For issues related to grading or the running of a course, students are encouraged to speak directly with the course instructor. We also encourage students to let their Academic Advisor know about issues they encounter so that we can assist and also so that the Dean of Students Office can be aware of issues that impact multiple students.

If a student does not feel comfortable going directly to an instructor for any reason they should bring the problem to their academic advisor or to the Dean of Students. Academic Advisors can advocate for students either directly to the instructor or to Harris faculty leadership. Final decisions about a student's grade are always at the discretion of the course instructor.

The University of Chicago and the Harris Public Policy take great pride in upholding the highest academic standards. All students are expected to abide by the following academic expectations:

• All work submitted by a student must be the student's own original work.
• Students may not submit previously submitted work from one course (i.e., final paper) to fulfill the academic obligations in another course, unless the student has received permission to do so by the course instructor.
• Any works that are cited by the student as part of a greater work must utilize proper text and summary citations to properly identify the proper source(s).
• In the case of group work, students must be prepared to identify their individual contribution (including proper citations of original work cited) when requested by the course instructor.
• Students must not gain unfair advantage on any test, exam, project, or other assessment. Course instructors have the authority to set rules for their any exams, assignments, or other assessments for their courses related to what materials or behaviors are and are not allowed. Students who violate these rules have committed academic dishonesty.

Students are also subject to the University Academic Honesty Policy.

Harris Integrity Policy for Problem Sets Involving Code

Note: This policy is meant as a guideline. Individual instructors may make modifications to this policy in the context of their own class. Please see the course syllabus for rules relating to a particular course.

1. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.

If you commit plagiarism, you may receive an F and be referred to the Area Disciplinary Committee.

2. All work must be your own.

Do NOT:

• show other students your code
• ask for another student's code
• use online solutions to textbook questions
• copy large portions of code from online repositories (e.g. replication code)

3. Identify that the work is your own

Every submission begins with "this submission is my work alone and complies with the 30531 integrity policy. Add your initials to indicate your agreement: **___**"

So how can I collaborate?

• In-person collaboration
  • I. clarify ambiguities in problem set questions
  • II. discuss conceptual aspects of problem sets (e.g. at the whiteboard)
  • III. show output on screen (e.g. a graph or table)
  • IV. show helpful documentation files
• Electronic collaboration
  • Piazza message board
    • Ask questions
    • Share error messages (but not code)
  • Code from an online forum or resource (other than documentation files)
    • Cite all code you use, even a one-line snippet

How do these rules change for problem sets working in groups?

• You and your group members will submit a single problem set
• If you work collaboratively with other students, but turn in your own problem set
  • You can talk to your group members as needed and look at other members' work to facilitate that discussion
  • Your problem set should be solely your authorship (written up by yourself, in your own language, including your own code.)
  • Your code should have a comment at the top listing the members of your group.
  • Any part of your code that was substantially altered because of your group discussion should cite others' contributions with names and descriptions in a comment at the place where it is applicable.

Unsure about some aspect of this policy? Please ask your instructor.

Source: This policy draws heavily on the CS 12100 academic honesty policy

Harris Procedures for Allegations of Plagiarism, Cheating, and Academic Dishonesty

First Violation

If a student is accused by an instructor or teaching assistant of plagiarism, cheating, or any other form of academic dishonesty, the student will be summoned to meet with the Dean of Students and the instructor. In the meeting, the student and instructor both present information about the situation. If it is determined by the instructor and the Dean of Students that the student has, in fact, plagiarized or cheated, the following sanctions will be imposed for the first violation:

• The student will generally receive a grade of 0 on the assignment or exam in question. Please note that grading decisions are fully at the discretion of the instructor, who may decide to impose harsher grade penalties.
• The student may be asked to re-do the assignment or retake the exam (without credit) to ensure that the student has learned how to properly cite sources or demonstrate that the student has command of material covered.
• A formal letter of finding is sent to the student stating that the student has been found in violation of the code of academic honesty and what the sanctions were. The letter, along with any evidence presented, is archived in Harris Student Affairs records until the student graduates if the student has no other violations.
• Students found in violation of the academic honesty policy are not permitted to withdraw from the course to avoid grade penalties from the instructor.
• In cases where plagiarism or academic dishonesty is egregious, the case may be referred to the Area Disciplinary Committee even on a first offense. The Dean makes all decisions about which cases will go before the Area Disciplinary Committee.

