Registering for Harvard Courses

and Getting SAO to Pay for It

It is a common thing for SAO employees to take Harvard classes, but that does not reduce the amount of paperwork and signatures required to make it happen. This page is intended to help novices (and anyone else who needs a little reminding each semester) to navigate the process of registering and getting reimbursed for classes at Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).

This process is more or less then same for other schools, such as Harvard Extension School, Harvard Summer School, and the BU Metropolitan College.

Paying for Courses: it may cost anywhere from $1500 to $2000 up front to register for a class. You have to pay this amount when you register (check, credit card, or money order). You get reimbursed several weeks after you complete the course if you get a passing grade. (Don't pass? No tuition money from SAO.)

Updated version of information from Nick Durham, June 2008

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Taking a Harvard Undergrad/Grad Class as a DATA AID / IT SPECIALIST
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**** Make copies of EVERYTHING - if it gets lost, you don't want to
have to start from scratch. ****


THE SAO HR PART
1. Fill out form SF182 http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/hr/pdf/training.pdf
  
  Weird Boxes to Fill in
  2. Leave Blank
  3. Leave Blank
  6. Non-supervisory
  7. SAO-HEAD, 60 Garden Street MSXX, Cambridge, MA 02138
  11a. IT Specialist
  13. Career
  15a. Harvard University Faculty of Arts & Science, 
       20 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138
  15b. Harvard University
  19. Hours per week X number of weeks
  20. a.4, b.5, c.1, d.0 (example)
  21a. 3,932
  21b. from Amazon.com
  21c. TAP discount 1,966
  27a. Susan J. Tuttle, CXC Prog Ofc Admin, (617)495-7287

2. Print out course description from web.
3. Print out course tuition from web (via FAS handbooks)
4. Memo of why taking course.
   For example:

        Dear SAO,

        I would like to enroll in the Harvard course Applied 
        Mathematics 21b to increase my understanding of statistical 
        and fitting functions.  This directly applies to my work in 
        writing test scripts for Sherpa software testing and is also 
        beneficial to my duties of answering CIAO users' questions 
        via helpdesk.


5. Change of hours request if class meets during working hours.
   For example:

        Dear SAO,

        I would like to request a change in my tour of duty for
        Tuedays and Thursdays from January 31, 2008 to May 23,
        2008, as I will be taking a course at Harvard University on
        those days.  I would like my new hours to be 9:15am-12:30pm
        and 3pm-8:15pm on those days.


=================================
THE TAP PART

1. Get TAP form from outside TAP office - 6th Floor of Holyoke Center Bldg.
2. Fill out TAP form (signed by you and advisor)
3. Call FAS Registrar to find out TAP registration week 5-4655
   (usually around 2/20 for Spring semester)
4. Go to class.
5. Have instructor sign TAP form.
6. Register & pay during TAP registration week, bring form to FAS:

           FAS Registrar's Office 20 Garden St. 5-4655
           Bring CHECK OR CASH for 1/2 of $3,932 = $1,966

** They *don't* accept credit cards.  However, credit card cash 
   advances are very handy for this sort of thing, just be prepared 
   to pay ~4 months of interest.

You'll also fill out another TAP form while you're at the FAS 
registrar - your name, id #, address, etc.


============
TAP Office - 
1350 Mass Ave., Holyoke Center Building (above Au Bon Pain)
6th Floor
617-496-4001  opt. 2 - to reach TAP people
*They don't actually know anything about the Smithsonian-Harvard TAP deal*

FAS Deputy Registrar
Lynn Dunham 5-8268


================================
GO TO CLASS - WORK HARD

$2,000 is riding on your grade after all!


- Course webpage via Harvie
At the moment CfA employees don't have access to the material on 
the course webpages.  Full access is granted only after registration.  
Try and get the instructor to change the webpage to public permissions 
if needed.  



==============
REIMBURSEMENT

HR sends a handful of papers for you to hang onto with reimbursement 
instructions.  One of the papers has to be returned to them.  

After the class ends - get your grade.  I had to fill out a transcript 
request from the FAS webpage to get an official grade report.  This 
was available a few weeks after the class ended.  It costs ~$2.50 for 
the first request, and I think an extra $5.00 for future requests.  
They're quick - my transcript came to my mailstop in a couple days.  

