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Harvard Travel Services

Harvard Travel Services provides information or assistance related to booking ground, rail, and air transportation for domestic and international travel, hotel and car rental discounts, travel advisories, and many other things.  Visit the Harvard Travel Portal as well, to learn about Harvard's preferred vendors and other travel resources.

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Emergency Support

In case of emergency abroad, first call the local equivalent of 911 listed in the global 911 directory .

You may also contact International SOS by phone at +1-617-998-0000 or through the Assistance App .

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Access your International Emergency Management Team (IEMT) portal for information.

Travel Registration FAQs

Frequently asked questions.

Browse the travel registration FAQs below, and contact us if your question hasn’t yet been answered.

International SOS MyTrips and the Assistance App collect travel itineraries and contact information for Harvard affiliates traveling internationally. This information enables us and International SOS to quickly contact you in the event of an emergency (i.e. natural disaster, civil unrest, etc.), so that we can account for affected Harvard travelers and provide assistance to the best of our ability through International SOS .

All Harvard students, faculty, staff, and other academics use International SOS MyTrips and the International SOS Assistance App.

All students, faculty, staff, and researchers are required to register their Harvard-related international travel. This includes international trips funded, organized, or sponsored by Harvard as well as trips involving Harvard credit.

During a critical incident, members of the International Emergency Management Team (IEMT) rely on the travel registration data entered in MyTrips and the Assistance App to account for and contact affected travelers.

Not necessarily. Review the eligibility guidelines and check your eligibility for International SOS.

Eligibility is not tied to registration, but not registering your trip may slow down or impede assistance from International SOS and the University during an emergency.

When an incident occurs abroad, we look to the trip information entered in MyTrips and the Assistance App to inform us of travelers in the region. If we don’t know you’re in the area of an incident, then we don’t know to contact you and offer assistance. In addition to it being Harvard policy, registering your international trip is a smarter and safer way to travel.

Review the eligibility guidelines and check your eligibility to determine if your trip is covered.

Log in to both the International SOS MyTrips website and the Assistance App with your Harvard email address. The first time you use MyTrips and/or the Assistance App, you'll need to register as a new user and create your profile.

If you don’t have a Harvard email address, contact us at [email protected] or +1-617-495-1111 .

Always register before you leave. You can't register a past trip.

You’re encouraged to register as soon as you make your initial plans. You can update your itinerary if it changes.

You should also update your contact information if you get a local cell phone number once in country.

Yes. Enter as much information as you have for a given trip, even if you only know your expected travel dates and the city and country of your accommodation. You can save the trip and return to update or delete it later.

Skip sections that you don’t have complete information for yet. In the MyTrips website, don’t begin to enter details for a given section until you’re ready to enter all required fields (*) for that section.

Note: If your trip was originally registered via bulk upload or through one of Harvard’s preferred travel agencies, you cannot edit or delete it, but you can add more information. Contact us .

How to edit your trip in MyTrips:

• Log in to International SOS MyTrips with your Harvard email address. From within your profile, click on the trip name that you wish to edit.
• Then click on the tab that you wish to add to or edit (flight, accommodation, train, ground transportation). Click the save button within each tab you add to or edit.
• Lastly, click "Save Trip Information" at the top of the webpage to save all of your new or updated trip information.

How to edit your trip in the Assistance App:

• Log in to the Assistance App with your Harvard email address.
• Tap on the airplane icon to view your registered trip(s).
• Tap on the trip you wish to edit or delete.
• Swipe left to see the edit and delete buttons.
• Edit or delete the applicable trip details (flight, accommodation, train, or ground transit) and tap save.

To edit a trip for an individual without a Harvard email address, for example a spouse or dependent traveling with you, contact us at [email protected] or +1-617-495-1111 .

Itineraries from Egencia, Milne Travel, and Travel Collaborative automatically import into International SOS MyTrips and the Assistance App as long as you're the only person on the itinerary and your first name, last name, and email address match what you have in your MyTrips and Assistance App profile.

Additionally, the agency data does not provide sufficient detail to contact you in an emergency, so we strongly suggest you log in to International SOS MyTrips and/or the Assistance App to update your profile with your preferred contact information and an emergency contact.

Yes. You should register with your embassy whenever you travel internationally. International SOS MyTrips and Assistance App information is not forwarded to any embassy or government agency.

Registration with an embassy enables the government to help you in circumstances where their assistance is critical (e.g. lost passports, arrests, natural disasters, etc.).

U.S. citizens can register with State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

Citizens of other countries may find it helpful to review a list of embassies and consulates in the U.S .

All registered Harvard students and Harvard faculty and staff on the Harvard University payroll are encouraged to register their personal international travel.