Second Violation

If a student who has already been found in violation academic dishonesty is again accused of academic dishonesty, the case will be sent to the Harris Area Disciplinary Committee. Details about the Area Disciplinary Committee procedures can be found in the University Student Manual. Information about the first violation, including the formal letter of finding any evidence, will be presented to the Area Disciplinary Committee, along with evidence of the current allegation. If the student is found in violation of academic honesty a second time, the Area Disciplinary Committee can assign sanctions including transcript notes, disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion from the University.

Academic Dishonesty Appeals

If a student has been found in violation of academic honesty and does not believe that either the finding or the sanction is fair or correct, the student has the right to appeal the finding by requesting a hearing from the Area Disciplinary Committee. Learn more about the Area Disciplinary Committee.

Harris students are expected to stay in good academic standing and to make progress toward the degree. Good academic standing is defined as a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or above and completion of at least 66 percent of the courses for which the student registered. A student who fails to meet these requirements will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation have two quarters to return to good academic standing.

Academic probation is an informal sanction without a notation on the transcript. A student on academic probation must meet with their academic advisor to create a plan to return to good academic standing.

If a student fails to return to good academic standing by the end of the two-quarter period they may be removed from the University.

Students receiving federal student loans should also be aware of the impact of their academic performance on loan eligibility. For Harris students, the loan eligibility GPA threshold is 2.7. Students should also be aware of Harris scholarship eligibility, which is noted in the terms and conditions of your scholarship award letter.

A student who has already taken course work equivalent to a required core course or who wishes to substitute another University of Chicago course for a core course, may submit a petition using the Course Waiver Petition Form. This form can also be used to submit a substitution request for a course required for a Harris certificate. All petitions will be sent to the appropriate faculty member for approval and students will receive the decision via email. Petitions will be reviewed on different timelines and the process can take up to two weeks. Additional details about waiving a course are available on the form itself.

Students in the one-year Master of Arts (MA) program are required to take any 5 of the 6 Core courses, meaning that they can opt out of any 1 Core course if they choose without having to submit a waiver request or demonstrate that they have mastered the concepts in that course through prior coursework. MA students may not use this automatic waiver to waive out of the first course in any the sequence, since the second courses in the Microeconomics, Statistics, and Analytical Politics Core sequences are strongly dependent on material covered in the first course.

MA students, like other students, can petition to waive any Core course if they have previously covered that material in other degree programs. If the first course in the sequence is granted this waiver the student can opt to either go on to take the second course in the sequence OR use their one free waiver to opt out of the second course in the sequence.

Courses dropped before the quarter’s add/drop deadline will not appear on a student's transcript and no tuition will be charged for the course. See the Harris academic calendar. for the add/drop deadline.

Occasionally, a student may need to drop a course after the add/drop deadline, either because of a health or personal emergency or because the student is struggling in the course and is unlikely to be able to pass. If you need to drop a course for any reason after the add/drop deadline, you must consult your academic advisor. The percentage of tuition you are charged for a dropped course depends upon when in the quarter the course was dropped. See the University tuition refund schedule. In the case of an illness or other serious emergency, the student's advisor can assist with backdating the drop so that the student will not be charged tuition.

In cases where a student takes more courses than are required to complete the degree, the student may wish not to count some of the extra courses toward degree requirements, either because the student may want to count the courses toward another degree program at the University of Chicago or because the student do not wish to have the grade for the course(s) count into their GPA. Harris courses, courses taken as substitutes for core courses, and any course in which a student earned an “F” must be counted toward the degree and into a student’s GPA. Requests to not count a course toward the degree should be submitted in writing to the student’s assigned academic advisor.

To take a Harris course Pass/Fail, you’ll need to submit a request online before the beginning of the 6th week of the quarter. (See the webform for current quarter time-specific deadline.) Faculty will be notified of the request and will accept or reject the request. The webform provides additional details on Pass/Fail policies and procedures.

