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Graduate Policy Committee

The Graduate Policy Committee advises the Dean of Harvard Griffin GSAS on major policies and resource allocations affecting all PhD programs.

The Graduate Policy Committee (GPC) reviews graduate programs, engaging with program leaders about admissions practices, advising systems, student life, curricular offerings and requirements, temporal guideposts and time to degree, and outplacement of degree holders. Reviews are scheduled in a regular cycle over the years. Additionally, the GPC coordinates with the FAS Faculty Council and its subcommittee on graduate education on policy discussions, mandated reviews of programs, and consideration of proposed new PhD programs. Where appropriate, the GPC also coordinates with relevant bodies at other Harvard schools involved in interfaculty PhD programs. 

Membership 

Co-chaired by the Dean of the FAS and the Dean of Harvard Griffin GSAS, the GPC includes two senior faculty each from the FAS humanities, social science, and natural science programs; several senior faculty members involved with interfaculty graduate programs; and an ex officio senior faculty member designated each year by the Committee on Graduate Education of the FAS Faculty Council. The Dean of Harvard College, FAS divisional deans, the registrar, and additional senior Harvard Griffin GSAS administrators are invited to attend meetings that cover issues relevant to their expertise or responsibilities. 

Graduate Policy Committee Members 2024-2025

Emma Dench  
Chair, Dean, Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and McLean Professor of Ancient and Modern History and of the Classics

Laura Frahm  
John L. Loeb Professor of the Humanities and Director of Graduate Studies for the Art, Film, and Visual Studies Program

Gonzalo Giribet 
Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Professor

Jerry Green 
David A. Wells Professor of Political Economy and John Leverett Professor in the University 

Eddie Kohler
Microsoft Professor of Computer Science      

Elena Kramer
Bussey Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Interim Director of the Harvard University Herbaria, and Faculty Fellow of the Arnold Arboretum

Rebecca Lemov 
Professor of the History of Science 

Robert Stavins 
A.J. Meyer Professor of Energy and Economic Development and Director of Graduate Studies for the Doctoral Programs in Public Policy and in Political Economy and Government

S.V. Subramanian 
Professor of Population Health and Geography and Faculty Chair of the Center for Geographic Analysis of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, and Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoology           

Karen Laura Thornber 
Harry Tuchman Levin Professor in Literature, Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and Richard L. Menschel Faculty Director of the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning              

Paola Uccelli
Professor of Education and Co-Faculty Director of the Doctor of Philosophy in Education Program

           

Regularly Invited Guests 2024-2025

Hopi Hoekstra 
Co-Chair, John L. Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences 

Allen Aloise
Dean for Administration and Finance, Harvard Griffin GSAS

Noël Bisson 
Dean for Academic Programs, Harvard Griffin GSAS 

Lawrence Bobo 
W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of the Social Sciences and Dean, Social Sciences

Robert Coughlin
Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid, Harvard Griffin GSAS

Jen Flynn 
Senior Director of Global Outreach, Harvard Griffin GSAS 

John Girash
Director of Graduate Education, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Ann Hall 
Chief of Staff, Harvard Griffin GSAS 

Shelby Johnson
Associate Director of Academic Programs, Harvard Griffin GSAS

Sean Kelly
Dean of Arts and Humanities and Teresa G. and Ferdinand F. Martignetti Professor of Philosophy

Lisa Laskin 
Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education

Jeff Lichtman
Dean of Sciences, Jeremy R. Knowles Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Santiago Ramón y Cajal Professor of Arts and Sciences

Erika McDonald 
Registrar of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University

David Parkes 
Dean, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences 

Rosalind Segal 
Dean for Graduate Education, HMS 

Bailey Snyder
Director of Communications, Harvard Griffin GSAS

Dan Volchok
Interim Dean of Students, Assistant Dean of Student Success, Harvard Griffin GSAS

Sheila Thomas 
Dean for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging and Special Projects Advisor

Nina Zipser 
Dean for Faculty Affairs and Planning, FAS 

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