During an emergency abroad, International SOS and our staff rely on the information in MyTrips and the Assistance App to inform us of any travelers in the region. Although personal trips are not eligible for the University's International SOS membership (unless it's within seven days before or after an eligible trip), we'll make our best effort to locate and, if possible, assist all Harvard travelers. Personal travelers, however, will likely incur the costs if services are rendered (e.g. emergency evacuation).

If you’re traveling abroad on vacation or another type of personal trip, we strongly encourage you to purchase your own evacuation insurance coverage. As a Harvard affiliate, International SOS membership discounts are available to you, your family, and dependents.

You should also check with your health insurance provider about your international coverage options and/or purchase an international plan. Learn more about insurance .

Only if requested by your School or program. Harvard's instance of International SOS MyTrips and the Assistance App are not intended to capture U.S. itineraries, and the University's International SOS membership does not include responding to incidents within the United States or U.S. territories.

If you need help during or after an emergency in the United States, call 9-1-1 for assistance.

If you're traveling with a spouse, dependent, or individual who doesn’t have a Harvard email address, contact us first at +1-617-495-1111 or [email protected].

Once you've talked with us, follow the instructions for registering on a traveler's behalf .

Yes. You can register a trip on their behalf via itinerary forwarding.

At this time, you cannot enter someone else’s information directly into MyTrips or the Assistance App. International SOS hopes to add this functionality in a future release.

Yes. Students are responsible for registering themselves, unless advised by their program that their registration has been completed for them. If your information is entered by program administrators, you’ll receive an email confirmation of the completed registration.

Even if your program processed your registration, you’re still responsible for keeping the information up-to-date (e.g. if phone numbers or itineraries change).

Student programs are required to ensure that all undergraduate students are registered in International SOS MyTrips or the Assistance App. You have two options:.

• Collect all travel information centrally using the Group Travel Registration Worksheet , and send it to us to be uploaded in bulk to International SOS MyTrips.
• Have students register individually through International SOS MyTrips or the Assistance App. You’ll need to verify they’ve completed this requirement. You can do so by contacting the Office of International Education (OIE). They manage a database that tracks and reports on the status of undergraduate students' travel requirements. Email [email protected] to request a report.

While you can’t log in to the site or app to verify others’ registrations, undergraduate program administrators can request a verification report from the Office of International Education (OIE). OIE manages a database that tracks and reports on the status of undergraduate students' travel requirements. Email [email protected] to request a report.

To check on the status of graduate student travel registrations, call us at +1-617-495-1111 .

There are several ways to demonstrate proof of travel registration, depending on how you registered your trip. Review the options .

That’s ok. If you didn't register your trip with International SOS, or if you can't locate one of the proof of registration confirmations, you can complete a Missing International Travel Registration Form . Submit the completed form with your reimbursement request.

And now you know for next time to register your international trip. In addition to it being Harvard policy, registration is a smarter and safer way to travel.

Note: if you booked your travel through one of the preferred agencies and can't locate your receipt, you'll also need to submit a Missing Receipt Affidavit .

Stay Up To Date

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• What do I need to Know?

Harvard faculty, staff and students must follow specific travel guidance.  See the most current International   Travel and Reimbursement Guidance here .   

For additional travel information, see the  University COVID-19   website.

Traveling for Harvard-related business? See what you need to " Know Before You Go ":

Harvard has selected Egencia as our on-line booking tool. Egencia offers low fees for on-line booking.  

Click  here  to access Harvard's Egencia website.

To learn more about using Egencia and how to obtain a username, please visit the Travel Services website  here .

The preferred and most convenient way to book your travel is through one of Harvard’s preferred agencies . By using one of these agencies you will be able to take advantage of University discounts and benefits negotiated with preferred travel partners. Additionally, these agencies are familiar with travel requirements due to COVID, Harvard’s travel policies, assist with management of unused tickets available for re-booking and support Duty of Care by knowing where our travelers are in case of inclement weather or domestic/international incident.  You can also save time by completing a traveler profile which contains your travel information, preferences and frequent flyer and loyalty program information.    

Note: If you are traveling on Sponsored funds, please let the agent know that before you begin making your reservations.

Preferred Travel Partners

When traveling by air, it is recommended that you use a Harvard Preferred Airline whenever possible. These are airlines that Harvard has negotiated discounts and benefits with including complimentary preferred seats, priority check-in, priority boarding and priority re-accommodation.

These benefits and discounts can only be obtained by booking through one of our preferred Travel Agencies. Discounts will vary by airline, destination and fare type and do not apply to every fare. In many cases the fares you book will not be eligible for further discounts because they are already deeply discounted. However these low fares are often limited and when they sell out, our negotiated fares insure that we do not pay a premium.

