Dear Harvard College Community,

As I begin my 11th year as Dean of Harvard College, I write to share with you that this will be my last. A year ago, I was prepared to make this announcement as I began the final year of my second term and what at the time I believed would be the closing chapter of my deanship. However, fate had different plans, and at the request of senior leadership, I agreed to remain for an additional year to support transitions at the University. I am profoundly grateful that I did, for that decision has afforded me the opportunities that lie ahead this academic year— to savor each moment, each conversation, and each encounter with all of you—the remarkable students, faculty, and staff at Harvard College.

Serving as Dean of the College has been one of the greatest honors and joys of my life. Harvard is a remarkable university, but the College—this vibrant, dynamic, and diverse community—is truly the heart of the institution. I will miss the inspiring walks I have taken through Harvard Yard each day, the collaborative efforts with our faculty and staff to strengthen our curriculum and enhance our residential experience, and the opportunity to witness the countless moments of discovery and growth among our students. But what I will miss most of all are the daily interactions I have been so privileged to have with our wonderful undergraduates. It is in those moments that I have found the true essence of Harvard College—a place where learning is not just academic but profoundly personal, where every student is encouraged to pursue truth, to question, and to grow.

The work of being the Dean of the College is only possible with help, and I've had lots of it. I am indebted to our leaders with whom I have served, including Presidents Faust, Bacow, Gay, and Garber; Provost Manning; FAS Deans Smith and Hoekstra; and my fellow deans from across the University who have given so much to Harvard.  And I am grateful to the thousands of employees across the University who make Harvard run every day, as well as the broader community who care so deeply about the College, including our families and alumni. I especially want to thank the College staff, who have a special place in my heart—they embody our holistic educational philosophy.  I look forward to thanking as many of these people as I can in the months ahead.  

Institutions often seem as though they will endure forever, but we must not take for granted the stability and strength of this great university, and the depth of talent we have assembled. As one of our nation's oldest and most renowned institutions, Harvard is not immune from the forces that lead to institutional decline—complacency, risk avoidance, protecting our reputation at the expense of our values. As someone whose scholarship and teaching has centered on institutions, leadership, and governance, I know as well as anyone that institutions are bigger than any individual. Nurturing this institution is a team effort, and we are all caretakers of a legacy, entrusted with the responsibility to protect and strengthen it for those who come after us. The future demands our collective commitment, vigilance, and care to ensure Harvard’s continual renewal and steadfast pursuit of excellence and truth. 

As I embark on my final year with each of you, I have even more hope than I had a decade ago. I know now, far better than I did before, the boundless capacity for good in this place. I know that there is virtually nothing we cannot achieve when we all pull in the same direction.  Much work remains, and I am committed to joining all of you to see the job through with renewed dedication to our mission of educating citizens and citizen leaders for our world.  

Semper Veritas,

Rakesh Khurana
Danoff Dean of Harvard College