within 48 hours

During weekdays, 9:00am-5:00pm, call the Medical Area Clinic at (617) 432-1370. After hours, weekends, and holidays, call HUHS Urgent Care at (617) 495-5711.

If you would like additional procedural advice, please call (617) 384-STIK (7845). This is a recorded message containing the pager number of the HUHS on-call physician. You may page the physician for procedural advice about the exposure and follow up care, rather than for medical advice.

Students are also advised to notify their supervising house officer and the infection control office in the institution where the incident occurred.

For more information, including contact information at Harvard’s teaching sites, visit the HUHS website.

7.06 Precautions Against Communicable Diseases

Students exposed to, or with, infectious or communicable illnesses, including COVID19, diarrheal illness; pertussis (whooping cough); shingles; tuberculosis (TB); methicillin resistant staph. aureus (MRSA) infection; Group A strep. infection; or draining lesions on the hands; must consult with Harvard University Health Services/Medical Area Clinic. In addition, students in such circumstances should consult with the infection control office in the institution wherein the exposure occurred or where the student may be involved in clinical research about the advisability of working with patients and to be sure they are following the local regulations. When working with human research subjects with certain respiratory infectious diseases, students must adhere to local regulations regarding precautions, including wearing appropriate masks.

All medical and dental students are required to have a tuberculin skin test during the 6 months before matriculation and every year thereafter. The test must be read by a physician or a nurse practitioner and documented in writing. Students known to be skintest positive should consult a physician at the Medical Area Clinic, as should those exposed to patients with active tuberculosis.

8. Services and Programs

8.01 Services for Students with Disabilities

Harvard Medical School (HMS) is committed to ensuring a supportive environment for students with disabilities by providing the opportunity for full participation in the HMS community. Harvard Medical School (HMS) complies with federal and state law prohibiting discrimination against any applicant or enrolled student on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual preference, age, disability, or other protected status. In accordance with its obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 5.04 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Harvard Medical School does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in admission or in access to programs and activities.

Requesting Accommodations

Process for HMS MD, Masters in Heath Science and HSDM Dental Students

A student interested in receiving accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS) and complete the following steps:

1. Schedule an intake appointment: A student initiates contact with the Office of Disability Services to meet with the Director of ODS. At this meeting, where there will be a review of the student’s reported impact of their disability, past use of accommodations and any disability-related supports they anticipate needing along with the opportunity to learn more about the office and complete an Intake Form. Even if a student does not yet have the appropriate documentation gathered in full, they should schedule this appointment without delay.

2. Submit documentation: Documentation provided by the appropriately licensed medical/mental health professional should include the students’ diagnosis, date of establishment, the impact of the diagnosis, the evaluation procedures, treatment and recommended accommodations in an educational setting. Accepted forms of documentation are a Neuropsychological Evaluation, diagnostic report, detailed letter or completed Documentation Form. Although documentation can be submitted during the intake appointment, it can also be submitted after.

3. Review process: Once documentation is submitted, ODS will determine appropriate reasonable accommodation(s) from a review of the documentation and the impact information shared by the student in conjunction with the technical standards, essential functions or learning objectives of a course/clinical/research requirement. As part of the review and on an as-needed basis, the Director of ODS may consult with relevant Harvard faculty, staff or administrators to review the reasonableness of requested accommodation(s).

4. Implementation: When the review is completed, the student will then meet with ODS to discuss the approved accommodation(s).

5. Ongoing responsibilities: The student should meet with the director at the beginning of each class/clinical experience. At this meeting, the Director will complete Student Accommodation Letters in order to inform professors/clinical directors of the approved accommodations the student wishes wish to utilize in the course. Accommodation(s) are not formally in place until a student has received Accommodation Letters, delivered the letters to their instructors and had a conversation with their instructors about how accommodation(s) will be implemented in the respective course.

Additionally, students have the opportunity to check in with the office throughout the semester with any questions or concerns.

Important Information

 Accommodation Letters must be obtained for each class in which a student wishes to receive accommodation(s).

 Accommodations are not retroactive.

 Faculty members are not obligated to provide any accommodation to a student until they have received the required Accommodation Letters and had a conversation with the student.

Office of Disability Services

TMEC Building, Suite 347

Timothy Rogers, Director

timothy_rogers@hms.harvard.edu

617.432.9198

For more information, please see https://accessibility.harvard.edu/

Appeal Procedure

A student has the right to appeal any accommodation decision by filing a written explanation and petition for reconsideration. The Director, Office of Disability Services will first attempt to mediate with the student and faculty/staff member.

If the Director is unable to resolve the matter, they will present the student's petition to the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs (APRB), chaired by the Associate Dean for Graduate Education. In adherence with confidentiality policies, the Disability Coordinator will obtain the student's written permission prior to distributing primary clinical documentation to members of the APRB, if relevant to the petition.

