A strike by Harvard graduate students, which began on October 27, is disrupting learning at the university, with loud protests and picket lines interfering with classes and exams. The strike, led by the Harvard Graduate Student Union, an affiliate of the United Auto Workers union, has resulted in the cancellation of smaller discussion groups, known as "sections," in several courses, including Humanities 10, Gov 30, and Philosophy 14.
These cancellations have left undergraduates without a tuition refund or alternative educational experience, raising questions about the impact on their learning. In some classes, sections have been merged, resulting in larger class sizes, while in others, midterm exams have not been returned with grades or comments.
The strike has also led to the scaling back of office hours for students with questions and the relocation of some classes from in-person to online. The protests have been loud and disruptive, with students chanting slogans and banging on drums, and have even targeted specific events, such as a midterm exam in GenEd 1116, where the professor distributed earplugs to students due to the noise.
Harvard administrators have warned that strike activity that interferes with students' and employees' rights will be subject to disciplinary action, citing university policies and the right to teach and learn. The strike has also affected guest lectures, with author John Green deciding to appear virtually instead of in person after the union asked him not to cross their picket line.