Photograph by Bostonian13/Wikipedia.
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) cleared up its remaining routine tasks during this most non-routine of years at its last regular meeting of the academic year on Tuesday afternoon. Many of the prior meetings had been largely given over to hearing reports, but significant academic action was taken in the April session, when the new doctoral program in quantum science and engineering was approved.
Today, at the request of the faculty’s docket committee, President Lawrence S. Bacow, Provost Alan Garber, and FAS dean Claudine Gay spelled out the steps Harvard and the FAS have taken to prevent any recurrence of the University’s engagement with individuals like the convicted sex offender (and donor) Jeffrey Epstein, including promulgation of the first public gift policy, steps to assure its enforcement, and changes in the way the faculty grants visiting fellowships (of the sort improperly granted Epstein).