Members of the APRB will discuss the case and offer recommendation(s) for a solution. Within three school days following the APRB meeting, the Disability Coordinator will notify the student and faculty/staff member of the APRB’s recommendation(s).

If the APRB resolution is still unsatisfactory, the student may appeal in writing to:

Director, Harvard University Disability Resources

Smith Campus Center, Suite 662

Cambridge, MA 02138

617-495-1859

disabilityresources@harvard.edu

The Director of University Disability Resources’ decision will be final.

Harvard Medical School expressly reserves the right to make changes to its written policies, rules, and regulations that are consistent with its legal obligations of nondiscrimination and reasonable accommodation. The above information is not intended, and should not be construed, to give rise to contractual rights and obligations.

8.02 Office for Human Research Administration

The Harvard Medical School Office of Human Research Administration (OHRA) is responsible for the approval and oversight of human research conducted at HMS. All such research must receive approval from the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to the start of the study. Details about policy and procedures can be found at https://hlc.harvard.edu/ohra/

Determining if a Master's Student Needs HMS IRB Approval

1. If the student is also employed as a fellow at an HMS-affiliated hospital and is conducting Master’s research as part of the fellowship, then usually only hospital IRB approval is needed. In those cases where HMS is the recipient of a grant or other award which funds the research, HMS approval would be needed.

2. If the student is not employed as a fellow at an HMS-affiliated hospital but is conducting Master’s research at an affiliated hospital, the student needs to contact the OHRA to determine what type of action may be taken.

3. If the student is not employed as a fellow at an HMS-affiliated hospital and is conducting Master’s research at an international site, the student must contact the OHRA to obtain IRB approval even if the student already has approval from the international site. (Harvard will not cede review to an international site’s IRB.)

4. If the student is not employed as a fellow at an HMS-affiliated hospital and is conducting Master’s research at HMS (in a Quad department), the student would need IRB approval for any human subject research or might need to be added to an already approved study.

5. Please see https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/regulatory-affairs-and-researchcompliance/ for more information and contacts.

Important links

Information and forms for submitting IRB applications for research are available at https://hlc.harvard.edu/ohra/.

Guidelines for Research with Students as Participants

Students may participate in any study for which they are eligible; however, in order to prevent any coercion (or perception of coercion) or undue pressure for students to

participate, investigators should not specifically recruit students who work directly or indirectly for them, students who work with or for them, or students for whom investigators have any, even indirect, educational oversight, such as grading or assessment.

Participation in a research study may never be a condition of employment, insurance, grades, promotion, or any other benefits or bonuses. The Office of Human Research Administration is particularly mindful of situations that may put undue pressure on students to participate in research projects, and thus recommends that investigators refrain from directly soliciting students as participants. Students with questions or concerns related to participation in a research study should contact the Harvard Office of Human Research Administration. Contact information can be found at the OHRA site.

8.03 The Ombuds Office

The Ombuds Office, established in 1991, provides students with a highly confidential, independent and informal forum in which to help them to clarify their concerns, identify their goals, and consider all of their options in managing or resolving their concerns. The Ombudsperson serves students (as well as faculty, staff and trainees) at Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Harvard School of Public Health. The Ombudsperson does not serve as an advocate for any party to a dispute. However, an Ombudsperson does advocate for fair treatment and processes. Some typical concerns brought to the Ombuds Office include work, learning environment and performance, fear of retaliation, professional misconduct, authorship, sexual harassment, and discrimination. Any issue may be brought to the Ombudsperson.

The Ombuds Office seeks to enhance the ability of all students to deal more effectively with challenging situations on their own. If assistance is needed beyond individual coaching, further information can be gathered on behalf of the student, referrals can be made to those with expertise in a specific area or proper authorities at the school or affiliated institution can be contacted. When appropriate, the Ombudsperson can provide shuttle diplomacy or informal mediation services to help find a satisfactory solution. The student decides which course of action, if any, is taken and that action is tailored to fit each situation.

The Harvard Ombuds Office in Longwood is located at 164 Longwood Avenue on the first floor. For faculty, staff, students, trainees and appointees to Harvard Medical School, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and their affiliated institutions, please email robin_cheung@hms.harvard.edu or call 617-432-4041.

For more information: Harvard Ombuds Office, Longwood

164 Longwood Ave., First Floor Boston, MA 02115

Confidential Telephone: 617-432-4041

8.04 Harvard University Events and Information Center

The Harvard University Events and Information Center welcomes visitors and community members to Harvard and also provides services for the Harvard community and the general public. The Center's staff is happy to answer general questions and to provide maps, illustrated booklets, suggested walking tours, the Harvard Gazette (http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/), and background information on University events. In addition to these services, the Center also offers guided historical tours.

