2016 Harvard College Prepared by HCIR STUDENT COMMENTS ABOUT SINGLE GENDER SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS Survey Comments from AY 2010-2011 through AY 2014-15 Survey Comments about Single Gender Social Organizations Please use the space below to elaborate on any of the questions on the survey and to comment on any other aspect of your undergraduate experience not covered in this questionnaire Socially, Harvard needs to address some social issues that they seem to neglect. I am deeply concerned about the house renovation projects, which, to my understanding, are essentially getting rid of private common rooms (replacing with "public" common rooms). In doing so, the university is naively and unrealistically not giving students ways to engage in social behaviors that college students will undeniably do. This also increases the demand and power of final clubs and other organizations that have great social spaces (pudding institute, lampoon, crimson, etc), which will exacerbate many of the negative social pressures that exist on campus (dynamics between final club students and others, gender-related issues - especially sexual assault, etc). The point is, Harvard needs to be mature about and accept the fact that college students engage in various social behaviors and thus do things to help students do these things in a safer and more accessible way. Pretending like they don't exist simply makes the situation worse and students have a much worse experience as a result. 2013-2014 Senior Male 1) I think there is a strong need for more final club/fraternity-type opportunities for undergraduate students. This experience is currently restricted to only a small percentage of the male student body, and could offer tremendous opportunities for growth. / 2) I think Harvard needs to have an Accounting course at this point. The number of students who regularly cross-register for Accounting at MIT is overwhelmingly high, and an indication of a short- coming of this university. / 3) More funding must be provided for the annual Yardsfest. The spring concert is generally an event students at universities highly anticipate in their spring semesters. Because of Yardfest's tight budget and lack of ticketing, this event is relatively unexciting for most of Harvard's student body. This could instead be a significant chance for the entire university's undergraduate body to unite around one big performance. 2013-2014 Senior Male I really think that class unity is lacking at Harvard. Therefore, I really think we should think about the Housing system. Yes, the House system is traditional, however, I think the following housing system would have other benefits: Freshmen Live in the yard, sophomores in the quad, and juniors and seniors on the river. / / I think the Smith Center and its design and utilization will be key for future development of Student Life. I think its important to offer large spaces for student groups to rent out to create a more accessible social scene and something that can compare to "the final clubs". Having a bar or club space would be great, as well as large areas for students to convene for meetings or conferences 2013-2014 Senior Female Page 1 of 160 Survey Comments about Single Gender Social Organizations I feel like Harvard sometimes doesn't treat us like adults, or trust us to make our own decisions. Just two examples: there are tutors in every entryway, and HUPD officers patrolling all around campus. What's passed off as "safety" or "security" can feel a lot more like "surveillance." / / This feeds into social life, which can feel very exclusive and limiting, especially if you're underage and not in a final club. Friends from other schools (e.g. Brown) are shocked to hear that we have to fill out party forms. There should be more social alternatives. / / The Gen Ed program feels more stifling than it does expansive and helpful -- I've always known that I won't go into a STEM-related career, and yet I've had to struggle through math and science courses. I don't feel that these courses have significantly added to my ability to navigate the modern world. Rather, I've heard a lot of student frustration about how irrelevant these courses often feel. I think if given the freedom of choice, students would be more likely to participate in things they're truly excited about rather than feeling frustrated by requirements. 2013-2014 Senior Male One thing that surprised me as an international student, was how little sexual harassment and sexual assault was prosecuted at Harvard. Just being here for 4 years I have met a number of people that have had traumatic experiences but were unable to do anything about it. Most of the final clubs are essentially institutions of rape. I understand that they are not technically affiliated with Harvard, yet it is mostly Harvard students that attend these clubs and the university chooses to turn a blind eye towards sexual crimes that take place in its back yard on a regular basis. 2013-2014 Senior Male Harvard needs to do better with sexual assault. It seems that after the recent buzz about sexual assault at the College I keep hearing about more and more friends of mine or friends of friends who have been assaulted, or roofied, or raped, at parties (particularly final club parties) - and it is NOT ok. I really hope we make a lot of progress in that area, and soon. 2013-2014 Senior Female Final clubs are harmful to the cohesion/inclusiveness of the campus community by 1) making the social community exclusive and elitist, 2) dividing students along racial/socioeconomic lines, and 3) preventing students without privileged backgrounds from getting to know others with backgrounds different from their own 2013-2014 Senior Male I definitely need that Harvard has to improve the social life on campus. New England weather is already miserable enough. Therefore, students need social activities to hang out, have fun and meet each other. Everybody here is already working quite hard, and often depressed with studies. I believe that a Student Center is necessary for students to hang out, where there would be lots of social events. I didn't specifically enjoy the dispersed social life of Harvard where people hang out separately in houses, final clubs and rooms. I believe that it should be more centralized. 2013-2014 Senior Male Page 2 of 160 Survey Comments about Single Gender Social Organizations The presence of Final clubs on campus is socially cancerous. It bifurcates the social scene in a most undesirable way and provides a haven for sexual assault on campus. I know Harvard does not have formal ties with these institutions, but it should be a priority to minimize their influence on campus. This begins with relaxing alcohol restrictions in freshman dorms, which drives freshman women to final clubs for alcohol/social activity. 2013-2014 Senior Male I really think Harvard should focus on providing more common spaces that foster a sense of community. For example, I saw that Yale's house basements were a lot more utilized with students as there were a lot more couches, foozballs, and boardgames. I also think the student center would be a good idea, and that students should be able to host open parties in student centers or other common spaces rather than their dorm rooms or turning to frats/final clubs. / Lastly, I really think that there should be an evaluation of UHS's mental health services because my own and my friends' experiences with this service have not been satisfying. 2013-2014 Senior Female I am so disappointed with how all of the initiatives for "social spaces" are daytime spaces and also largely outdoors, which is irrelevant for at least 80% of Boston weather. What students need are night time alternatives and the ability to organize events that are alternatives to Final clubs. 2013-2014 Senior Female as a female student, final clubs made me constantly feel unsafe in campus social life and excluded from important social / academic / extracurricular experiences. they made me feel terrible for much of my time on campus. if harvard could do one thing to vastly improve the lives of its female (and maybe male) students, it should shut down the final clubs. 2013-2014 Senior Female Harvard has been a remarkable privilege. I relish the friendships I've made, the mentoring relationships I've benefitted from, and the extracurricular work I've invested myself in. My academic world has promoted scholarship and service, and cultivated empathy and understanding for the condition of others. I value all these opportunities, and would replace them for nothing. / / However, Harvard has A LOT of work to do to catch up to the 21st century when it comes to making an inclusive environment for women, minority groups, and students within lower economic brackets. / / I am literally in awe that the gender exclusivity and fundamental elitism of institutions like Final clubs (and other groups "on" campus...) are not held in higher/public contempt by the administration. / / It sends the message that my worth is less valuable as an undergraduate woman than the potential $$ value of contributions from wealthy male alums who may be perturbed by such a statements of condemnation from the University. / / On these few grounds, Harvard needs to change. Inaction is reprehensible. 2013-2014 Senior Female Page 3 of 160 Survey Comments about Single Gender Social Organizations The final club system single-handedly keeps Harvard back 20 years in terms of social progress. It is one of the last bastions of institutionalized racism, sexism, and aristocracy left at the school, even if most of its individual members are not, in and of themselves, racist, sexist, or classist.