A Resource for Students
Students involved in disciplinary cases through OAISC (related to the Administrative Board or Honor Council), may navigate either process with the support of a personal advisor in addition to their Resident Dean.
What is a Personal Advisor?
Personal advisors must be officers of the University affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and they may not have a familial connection to the student.
If you are asked to serve as a personal advisor, you will be able to:
- Access a redacted version of all case material
- Help a student navigate all aspects of their process
- Attend any meetings with a student
- Provide general advice and support
If a student asks you to accompany them to a meeting as a personal advisor, your role is to provide support. In these meetings, you may ask to suspend proceedings to take students outside for a short break (or in a breakout room via Zoom), or briefly address the members of the Administrative Board or Honor Council at the end of the meeting if there are relevant facts that the student failed to raise.
A personal advisor is someone with whom a student can speak freely about their process, experiences, who can assume a supportive role. Personal advisors who are members of the Administrative Board or Honor Council do not vote in cases involving a student they advise.
Please note that the Office for Community Support, Non-Discrimination, Rights and Responsibilities (CSNDR) has its own definition and criteria for a personal advisor. Please refer to Harvard College’s policy for specific information regarding the role of the personal advisor in cases managed by CSNDR.
What a Personal Advisor is Not
A personal advisor is not an advocate, counselor, or a “character witness.” A personal advisor is designed to advise and represent the College to the student, and the student to the College.
Helping a Student Prepare
A personal advisor can help a student prepare their written statement(s). You can assist a student by reading draft statements and providing feedback to make them as effective as possible. Personal advisors should encourage students to do the following:
- Be forthright with details and comprehensive in the timeline of events.
- Fill in gaps in the narrative for Administrative Board or Honor Council members.
- Be as factual as possible.
- Anticipate questions in future meetings so the student can refer back to any written statement(s).
- Avoid “beating the charge” language and logic; instead, help the student demonstrate an understanding of the charge, explain their actions, and reflect on how the situation arose.
An important part of the role of the personal advisor is to help the student communicate their understanding as clearly as possible. A personal advisor can assist a student to convey their own thoughts and experiences by posing clarifying questions and indicating portions where language or content may be unclear; in practice, a student is the only one who can explain the events that transpired.
A personal advisor may also point out portions of any written statement(s) which the Administrative Board or Honor Council may have further questions. In helping a student with their written statement, the personal advisor can follow these guidelines:
- Suggestions should focus on the effectiveness of the communication rather than the direct content.
- When giving suggestions, personal advisors should propose them in a manner that continues to give the student agency.
Sticking to the Timeline
A student conduct process can take some time. As a student’s personal advisor, you will be included on all correspondence a student receives from OAISC. Paying attention to submission deadlines and assisting your student by reminding them and keeping them on track will allow for a smooth, efficient, and timely adjudication process. If your student needs timeline accommodations, please encourage them to connect directly with a member of OAISC.
What Will the Outcome Be?
Students might ask you to predict how the Administrative Board or Honor Council will vote in a case. The OAISC website and the Harvard College Student Handbook are invaluable resources. While the outcome can never be predicted, it is good practice to explore all the scenarios so students can prepare for a potential change in status (e.g., “good standing” to “not in good standing”). Additionally, the Administrative Board and Honor Council annually post the statistics and data from the last five years.
Regardless, cases are managed individually and thus the votes cannot be predicted with perfect certainty. If you are a member of the Administrative Board or Honor Council, this is a good opportunity to remind the student that you do not vote.