To The Faculty

Information for Faculty Offering Instruction in Arts and Sciences is intended to serve as a convenient reference for the educational policies of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). In addition to a discussion of instructors' responsibilities, matters related to course administration, and problems often encountered by students, this booklet includes a summary of teaching resources available to instructors, a directory of College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) officers, and a detailed academic calendar.

All members of the FAS are urged to consult this booklet as issues arise in the administration of their courses and in their work with the students. New members of the FAS will, it is hoped, take time to acquaint themselves with all aspects of this booklet and especially with the various policies and regulations that are particular to Harvard. Avoiding misunderstandings before the fact can save valuable time and spare unnecessary embarrassment.

For example, it is important to understand that while graduate students may receive a grade of Incomplete, undergraduates cannot. In the matter of an extension of time, instructors may offer undergraduates an extension of time to complete course work until the end of the Examination Period; however, only with the express permission of the Administrative Board of Harvard College may instructors accept undergraduate work after the end of the Examination Period. Final and approved make-up examinations are scheduled and proctored by the Registrar's Office, but the instructor is expected to be available throughout the exam to answer student questions. Instructors may not excuse a student from the final examination or make special arrangements to administer the exam at a time other than that scheduled by the Registrar. Any student absent from a regularly scheduled exam is given the grade of ABS, a failing grade. Instructors should be in residence throughout the academic year, including the Reading and Examination Periods. Short absences require approval of the department chair; absences of more than one week must be approved by the Dean of the Faculty. Exclusion from a course, grade changes, and the retention of blue examination books constitute further areas to which new faculty members are urged to give special
attention.

Every effort has been made to explain these matters as clearly as possible in the following pages. However, should questions remain, a directory of the FAS staff members appears at the end of the book to provide further assistance.