Mooseletter - 1/25/21

Dearest Meese,

Cheryl and I are writing to you now from the dining room table in the Faculty Dean Residence. As some of you will know, but sadly not all of you, you can get here by going up the small staircase at the back of the Dining Hall. You enter through our little library, snake along to the front entryway, and then turn left into the Dining Room. The big windows look out across Memorial Drive to the beautiful Charles River. The table we are sitting at is the very one that we used to stock so often with amazing piles of home-cooked goodies, which we would treat you to at our Open Houses. I’m telling you this because it’s been a while. One of the last Open Houses we had was Valentine-themed, just about a year ago. Some of you will remember the astonishing hoard of Meese (maybe you were one of them!) who helped me turn it into a surprise party for Cheryl’s birthday, too. Like Dunster House itself, our residence is filled with fantastic memories like that. Even during COVID times, it is a remarkable place, of course. But it’s the memories of the conversations and events, the celebrations and the music, and even sometimes the somber and difficult moments, that fill this place with meaning. We can’t wait to welcome you all back into our residence to experience it once again.

For the time being, however, we remain vigilant. As much as we want to hug you and welcome you back, we know that public health considerations make that impossible. For those of you living in the House this semester, the routine will be different than what you remember or might have hoped for. We will all fill out our COVID Clear attestations every morning, and take our PCR tests every three days. We will attend classes online from our rooms, and grab our meals in bags from the dining hall, eating them alone or in small groups as the color coding allows. For much, perhaps all, of the semester, the common areas in the House will be closed to prevent the spread of disease. We know that, as difficult and unsatisfying as this is, you will be vigilant with us; for the health of our community depends upon it. But like you, we can’t wait for all of this to be over, and to return to the spirit of Dunster House as it can be at its best.

In the meantime, we promise to do what we can – for those of you living here or elsewhere – to make this semester as good as it can be. The tutors have been dreaming up all sorts of online events and activities, and if the circumstances allow it we will find ways to gather in the Courtyard or other outside places. We have virtual entryways assigned for those living outside the House, and we hope you will take part in the various social activities that we put together there. But in the end, it is your resilience and your hope that we know will carry us through. We are depending upon your energy, your creativity, and your enthusiasm as much as we hope you are depending upon ours. And I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what wonderful things come out of these trying times. For it’s often the most difficult times that generate the most incredible things. Perhaps Orson Welles said it best, in that line from The Third Man that he is said to have improvised on the set one day:

You know what the fellow said – in Italy, for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace – and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.

There will be no cuckoo clocks at Dunster House this semester, I can promise you that. But perhaps some Michelangelo, some Leonardo da Vinci, or even some full-blown Renaissance will grow out of this difficult soil. We know it’s possible, and we can’t wait to see it happen!

Onward Dunster House!
Dunster Love,
Sean and Cheryl

Message from the Resident Dean, Michael Uy

Deer Dunster, I hope you all have a wonderful first day of class and first week of classes! I hope by this point, you are settled into your spring semester accommodations, whether they’re here in Dunster, at home, or elsewhere! For me, this semester kind of feels like starting a new race, already at a jog, and not having fully rested from the last race, but nonetheless, I’m grateful to be in it, and to be running it with you. At least, if we encounter any obstacles, we’ll do it together – and we can pace each other! And even though we’ve already started, this fresh beginning is a good time to evaluate what went well last semester, and what could possibly go better this semester. Maybe it’s setting up a firm calendar for the semester – maybe it’s scheduling daily or weekly calls with your loved ones – or reading a new book (I’m halfway through Obama’s A Promised Land) – or a better sleep routine. Perhaps I might also recommend checking out more resources the College has to offer its students, including no-cost professional coaching and workshops at the Academic Resource Center; counseling through CAMHS or talking with a peer-support group member; or Library services. There are so many more too! Now is a great time to equip yourself for this race and academic journey. I’m wishing you success, enlightenment, and joy. Dunster Love.

Student Hours: Tuesday: 10 am-12 noon, Thursday: 2-4 pm, Friday: 2-4 pm

Student Hours Zoom Link

IMPORTANT: College’s Privacy Policy

As the start of the semester approaches, it’s important that you review the College’s privacy policy. The College’s privacy policy prohibits students from posting, publishing, selling, or publicly distributing course materials such as video or audio recordings, assignments, or problem sets without the written permission of the instructor. Students who violate the policy are subject to disciplinary action through the Administrative Board.

Visit the Dunster House Calendar Page for Upcoming House Events & Links


Academic Resource Center

The ARC offers a wealth of resources and is here to support you at any point during your Harvard academic journey.

• Learn at Harvard - check out info on a wide range of topics.
• Meet one-on-one with an Academic Coach to work on optimizing your learning experience.
• Find a Peer Tutor to get help with a specific course.

Participate in Workshops to build skills and learn strategies.

Counseling and Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

CAMHS Services available to every student regardless of where you reside, all students have access to mental health urgent care, an initial mental health consult with a CAMHS clinician, and CAMHS workshops and group counseling at no cost, if you have paid the Student Health Fee. The initial health consults and workshops can both help you change and reach your personal goals, while also alleviating feelings of alienation and loneliness. Please visit the CAMHS website for a listing of workshops and groups and be sure to continually check the site for updates as they become available.

Enjoy this beautiful picture of our beloved Dunster house library!

Academic Calendar

January 25, 2020
Spring term begins

February 1, 2021
Last day students may check-in/register late, 11:59 pm

February 5, 2021
Wellness Day (No classes)

February 8, 2021
Make-up Examination for the Fall Term

February 8, 2021
Last day to Add/Drop, 11:59 pm

February 15, 2021
University Holiday: President’s Day

February 22, 2021
Last Day to divide a year-long indivisible course, 11:59 pm

February 22, 2201
Last day to Add/Drop a course

March 1, 2021
Wellness Day (No Classes)

March 16, 2021
Wellness Day (No Classes)

March 31, 2021
Wellness Day (No Classes)

April 1, 2021
Final degree applications for May degree candidates due

April 5, 2021
Last day to withdraw from a course

April 8, 2021
Declaration of Concentration due for off-cycle students expected to declare in spring

April 15, 2021
Wellness Day (No Classes)

April 28, 2021
Last Day of Spring Classes

April 29, 2021
Last day students will be granted a leave of absence

April 29, 2021
Reading Period

May 6, 2021
Final Examination Period

May 27, 2021
Commencement

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Diana G. Hovsepian
Dunster House Academic Coordinator
Harvard College

945 Memorial Drive

Cambridge, MA 02138

617-495-2263