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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 2023-2024

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 Associate Professor of the Humanities 

Jerry Green 
David A. Wells Professor of Political Economy 

Andrew Ho 
Charles William Eliot Professor of Education 

Daniel Jacob 
Vasco McCoy Family Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Environmental Engineering 

Elena Kramer
Bussey Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Co-Director of Harvard Integrated Life Sciences

Rebecca Lemov 
Professor of the History of Science 

Erez Manela
Francis Lee Higginson Professor of History, FAS

Robert Stavins 
A.J. Meyer Professor of Energy & Economy Development 

S.V. Subramanian 
Professor of Population Health and Geography 

Karen Laura Thornber 
Harry Tuchman Levin Professor in Literature and Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations 

Regularly Invited Guests 

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 

Ann Hall 
Chief of Staff, Harvard Griffin GSAS 

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

Shelby Johnson
Associate Director of Academic Programs, Harvard Griffin GSAS

Robin Kelsey 
Dean of Arts and Humanities and Shirley Carter Burden Professor of Photography 

Lisa Laskin 
Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education 

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 

William Stackman
Dean of Students, Harvard Griffin GSAS

Christopher Stubbs 
Dean, Sciences and Samuel C. Moncher Professor of Physics and of Astronomy 

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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