Gail Gustafson

Keith Gnoza

Erica George

Anne Creamer

Anne is the primary contact for employers posting internship and job opportunities; manages our career management system, CREATE; coordinates on campus recruiting and career fairs. She also meets with students on recruiting questions and utilizing CREATE.

Sean Conlon

Transportation

You can use one fare card for both subway and bus, but the easiest way to buy commuter rail tickets is through the commuter rail mobile app . There are two kinds of fare cards: the Charlie Card and the Charlie Ticket. Charlie Cards are RFID-enabled plastic cards which you can refill with both cash and weekly or monthly passes at a station or online . Using a Charlie Card gets you a discount compared to a Charlie Ticket, but you can only get Charlie Cards at a few select stations or through the mail. Charlie Tickets are paper tickets available from vending machines at every station, and you can fill them either with cash or a weekly pass, but they can’t be refilled. MBTA fare rates are kept up to date on their website. And check below for information on the MBTA’s semester pass discount program for students!

The MBTA has several endorsed mobile apps . These apps plus others available at various app stores allow you to track buses, plan journeys, and more.

The Subway

Boston has the oldest underground subway system in the US – it opened in 1897!

Subway Routes & Transfer Stops
The five subway lines—Red, Green, Blue, Orange, and Silver—meet at six transfer stops in downtown Boston: Park Street, Government Center, Downtown Crossing, South Station, Boylston Street and State Street.

The Red Line is the line that runs closest to the GSD. It transfers to the Green Line at Park Street, the Orange and Silver Line at Downtown Crossing. Its terminus stations are Alewife Station (northwest), Ashmont (south, Dorchester) and Braintree (southeast).

Inbound/Outbound & Terminus References
One source of confusion when first navigating the T is the inbound and outbound signs. In general, if you’re traveling toward one of the main transfer stops in downtown Boston, you’re going inbound and if you’re traveling away, you’re going outbound. On the Red Line, Downtown Crossing is “the center.” But it’s actually much easier to just use the terminus station as a reference, since those aren’t dependent on where you’re starting. If you want to go southeast on the Red Line, you’ll take an Ashmont/Braintree train (branches after JFK/U Mass); to go northwest, you’ll take an Alewife train.

Stations to Know
Park Street is the busiest (and oldest) station in the system. Also a good place to start walking the Freedom Trail, if you’re one day so inclined. (Red/Green Lines)

Downtown Crossing is the most “inbound” station. (Red/Orange Lines)

South Station is the central Boston bus, Amtrak and MBTA commuter rail depot. Plan an extra 10 minutes to walk from the MBTA station to the bus terminal—it’s far. The SL1 to/from Logan Airport stops here, too. (Red/Silver Lines, West & South Commuter Rail, Amtrak, Bus Terminal)

North Station is another Amtrak station and also a station for many of the commuter lines that’ll take you on all kinds of adventures up the coast (like to the beach). (Green/Orange Lines, Northwest & North Commuter Rail)

Porter Square Station also connects to the Fitchburg commuter line, which runs west through northern Massachusetts. (Red Line, West Commuter Rail)

The Bus

To get around within Cambridge & Somerville, the bus system is often more direct than the subway. You must pay with a fare card or have exact change to pay in cash.

A selection of the routes available is listed here. Visit the MBTA website for all routes, with maps and schedules.

#1: Harvard Sq/Dudley Sq via Mass Ave
The #1 bus runs along Mass Ave toward Boston. It’s the best way from the GSD to Newbury Street. Pick it up on Mass Ave opposite Holyoke Street or in Central Square. During rush hour the #1 is often slow and packed.

#66: Harvard Sq/Dudley Sq via Allston-Brighton
The ultimate in cross-town buses, the #66 goes to downtown Allston, Coolidge Corner, Brookline Village, up over Mission Hill and into Roxbury. Pick up this bus at several locations in Harvard Square.