Click here for the full list of Harvard's Preferred Airline Partners and the benefits available to Harvard Travelers.

Fare Guidelines

Travelers are expected to book the lowest and most reasonable nonstop airfare consistent with their itinerary, the business purpose of their trip, and the requirements of the funding source.

Flight Comparison Documentation

If travelers are combining business and personal travel on the same trip or upgrading airfare on sponsored funds, the traveler would need to obtain within one business day a flight comparison to show what the cost would have been had the traveler not externded their trip or upgraded their airfare.  Travelers should follow this guidance to ensure they have proper documentation for reimbursement.

Airline Fees

Harvard will reimburse employees for reasonable and necessary fees such as baggage fees and ticket cancellation and change fees (provided there is a valid reason for the change or cancellation.

For detailed guidance on fare guidelines and airline fees, please review Appendix A of the Travel Policy .

Fly America and Open Skies Agreements

Generally, if a traveler is traveling on funds provided by the federal government, he/she must use a U.S. flag carrier (an airline owned by an American company), regardless of cost or convenience. If you are scheduling international travel that is federally funded, you must ensure that all flights, where possible, are scheduled on U.S. flag carriers or on foreign air carriers that code share with a U.S. flag carrier. Visit the Fly America Act and Open Skies Agreement to learn more.

Public Transportation, Shuttle Services and Taxis

Travelers should consider public transportation and shuttle services where they are available. Taxis may also be used where other methods of travel are unavailable or impractical.

Business Use of Personal Cars

Travelers may use his or her personal car for University business travel if doing so is less expensive than other means of transportation. Harvard reimburses travelers for the business use of a personal car up to the current federal government mileage rate . All requests for mileage reimbursement must include the traveler’s itinerary, the dates the mileage expenses were incurred, and the number of business-related miles driven. The University will NOT reimburse travelers for gas expenses in lieu of miles. Commuting expenses, repairs, and ticket and traffic violations are not reimbursable

Rental Cars

Harvard’s Preferred Car Rental Partners are Enterprise and National. When renting a car for Harvard sponsored business, you should select a vehicle from one of these vendors. Harvard has negotiated special pricing with these vendors which includes the required insurance coverages and limits for business rentals. In order for the insurance to be included, you must use Harvard’s Corporate ID’s (listed below) when booking your car.  If you use a vendor other than Enterprise, National or Hertz, you must purchase a minimum of $250K in supplemental liability insurance . Additional information on required insurance while renting a car on University business can be found in the  Insurance Grid (click here) .  

For detailed guidance on business use of personal cars, including mileage reimbursement requirements and required insurance, as well as for rental car requirements and the use of Zipcars, please reference Appendix B of the Travel Policy

Rail Travel

All rail travel is expected to be at the lowest fare that offers reserved seating. For rail travel over six hours, first-class seating is reimbursable. For most international rail travel, reserved seating is only available in first class.

The University will reimburse travelers for lodging expenses while on official University business further than 50 miles one way from the traveler’s place of work. Per diems are not permitted for lodging reimbursements at SEAS .   Actual lodging expenses must be submitted for reimbursement.

Preferred Travel Partners

Harvard strongly encourages travelers to book lodging through one of Harvard’s preferred hotels or travel agencies. To learn more about Harvard’s travel agency partners and exclusive travel discounts, visit the Harvard Travel Services website,  here .

Harvard travelers are expected to seek lodging that is safe, comfortable and reasonably priced. It is strongly recommended that travelers book their lodging with one of our preferred hotels or through one of our preferred travel agencies . Supporting our preferred vendors enables us to negotiate better rates and amenities with increased usage. 

For Airbnb bookings, the nightly rate must be reasonably priced and comparable to the expected nightly hotel rate based on the city of location. Any questions regarding reasonableness should be raised prior to booking the Airbnb residence. Please note folks should refer to fund specific allowability in relation to sponsored projects when considering Airbnb stays.

For more detailed guidance on allowable room types, reimbursable charges and alternate lodging alternatives such as: private residences or sabbatical lodging, please see Appendix C of the Travel Policy .

Individual Meal Expenses While Traveling

Travelers will be reimbursed for reasonable individual meal expenses while on University business. Harvard will not reimburse for excessive meal costs that are not substantiated by a complete and explanatory business purpose. Per IRS regulations, the University does not reimburse individual meal expenses for one-day travel except when the travel time is greater than twelve (12) hours. Per diem rates may not be used for one-day travel, nor may they be combined with actual expenses from the same trip.  When submitting a reimbursement for a single trip, all meal expenses must be in the same form of reimbursement (i.e. either all per diems or all actual expenses incurred).

