Proctors & Tutors

Resident Tutors are valued and important members of the staff of Harvard College who play a vital role in the residential and educational life of undergraduates. Each House in the College forms a small academic and social community in which Resident Tutors and undergraduates live, eat, socialize and study together within the larger context of the College and University. Because of the informal nature of this environment, and the unique character of each individual House, it is important for both Tutors and students to understand Tutors’ multiple roles within the House system as a whole.

Neighborhood or Entryway Responsibilities: Tutors oversee a part of the House (e.g., floor, entryway) they are the College Officer for their designated community. In this capacity, Resident Tutors are expected to:

• Meet with and be available to students on an individual basis;

• Explain the rules of the House and the College;

• Help create and maintain a safe an livable environment;

• Serve as a liaison to the many resources within the College (Office of Career Services, Academic Resource Center, etc.)

• Bring to the attention of the Faculty & Resident Deans students' academic or personal concerns or serious infractions of House or College rules. Tutors work with Deans in helping the students address problems they encounter.

Academic Advising: Tutors play an essential role within the academic advising system at Harvard. Not only do sophomore advisers help students develop and pursue their academic and personal interests, but they also serve as an important source of information to the Allston Burr Resident Dean and the Sophomore Advising Coordinator (SAC) about students who are struggling or in need of additional support.  Sophomore advisers provide academic advising to students throughout the academic year.

Community Involvement: While varying from House to House, the responsibilities of community can be generalized as follows:

• Be in residence in the House during the academic year except for vacation periods and, with explicit permission of the Faculty Dean, an occasional short trip

• Attend College-wide and House Tutor meetings; take meals in the dining hall regularly; be available to students during stressful times

• Attend House functions, including sophomore outings, orientations, commencement and other functions designated by the Faculty Dean

• Perform “on-call” duty when required by the House

• A bachelor's degree, or equivalent.

• Enrollment as a degree candidate in a Harvard graduate or professional school; or a minimum of half-time employment in the University, in an exempt-level position. Exempt-level employees are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act concerning hours worked, meaning that they are not paid hourly and are not eligible for overtime.  If you are unsure if your position is exempt or non-exempt please consult with your supervisor or HR representative.

• Evidence of competence, sensitivity, maturity, and judgment in dealings with peers, professional colleagues, and undergraduate students.

• Commitment to learning about the academic and extra-curricular opportunities available to upper-level students at Harvard.

The Resident Tutor application is open year-round; however, we hire the majority of tutors between December and early April.  Please make sure to submit all of your application materials by January 27 so that your application is reviewed for the annual hiring process.  Applications for the 2020-2021 academic year will launch on December 2. Each House manages its own hiring process for Resident Tutors.

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We are delighted that you are interested in becoming a First-Year Proctor!

As a First-Year Proctor, you will support new students as they transition from high school to college during their first year at Harvard.

Proctors live in the dorms and spend a significant amount of time building relationships with students. Proctors work under the direction of a Resident Dean to create an academic and social community among 20 to 40 first-year students and provide academic counseling to approximately eight to ten.

Update 3/30/20: We have completed proctor hiring for the 2020-21 academic year. The proctor application remains open, and any applications received going forward will be added to the waitlist. Applicants on the waitlist will be considered if any vacancies occur in the coming months.

Typical proctor responsibilities include academic advising, community building, and enforcement of College rules. Proctors are appointed for the academic year, and the appointments are reviewed and, if appropriate, renewed annually. Proctors are required to live in the first-year dormitories, in rooms or suites assigned by the senior staff of the Dean of Students Office, and are expected to have meals in Annenberg Hall with their students.

Proctors communicate frequently with the Resident Dean of First-Year Students who supervises them. All proctors work closely with their senior proctors and their colleagues on the Board of First-Year Advisers, as well as with designated members of the Academic Resource Center, University Health Services, and Mental Health Services.

Being consistently present in the dormitory and regularly available to students is absolutely requisite to successful performance as a proctor. Commitments are often more extensive at the start and at the end of each term, and proctors are expected to resolve any scheduling conflicts during the orientation, reading, and examination periods in favor of their proctorial responsibilities.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a Proctor you will be expected to:

• Live in residence in the first-year dorms and meet regularly with students in your entryway
• Attend all orientation and training meetings scheduled for Proctors and members of the Board of First-Year Advisers
• Familiarize yourself with the academic requirements, regulations, and policies of the College described in the Harvard College Handbook for Students
• Perform at least two weeks of on-call duty per term, responding to HUPD and HUHS calls/hospitalizations after hours and on weekends. This would require staying on or near campus after hours and on weekends.
• Respond immediately to emergency situations involving students
• Serve as the official academic adviser for a designated number of students in your entryway, determined by the Advising Programs Office (APO)
• Provide timely, informed, and appropriate academic and other advising to your students
• Enter advising notes in my.harvard.edu when appropriate and at the conclusion of the academic year
• Meet regularly with your Resident Dean of First-Year Students
• Participate fully in the Yard community by being present in your entryway and regularly accessible
• Work a minimum of four service hours each academic year to assist in staffing first-year events
• Have meals with students in Annenberg Dining Hall on a regular basis
• Establish relationships and maintain a safe and livable environment for students in your entryway
• Exercise advising and/or disciplinary responsibilities in situations involving enrolled students, including your advisees, members of your entryway, or other members of the first-year class.

• A bachelor's degree, or equivalent.

• Enrollment as a degree candidate in a Harvard graduate or professional school; or a minimum of half-time employment in the University, in an exempt-level position. If you have questions about whether your current role qualifies as exempt, please check with your supervisor or local HR representative.

• Evidence of competence, sensitivity, maturity, and judgment in dealings with peers, professional colleagues, and undergraduate students.

• Commitment to learning about the academic and extra-curricular opportunities available to first-year students at Harvard.

• Two or more years' availability to serve as a proctor preferred

The 2020-21 proctor application is now open, with a priority deadline of Monday, January 6, 2020. Applications received after the priority deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all anticipated vacancies are filled. To be notified when the application is available, please email the First-Year Experience Office.

A complete application to the proctor program consists of the following elements:

• Online application form

• One letter of recommendation

• Two additional references

• CV/resume

• Response to essay question (in the online application)

The proctor selection committee meets regularly in January and February to review completed applications; candidates whose applications meet the committee’s criteria are invited for a 30-minute interview with one of the committee members. Following the first round interview, select candidates will be invited to a second round interview over a meal with a current proctor and group of first-year students.

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