Schedules of Harvard events, which are listed in the calendar section of the Harvard Gazette, also appear on a video display at the Center and on the Harvard News office Website (www.news.harvard.edu) or can be obtained by dropping by the Events and Information Center.

Harvard University Events and Information Center

Smith Campus Center

1350 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA

http://www.fas.harvard.edu

617-495-1573

icenter@camail1.harvard.edu

8.05 Vanderbilt Hall Athletic Facility

The Athletic Facility in Vanderbilt Hall is available as a complimentary privilege to all Harvard University students. Students must have a valid Harvard Student Photo ID card. For more information, visit the Vanderbilt Hall Athletic Facility.

8.06 Harvard International Office

The Harvard International Office (HIO) (http://www.hio.harvard.edu/) provides programs and services for international students and scholars at Harvard as well as their families. The HIO is part of the University’s Central Administration and offers services to international students and scholars at Harvard College, the graduate and professional schools, as well as the numerous research centers and affiliated teaching hospitals, to minimize the difficulties they may experience both upon arrival and later during their stay at Harvard.

Mission: HIO provides information on a wide range of topics, including immigration issues (work permits, travel), financial questions, social and cultural differences, and resources at Harvard and in the community. International students are given the opportunity to participate in Harvard's International Student Host Program, which connects them with Americans living in the Cambridge and Boston areas.

The office also acts as a liaison between Harvard and various public and private agencies in matters affecting the University's international students and scholars. All newly admitted international students are required to check in with the International Office before registering in their schools and should bring their passports and visa documents or other evidence of their immigration status. All international students are encouraged to visit the office in order to take advantage of its programs and services.

The HIO is closed for walk-in advising and in-person office hours or appointments until further notice. International students and scholars have several options for getting in touch with the HIO:

1. Connect with an HIO Advisor through daily virtual advisor on call sessions (for quick questions only)

2. Contact your HIO advisor directly via email or phone

3. Make an appointment for a virtual 1:1 meeting with your HIO advisor

4. Email internationaloffice@harvard.edu

Harvard International Office

1350 Massachusetts Avenue

Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center, 864 Cambridge, MA 02138

Phone: 617-495-2789

Fax number: 617-495-4088

Website: www.hio.harvard.edu

8.07 Religious Activities

The Harvard Chaplains are a professional community of more than thirty chaplains, representing many of the world’s religious, spiritual, and ethical traditions, who share a collective commitment to serving the spiritual needs of the students, faculty, and staff of Harvard University. Please visit the Harvard Chaplains’ site for complete up-to-date information, news and events, a full description of groups and worship services.

The Harvard Chaplains

44R Brattle Street

First Floor

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138-6500

http://chaplains.harvard.edu/

E-mail for general inquiries: chaplains@harvard.edu

8.08 Security and Police

The primary responsibility of Harvard University Police is to respond to criminal emergencies as well as suspicious activity 24 hours a day.

Walking Escort Service

Call 617-432-1379 for an escort if you have to walk to your car, an MBTA stop or between buildings. Because a potential delay of 15 minutes in responding may occur, please call ahead. This service is for your safety and provided for everyone on Campus 24 hours a day.

Taxi Escort Service

Taxi Escort Service for some predetermined situations is available. For information about this service, call 617-432-1379 or check at the front desk of Vanderbilt Hall. You will need to present your valid Harvard ID card to use this service.

24-Hour Closed-Circuit TV-Monitored Entrances

Security coverage is active at all building access points including: Gordon Hall, Goldenson/Armenise, Building C/TMEC link, Countway, TMEC Longwood entrance, HSPH, Vanderbilt Hall and the Alpert Research Facility Longwood entrance. Although security officer coverage is limited to Monday through Friday, 8AM - 4PM, constant camera surveillance continues at all hours at the access points. To gain entrance to any HMS building between 4PM and 8AM, you must slide your Harvard photo ID (or affiliated ID) through or tap the card reader. Visitors must have verification or a visitor pass.

Parking Lot Surveillance/Monitoring Emergency Telephone Locations

The parking areas are routinely under surveillance by the Harvard Police after hours, 7AM - 5PM, and monitored during the business hours (7AM - 5PM) of the Medical School. Illegally parked cars will be towed Monday through Friday, 7AM - 5PM. All parking areas have nearby emergency telephones.

