The Harvard Graduate Council , formerly known as the Harvard Graduate Student Government , is the centralized student government organization for the twelve graduate schools at Harvard University. Representing the interests of more than 15,000 Harvard graduate students, HGC is responsible for advocating student concerns to the University administrators, including the President of Harvard University, as well as the Provost and the Deans. HGC is also tasked with organizing large university-wide initiatives and events, managing and providing funding for university-wide student groups, as well as representing Harvard's graduate student population during conferences with other Ivy League universities and external organizations. In addition, HGC collaborates with its undergraduate counterpart, the Harvard Undergraduate Council. HGC is a steward of the "One Harvard" movement, which aims to bring all of Harvard's graduate schools together through joint advocacy, closer collaboration, and social interaction. HGC is a federal-like student government organization: it consists of representatives from all 12 graduate schools but each of the twelve schools continues to operate some type of a local student council of its own. These local student councils focus on school-specific issues, whereas HGC's mandate extends to the entire University.
Governance
Membership All matriculated students of Harvard's twelve graduate and professional schools are members of the HGC:
Leadership The governing body of the HGC is made of an Executive Board, School Representatives, and Committee Representatives. As of 2014, there were approximately 100 graduate and professional students serving on 7 committees and 23 subcommittees within the Leadership Council. Leadership Council meetings are held throughout the fall and spring semesters and are open to all students from Harvard’s graduate and professional schools Presidents
University administrators often consult with the HGC on a variety of issues facing Harvard graduate students. HGC leadership also serves on various faculty-administrator-student committees and task forces focusing on issues such as the student health care, campus planning, Harvard presidential appointments, and sexual assault. HGC organizes university-wide events, including the Welcome Back Event the Harvard Masquerade Ball, Harvard Leadership Conference, Lectures That Last, and Post.Harvard.
Official Seal of the Harvard Graduate Council
The HGC Seal is formed by 13 different Harvard seals. At the center is the main Harvard University seal, which itself is surrounded by the 12 smaller seals of individual graduate schools. The HGC Seal contains one notable blank crest, which represents the Harvard Law School. Historically, Harvard Law was represented by the family coat-of-arms of its benefactor Isaac Royall Jr.; however, due to the seal's association with slavery, it was discontinued from use in 2016 and subsequently removed from all official Harvard documents and insignia, including the HGC Seal. Since HLS has not identified a replacement crest, the school continues to be represented by a blank crest on the HGC insignia.
University-wide Student Groups (USG)
The Harvard Graduate Council provides operational and event grant funding for recognized university-wide student organizations through the Student Groups Sub-Committee of the HGC Finance Committee. 2016-2017 USGs