The pass/fail option is intended to allow students to stretch themselves to take a course that they find really challenging. The pass/fail option doesn't mean that you'll need to do less work for the class, but it can relieve some of the pressure of worrying about what grade you'll get.

Each degree program has a maximum number of pass/fail options you can take each term. Please see your degree requirements. In general, the limit for most two-year programs is two pass/fail courses.

Taking a Non-Harris Class Pass/Fail

Note that other divisions have different pass/fail deadlines and procedures. If you’re taking a course outside of Harris, check in with your instructor early in the quarter. Here are a few procedures we’re aware of (but things change, so still talk to your instructor):

• Chicago Booth: Deadline is Friday of week four. Some Booth faculty members do not allow Pass/Fail grading; check the Booth course description (or the syllabus for Business Econ courses). No exceptions are granted. To request Pass/Fail grading, students must complete the online pass/fail request form by Friday, Week 4. After this deadline, no changes to the Pass/Fail grading request may be made. Email boothregistrar@lists.chicagobooth.edu with questions.
• Law School: Request Pass/Fail when submitting registration petition, or email James Courtney (jcourtney@uchicago.edu) before the end of week five.
• Social Sciences Division: Pass/Fail requests must be directed to the instructor prior to the final exam or deadline for the final project/paper. Try to get email confirmation, just in case there are grade entry errors after the quarter ends.

Taking Cross-Listed Courses Pass/Fail

If you are taking a course that is offered by another college or division within UChicago but is cross-listed with Harris, you can generally use the Harris pass/fail webform. Inquire with your academic advisor if you are unsure.

Students are able to get course credit for non-traditional courses by taking a Harris Reading/Research course (PPHA 52000), an Internship course (PPHA 50000), or, less commonly, an independent study course from another division at the University of Chicago. There is a limit to how many of these non-traditional courses can be counted toward the degree. See the degree requirements for your program. Details about each appear below.

PPHA 52000 Reading/Research Courses

Reading/research courses allow students to pursue individual research or learn about a topic not covered by regular course work. Students interested in pursuing a reading/research course should ask a full-time Harris faculty member to be the instructor for the course. Instructors are under no obligation to accept a student’s request to take a reading/research course with them. Often instructors choose to lead a reading/research course because the topic of the student’s research aligns with their own research interests.

Requirements of the reading/research course include an initial meeting with the instructor to discuss the paper topic; regular contact with the instructor throughout the quarter; and an agreed-upon deadline for paper submission. Reading/Research courses must be taken for a grade and cannot be taken Pass/Fail.

Students interested in enrolling in a reading/research course must do the following:

• With the faculty member, complete the Internship and Reading/Research Form, indicating the topic to be covered and the expectations for successfully completing the course requirements.
• Return the signed form to your academic advisor, who will register you for the course.

PPHA 50000 Internship

Taking an internship for credit is a lot like taking a reading/research course (see above). When a student takes an internship credit, a faculty member structures the course work around the topic of the internship. The instructor for the internship course must be a full-time Harris faculty member. The student should identify a faculty member whose research interests and expertise align with the internship. Internship courses must be taken for a grade and cannot be taken Pass/Fail. To enroll in the internship course, do the following:

• Submit a letter from your employer, on their company letterhead, which states the following:
  • Beginning and end dates of employment
  • Number of expected hours of work per week
  • Job responsibilities
• With the faculty member, complete the Internship and Reading/Research Form, indicating the topic to be covered and the expectations for successfully completing the course requirements. The final project or paper must be related to the internship.
• Return the Internship and Reading/Research Form and the employer letter to your academic advisor, who will enroll you in the course.

Students cannot count the same course multiple times toward their degree. In some cases, a student may need to retake a course in order to complete degree requirements. Students can retake non-core courses in which they earned a passing grade, but can only count the credits of one instance of the course toward degree requirements.

If a student earns below a C- in a core course, the student must retake the course. In these cases, the credits from the first attempt of the course will not count toward the total credits required for the degree. The grades from all instances of the course will count toward the student's GPA.

If a student receives an F in a non-core course, the student has the option to retake the same course. Credits in courses in which the student received an F can never be counted toward degree requirements. The grades from all instances of the course will count toward the student's GPA.

