Campus & Community

Educational testing is a fundamental part of the educational system in the United States, but many argue that far too much emphasis is placed on it. One influential voice in the lively, often contentious, testing debate belongs to Daniel Koretz, professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), whose research focuses on educational assessment as it relates to educational policy, with an emphasis on the effects of high-stakes testing. His new book, titled “Measuring Up: What Educational Testing Really Tells Us” (Harvard University Press, 2008), is a detailed exploration of the pros and cons and complexities of testing.

The Crimson Summer Academy provides yearlong mentoring to economically disadvantaged high school students in Boston and Cambridge.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) presented five educators from the Boston and Cambridge public school systems with James Bryant Conant Fellowships on Monday (June 9). Each of the recipients will receive one year of study at the School.

The president of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) has announced the results of the annual election of new members of the Harvard Board of Overseers. The results were released at the annual meeting of the association following the University’s 357th Commencement.

From the beginning of Commencement Day, when graduates and their professors commenced sprouting out of the morning mist in full regalia, ’til the end of Afternoon Exercises, when all and sundry fell under the spell of J.K. Rowling’s verbal wizardry, four curious, stealthy, and alert writers from the Gazette prowled around the Yard and its environs, eyes and ears open for the most vivid, moving, and humorous moments of this most important of days.

President of the University of Miami, Donna E. Shalala, was at Harvard last week (June 6) to accept the Radcliffe Medal, a tradition that includes delivering the keynote address at a luncheon on Radcliffe Day.

June 1, 1774 — Several parliamentary punishments for the Boston Tea Party (December 1773) take effect, and British troops occupy Boston. “[C]onsidering the present dark aspect of our public Affairs,” the Harvard Corporation votes “that there be no public Commencement this Year.” Ceremonies do not resume until 1781.

Following are some of the incidents reported to the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) for the week ending June 9. The official log is located at 1033 Massachusetts Ave., sixth floor, and is available online at http://www.hupd.harvard.edu/.

Harvard LGBT reunion set for September; Reischauer Institute seeks papers on Japan-related topics; HMNH publication captures prize

CLC honors Shinagel, Haynes; Dumbarton Oaks Library announces new director of studies; Department of Commerce honors Michael E. Porter; Sohigan, Yeghiayan attend Energy Globe Awards; Raiffa named recipient of Schelling Award; Woolhandler to present at council on Bioethics

Five graduating seniors and their families were all smiles despite the steady downpour drenching participants in this year’s commissioning ceremony for the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), held Wednesday (June 4). The morning began with an informal ceremony, during which the officer candidates took their oaths with family and friends before the statue of John Harvard, prior to their official swearing in at the Tercentenary Theatre.

President Drew Faust’s freshman year was one of fresh starts and real progress as she renewed Harvard’s leadership and helped make the University more affordable, more sustainable, and more welcoming to the arts, while maintaining the University’s voice in Washington and the world.

Six members of the Harvard Business School M.B.A. Class of 2008 have been named winners of the School’s prestigious Dean’s Award.

In her Commencement 2008 address, Drew Faust reflects on her first year as president of Harvard University.

More than 80 Harvard College seniors have been named Thomas T. Hoopes Prize winners for outstanding scholarly work or research. The prize is funded by the estate of Thomas T. Hoopes ’19. The recipients, including their research and advisers, are as follows:

The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study has named Harvard senior and sociology and economics joint-concentrator Eric Kouskalis winner of its 2008 Captain Jonathan Fay Prize. Kouskalis was chosen for the quality and impact of his senior thesis, which featured a compelling argument against the current methods for introducing and deploying computers into South African and Namibian school systems.

The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study has announced that Donna E. Shalala, president of the University of Miami and former U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services, will be awarded the 2008 Radcliffe Institute Medal at the annual Radcliffe Day luncheon on Friday (June 6) at 12:45 p.m. Barbara J. Grosz, dean of the Radcliffe Institute, will make opening remarks and present the medal. Shalala will deliver the keynote address.

Late this morning (June 3), Adam Goldenberg ’08 — in a fashionable bow tie and flowing academic robes — joined a long line of gowned seniors in the shade of trees outside Harvard Hall. A few months before, the Vancouver, B.C., social studies concentrator had dressed a little differently (in pink tights and a yellow Bo Peep dress) to entertain Hasty Pudding’s Man of the Year Christopher Walken.

The Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) has announced the recipients of the 2008 Harvard Medal: Susan L. Graham A.B. ’64, Richard M. Hunt Ph.D. ’60, and Stephen B. Kay A.B. ’56, M.B.A. ’58.

Harvard University today (June 5) conferred honorary doctoral degrees on 10 individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievements in a broad range of fields. The degrees were awarded at this morning’s 357th Commencement Exercises. In addition, the University announced its intention to confer an honorary degree on Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on an appropriate future occasion. Kennedy had planned to attend today’s Commencement ceremony but is now recovering from surgery earlier this week.

In September 1958, Harvard College senior Alfred Hurd moved to 3 Sacramento St., an old Victorian mansion the University had bought less than a year before. The rambling three-story house — with its interior of arched doorways, stained-glass windows, and tiled fireplaces — was the locus of an experiment: Harvard’s first cooperative housing dormitory.

‘The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination’

In the future, Harvard will go beyond traditional ivy and red brick to create campuses with more energy-efficient buildings that minimize water usage and produce low air emissions.

June 1766 — Designed by colonial governor Sir Francis Bernard, the new Harvard Hall (still standing, with several later modifications) opens to replace its predecessor, destroyed by fire in 1764.

Following are some of the incidents reported to the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) for the week ending June 2. The official log is located at 1033 Massachusetts Ave., sixth floor, and is available online at http://www.hupd.harvard.edu/.

As Commencement closes another chapter of the Harvard story, here is a brief backward glance at some highlights of the year that was.

Jesús Terrones exudes a calm that commands attention. His voice has a quiet resonance. His eyes are a brown that border on black, at once intense and kind.

Call it magic, but the rain held off while Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling delivered the keynote address this afternoon (June 5) at Harvard University’s annual meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association.

Harvard LGBT reunion event set for September; Modern Greek Studies Program offering Ph.D. fellowship

Holdren honored as guest professor of Tsinghua University; Locke given innovation award; HBS’s Thomas McCraw receives Hagley book prize; Zhang awarded prestigious Merck Award