Per Diem Rates - U.S. Domestic

Per Diem Rates - Foreign

Business Meals with Others While Traveling

Business meals are defined as meals with faculty, staff, students, donors, or other external parties during which specific documented business discussions take place. Travelers must exercise fiscal responsibility when choosing restaurants; travelers should avoid high-end establishments unless circumstances dictate that such a choice is appropriate, as when conducting University business with a major donor or foreign dignitary. Harvard will not reimburse for excessive meal costs that are not substantiated by a complete and explanatory business purpose.

Alcoholic Beverages Alcohol purchased at business meals should be kept to a minimum, and must be charged to object code 8450 (expenses ineligible for federal reimbursement).

• If the meal(s) did include alcohol and the reimbursee can attest in writing to the alcohol cost, then the alcohol portion with applicable tax and tip must be charged to object code 8450. No alcohol may be charged to a federal award. SEAS Best Practice is to use the 8450 calculator to determine the breakout, while including a copy in the supporting documentation.  
• If alcohol was included and the reimbursee cannot attest to the alcohol cost, then no portion of the meal cost can be charged to a federal award. The full amount of the meal cost should be charged to object code 8450 on discretionary funds.

Note: While not required on the receipt, the number and name(s) of the guests are required for reimbursement. If 5+ attendees, only the number of guests and summary of their affiliation is required.

As outlined in the Sponsored Expenditure Guidelines Policy , travel-related expenses are allowable as direct expenses when they provide a direct benefit to the sponsored award.

Domestic and foreign travel charged to a sponsored project must follow these guidelines as well as the Harvard University Travel Policy and funding agency requirements, whichever imposes the greater restrictions.  

Business Class Airfare or Upgraded Economy

If business class travel or upgraded economy is allowed under the  Harvard Travel Policy , the difference in fare between the least expensive economy fare class and the business class fare must be charged to a non-sponsored account.

• The traveler must obtain, within one business day of booking the flight, a price quote for the economy fare for the same itinerary. The economy class fare can be charged to the federal award and the difference must be charged to a non-sponsored account.  
• The  Federal Lowest Economy Split Coding Job Aid   can be utilized to calculate the charges and retained as supporting documentation. If the traveler does not obtain written documentation of the lowest available economy fare for the same itinerary within one business day of booking the flight, then  NO  portion of the fare may be charged to the federal award. Post-booking quotes are not allowed as substitute documentation

Fly America Act

All air travel on federal awards must comply with the Fly America Act and use U.S. Flag Carriers even when a less costly foreign flag carrier is available, unless the flight meets the circumstances and exceptions described in the Harvard University Fly America Travel Reimbursement Exception Form . Departments/local units need to retain documentation of the Fly America exceptions.

The Open Skies Agreement is an exception to the Fly America Act requirement and it allows travelers to fly on airlines from the European Union, Australia, Switzerland and Japan under certain circumstances. To determine if a flight meets the Open Skies Agreement criteria, see the Fly America Act and Open Skies Agreement Decision Tree . 

In order to charge a business meal on a federal award, an itemized receipt should be presented even if the total amount of the bill is less than $75. If an itemized receipt is not available, use a Missing Receipt Affidavit (MRA), and:

• If the meal(s) did not include alcohol, the traveler must attest in writing that no alcohol was charged, and the entire amount can be charged to the appropriate federal award.

SEAS Best Practice is to use the 8450 calculator to determine the breakout, while including a copy in the supporting documentation. ​​​​​

Harvard will reimburse for allowable, reasonable, properly substantiated expenses that are necessary and appropriate in the conduct of University business. All business expense reimbursements must meet the IRS accountable plan rules in order to be excluded from the recipient’s gross income, per the University Business Expense Reimbursements Policy .

In order to be reimbursed, all expenses must contain a detailed business purpose, be accompanied by supporting documentation and be submitted in accordance with University deadlines.

What Is an Acceptable Business Purpose?

A detailed Business Purpose includes all the information necessary to give the reviewer a clear understanding of the reason for the expense.  Complete details include  who, what, when, where  and always  why .

• Who - person who traveled or incurred the expense
• What - the purchased item/travel/conference, etc.
• When -  Date range of travel/conference; date(s) of activity
• Where - Location of travel/conference; location of activity
• Why -  Justification for the purchase; RE: specific research (must be clear and specific!)

A detailed business purpose should be clear enough that a person with no prior knowledge of the transaction can discern all aspects of the transaction.  Any abbreviations or initials used should be identified and explained in the comments section to the approver. 

