|
With 680 undergraduate students, nearly 200 graduate students, and
over 60 faculty members, the Government Department is one of the largest
departments at Harvard. In our department you will find that the people
behind the desks and on the other side of the phone lines are all committed
to helping students choose courses, navigate department requirements,
and investigate career options. To this end the department has established
several resources designed specifically to assist undergraduate students.
This chapter introduces the people who work to help make the undergraduate
experience the best it can be for all students.
The Undergraduate Program
Hopefully, you have already been to the Undergraduate Program at least once
to get a signature on a form or a question answered, and we hope that
was just one of many visits you will make to the Undergraduate Program during
your time in the department.
At the very least, the Undergraduate Program is where you will come to get
forms signed, such as add/drop and pass/fail, and to turn forms in,
such as Government 97 sectioning or junior seminar/tutorial lottery
forms. More importantly, though, you should think of the Undergraduate Program
as the place to come for advice and information. Whether you need help
with the specifics - concentration requirements, course planning, finding
a thesis advisor; or more general advice - "should I go abroad?,"
"should I write a thesis?," "what should I do this summer?,"
the Undergraduate Program is the place to start.
Director of Undergraduate Studies
The DUS is the academic advisor for the Department of Government
and is prepared to advise you on all ordinary and extraordinary requirements
related to your concentration, including waiving of requirements, Government
credit for courses taken in another department or at another university,
and other matters related specifically to the Government concentration.
The DUS is aided by several Concentration Advisors (CA's) who
are graduate students in the department, and the Coordinator of Undergraduate
Studies, who manages the Undergraduate Program and the Undergraduate Program.
The DUS and Concentration Advisors are available to speak with
concentrators about any aspect of their experience in the department.
To make an appointment with the DUS call 5-3249.
Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies
The Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies is the full-time administrator
of the undergraduate program. In addition to managing the Undergraduate Program
and supervising the staff, she serves as a liaison between students
and faculty, and between the Undergraduate Program and other offices throughout
the University (such as the Registrar and the Undergraduate Houses).
The Coordinator also oversees the production of the various written
materials produced by the Undergraduate Program, including this Undergraduate
Guide, the Senior Honors Handbook, The Gov. Department News, the list
of courses that count for Government and related field credit, and the
registration materials.
You should feel free to contact her with any questions or concerns
related to the Undergraduate Program. She can be reached at her office at 1737 Cambridge St., N 151B every day 9:30-5:30 or by email.
Concentration Advisors
The Concentration Advisors have regular
weekly office hours. Whenever you have a question
about a requirement, about course selection, about the direction of
your program - whatever it might be - please call or stop by. Though
we recommend that you meet with your assigned Concentration Advisor,
any CA will be happy to help you. In addition, if you have questions
about a particular field it may be helpful to see the Concentration
Advisor whose graduate work is in that field.
Each Concentration Advisor is assigned to one or two of the Undergraduate
Houses and will serve as the official departmental advisor for the government
concentrators in those Houses. In addition to signing your study card
and any other forms, they will serve as your primary resource in the
Undergraduate Program.
While anyone on the Undergraduate Program staff is available to help you,
we strongly encourage you make an effort to meet with your assigned
CA so you can become familiar with each other and you will be able to
call upon an advisor in the department who knows you. Each CA has regular
weekly office hours and can be reached by email, or at the Undergraduate
Office (5-3249).
All discussions with any member of the Undergraduate Program staff are confidential.
It is important that you keep them abreast of any difficulties, change
of plans or other potential problems that may arise during the course
of your studies.
The earlier the Undergraduate Program staff becomes aware of a problem, the
easier it is to fashion a timely response. Often, you may be facing
a problem shared by others in the concentration, and your willingness
to bring it to the attention of the Undergraduate Program staff will benefit
them as well.
Faculty Concentration Committee (FCC)
The Faculty Concentration Committee (FCC) is composed of 6 faculty members:
the DUS and at least one representative from each subfield. They
meet approximately once a month with the Undergraduate Affairs Committee
(UAC) to hear student concerns and discuss policy issues related to
the Undergraduate Program. The Committee also considers joint concentration
petitions.
The UAC is an advisory body consisting
of student representatives from each of the undergraduate Houses, the
DUS, the Undergraduate Coordinator, and members of the Department's
Faculty Concentration Committee. The UAC deals with general issues of
policy, such as course offerings, concentration requirements, departmental
administration, undergraduate counseling, etc. The committee is an advisory
body, providing a feedback mechanism for voicing the opinions of concentrators
about the quality of the entire undergraduate program and for identifying
any outstanding problems which merit attention. It meets approximately
once a month.
Student representatives to the UAC are selected at the beginning of
each academic year in each of the residential Houses of the College.
Selection is usually by election, lottery, or by appointment by the
Concentration Advisor and the Resident Tutor in Government in your House.
If you are interested in serving on the UAC please contact your Concentration
Advisor or Resident Tutor. In the last few years the UAC has addressed
a wide range of issues, such as revisions to the Gov. 97 curriculum,
the quality of teaching fellows, the elimination of the written general
exams, enhancement of advising (including the senior thesis process
and seminar series for juniors and seniors), and changes to concentration
requirements.
Resident Tutors
Resident Tutors in the Houses are an additional source of support. In
some cases your Concentration Advisor will also be your Resident Tutor;
in other cases your Resident Tutor will work together with your Concentration
Advisor to help provide you with academic assistance.
Your Resident Tutor in Government is a full-time graduate student who
is working toward completing a doctorate in one of the four subfields.
He or she can provide timely advice on courses and activities in their
area of specialization.
The Resident Tutor is frequently supplemented by one or more Non-Resident
Tutors, who share responsibilities although they do not live in the
House. Though Resident and Non-Resident Tutors cannot sign study cards,
they can provide a wealth of advice about the Department, your fields
of study, and your program as a whole.
|