#69: Harvard Sq/Lechmere
The quickest way from Harvard Square or Inman Square to the Cambridgeside Galleria Mall.

No Late-Night T

Unfortunately, the subway and buses stop running at 12:45am, and depending on which stop you are at, the last train may be as early
at 12:15am. Look for signs posted in stations. Trains begin running again at 5am.

MBTA Semester Pass Program

The firm deadline to order for Fall 2025 is Tuesday, August 12th, at noon EDT. Orders for Spring 2026 will open in December.

GSD students can purchase semester MBTA bus, link, and commuter rail passes (all zones) at a discount of 11% off the standard monthly pass price, by completing the MBTA Semester Pass order form online by the appropriate deadline. The cost of the semester pass will be charged to the student’s term bill. Once available, student purchasers will receive an e-mail to pick up their passes from Student Life in Gund Hall. Fall passes cover the period from September through December. Spring passes cover the period from February through May.

You must be enrolled at the GSD for the semester you are purchasing a pass. Students on leave are not eligible to purchase a semester pass.

The LinkPass and the Local Bus Pass are the most popular pass types for GSD students.
LinkPass: Unlimited travel on subway (“T”) and local bus
Local Bus Pass: Unlimited travel on local bus and Silver Line routes SL4 and SL5
You should use the MBTA Trip Planner to determine your MBTA pass needs.

Please consider your needs carefully before placing an order. After an order is placed, we are not able to process refunds.

Students with certain disabilities may be eligible for reduced MBTA fares. For more information, please visit the MBTA’s Transportation Access Pass page . Please note this program is separate from the Semester Pass program and all Transportation Access Pass inquiries should be addressed to the MBTA.

Taxis

Boston area cabs have a minimum base fare and then charge by distance traveled. Passengers must pay any tolls . Don’t forget to tip. Some cabs do not take credit cards, especially if the ride costs less than $10. Make sure you ask before you ride! Some reliable cab companies are:

Cambridge Ambassador Brattle Cab (617) 492-1100
Yellow Cab of Cambridge (617) 547-3000
Somerville Green & Yellow Cab (617) 628-0600

The Boston area is also well-served by app-based rideshare companies such as Lyft and Uber, and many local cab companies can be booked through apps such as Curb, Arro, or their own company apps.

Blue Bikes

BlueBikes  is the Boston area bike share system.

It’s a great way to get around the area by bike and not worry about locking up or parking a bike for the day.  

• Pick up at any dock, return to any dock
• Conveniently located dock right outside of Gund Hall on Quincy St
• Coverage throughout Cambridge, Somerville, Boston, and many surrounding towns
• E-bikes available for additional fees
• Often has back to school or other promotions for free trial memberships
• Offers income eligible reduced price  memberships (requires application and documentation)
• There’s a Harvard affiliate discount !

Rentals

Zipcar

A Zipcar is incredibly convenient for quick trips to the grocery store or Home Depot and is also great for day trips. Plus, the ZipCar founder is a Loeb Fellow! For overnight and long-distance trips, a  standard rental car is probably cheaper. An annual membership fee allows you access to the self-service car-sharing club. As a Harvard student, you get a sizeable discount  on the membership fee. Zipcars are parked at various locations throughout the Boston area. You simply make a reservation online (or on the app), use your Zipcard to unlock the car at its specified location, and return it to the same location when you’re finished.

Rental Discounts

Some rental car companies offer student discounts. To explore rental car discount options, check out Travel Services for information.

Moving Trucks

U-Haul is not necessarily the cheapest, but probably the most convenient when used in conjunction with their temporary and long-term storage units.

Owning a Car

There are many advantages to owning a car in Cambridge: grocery shopping, moving studio supplies around and adventurous trips to the Cape or Mass MoCA. Living without a car, however, has its own advantages, too.