Receipts/Required Documentation

Receipts are essential for record keeping and to ensure compliance with IRS guidelines, as well as University Policy and Best Practices.

Harvard must follow specific rules that comply with the IRS Accountable Plan to ensure reimbursements are not taxable to the recipient/reimbursee. One requirement is that a reimbursement request must be substantiated with receipts showing evidence of payment.  Receipts are required for purchases equal to or greater than $75, though strongly encouraged for all transactions.

Minimum Requirement for Receipts:

• Date of transaction
• Name of merchant
• Transaction details (what was purchased)
• T he amount of purchase
• The form of payment used (credit card, cash, check)
• Indication that the amount was paid
• Handwritten receipts that do not contain the above information require a Missing Receipt Affidavit (MRA)
• Credit card statements alone are not acceptable in lieu of receipt
• Documentation and justification must be maintained according to the Harvard Records Schedule .

It is the responsibility of the cardholder (if charged to Corporate Card or Pcard ), card administrator (Department Card) or reimbursee to provide the support and documentation for the reimbursement.

For additional guidance, check out this helpful document on the Definition of Receipts and the slide deck from our SEAS Financial Operations Brown Bag Session about  Receipts and Required Documentation held on June 15, 2021 

Deadlines for Submission

Please note reimbursement for travel-related expenses cannot be made until after the travel has taken place. The only way to pre-pay travel expenses is by using your Harvard Corporate or Department Card.

Non-Harvard Employees: While reimbursements to non-employees are not technically bound by the same 90-day deadline; Harvard encourages units to pay non-employee expenses in the same fiscal quarter as they are incurred.

Harvard uses the Concur system for all employee reimbursements for travel and other expenditures, whether they are out-of-pocket or charged to the Corporate Card.  Non-employees are reimbursed via the Non-employee Reimbursement Form (NERF) in B2P.

What is Concur?

Concur is Harvard University’s electronic Travel & Expense Reimbursement System. Click  here  for detailed information about Concur.

How can I access Concur?

Use this  link  to access Concur using your Harvard credentials.

Is there any training available for Concur?

Use this  link  to access a complete library of Concur training items. This includes quick start guides and job aids for setting up your profile, processing and approving reports in Concur and much more.

Is there a mobile App for Concur?

Concur provides a mobile app which assist users in preparing and approving expense reports. The Concur App lets travelers use a smartphone camera to take pictures of receipts, create and submit expense reports, and review and approve reports. To download the app, access your mobile app store and search for ‘Concur’. Use this  link  for more information.

Have more questions about using Concur?

Use this  link  to access frequently asked questions about the use of Concur.

Need to contact Concur support?

Use this  link  which provides contact support information for any additional questions or issues.

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Serving Harvard's International Community

Welcome to harvard: registration and travel signatures.

Welcome to Harvard to any incoming international students, scholars, student interns, and their families!

As a reminder, once you arrive in the U.S. you must register your arrival with the HIO . The HIO is processing all registrations via email. Please do not come to the HIO offices for registration at this time. You may find instructions based on your  visa  category below:

• Registration instructions for students
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After registration is complete, individuals on F-1 and J-1 visas, and their dependents, sponsored by Harvard will need to obtain a travel signature on their F-1 Form I-20 or J-1 DS-2019 Form in order to travel internationally during their program. 

• F-1 students may request a travel signature to be sent via email by completing the F-1 Travel Signature Request Form . If you have dependents, you do not need to submit a separate request for F-2 signatures; all forms I-20 will be issued and sent to you automatically.
• J-1 students, scholars, and student interns and their dependents will need to visit the HIO during our walk in travel signature and document pick up hour, which takes place Monday-Friday from 12pm - 2pm on the 8th floor of the Smith Center to obtain a travel signature. DS-2019s cannot be sent electronically and must contain an original signature from the HIO.
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MOSCOW: Where Public Meets Private

"moscow is a classically arendtian representation of the public realm, as seen in khutsiev’s  i am twenty , which serves a portrayal of its open landscape—filled with busy street fares, bustling urban squares, dinner parties, and crowded trains.".

Moscow's public realm, as seen in "I Am Twenty" (54:71). 

Moscow is a behemoth of a city filled to its brim with culture, urban sprawl, and people—with a population of a whopping 16.2 million people residing in its urban center, it’s the largest metropolitan city in Europe, outnumbering other giants like London (12.2 million) and Paris (10.9 million). Therefore, it is especially interesting to explore the role of public spaces in this city.

