Harvard Extension School complies with the following federal and state guidelines, outlined below:
Extension School policy and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (“FERPA”), provide students and former students certain protections and rights concerning the confidentiality of their educational records maintained by the Division of Continuing Education.
Under FERPA, certain student information designated as “directory information” may be disclosed without a student's consent. The Extension School defines the following student information as directory information: name; date of birth; dates of enrollment; full- or part-time status; degree or diploma program; area of concentration; field of study; Harvard University ID image for degree and diploma candidates; academic honors; prior degrees and schools attended; and expected or actual date of graduation.
Students have the right to withhold the disclosure of their directory information; to do so, a student must submit the Request for FERPA Block to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information to Academic Services. See Harvard University’s FERPA Block Information to download a form. Students should carefully consider this decision because once they choose to withhold directory information it will not be released to anyone, including prospective employers seeking confirmation of enrollment.
FERPA permits disclosure of educational records without a student’s knowledge or consent under certain circumstances. For example, disclosure is permitted to Harvard officials with a legitimate educational interest in the records, meaning that the person needs the information to perform the functions of his or her job, including instructional, supervisory, advisory, administrative or other duties. “Harvard officials” include faculty, administrators, clerical, professional employees, and agents of the University such as independent contractors performing functions on behalf of the Extension School, the Division of Continuing Education or the University. A student’s education record also may be shared with parties outside the University under certain conditions, including, for example, in situations involving the health and safety of the student. In addition, the Extension School will forward a student’s education records to other agencies or institutions that have requested the records and in which the student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student's enrollment or transfer. If the Administrative Board finds that a student has committed a disciplinary violation involving a crime of violence or a nonforcible sex offense, the Extension School also may, if legally permitted and in the Extension School’s judgment appropriate, disclose certain information about the disciplinary case. The disclosure may include the student’s name, the violation committed, and the sanction imposed.
Students and former students may inspect and review certain of their education records that are maintained by the Division of Continuing Education. They also have the right to exercise limited control over other people’s access to their education records; to seek to correct their education records; to report violations of FERPA to the Department of Education; and to be fully informed of their rights under FERPA.
Students wishing to access records concerning them should submit written requests to Academic Services identifying the records they wish to inspect. Academic Services contacts students to arrange for access to the educational records within 45 days of receipt of the requests. Students should call Academic Services for more information.
As, noted above, students have the right to request the amendment of their educational records to ensure that they are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their privacy or other rights. Academic Services notifies students of the decision concerning their requests and advises students of their right to a hearing if they continue to disagree with the content of their educational records.
Complaints regarding alleged violations of a student’s rights under FERPA may be submitted in writing within 180 days to the Family Compliance Office, US. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-5920.
Students enrolled in online courses are protected by FERPA in the same way that on-campus students are. Under FERPA, students in online classes are permitted to see their classmates’ names and images and hear their comments and discussion.
Video lectures are available to the public during the first 2 weeks of the term. After the second week of classes, access to the lectures is password-protected and available only to students enrolled in the course.
Since an online environment creates a permanent record of a course, on-campus students may be filmed, videotaped, audio recorded, or photographed during a class meeting. The recorded course may be rebroadcast in a future term. An Authorization and Release Form for Video and Television is distributed at the first class meeting. By signing the form students authorize the Extension School to record their class participation. Signing the form is voluntary and not a requirement for participating in the course. Students who choose not to sign the form should sit out of camera range to avoid being filmed.
As required under federal law, the Extension School immediately refers any missing persons report involving a student to the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD). If HUPD determines that the student has been missing for more than 24 hours, then within the 24 hours following this determination, the Extension School—working with HUPD as necessary—will 1) attempt to contact the student using any confidential contact information that the student may have provided to the Extension School; 2) notify an appropriate external law enforcement agency; 3) contact any person the student has identified to the registrar as an emergency contact; 4) notify others at the university, as appropriate, about the student’s disappearance.
You may provide the registrar with your emergency contact information or confidential personal contact information if you have not already done so.
The Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act of 1989 prohibits the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of drugs and alcohol by students and employees on University property or as part of any University-sponsored activity. Information is available about the University’s standards of conduct regarding alcohol and drugs, applicable legal sanctions under public laws, health risks associated with the illicit use of drugs and the abuse of alcohol, drug and alcohol counseling and treatment resources on campus, and the disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed in instances of misconduct involving alcohol and drugs. This information is available on the Harvard University Police Department website.