Challenges of car ownership

Parking a car in the Cambridge area can be difficult. Look for apartments that offer off-street parking. If you don’t have to park on the street, you can keep your car registered in your home state. If you do park on the street, get a local permit and pay attention to street cleaning days and emergency snow routes: if you leave your car on the street during these all important clearing times, your car will be ticketed and towed, at considerable cost and inconvenience to you. Cars registered in Massachusetts must pass annual inspection and emissions check, offered inexpensively at local garages. Cars with Massachusetts plates and an expired state inspection sticker will be impounded.

On-Campus Parking

The lottery for student parking permits is competitive. Even if you do get a parking spot, it will probably be at the Business School lot across the river, a 20-minute walk from Gund. More information is available from the Harvard Parking Office .

Getting a Resident Parking Permit

Unless you have an off-street parking spot, you’re going to want a permit to park on the street. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to get Massachusetts insurance (the highest rates in the country) to get a local parking sticker. You generally need to show some proof of residency (e.g. bank statement, utility bill, lease, etc.). Check the most up-to-date specifics for your city:

• Cambridge Resident Parking Permit application
• Somerville Resident Parking Department
• Boston Resident Parking Permit Information

Towing

If your car is towed, you may need to contact the police to find out where it’s been taken. Have your license plate number ready. In Cambridge you can also use or use the online Towed Vehicle Lookup .

Getting a Massachusetts Driver’s License

To get a new driver’s license in Massachusetts, you will need to complete both a written and a driving test at the Registry of Motor Vehicles . For the driving test, you will need to have access to a car. If you only need to transfer an out-of-state license, you just have to bring them some paperwork and pay a fee. It can be a long wait at the RMV, so before you go check and double check that you’re bringing the right documents.

See this dedicated page for more information on Massachusetts ID cards.

International Students: Getting a Massachusetts ID Card

Massachusetts has a minimum drinking age of 21, and waiters and bar door staff will check your ID. To avoid carrying your passport around, you might want to get a Massachusetts Driver’s License or Liquor ID Card from the RMV.

Insider Tips

Parking Near the GSD 

Good luck! There are meters on Oxford, Cambridge and Kirkland. Bring quarters, though some meters can now be paid through an app. Meters have a two-hour maximum. For loading and unloading, you can often park in front of Gund on Quincy in the turnabout.

Winter Driving

If you’ve never driven in the snow, take it easy and check out the Massachusetts Safe Winter Driving Tips in snow and icy conditions.

Boston Drivers

Massachusetts drivers consistently rank among the worst in the country, according to the GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test. The roads here are narrow, windy and often one-way, making navigation tricky. Top that off with hard-to-find parking and snowy winters, and you’re in for a real mess.

Trains & Buses Out of the City

Buses

Most regional bus trips leave from the South Station bus terminal From the South Station MBTA stop, follow the signs to direct you from the T Station through the main hall of the Amtrak terminal and across to the South Station Bus Terminal. The walk is a good 10 minutes, so factor this into your schedule. Most buses have wi-fi and power outlets, but they don’t always work. Greyhound and Peter Pan drop off at Port Authority, NYC’s main bust station. Bolt Bus ’s street-side drop-off and pick-up point in NYC is far more convenient than Mega Bus ’s.

Go Bus is another great bus option for trips to NYC. It leaves from Alewife Station (the northern terminus of the Red Line and only a few stops from Harvard) in Cambridge and drops off close to Penn Station in NYC.

Trains

Amtrak from South Station

Amtrak tickets can be expensive, but you can often find deals – look under the “Savings and Promotions” area of the Amtrak website and pay special attention to packages for museum trips or Broadway shows. Amtrak trains depart from South Station and make a second pick-up at Back Bay Station. There are two types of trains: Acela and Regional. The Acela is about half an hour faster and is more comfortable, but costs significantly more.

Amtrak from North Station

In addition to the commuter rail, North Station also provides rail service to the New Hampshire and Maine coastline. The Downeaster offers great deals for tickets up to Portland, ME.