With so much space, Moscow seems to be the ultimate Arendtian representation of the public realm. As explored in the  Moscow Omeka blog post  focusing on the city’s various parks, urban spaces play an especially important role in Moscow, a city cmoming to terms with its past to enter the world stage as a post-Socialist city. The advent of public space is an important part of discussion for Moscow’s built environment today, with new art exhibits and discussions cropping up recently.  “Moskva: urban space” , for example, is a recent exhibit from the 2014 Venice Biennale by the city’s chief architect to explore how “today’s urban singularity is more so based on the ‘connective tissue’ that is the public spaces, and the ways in which these spaces have become equally important markers of contemporary metropolis identities.” [1] This exhibition provides great insight into the sprawl of Moscow and the utter importance of urban spaces in the city. 

Beautiful and expansive, Moscow's famous Gorky Park boasts many fountains and a great deal of public space. 

Looking at specific examples from this course, Marlen Khutsiev’s 1965 film, I Am Twenty , is the perfect representation of this very public realm in the sprawling city of Moscow, even half a century ago. It’s an exquisitely gorgeous homage to the beautiful city, and much of the film focuses on scenes that occur in the public realm: Sergei and his friends smoking cigarettes around the city late at night or early in the morning; hosting dinner parties where they all converse with one another; and generally just spending a great deal of time outside. 

Sergei and his friends have an intimate conversation about their lives out in the open realm—the private realm, still in the public realm.

Above is the perfect example of the Ardentian public sphere as seen in the movie. Sergei and his friends chat about life, love, and everything in between, but with lots of people around. Even in the image captured above, we see not only Sergei and his two friends on screen, but about four other figures walking squarely past the camera, with a beautiful, open square in the back filled with cars, trains, and sprawling public space. Interestingly, the public realm actually allows for the existence of the private realm in many such scenes, which complicates and enriches its role in a way that Sennett or Ardent do not point out. In these moments of public display in busy squares, the characters actually engage in intimate conversations, allowing for the private realm to become seamlessly integrated into the public one.

Anya and Sergei share an intimate moment during the very public May Day parade.

Another scene occurs during the May Day parade, perhaps the most “public” of realms shown in the entire movie.  It’s a scene where thousands gather in the streets of Moscow to celebrate the Allied victory in the Eastern front and the surrendering of Nazi Germany. Here, in perhaps the most crowded one might imagine a street, Sergei and Anya meet and share an intimately private moment. They chat and end up on a beautiful night around town together, traipsing about the city—private and intimate, though fully in the public.

All of this sheds light into Moscow as a place of the public realm: while it follows the classic Arendtian description of busy open spaces, there is the caveat that the private realm can exist even in these public busy spaces. This is reflected perfectly through most scenes and interactions throughout the film.

Sources: 

[1] Rawn, Evan.   "'Moskva: Urban Space'" Investigates the Future of Moscow's Public Realm at the 2014 Venice Biennale.   Arch Daily,  August 10, 2014. 

Teaching & Learning

Harold j. berman, 1918-2007, a scholar of great social account.

Professor Emeritus Harold J. Berman, an expert on comparative, international and Russian law as well as legal history and philosophy and the intersection of law and religion, died Nov. 13. He was 89.

Known for his energetic and outgoing personality, Berman recently celebrated his 60th anniversary as a law professor. He joined the Harvard Law School faculty in 1949 and held the Story Professorship of Law and later the Ames Professorship of Law. A prolific scholar, Berman wrote 25 books and more than 400 scholarly articles, including his magnum opus, “Law and Revolution: The Formation of the Western Legal Tradition.”

“Harold was a scholar of boundless and lofty ambition,” said HLS Professor Emeritus Henry Steiner ’55. “His projects reached deeply not only into comparative analysis and history, but also religion and jurisprudence. This is a record that any distinguished scholar would take pride in.”

Born in 1918 in Hartford, Conn., Berman received a bachelor’s from Dartmouth College in 1938 and a master’s in history from Yale University in 1942. After a year at Yale Law School, he was drafted by the Army and served as a cryptographer in Europe, earning a Bronze Star. He returned to New Haven and finished his degree in 1947.

Berman’s interest in the Soviet legal system began during his law school years, when he studied Russian and taught himself Soviet law. He argued his first case in Moscow in 1958, representing the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes. Seeking to obtain royalties from the Soviet state on the millions of Conan Doyle books sold in the Soviet Union, Berman won the case in a Moscow city court. He later lost on appeal to a higher Russian Federation court.

Berman was a frequent visitor to Russia as a guest scholar and lecturer. As a result of his firsthand knowledge of the Soviet Union—rare for an American in the Cold War era—he became a leading consultant to Russian officials in the mid-1980s during glasnost and perestroika.