Students who have previously taken graduate courses at the University of Chicago that were not counted toward any other completed degree may request to transfer up to three courses (300 units of credit) for credit to a Harris degree program. Students must make the request to count previous course work in writing to their academic advisor. Courses taken outside of the University of Chicago cannot be used as transfer credits.

Students who have taken Harris core courses required for their degree prior to enrolling as a Harris student (for example, a student who was enrolled in a different University of Chicago degree program but then transferred to Harris) will not be required to repeat that core course but will have to replace the course with an elective in order to fulfill the minimum number of credits required for the degree. This policy also pertains to courses counted toward Harris certificates.

In general, Harris students are not allowed to count undergraduate courses (course numbers starting with 1 or 2) toward their graduate degree. There are some exceptions to this policy, including:

• Any course from the math department (Prefix MATH)
• Any course from the statistics department (Prefix STAT)
• Courses that are approved to be counted toward any Harris certificate, regardless of whether the student is pursuing that certificate
• Courses that have been explicitly approved by faculty leadership to be counted toward the graduate degree. These courses are:
  • PBPL 28820 Machine Learning (register graduate-level cross-list if possible)
  • GEOG 28201 Intro to Geographic Information Systems (register graduate-level cross-list if possible)
  • ECON 28620 Crony Capitalism

If a student wants to have a new undergraduate course considered for graduate credit they must get the permission of the Deputy Dean in charge of curriculum (Ryan Kellogg). The criteria for approving an undergraduate course to be counted toward the graduate degree are:

1. No equivalent course is available at the graduate level
2. Both the course instructor and the Harris Deputy Dean find that the content of the course is as rigorous as a graduate-level course
3. The instructor of the course and/or the home department of the course are willing to let the student into the course
4. The Deputy Dean approves the course to be counted toward the graduate degree, in which case it will be added to the list of approved undergraduate courses above.

To start the approval process for an undergraduate course you should reach out to your academic advisor, who will check to see if any past student has made inquiries about the same course. If not, you or your advisor should reach out to the course instructor to request a syllabus, explain that you are attempting to get the course counted for graduate credit, and ask the course instructor whether they believe the course is rigorous enough to warrant graduate credit. You should then fill out the Request to Count an Undergraduate Course Toward the Graduate Degree form, which will be forwarded to the Deputy Dean for review.

Even if an undergraduate course is not approved for graduate credit you can still take the course, it just will not count as one of the courses toward your degree. Please note that the regular Harris tuition rates will apply whether or not the course is being counted toward the degree. You must follow the undergraduate registration procedures, which means that you’ll need to wait to register until after College bidding has resolved and you will generally also need instructor permission. You can also ask the instructor for permission to sit in on the course (informally audit), which would give you the benefit of the content of the course without being charged tuition or earning a grade.

Taking Undergraduate Language Classes

Generally, undergraduate language classes cannot be taken toward the graduate degree. In some cases, if a language course would be directly related to the work a student plans to do post-graduation that course may be approved to be counted for credit for that individual student, but not for all Harris students. To have a language class considered to be counted toward your graduate degree, please fill out the Request to Count an Undergraduate Course Toward the Graduate Degree form and choose “undergraduate language course.” You’ll need to provide a syllabus and an explanation of how the course relates to your career plans. The request will be forwarded to the Dean of Students for review.

Some language departments on campus will allow Harris students to sit in on language classes (informally audit), which allows you to get the benefit of the content of the course without being charged tuition for the course. Below are some details about the policies of language departments that Harris students have sought out in the past:

• Arabic Department: may allow Harris students to informally audit classes with instructor permission
• Chinese Department: strict no-audit policy
• Italian Department: Although their undergrad classes say "no auditors" their Language Coordinator confirmed to Harris academic advising they would let Harris students sit in on classes as long as the student maintains an unofficial B average to retain the unofficial auditing privilege
• Spanish Department: have allowed Harris students to informally audit courses in the past

Cumulative GPAs are not posted to students’ transcripts. Transcripts do contain a key on the back to allow for the cumulative GPA to be calculated. A student can also ask their academic advisor for the student's cumulative GPA. Information about the GPA weight for each grade can be found on the Registrar’s website. University of Chicago policy prohibits any University employee from releasing class ranking information.