MBTA Commuter Rail

From Providence to Rockport, the commuter rail (the Purple Line on T maps) connects outlying towns to the city. You can get to a nice beach town in less than an hour! Commuter trains leave from two stations: North Station (trains headed north to Concord, Lowell, North Shore) and South Station (trains headed south or west to Worcester, Providence, South Shore). Schedules change seasonally. Download the handy MBTA mTicket app for your smartphone and you can buy a ticket ahead of time or even once you’re on the train.

Planes

Boston Logan Airport

There are many ways to get to Logan Airport — taxis, cars, vans, or by T:

Taking the T

Take the Red Line to South Station (six stops from Harvard), and transfer to the Silver Line 1 to Logan Airport. The bus will stop at all airport terminals. You should expect the trip to take about an hour, but at peak times, the Silver Line (which is an express bus, not a subway) can be crowded and chaotic. The Silver Line is free when boarding at the airport.

Note: If you live closer to a Green Line station, head to Gov’t Center, transfer to Blue, and at the ‘Airport’ stop board a quick shuttle bus to the terminals. It takes about the same time (but with at least an additional transfer) as the Red/Silver route.

Taking a Taxi

You may find that dragging your bags all over Boston on the T is exhausting or time-consuming. For about $40, plus tip and tolls , a taxi or rideshare service will take you to Logan from the Harvard Square area. Students often split cab rides to the airport around holiday and break times.

By Car

Driving to Logan only takes about 20 minutes from Cambridge, when traffic is good (budget twice that if it’s rush hour). Take the Mass Pike towards Boston and follow the signs for the airport. If you are in Somerville, take Washington Street to McGrath Highway at Union Square, get onto 93 South, and follow signs to the airport. Have a friend drive you – you’ll pay much more in airport parking fees than you would spend on a taxi.

Traveling Abroad

International Students: Always check with HIO

The Harvard International Office (HIO) recommends international students check with their office before making any travel plans. This goes for when you’re considering which traveling options studios to rank highly, too. Every country has its own visa rules and timelines for travelers of various nationalities.

Students should only travel outside the US if all of their documents related to US immigration status are in order. Make sure you are aware of any potential travel impacts from special circumstances, such as a leave of absence or travel after your official date of graduation. If you have any questions or doubts, check with HIO before you leave the country.

Traveling for a GSD Studio or Course

Many GSD students will take an option studio or research seminar that involves international travel. Please read carefully the Travel Warnings and Consular Info provided by the US State Department for the country or countries you plan to travel to and through.

Emergency Assistance

Harvard University Global Support Services has a program called Harvard Travel Assist to provide 24-hour worldwide emergency medical and evacuation assistance for Harvard affiliates traveling abroad on University business.

During a medical or security incident abroad, you can call Harvard Travel Assist at +1-617-998-0000 for immediate support. If you can’t call, email Travel Assist with “Urgent” at the start of your subject line if it’s an emergency. The phone line is answered immediately; an email response may take four hours for urgent requests and 24 hours for non-urgent requests.

To expedite assistance, it’s crucial that your itinerary is entered in the Harvard Travel Registry .

Harvard Travel Registry

All students traveling abroad are required to register with the Harvard Travel Registry for all trips funded or arranged by Harvard or for which they will receive Harvard credit. It has been created so the University can locate you quickly and provide assistance in the unlikely event of an emergency.

Register your itinerary and contact info online and be sure to update it if they change during the course of your trip. The Travel Tools website also contains useful info for planning a safe trip, including links to important resources such as visa services vendors, which can provide assistance with visa and passport requirements and applications.

International Students

If you are an international student and traveling outside the US, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with all the DHS regulations and that you have the proper documents for travel and re-entry into the US. Please remember to bring your passport (with a valid visa stamp), I-20, DS/2019 and all other visa documents. To avoid confusion, use your full legal name as it appears on your passport for all transactions, such as airline tickets. If you have any questions, consult the Harvard International Office (HIO).

Travel Tips

If you want to go off on your own while on a group trip, make sure the trip leader knows where you’re going, when you’ll be back and how to reach you.

