Dive Summary:
- In the wake of last year's cheating scandal, the Boston Globe and the New York Times reported on Sunday that Harvard University searched through the emails of its resident deans for the source of a leak to the press.
- Only days after the investigation into widespread cheating began, a confidential email from Administrative Board Secretary John Ellison to Harvard board members, including its 16 resident deans, was published in the Harvard Crimson on Sept. 1, 2012, though the dean reportedly responsible for sharing the email was not identified.
- Michael Smith, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Evelynn Hammonds, dean of Harvard College asserted that Harvard only searched the resident deans' accounts intended for administrative functions, the search was restricted to subject lines, time sent and name of sender, and that no e-mails were opened or read.
From the article:
"... Lewis agreed that there are cases in which institutions have the right to seize records and said he doesn’t know all the facts of Harvard’s decision to search the resident deans’ files. The privacy of resident deans’ e-mail is particularly important because of their role in house and student affairs, Lewis said.
'We’re dealing with students and families who want to have conversations with us under what they assume are understandings of confidentiality,' he said. ..."