Incompletes and Missing Grades (I and NGR)

Students must make arrangements with their instructors if they cannot complete their course work within the deadlines for the quarter. Instructors are allowed to deny a student’s request to take an incomplete. Generally, instructors will accept requests to take an incomplete only in cases where a student is seriously ill or has a family emergency. We strongly recommend that students and instructor agree upon the deadline for the student to complete the course work when the request for the incomplete is made. Generally, resolving the incomplete before the beginning of the next academic term is advisable.

Once the student turns in all necessary work and the instructor enters a final grade, the letter “I” will continue to appear beside the final grade on the student's transcript permanently. So, for example, if a student requests an incomplete and later receives a grade of “B,” the student’s transcript will show the grade as “IB.”

Any master's student who has a 3.75 or better final cumulative GPA will earn honors.

• Honors will be posted on the diploma.
• Students will wear a green and white cord to graduation to denote that they earned honors.
• Rounding up is allowed. So if a student earned a 3.746 they would earn honors.
• Students in joint degree programs will not use their cumulative GPA to determine honors. Rather, a modified GPA will be calculated, including all courses in a year in which the student was partially or fully in residence with Harris.
• Students will be notified by their advisor or by the Dean of Students that they earned honors after final grades are in in the quarter of graduation.

Harris students are expected to be continuously enrolled from the time they begin taking courses at Harris until they graduate. However, it is sometimes necessary for a student to disrupt enrollment because of a health, family, or other issue. A leave of absence preserves the student’s status and the student's access to Harris and University financial aid. Leaves of absence cannot exceed one academic year. If a student fails to enroll in a quarter and has not been granted a leave of absence, the student's status may be terminated and the student will need to re-apply for admission to resume studies at Harris.

Students must contact their academic advisor to request a leave of absence. The student must submit the following information in writing to the advisor when requesting the leave:

• Student full name and ID number
• The reason the leave is being requested
• The quarter in which the student plans to resume taking courses at Harris
• The new anticipated graduation quarter

The student’s advisor will submit the formal leave of absence request to the University. If the student is taking a medical leave of absence, the student needs to complete the Medical Leave of Absence form. The leave also serves as a safeguard to ensure that the student’s enrollment status remains active during the leave period.

Leave of Absence for International Students

International students need to be enrolled full time in every quarter in order to maintain the student's visa. If an international student needs to take a leave of absence, the student must follow both the process to request the leave from Harris (outlined above) and the process to request the leave from the Office of International Affairs. (OIA).

Please review the information on this site carefully while considering whether you want to try to take a leave of absence. Depending on the length of your leave, you may have to pay the $200 SEVIS fee again, you may lose eligibility for CPT/OPT, and you may need to submit a new financial review form.

Please also note that if your leave of absence is approved you will need to contact OIA at least one month before you return (three months before if your leave was five months or more). Harris will not remind you of this deadline, and we have had students miss the deadline and be unable to return to the United States to resume courses in that quarter, which delayed their graduation date.

Return from Leave of Absence

When a student is ready to return to studies, that student must contact their advisor to declare the intention to return. Depending on the reason for the leave, the advisor and/or the Dean of Students may request additional documentation to help assess whether the student is ready to resume their studies and successfully continue in the student's degree program. Requests to return from a leave of absence should be made at least 30 days before the beginning of the quarter in which the student wishes to resume studies. Please also see the University policy on returning from a leave of absence.

Administrative Leave of Absence

An administrative leave of absence will be applied to students who do not register for classes during a quarter or who are restricted from registering and who do not clear their restrictions by the end of the third week of the quarter. Please see the University policy on administrative leaves of absence.

All Harris master’s students must pass a math exam in order to fulfill the mathematics requirements for the degree. All entering students take the exam at the beginning of new student orientation.

If a student does not pass the exam, the student is required to enroll in the non-credit course PPHA 30101 Math Methods for Public Policy during their first Autumn Quarter. At the conclusion of PPHA 30101, students will again take the math exam.