Write down all of your important info (passport, credit card numbers, emergency contacts), and store it at home or with a reliable person in case of theft.

Student Academic Affairs Committee

The Student Academic Affairs Committee provides students a voice in the academic life of the GSD. The Student Forum Academic Chair, the Director of Administration for Academic Affairs, and the Director of Student Affairs co-chair the committee. Members include Student Forum, the elected Class Representatives from each degree program stream and class year, faculty Program Directors and staff program administrators, and Student Affairs staff.

Each semester, the committee convenes to review and discuss policies relating to all students at the school. Members also recommend academic changes to the Executive Committee and work with other areas of the school such as the Fabrication Lab and Frances Loeb Library on a project-by-project basis.

Students who want to get involved should contact the Student Forum Academic Chair or their Class Representatives. Erica George is the primary staff contact for this committee.

Student Forum

Student Forum serves as the executive board of the GSD’s elected student government. The Student Forum works to improve student life at the GSD and serves as a link between the student body and the school administration.

Members of Student Forum meet regularly with Student Life and with the Dean, as well as the Class Representatives. The members of Student Forum, along with Class Representatives, also participate in the Student Academic Affairs Committee. Through the roles of the different officers within Student Forum, the student government maintains regular communications with major offices at the GSD such as Alumni Relations, Facilities, Career Services, the office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, the Frances Loeb Library, etc. Members of Student Forum also serve on other ad-hoc administrative and student committees. They holds weekly internal meetings, as well as certain meetings open to the entire student body. Student Forum can also facilitate open meetings for the student body with the Dean.

Student Forum assists in managing budgets for various activities, events, and projects, such as the Halloween and Beaux Arts Ball parties and the Student Conference Attendance Fund. The Student Activity Fee provides funding for Student Forum and student organizations. Student Life staff work with Student Forum and the student organizations on budgeting and approve allocations.

The GSD student body elects Student Forum officers each spring. They serve for a full academic year, taking over from the outgoing leadership each May, and serving for the following fall and spring semesters. Student Forum officers also have the option to appoint committees to help them carry out their work.

In addition to Student Forum, Class Representatives from each graduation-year cohort of each academic program stream represent GSD students. In addition to serving on the Student Academic Affairs Committee, Class Representatives meet several times each semester as a student council, and assist Student Forum officers with committees and projects.

Read the Student Forum Bylaws

To contact Student Forum, email [email protected]

Officer Roles

Student Forum executive board officer roles currently include:

• President
• Vice President & Academic Chair
• Professional Development Chair
• Diversity & Inclusion Chair
• Student Organizations Chair
• Resources Chair
• Communications Chair
• Social Events Chair (2 positions)
• Harvard Graduate Council Representative (2 positions)

Elections

Students elect both Student Forum and Class Representatives to serve a one-year term over the course of an academic year, beginning with elections in April of the preceding academic year. (First-year representatives are elected in September.

Students interested in running for Student Forum or Class Representative seats should attend an informational session and then declare their candidacy. Student Forum candidates should also submit a brief statement, which we will circulate to the student body. This statement should be a paragraph or two and serve both to introduce the candidate, and express the candidate’s reason for running and vision for how they will act in the role they seek to fill. Students running for Class Representative seats do not need to submit a statement.

The following sample elections timeline outlines the expected schedule, although specific dates may change from year to year:

First half of April:
Info Session
Hear from Student Forum chairs and Class Reps about their positions and what it’s like being part of student government
Deadline to declare candidacy (all candidates)
Also deadline for Student Forum candidates to submit candidate statements

Mid April:
Candidate Forum
Your chance to hear from candidates for Student Forum and ask questions (note that this may be virtual or consist of written statements)
Voting Opens
Voting opens shortly after the Candidate Forum concludes, and remains open for several days
Voting Closes
We announce the winners before the end of the spring term.

