
Harvard College has reorganised its diversity and cultural programming, replacing three long-standing student centers with a new Office of Culture and Community (OCC), according to The Harvard Crimson. The College dissolved the Women’s Center, the Office for BGLTQ Student Life, and the Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations in July, consolidating staff under a new “Harvard Foundation” within the OCC.The restructuring drew immediate criticism from students, who expressed concerns that Harvard was scaling back support for marginalised groups. Despite the backlash, the College has allocated more financial resources to the OCC than were previously devoted to the combined former centers.
Expanded programming and increased events
Since the start of the academic year, the OCC has hosted 14 events, marking a significant increase in programming compared with the former offices. Activities have included ice cream socials in the Radcliffe Quadrangle and Harvard Yard, as well as a fall food festival at Memorial Church. These events are explicitly designed to be accessible to all students, moving beyond the previous focus on specific identity groups while still supporting recognised affinity organisations.
Ensuring legal compliance and inclusivity
The College is taking steps to ensure that all funded events comply with federal regulations, which prohibit financing gatherings restricted by identity. Student groups are now required to proactively ensure that their events meet these legal requirements, reflecting a shift toward broader accessibility and adherence to compliance standards.
Leadership and decision-making
The closures of the former diversity centers were driven by internal decision-making at the College, with the new OCC structure reflecting a broader strategic approach to student support. While political pressures have been speculated as a factor, the College has emphasised that the changes were implemented under the dean’s guidance to focus on the overall needs of the student body.
Continuation of traditional cultural programming
Some longstanding identity-focused events will continue under the new structure. Cultural Rhythms, a spring celebration featuring artists from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds that has been hosted for nearly four decades by the Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations, will now be managed by the OCC. The College has indicated that it intends for these events to maintain their historic quality and potentially expand their impact.Through consolidating its former diversity centers into the OCC, Harvard College aims to streamline its support structure, increase resources for broadly accessible programming, and maintain traditional cultural initiatives, even as students continue to debate the impact on identity-specific support.