Learn the terms we use at Harvard College to describe undergraduate housing.
Glossary for Harvard College Housing
- Academic Coordinator: A member of the House, FYE, or Dudley Community team who supports the Resident Dean and provides guidance to students on administrative matters related to academic requirements.
- Building Manager: A House staff member who is responsible for the physical maintenance and improvement of all House facilities. They oversee the completion of work orders and manage issues with keys and key cards as well.
- Dorm: First-year students live in Dorms in Harvard Yard. The dorms are grouped into larger groups called Yards (Crimson, Elm, Ivy and Oak).
- Dorm Storm: A Harvard tradition where representatives from each House notify first-year students of their Housing assignments on Housing Day.
- Dudley: Serves a tight-knit community of undergraduates including Visiting Undergraduate Students (VUS), Dudley Co-Op residents, and off-campus students.
- Entryways: A smaller residential community of approximately 20-40 students within a House or Dorm and overseen by a Resident Proctor or Tutor.
- Faculty Dean: Scholarly leaders of a House community who help set the tone and culture of the House.
- First-Year Housing Questionnaire: A questionnaire that helps in assigning first-year suitemates and entryways. Students are asked to describe themselves, their habits and preferences.
- Gender-Inclusive Housing: Gender-inclusive housing gives you the option of living together in a room or suite irrespective of your suitemates’ gender.
- House: An intergenerational residential community of upper-level students, faculty, staff, and affiliates that provides an enriching academic, cultural, and social experience at the College.
- House Administrator: A member of the House team that manages all aspects of student housing assignments, House finances, event management, and planning of diploma ceremonies.
- Housing Day: An annual celebration when first-years who complete the fall are assigned to one of Harvard’s twelve Houses.
- Inter-House Transfer (IHT): After living in your assigned House for two terms, you can apply for an Inter-House Transfer (IHT).
- Lottery: A random drawing. Many Housing processes are run by lottery, meaning that the outcome is randomized. One example is the annual Rising Sophomore Housing Lottery.
- Proctor: A staff member or graduate student who lives in the dormitories and advises first-year students on personal, residential, social, and academic matters.
- The Quad / Quad Houses: The three upper-level Houses are nicknamed the “Quad” because they are located in the Radcliffe Quadrangle , which is adjacent to The Student Organization Center at Hilles (SOCH).
- Recess Housing: Harvard housing closes for the winter and summer. However, there are some students who are eligible to apply for recess housing and remain on campus during these periods of the year.
- Resident Deans: Staff members who live in your residential community and who oversee your academic, social, and co-curricular well-being.
- River Houses: The nine upper-level Houses located along or near the Charles River.
- Suite: A living space in a House or Dorm with two or more bedrooms that houses between two and ten students. Some suites may have common rooms, kitchens, or en suite bathrooms.
- Single: A single occupancy bedroom either off a common corridor or as part of a suite.
- Tutor: A staff member or graduate student who lives in the upper-level Houses and advises upper-level students on personal, residential, social, and academic matters.
- Yard: The first-year dorms are grouped into larger clusters called Yards (Crimson, Elm, Ivy and Oak).
- Yard Ops: Harvard Yard Operations, known as Yard Ops, maintains the First Year dormitories. Yard Ops also helps students with card access, lost key replacement (First Years only), lost and found for the Yard Classroom buildings, and more.