Dear Harvard College Students,

Nothing is more important to us than ensuring that you thrive academically at Harvard. In the service of that commitment, we are establishing the Academic Resource Center (ARC). Launching in August at 1414 Massachusetts Avenue, the ARC will offer a wide array of academic support services, including responsive resources, consultations, workshops, and targeted coaching. Working with students to develop their academic skills and to expand their capacities for self-advocacy, the ARC will further our mission of academic inclusion by ensuring that all students have equal access to a Harvard education, using new methods adapted to the needs of today's students.

Our decision to create the ARC was prompted by what we've been hearing from students, particularly about academic stress, and we hope to continue hearing from you in the months to come. Please visit the new ARC website to find answers to frequently asked questions, and to share your thoughts. Tell us how we can create an ARC that responds to your needs and ensures that all students have a transformative education at academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu.

As we establish the ARC, we will be winding down its precursor, the Bureau of Study Counsel (BSC). Founded in 1947, the BSC has supported generations of Harvard students and we are grateful to all the academic counselors, program coordinators, and administrative staff for their dedicated and caring work. The BSC will close on December 31, 2019, and all students who currently work with counselors at the BSC will be supported during this transition.

For more information, please see an article which ran in today’s Harvard Gazette.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the new ARC in the fall semester.

Amanda Claybaugh
Dean of Undergraduate Education

Rakesh Khurana
Danoff Dean of Harvard College