Dear Harvard College Students, 

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with many of you today about what you have been experiencing since you heard the news that you will have to leave campus. I recognize how difficult the last 36 hours have been for all of you, and I sympathize with the frustration you are experiencing as you try to meet the challenges ahead. Please know the College is working hard to support you and respond to the needs of our community in the midst of this rapidly evolving situation. We are committed to sharing as much information as possible with you as we learn more. I am writing now with updates about course flexibility, storage, shipping, travel booking assistance, room and board, as well as housing exceptions.

Course Flexibility 
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences has decided that effective immediately, all major academic deadlines, including Senior Thesis due dates, will be extended by one week. We hope this will allow you to focus on the logistical challenges of leaving campus.  

Storage, Shipping, and Travel Booking Assistance 
Mike Burke sent a message earlier today detailing additional move-out resources for all students. Please refer to this detailed resource for more information. 

Room and Board 
Room and board charges will be prorated for students who move out. 

Housing Exceptions
We are aware of the many circumstances that might make it very difficult for some students to return home. We are committed to ensuring our students’ well-being while also mindful of public health guidelines for the need to de-densify our residential buildings. The College will review all applications and announce decisions beginning tomorrow. I promise you that each application receives the careful consideration it deserves, while also remaining mindful of the need to provide answers quickly.

Additional Resources
Urgent Care, CAMHS, Title IX, and AODS remain open and fully operational. These resources are here to support you, so please take advantage of them if you need to. We have developed FAQs that are updated frequently, and a website for all College updates and information related to COVID-19. 

We are a community that gathers, and I know that the shift in our daily life on campus will bring great challenges and disappointments. In particular, I am thinking about our seniors. We’ve had an extraordinary journey together, and I know this is not how you or I expected our spring semester together would end. I am also thinking about our first-year students who were looking forward to Housing Day and to meeting all of the upper-class students, tutors, staff, and faculty deans who were excited to welcome them to their new home. We will find a way to celebrate this tradition in another way. 

I appreciate your efforts to adhere to the health guidance provided by health experts for our campus, our larger community of Cambridge, and the world. I know in the coming days and weeks we will feel a range of emotions, have more questions to answer, and that we will continue to find ways to come together as a community. 

Warmly,

Dean Khurana