In compliance with this act, the Harvard security guide, Playing It Safe, is available online at the Harvard University Police Department website. The guide, published by the Harvard University Police, describes Harvard’s security policies, provides statistical information on the occurrence of crime on campus, and outlines some of the counseling programs the University provides.
In compliance with the 1996 Commonwealth of Massachusetts Voter Registration Law, Harvard Extension School makes available affidavits of voter registration forms at 51 Brattle Street and Grossman Library, or you may request them online at the Secretary of the Commonwealth website.
Harvard Extension School files a form 1098-T with the Internal Revenue Service for every student who is enrolled in at least 1 course during the 2011 summer term and has at least 1 charge and corresponding payment during the 2011 tax year.
Students must provide the Extension School with their Social Security number for their enrollment and financial information to be filed.
Students may choose to receive their 1098-T forms electronically or via US mail. Students who choose to receive their forms electronically will receive an e-mail notification when their forms are available to download. Returning students may select this option at any time during the year by logging onto the Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) tax reporting services website. ACS is the provider of the 1098-T forms for Extension School students. The website is secure and all information is confidential. Returning students may visit the ACS website and select the option “Access My Record” for the link that will allow them to receive their forms electronically. Students log in with either their DCE ID number or their Social Security number. New students must create a personal identification number (PIN) before they are allowed access to their information. Returning students should use the PINs they created in previous years.
A paper copy of the 1098-T form will be mailed to students who do not opt to download their forms from the ACS website. Paper copies will be mailed to students on February 1, 2012. Students should verify and update their mailing address and e-mail address online before December 31, 2011, to ensure prompt delivery and receipt of their 1098-T forms.
Students who have questions about their eligibility for American Opportunity Credit and Lifetime Learning Credit should speak with their tax advisors or visit the ACS website, where they can view their enrollment and financial information and print a copy of their 1098-T form. This site also has useful information about the Tax Relief Act of 1997, which provides educational tax incentives to eligible taxpayers.
The University prohibits the use of the Harvard network for illegal activities. Federal law prohibits the reproduction, distribution, public display, or public performance of copyrighted materials over the Internet without permission of the copyright holder, except in accordance with fair use or other specifically applicable statutory exceptions. Harvard may terminate the network access of users who are found to have repeatedly infringed the copyrights of others. In addition, unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, may subject students to civil and criminal liabilities. Harvard complies fully with the federal Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) and has in place the mandated process for receiving and tracking alleged incidents of copyright infringement.
The University is committed to maintaining the integrity and availability of the Harvard network for vital educational and research purposes for which it was designed. We recommend that students become familiar with the laws pertaining to the use of digital material and comply with federal law and University policy regarding use of copyrighted materials. More information may be found on the Harvard DMCA website.
Massachusetts law prohibits any form of hazing in connection with initiation into a student organization. The law applies both to officially recognized and unrecognized groups, and to practices conducted on and off campus. The term hazing, as used in this law, is defined as “any conduct or method of initiation… which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person” (Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269, sec. 17). Hazing is a crime punishable by fine or imprisonment. The Administrative Board considers all reports of hazing in the normal course of its oversight, taking disciplinary action in appropriate cases and reporting confirmed incidents to appropriate law enforcement officials. In addition, failure to report hazing is illegal (Massachusetts General Laws, c. 269, sec. 18). Download a full copy of the Massachusetts laws relating to hazing, or obtain one in the Office of the Dean of Students, 51 Brattle Street, (617) 495-1765 or at the reference desk in Grossman Library.
In accordance with Harvard University policy, Harvard Extension School does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job or course of study requirements in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities.
Address inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies to Robert Neugeboren, Dean of Students, 51 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-3722, (617) 495-1765.
In addition, inquiries regarding the application of nondiscrimination policies may be referred to the Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education, 33 Arch Street, Suite 900, Boston, MA 02110-1491, (617) 289-0111, fax (617) 289-0150, TDD (877) 521-2172, OCR.Boston@ed.gov.
Per the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 effective July 1, 2010, Federal law requires Harvard University to disclose certain information about textbooks that instructors assign for courses at the Harvard Extension School. The Harvard Coop has agreed to provide this information centrally for all Harvard University schools via the Course Catalog website. Students may access textbook information for Extension School courses by searching for Extension courses at this website and following the hyperlink to current textbook information on the Harvard Coop website. Viewing textbook information on the Harvard Coop website does not obligate a student to purchase books from the Harvard Coop.
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