If the student still has not passed the exam at the conclusion of the Math Methods course, the student must take the exam again when they are administered during new student orientation the next year. The student has the option to repeat Math Camp if desired. If the student still does not pass the exam, the student must repeat the Math Methods course and re-take the exam in the Autumn Quarter of their second year. Students cannot graduate with a Harris degree without having passed the exam.

*Students who entered in Autumn 2019 have satisfied their degree requirement and do not have to sit for the new math exam

If you need to miss an exam due to an illness or other reason you need to get permission from the Dean of Students, Kate Shannon Biddle (kbiddle@uchicago.edu). To ensure fairness and consistency, there is a list of reason that are/are not acceptable reasons for an exam to be rescheduled or otherwise missed.

If the reason you cannot take the exam during the regularly scheduled day/time falls within the allowable reasons for this accommodation the Dean of Students will inform the course instructor and the Student Affairs team will work with the student and the instructor to find another day/time/method for the student to take the exam.

Please note that these accommodations are only for emergency or unavoidable circumstances. Requests to reschedule exams because of travel plans or interviews will not be approved. If you contact the instructor directly for approval they will direct you to the Dean of Students.

A student who does not file a leave of absence (as described above) may be withdrawn from their academic program on a voluntary or involuntary basis.

• Voluntary Withdrawal: If a student has made the personal decision not to continue in the student's academic program, they can declare a voluntary withdrawal. The student should contact their academic advisor to declare the intention to withdraw from the University.
• Involuntary Withdrawal: In certain situations, the Office of Student Affairs may also involuntarily withdraw a student from the University. Situations in which students may be involuntarily withdrawn include:
  • Implementation of Student Conduct Review Board sanctions
  • Safeguarding the Harris community from threatening behavior
  • Failure to enroll without submitting a leave of absence request
  • Student has been on leave of absence or has otherwise not been enrolled for more than one year

Once a student is withdrawn from the University, they are no longer considered an active student. Access to all University systems and facilities, including University email accounts, will be revoked. If the student wishes to resume studies at any point in the future, the student must re-apply for admission to Harris. If admitted, the student is subject to the degree requirements as they stand at the time of their re-entry, not the degree requirements that were in place when the student originally began their studies. Courses taken before withdrawing can be counted toward the degree so long as they are in line with the current degree requirements.

The Harris Dean of Students can administratively withdraw students for a number of reasons. The most common appear below. Students who are administratively withdrawn from Harris may be required to apply for readmission.

If an administratively withdrawn student does re-enter they will be subject to the degree requirements in place at the point of re-entry, not those in place when they originally enrolled. Courses taken prior to administrative withdrawal will count toward the degree. Harris is not required to honor a student’s initial scholarship award if they withdraw from the University and later re-enter.

Please also see the University policy on administrative withdrawals.

Failure to Register:

Students who are not registered for courses by 5:00 p.m. on Friday of the 2nd week of the quarter and who have not applied for a leave of absence may be subject to administrative withdrawal and should immediately consult with the Dean of Students office.

Leave of Absence in Excess of One Year:

Students who are on a leave of absence or otherwise not enrolled for 4 consecutive quarters will be subject to administrative withdrawal. There are cases in which a leave of absence of longer than one year may be permitted, including medical leaves of absence.

Occasionally, a student’s academic interests may change during the time that they are at Harris. In these cases, students can request to transfer to a degree program, but the policies and procedures differ depending on which degree programs the student is transferring to (information below.) Regardless of which degree program students wish to transfer from or to, they should fill out this Degree Transfer Request Form.

• Students can transfer into the MPP program from the MA, MACRM, MSESP or MSCAPP program with the approval of their advisor and the Dean of Students
• Transfers into the MSCAPP program from other master's degree programs are not permitted after the beginning of the first autumn quarter of a students' enrollment. Transfer requests before classes have started in a students' first autumn must be approved by the MSCAPP program director and admissions committee.
• Transfers into the MACRM program must be approved by the MACRM admissions committee and the Dean of Students.
• Transfers into the MA program from programs of longer duration are prohibited except in extreme circumstances. Even in extreme circumstances transfers into the MA program will only be approved if 1) the admissions committee determines that the student would have been accepted into the MA program had they initially applied and 2) the student can demonstrate that their situation (financial, etc.) has changed significantly since they enrolled. Transfers into the MA program must also be approved by the Dean of Students. Students wishing to transfer will need to fill out the Degree Transfer Request Form.
• Transfers into or out of the MAIDP program are not permitted.
• Transfers into or out of the Evening Master's program are not permitted.