HLS Professor Emeritus Detlev Vagts ’51 was part of a group of academics Berman brought together to teach what they referred to as “capitalist law” in the Soviet Union during that time. Vagts recalled the challenges of their task:

“The young Muscovites had been trained to think of the act of two persons getting together to buy goods low and sell them high as a conspiracy to profiteer—which would get you five years of re-education in Siberia. Now they had to adjust to the idea that it was a legitimate partnership,” he said. “The first Russian law on corporations was drafted by lawyers who could not bear to use the term ‘capital’ for the account in the lower right corner of the balance sheet; they called it ‘the social account’ instead.”

In 1985, faced with the prospect of mandatory retirement, Berman left HLS for Emory Law School. At Emory, he held the Robert W. Woodruff Professorship of Law—the highest honor Emory bestows on a faculty member—for more than 20 years. He was the principal founder of the American Law Center in Moscow, a joint venture of Emory and the Law Academy of the Russian Ministry of Justice. He was also co-chairman of Emory’s World Law Institute, an organization that sponsors educational programs around the world.

Reflecting another of his long-term interests, Berman helped to develop Emory’s Center for the Study of Law and Religion. In 2003, he published “Law and Revolution, II: The Impact of the Protestant Reformations on the Western Legal Tradition.”

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Few elite universities have effectively fought antisemitism, according to a Jewish advocacy group’s new report.

Only two universities, Brandeis University and Elon University, received As from the Anti-Defamation League, who unveiled the grades on April 11.

One reason cited for Brandeis’s high score was its decision to ban the student group Students for Justice in Palestine, which has been behind most of the protesting and antisemitism. 

Harvard received an F. So did 12 other prestigious universities, including Stanford, MIT, and Princeton.  

MIT, which is being sued by Jewish students over Title VI claims, is the only school featured at Congressional hearings on antisemitism in December whose president did not resign.

The ADL cited a letter by pro-Hamas Harvard students blaming Israel for the rapes, deaths and destruction of the Oct. 7 attacks came within hours of reports of the Hamas invasion.  The ADL also cited other antisemitic and anti-Zionist protest activities over the past six months. 

Jewish students are feeling unsafe on many campuses, the ADL says. 

“As I travel the country, I’m constantly hearing from Jewish families agonizing over where they will send their kids to college,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt stated in a news release accompanying the report. “School leadership must make serious changes to support Jewish communities on their campus; we expect nothing less.”

The ADL sent questionnaires to 100 schools, including top liberal arts colleges, and universities with a high percentage of Jewish students.  They received responses from 84 percent of the schools queried. 

They also considered other information, including Title VI complaints which have been filed with the Department of Education. They have become a popular vehicle for Jewish students who wish to sue over the high levels of antisemitism on campus. 

The ADL also consulted with experts and used recommendations drafted by the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism to draw up a list of 21 criteria for assessment. 

For each school, the ADL report provides information on the size of its Jewish student body, a detailed list of incidents in which Jewish students have been harassed or intimidated, and the school’s response and policies regarding antisemitism. 

The other schools that received Fs were a Swarthmore, University of Chicago, University of Virginia, Michigan State University, Tufts Universty, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, SUNY Purchase, and SUNY Rockland.

At the University of Chicago, Jewish students were not able to hold rallies, because their voices were drowned out by pro-Hamas protesters, in contravention of the school’s free speech policy.  At Princeton, there have been many antisemitic, anti-Zionist speakers, and rallies with antisemitic chanting in the past year, according to the ADL report card’s list of specifics.  There is a Title VI case pending against Princeton.

Dartmouth, which received a C, was the only Ivy League school not to receive a D or an F. 

MORE: Details of extreme antisemitism at Stanford exposed in new investigative report

IMAGE: BC/CU Jewish Voice for Peace/Instagram

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‘Catching Feelings’ After a Steamy Encounter on the Dance Floor

Elena Bauer and Joshua Fagel weren’t looking for anything serious when they first met at a fraternity party at Stanford. A month after meeting, they had a change of heart.

By Jenny Block

Elena Isabel Bauer and Joshua Daniel Fagel’s relationship started as what they both refer to as a “D.F.M.O.,” or a “dance floor make out.” They met April 15, 2016, on the “gross, grimy dance floor” at Mr. Fagel’s fraternity house, Sigma Nu, on Stanford’s campus. “Our feet were sticking to the floor,” Mr. Fagel said. “It was straight out of a movie.”

“I knew who Josh was,” said Ms. Bauer, then a 21- year-old junior, who had developed a crush on Mr. Fagel, a 19-year-old sophomore who served as his fraternity’s social chair. They had known of each other, but she was determined to meet him that night.

“That is a microcosm of Elena’s personality,” Mr. Fagel said. “She sets her sights on things and executes.”