The newly elected Student Forum joins the outgoing Student Forum in a transition process, including group and individual meetings, over the remaining weeks of the academic year. The outgoing Student Forum remains in office through the end of the academic year.

Wellness Resources

The following wellness resources are available to the GSD community. We encourage students, faculty, and staff to familiarize themselves with these resources. For more information, contact Student Affairs.

CAMHS Cares Line for Students 24/7

The Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS)  Cares line 617-495-2042 is a 24/7 support line for Harvard students who have mental health concerns, whether they are in immediate distress or not, on-campus or elsewhere.

At all times, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, students can follow the prompts to speak directly with a CAMHS Cares Counselor about an urgent concern or if they just need to talk to someone about a difficult challenge they are going through.

We’re All Human – Mental Health Campaign

We’re All Human is a university-wide mental health awareness campaign that explores ways to make counseling and mental health services more accessible. It also addresses mental health, sexual climate, inclusiveness, isolation, and belonging. Learn more about the campaign, its resources, and support services available to students, faculty, and staff.

Harvard Ombuds Office

The Harvard Ombuds office is a confidential and independent resource open to anyone from the Harvard community.  A discussion with an impartial Ombuds can help a visitor voice concerns, clarify goals and consider options so they can make their own best decisions about next steps.  Any issue affecting one’s work or studies may be brought to an Ombuds.  Services include coaching for difficult conversations, facilitation of individual or group conversations, education regarding policies, procedures and resources, connecting to resources when requested, and providing upward feedback to leadership about systemic trends and concerns.  Training is also available upon request.  The Harvard Ombuds Office is now one office with two locations serving Cambridge and Longwood.  Appointments are available in person and virtually.

Find Your Harvard Ombuds

For Students

Harvard Crimson Folder for Faculty and Staff

View the GSD Crimson Folder

Emergency Contacts

Harvard University Police Department (HUPD)

Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) Urgent Care

Counseling and Mental Health Services 24/7 Support Line

Office for Community Support, Non-Discrimination, Rights and Responsibilities (CSNDR)

Accessibility Services

Harvard is committed to the full inclusion of students with disabilities in the life of the University. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act  (ADAAA), GSD provides accommodations and support to students with documented disabilities on an individual, case-by-case basis. Harvard University makes changes to, alters, or modifies its policies, practices and/or procedures, when necessary for students to have an equal opportunity to participate in its programs and activities. These changes are commonly referred to as “reasonable accommodations.” An accommodation is not reasonable if it would: lower or substantially modify academic requirements (e.g. a request to change the content of an exam, or a request to be exempt from assigned work); impose an undue administrative burden (e.g. reminders of deadlines); be provided for personal use or study (e.g. hearing aids, personal care attendants, or tutor or coaches); or require a fundamental alteration of the nature of Harvard’s programs or activities. If a requested accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of a Harvard program or activity, other accommodations will be considered to permit participation in the program or activity to the maximum extent possible. Initiating the Accommodation Process To initiate the accommodation process, please submit an Accommodation Request Form along with the necessary supporting documentation. Documentation must be from a health care provider with the expertise to give an opinion about the student’s disability and functional limitations and should outline the current impact of the disability; identify a connection between the disability and the accommodation requested; and substantiate why the requested reasonable accommodation is needed. Documentation should include the following:

• Signed, dated, typed narrative on letterhead: Narrative must be in English (or translated into English by a certified translator).
• Description of Current Disability and History of Diagnosis: The documentation must be accurate and relevant to the student’s current diagnostic profile, regardless of the age of the documentation.
• Current Treatment Plan: If applicable to accommodation planning, provide details of the current treatment plan.
• Functional Impact of Diagnosis: Describe how the diagnosis affects the student’s daily activities, such as learning, concentrating, walking, seeing, etc.
• Recommendations for Mitigating Limitations: Recommended strategies or accommodations that will help mitigate the impact of the described limitations in an academic setting.
• Signature of Qualified Care Provider: The documentation must be signed by a licensed treating physician, therapist, or other qualified care provider who is not related by blood or marriage to the student.  We cannot accept a form or template from another institution.

