Non-Resident Tutor Information

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Since the inception of the residential House system in the 1930s, non-resident tutors have played an important role in Harvard life--and had fun in doing so. A NRT in a particular field may assist the Resident Tutor in that field in advising students and writing letters of recommendation, or may be the House's primary tutor in the field.

Application: Interested parties should apply online at /tutorapp/, indicating that they are interested in a non-resident tutor position. After completing the online application the candidate should email the Allston Burr Resident Dean, Lauren Brandt, and the House Life Tutor, Daniel Roy, indicating the nature of their interest in being an NRT.

Promising candidates, in fields for which the House is in need of tutorial help, are interviewed either by the Resident Dean and Assistant Resident Dean (for FAS or pre-business candidates) or by members of the House pre-business, pre-law or pre-medical committees. Successful candidates are appointed on a year-by-year basis, with renewal subject to the interest of the tutor and the discretion of the Master and Resident Dean, who will make renewal decisions based on the overall needs of the House.

Privileges: NRTs may eat up to five meals per week with the students in the House dining hall during the academic year. As members of the Senior Common Room, NRTs are given a key to the room itself, which they may use it as a quiet place on campus to relax and read the latest magazines and newspapers; and they are invited to all SCR lunches, dinners, and special events--such as the Junior dinner, the Senior Dinner, the Murdoch Lecture, the Ying Quartet dinner. Unlike other Senior Common Room members, NRT's are NOT asked to pay Senior Common Room dues. NRTs are also allowed (and strongly encouraged) to play for Leverett in intramural sports and attend House events for students (e.g film society showings, drawing classes, CoffeeHouse).

Responsibilities: In return for these privileges, Leverett NRT's have specific academic responsibilities worked out at the time of their appointment. Because NRTs have all the benefits of SCR membership without SCR dues, as well as a generous meal allowance, much is expected of them. NRT's who find that they cannot find the time and energy to fullfill their responsibilities may remain affiliated with the House as non-resident Affiliates by paying their SCR dues. In addition to their specific responsibilities, NRTs are expected to

• sit with students during their meals at the House (note - meals are not transferable - NRTs may occasionally need to bring a colleague without Harvard meal privileges to the dining hall to eat with the students and then should ask the checker to swipe their guest in - personal guests should be paid for in cash - not swiped in);
• attend at least one SRC luncheon or Old Library Luncheon per semester;
• if in an FAS department or progam, attend the Academic Advising Meeting, held in the dining hall on the evening of the second day of classes each semester (tutors in fields for which there is no resident tutor should make contact with all sophomore concentrators in that field who do not come to the Academic Advising meeting);
• if in an FAS department or program, either teach a tutorial in the House, if assigned a preponderance of Leverett students; or run a language or special interest table in the House; or set up at least one meeting per semester for students concentrating in your field: this could be a dinner in the dining hall; a help night, a discussion group on a topic of common concern (e.g. a difficult unit from the sophomore tutorial), a talk by the tutor or a guest. NRTs should always c.c. the Master, the Resident Dean and the AST for House Activities when setting up such meetings.
• if a pre-business tutor, attend the Academic Advising meetings, and run at least one resume workshop (or table in the dining hall), or field trip (e.g. to the Business School, or to a business), or talk (by a relevant professional) per semester;
• if a pre-law or pre-med tutor, meet with the students to whom you have been assigned and write House letters for them;
• participate, if asked, on the fellowships committee (interviewing and preparing students for prize competitions, or writing letters of recommendation).

Rules: In addition, all NRTs are expected to observe the following:

1. Letters of recommendation must remain confidential. Many NRT's write letters of recommendation--for graduate and professional schools, fellowships, and jobs--and indeed should offer to write such letters, when appropriate. NRT's will sometimes have access to the student's file and thus to other letters written on the student's behalf. These letters are confidential: tutors may not discuss or even hint at the contents of letters with students.
2. No secrets about potentially dangerous situations: Occasionally a student will indicate to an NRT that he or she has or knows of a serious personal problem. Since these problems are occasionally very serious, don't promise students that you will keep your conversation confidential. The best advice that a tutor can give is that the student speak with the Resident Dean. Conversations between tutors and the Resident Dean or Masters pertaining to students are ordinarily confidential; exceptions, again, are in situations where a serious threat exists, such as suicide.
3. No romance with students: Like Resident Tutors, NRTs must avoid not only any romantic involvement with undergraduates in the House, but even the appearance of romantic involvement with students. A tutor who becomes involved with an undergraduate in any House will likely be asked to resign, because of possible conflicts of interest (real or apparent) in scholarship and other recommendations.