Student use of the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy name, logo, or other graphic elements (including colors and fonts) must be in accordance with Harris Public Policy’s brand identity as prescribed in the Harris graphic identity guidelines manual. This document is available for consultation and reference through the Marketing office.

These guidelines apply to all materials, whether print (including but not limited to letterhead, stationery, invitations, and brochures), electronic (websites and email), or three-dimensional/promotional (such as t-shirts, pens, etc.).

Harris seeks to provide each student with an experience that is supportive and fair as well as academically challenging and personally enriching. If you have a problem or concern, there are a number of resources available to help you address a multitude of problems.

Other Grievance Procedures

If students have complaints or concerns about something not related to a particular class, including issues with Harris or University policy, conflicts with another student, personal problems, or any other issue related to their life at the University, they should bring those issues to their Academic Advisor. Academic Advisors serve as supports and advocates for students and can help resolve issues or advocate to appropriate offices or people to get issues resolved. In many cases Academic Advisors will elevate concerns to the Harris Dean of Students.

Students can also bring concerns directly to the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students maintains regular drop-in hours and students can also contact her directly to set up a time for a meeting. Students can also drop by the Dean of Students’ Office in urgent situations and the Dean of Students will endeavor to speak with the student right away if possible.

Students can also contact the Harris Student Government (HSG) Student Body Liaison. The HSG Student Body Liaison is an elected position within Harris Student Government who serves as a neutral third party to address student concerns. The Student Body Liaison holds regular drop-in hours for students and also monitors a form that students can use to submit concerns or complaints anonymously. The Student Body Liaison often forwards complaints to the Harris Dean of Students but can also elevate complains to other entities including the Dean, The Harris Student Government President and/or Academic Committee, and other Harris or University Leadership.

Lastly, if a student has not been able to resolve their issue with any of the Harris resources listed above they can reach out to the central University Student Ombudsperson.

Harris Public Policy has a new home in the Keller Center. This Welcome Guide provides a breadth of information including available amenities, detailed maps, and tips for working in an open building environment.

Posting Policy

Fliers are only allowed on the designated bulletin boards above the student mail folders in the Keller Center.

Room Reservation Policy

First priority for all Harris classrooms and meeting spaces is given to academic courses and administration sponsored programs and events. Individual students are not allowed to reserve classrooms and meeting spaces unless approved in advance by Student Affairs. Harris student organizations (HSOs) have the ability to request classroom and meeting spaces and must follow the guidelines outlined in the Harris Student Organization Room Reservation Policy.

As a professional student who is part of the Harris community, every student must meet the following expectations, established by Harris’s faculty and staff:

• All Harris students are expected to uphold the dignity and respect of every person in the Harris community (faculty, staff, and students).
• Students are expected to regularly monitor emails sent to their University of Chicago email address and to the Harris student listservs. Many offices on campus, including the Registrar, Bursar, and Harris Academic and Student Affairs will use only a student's University email address to contact them. Students are expected to respond to emails that necessitate a response within a reasonable time frame — usually 24 to 48 hours.
• In order to best assess and improve the student experience, students are expected to complete course evaluations and surveys sent by the Harris administration (e.g., graduation survey, CDO survey, etc.).
• All Harris students are expected to attend their class meetings. They are also expected to actively participate in their courses according to the expectations described in the course syllabus. If a student cannot attend a class due to an illness or personal emergency, that student is expected to notify the instructor(s) prior to the scheduled class time.
• Events rely on the confirmed attendance of student participants. Therefore, students are expected to attend all events for which they have RSVP’d or otherwise committed to attend. If a student cannot attend an event due to an unforeseen emergency, the student should notify the event organizer as soon as possible.

All Harris students should be aware of and abide by the University of Chicago Alcohol Policy outlined in the Student Manual of University Policies and Regulations. All members of the Harris community are responsible for full awareness of federal, state, and city laws and policies and requirements concerning the consumption, possession, and sale of alcohol. Harris expects each member of the community to be responsible for their own conduct and the consequences of that conduct. Illinois law prohibits the consumption or possession of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 and the supplying of alcohol to any person under the age of 21.