The GSD has also created a Medical Provider Form that can be used in lieu of the documentation identified in the guidelines. While there is no age limit on the documentation a student can provide, it must allow us to understand how a student is currently impacted by disability. Documentation must provide substantial and clear evidence that supports the need for higher education accommodations. If Student Life receives documentation that does not provide the information, they need to assess your accommodation request, we will let you know what information is missing and will give you an opportunity to provide additional documentation. Once received, someone from Student Life will contact you to schedule an appointment. GSD Disability Resource Guide No matter where you fall on the spectrum, the GSD Disability Resource Guide was developed to provide you with answers to frequently asked questions, direct you to available supports, and highlight campus and community resources.

Temporary Disabilities and Services

You are not considered disabled if you have a temporary illness or injury; however, you may be in need of services or accommodations similar to those provided to students with permanent disabilities. If you are a student with a documented temporary illness or injury, contact [email protected] to discuss your case. Disability-Related Housing Requests Students who wish to live in Harvard University Housing (HUH) must contact the HUH Disability Coordinator as well as register for housing accommodations through GSD Student Life. Housing accommodation requests must be reviewed and approved before housing accommodation requests are coordinated. Admitted GSD students should follow the instructions outlined above for requesting HUH housing accommodations. Accommodations for Studio Trips  If you are a student requesting accommodations for a studio trip, contact [email protected] or 617-495-1166, to discuss accommodations. Academic Coaching All students have access to the GSD Academic Coach. See the GSD Academic Coaching website to learn more. Student Accessibility Advisory Group (SAAG) Students across Harvard, who are dedicated to fostering an accessible, welcoming, and inclusive community, with their insights informing the work of the University Accessibility Committee. Want to learn more? Contact [email protected]. Confidentiality  Harvard GSD works to maintain privacy; however, information may be shared internally for legitimate need to know reasons and to coordinate support and accommodations. Diagnostic documentation is kept confidential and is not part of the student’s academic transcript. However, staff are mandatory reporters for sexual assault or recent suicidal attempts or plans. This means that any explicit references to these topics in documentation or discussions require us to connect students with confidential support resources on campus. If you have already reached out to these resources or prefer not to disclose certain details, we encourage you to discuss the relevant diagnosis and symptoms/impact without sharing specific events you wish to keep private. If in the future, you would to be referred to the resources available on campus, we can help connect you. Disability Grievance Process  If you disagree with the approved accommodation, promptly provide a written statement of your concern, with recent clinical documentation, to the Director of Student Life. All grievances must be filed within 30 days of the alleged act of discrimination. If Student Life cannot resolve the grievance independently and promptly, they will convene a committee to review the matter. The committee will be comprised of the Registrar, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, and, as a nonvoting member, the Director of Student Life. The committee may contact the Associate Director of Student Life, the instructor, program managers, or other appropriate personnel to discuss the requested accommodations, as needed. The committee may also request additional supporting documentation or an independent medical evaluation on the request for accommodation. In cases where timeliness of an accommodation is important, every reasonable effort is made to complete each stage of the process within 10 working days, unless the circumstances require a more rapid response. In some situations, we may provide the requested accommodation on a provisional basis, without obligation to continue the accommodation if it is found to be unreasonable or inappropriate. If you are dissatisfied with a decision of the committee, you may appeal in writing to University Disability Resources, by e-mail at [email protected]. Call (617) 495-1859 or (617) 495-4801 (TDD) if you have any questions. Read about the University grievance process for more information. In most circumstances, the University disability coordinator will not overturn the decision of the committee unless presented with new information or other grounds that warrant a different outcome. Questions? If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment to discuss accommodations, please e-mail [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm EST. Contact [email protected] Phone: 617-495-1166 Fax: 617-495-8949 Hours M-F, 9am-5pm EDT