Secured bicycle cages/racks

Bicycle racks are located in the front of the Tosteson Medical Education Center (TMEC), on both sides of Gordon Hall, in the courtyard between the TMEC and Building C, and on the walkway at the rear of the Countway Library. A secure bicycle cage is located at the front of Countway Library. This cage has closed-circuit TV cameras and is controlled by the card access system. You may gain access to the bike cage by going to the Parking Office at 180 Longwood Ave., Monday through Friday, 7AM - 5PM, to have your Harvard ID programmed or by registering your bicycle(s) online. Although the cage and racks are patrolled daily by the Harvard Police, all bicycles should be locked as well with a high-quality bicycle lock.

Monthly reported crimes

This bulletin is a listing of all crimes reported to the Harvard Police. The purpose of the report is to create awareness among faculty, staff, and students, informing them of criminal activity. Several hints are included in the reported crimes bulletin, such as: 1) lock up valuables in your desk or locker; 2) do not walk alone after dark (call 617-4321379, walking escort); and 3) do not leave your office or dorm room untended or open even for a minute.

REPORT ALL SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO THE HARVARD POLICE, 617-432-1212.

Lock-outs

Although Security will respond to lock-outs, such requests are not considered a top priority. If you are locked out, call 617-432-1379. You must show your photo ID to the Security Officer who lets you in.

8.09 Voter Registration

Students should decide where to register and whether they will need an absentee ballot. Some students attending school in Massachusetts may consider their school's address their residence for voting purposes while others may still consider their home address their residence for voting purposes. In either case, the student must register in order to be eligible to vote. For more information, please visit: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/.

8.10 Harvard University Office for Gender Equity and Title IX Coordinators

HMS is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the Harvard community is, on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity, excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in any University program or activity.

Please see the University-wide Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment Policy for additional information. The procedures for handling complaints are available on the Title IX website.

Title IX Coordinators serve in a neutral role and support all members of the Harvard community. Coordinators have specialized experience in responding to disclosures of sexual and gender-based harassment in the Harvard community. They are also aware that your concerns may be of a sensitive nature and can offer support to help you continue with your work or studies while maintaining appropriate discretion.

Contacting your Title IX Coordinator is different from filing a formal complaint with the Office for Dispute Resolution. When you reach out to a Title IX Coordinator, you are free to share as much or as little information as you feel comfortable.

Title IX Resource Coordinators for HMS

Mark Addison

Title IX Resource Coordinator for Students

Gordon Hall, Faculty Affairs, Suite 206 25 Shattuck Street

Boston, MA 02115 Mark_Addison@hms.harvard.edu

Carol Bates

Title IX Resource Coordinator for Faculty

Gordon Hall, Faculty Affairs, Suite 206 25 Shattuck Street

Boston, MA 02115

carol_bates@hms.harvard.edu

José Martinez

Title IX Resource Coordinator for Staff and Postdocs

Gordon Hall, Human Resources, Suite 320

25 Shattuck Street Boston, MA 02115

Jose_martinez@hms.harvard.edu

University Resources

Nicole Merhill, Title IX Officer

Title IX Office

44R Brattle Street, 2nd Floor

Cambridge, MA 02138

Phone: (617) 496-2470

Email: nicole_merhill@harvard.edu

Website: http://titleix.harvard.edu/

OGE: Sexual Harassment/Assault Resources & Education (SHARE)

William McCants, Director of the Office for Dispute Resolution (ODR)

ODR

44R Brattle Street, 2nd Floor

Cambridge, MA 02138

Phone: (617) 495-3786

Email: odr@harvard.edu

Website: http://odr.harvard.edu/

Office of Sexual Assault Prevention & Response

617-495-9100

Harvard University Health Services

617-495-5711

Harvard Chaplains

617-495-2581

Harvard University Police Department

617-432-1212 (Longwood Campus)

617-495-1212 (Cambridge Campus)

Outside Agencies

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)

8.11 Harvard University Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

The Harvard University Office for Gender Equity promotes the compassionate and just treatment of student survivors, their friends, and significant others. It fosters collaborative relationships between campus and community systems, and affects attitudinal and behavioral changes on campus as we work toward the elimination of sexual violence against all people. For more information, click here

8.12 Global Support Services (GSS)

The Global Support Services (GSS) office provides tools and guidance to Harvard schools, departments, and travelers to help the University go abroad. GSS is a hub for addressing global issues including safety and security, finance, visas, human resources, and other operational matters. Students who plan to travel abroad, particularly for credit or with Harvard funds, should be aware of the services offered and the emergency evacuation insurance available through Harvard Travel Assist. Eligible students must register their overseas trip with the Harvard Travel Assist program and keep their information updated while abroad to prevent any delay in providing services in the event of a natural disaster, political upheaval, or health issue. HMS students travelling abroad for credit or with Harvard funding should read all relevant policies and contact the HMS Office of Scholarly Engagement for advise on the relevant safety training and forms that must be completed prior to travel.