Neither was looking for a serious relationship. When Ms. Bauer approached him on the dance floor, they spoke for a few minutes about nothing consequential before Mr. Fagel leaned in for a kiss. “Going for the D.F.M.O. is not playing the long game,” Mr. Fagel said. But they exchanged contact information and, before long Ms. Bauer said, “I was like, wait, I’m catching feelings.”

On their first date, a week later, Ms. Bauer taught Mr. Fagel how to drive a manual car. “It came up in conversation that I had a stick shift, and he was like, ‘You can drive stick? Can you teach me?’”

Mr. Fagel described the dating scene at Stanford as “bleak,” owing in large part to the high cost of local restaurants. As a result, they spent time together at meet-ups and parties rather than on dates. “We were broke college students,” Mr. Fagel said. “How were we supposed to go to the Michelin Star Italian restaurant?”

[Click here to binge read this week’s featured couples.]

A month later, the two decided not to see anyone else. It wasn’t an easy call since Mr. Fagel would be spending the summer in Israel as part of the Birthright Excel program and Ms. Bauer would be in Seattle working as an intern at the Boeing Company.

“Not only were we not going to see each other for three months after just meeting each other but there was like a 10-12 hour time difference,” Ms. Bauer said.

They stayed in contact, though. “He was leaving a club at midnight and sending flirty messages, and I’m doing Excel models at buttoned-down Boeing.”

On July 7, 2016, one of those text messages was a biggie. Mr. Fagel asked Ms. Bauer to be his girlfriend. She said yes.

The two survived the long distance. And, despite originally wanting to work in Washington, D.C., Ms. Bauer began applying for jobs in San Francisco as graduation approached so she wouldn’t be too far from Mr. Fagel.

Ms. Bauer moved to San Francisco in June 2017, and when Mr. Fagel graduated a year later, he, Ms. Bauer and two of his best friends moved into a new apartment.

In December 2019, another significant move was on the horizon. Ms. Bauer was accepted into Harvard Business School and later into Harvard Kennedy School. Her first call was to Mr. Fagel. “He said, ‘We’re moving to Boston,’” Ms. Bauer said.

The two moved in July 2020. And in July 2023, after Ms. Bauer finished school, they relocated to Denver, where they now live.

Ms. Bauer, 29, is a consultant in the Denver office of the Boston Consulting Group. She has a bachelor’s degree in management science and engineering from Stanford; a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School; and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Born in Manizales, Colombia, Ms. Bauer was raised in Tucson, Ariz.

Mr. Fagel, 27, works remotely as a founding team member and the head of business development at Provenance, a Los Angeles-based company that helps couples, officiants, and guests write personalized ceremonies, vows, and toasts with AI-powered digital tools. Mr. Fagel, who grew up in the Bay Area, has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford.

On July 14, 2022, Mr. Fagel proposed to Ms. Bauer on Cape Cod, in Falmouth, Mass., under the guise of attending a friend’s beach party. When they arrived where the party was to take place, the beach was empty save for a romantic picnic.

The couple married April 6 at Loews Ventana Canyon, a resort in Tucson, before 180 guests. Madeleine Smith, a friend of the couple who was ordained by American Marriage Ministries for the event, officiated, with Austin Boral, another friend, taking part.

Ms. Bauer and Mr. Fagel infused their Colombian and Jewish cultures into their wedding. Their ketubah was in English, Spanish, and Hebrew, and Ms. Bauer’s mother, Maria Sara Villa, read Pablo Neruda’s Soneto XVII in Spanish. For the traditional Jewish Seven Blessings, “Our officiants took seven songs that we both love and used their themes to offer guidance on our marriage,” Mr. Fagel said.

“Moments from standing under a wooden huppah that my father, a lifelong Christian, had built to seeing my mom and dad lifted in chairs during the hora were so special to me,” Ms. Bauer said.

Weddings Trends and Ideas

Reinventing a Mexican Tradition: Mariachi, a soundtrack for celebration in Mexico, offers a way for couples to honor their heritage  at their weddings.

Something Thrifted: Focused on recycled clothing , some brides are finding their wedding attire on vintage sites and at resale stores.

Brand Your Love Story: Some couples are going above and beyond to personalize their weddings, with bespoke party favors and custom experiences for guests .

Going to Great Lengths : Mega wedding cakes are momentous for reasons beyond their size — they are part of an emerging trend of extremely long cakes .

Popping the Question: Here are some of the sweetest, funniest and most heartwarming ways that c ouples who wed in 2023 asked, “Will you marry me? ”

Classic Wedding Traditions: Some time-honored customs have been reimagined  for modern brides and grooms seeking a touch of nostalgia with a contemporary twist.