Alcoholic beverages may only be served at events that are sponsored by a Harris student organization (HSO), Harris staff, or faculty. Harris student organizations (HSOs) must follow the guidelines outlined in the Harris Student Organization Alcohol Policy. Harris staff and faculty, and University officials or agents of the University have the authority to prohibit individuals from bringing alcoholic beverages to a function or into a building, including events held in outdoor areas such as the courtyard or backyard. Any outside alcoholic beverages may be confiscated by Harris staff or faculty.

Harris is strongly committed to supporting pregnant students and students who become parents or add to their families while they are students. The University of Chicago Graduate Student Parent Policy outlines the rights guaranteed to students who are parents. This policy represents the minimum rights and protections afforded to students. Depending on a student's individual needs and situation the Harris Student Affairs team can also offer other supports. We encourage students to contact their academic advisor for assistance and support. See the University of Chicago Graduate Student Parent Policy.

The University, including the Harris School, send all official communications to students' UChicago email addresses. You are expected to check your UChicago email account daily and are responsible for information sent to that account. Students can choose whether their UChicago email runs through Gmail or Microsoft Exchange.

• Instructions for Android users
• Instructions for iPhone users
• Instructions for Windows device users

Individuals who tested positive for COVID-19, have COVID-19 related symptoms but have not tested positive or have tested negative, been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person and are currently asymptomatic, or recently traveled are to follow the University’s Protocol for Addressing Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 Exposures.

According to the protocol, any University community member who has a confirmed case, symptoms, or exposure must promptly self-report via C19HealthReport@uchicago.edu and cooperate with the Contact Tracing Team. 

Everyone entering the Keller Center is required to tap in and out with their UChicago ID upon entering and leaving the building. If you do not have your ID, please sign in at the front desk.

Anyone coming to campus is expected to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Always stay home if you feel sick

Effective August 2, 2021, the University has updated masking requirements for fully vaccinated individuals as outlined below. University masking requirements may evolve based on new guidance from the State of Illinois, City of Chicago, and the number of COVID-19 cases and rates of transmission, increased risk from new COVID-19 variants, or sudden clusters of COVID-19 cases on campus.

Indoors

Unvaccinated and fully vaccinated individuals are required to wear a face covering over the nose and the mouth at all times while in University buildings, with the following limited exceptions:

Private Spaces

An individual may remove their face coverings if they are in a private room/office alone with the door closed.

Eating and Drinking

A fully vaccinated individual may remove their face coverings to eat or drink. An unvaccinated individual may remove their face coverings to eat or drink so long as they maintain six feet of social distance from others.

Outdoors

Masking is not required for people who are outdoors on campus grounds, though face coverings may still be required at certain outdoor events and programming.

Seating Charts

To facilitate contact tracing in the event that a student tests positive for COVID we will have students fill out seating charts in every class period and TA session that they are registered for and attend during the quarter. Students can only attend the courses and TA sections that they are enrolled in. Additionally, please only sit in numbered seats in classrooms, not in any extra chairs.

Please refrain from drinking during class. Elsewhere in the building, vaccinated individuals can temporarily lower their mask to drink but should replace the mask immediately after taking a sip.

If you need to attend a class remotely because you are experiencing COVID symptoms, please let your instructor know before logging into the Zoom meeting. 

Eating is allowed only in designated eating areas, which are: the Harris Café, outdoors, and rooms 0010, 0021, and 0023 at lunchtime. 

A fully vaccinated individual may remove their face coverings to eat or drink. An unvaccinated individual may remove their face coverings to eat or drink so long as they maintain six feet of social distance from others.

The success of all the University’s planning for the coming academic year rests with each member of the campus community, including those of us at Harris, to consistently take steps to help keep themselves and our community safe. Currently the University requires that all persons wear face coverings in all University buildings, maintain social distancing, and self-monitor for COVID symptoms. The University’s rules may evolve as the public health situation changes. Please see the health requirements page of the University’s GoForward website for details.