Make a copy of your transcript.  You want the original to hang on 
your wall (dartboard) anyway.  

Send back to HR:

1. The paper they sent to you listing what you need to send back.  :)
2. Copy of your transcript.
3. A copy of the receipt for the class, or you can print out your 
   Harvard account details showing the class was paid in full.
4. Copy of the class syllabus showing required texts.
5. Copies of receipts for said texts.
6. Copy of the TAP form that was signed by your professor, etc.

An Overview of the Process:

A month or so before the semester starts, someone, usually Su Tuttle, will send out an email asking for "training forms". (See this email, from 01/28/02, for one example. It also outlines some procedures.) You don't generally have to start immediately, especially since it's a Harvard class (Harvard semesters start later than most). The policy states that they need the form 2-3 weeks before the start of classes. But, generally, the sooner the better, especially if someone whose signature you need is going on vacation.

The first thing you have to do is fill out your SAO paperwork requesting training. Pick your class and talk to your boss to get approval and work out your schedule while taking the class. Fill out and accumulate all the pieces of paper the SAO asks for (see "Paperwork", below). Submit this stack to Linda McDonald via interoffice mail.
8/16/01 Note: For those in the CXC, Su Tuttle has said that you should get your pile of papers filled out and signed by your supervisor, and then submit it all to her. She will then forward it around to the other necessary people. You may want to check with her about this.
Wait a couple weeks while the bureaucratic machinery contemplates your request. During this time, someone may tell you that you need to write something explaining why the class is job related, though generally for astronomy classes this isn't necessary.
Eventually (before the class starts) you will get back a letter approving the request. This packet also includes the forms you will be using later to get reimbursed, so don't lose it.
For Harvard classes in the FAS and some other schools (but not the Extension School) you can get your course registration fee halved by using the Harvard TAP form. If your class qualifies, get the Harvard TAP form and fill out your part (again, see "Paperwork" below).
If you are taking a class for graduate credit, you will also need to fill out a form declaring that your class is job related so that you won't have to pay about $1000 in taxes. (Yeah, you know the drill by now -- see "Paperwork" below.)
Go to the first day of class. If it's TAP eligible, take the Harvard TAP form with you and get your professor to sign it. Once you have your professor's signature, take or send the form back to Linda McDonald for her signature under "Personnel Officer". They will probably have sent you a note about this in your approval packet, but in any case, this is when that happens.
Register during the appropriate registration period, as listed on the Harvard web pages. "TAP registration period" is a couple weeks after classes start at Harvard . Take your check or money order, your SAO ID, your Harvard TAP form and your tax exemption form (if applicable) to the Harvard Registrar at 20 Garden Street. Say a fond "au revoir" to your money for the next couple of months. Be sure to keep a copy of your receipts for registration (and any required textbooks) so you can get reimbursed later.
Time passes. Your mind is enriched by exposure to the vibrant academic community of one of the world's most prestigious universities. Somehow, this still usually involves sitting through classes on days you'd rather be outside, and doing a lot of homework, some of it rather dull.
When the class is over: Congratulations. Go have a drink.
When you get an official copy of your (passing) grade for the class, dig out your receipts and the approval packet you got from SAO. Fill out the reimbursement form (which is pretty self explanatory) and send it off to Human Resources. Be sure to make copies of everything before they are sent off into the ether.
Within about two weeks, you should get your reimbursement check by mail.

Paperwork

For SAO:

You will need

Form SF-182
Copies of the cover page, class description, and registration and course fees information from your course catalog
...and, if the class is during the workday, a letter requesting a change in your "tour of duty."

Don't worry, I'll explain.

First, the SF-182. There are now two ways to get this form.
- The traditional method: You may be able to get these from a secretary, or they're available from the wall o' forms on the 4th floor of B building. Get several copies if you can; you might need to retype them. Yes, if you get paper version, it has to be typed. If your timekeeper is very nice, s/he may do it for you. If not, there's a typewriter in B-305.
- The new method: There is now (as of July 2001) a PDF version of this form. Download a copy and launch it in acroread, and you can edit the appropriate fields. Do note, however, that you cannot save your changes to the PDF file. You can "print to file" to keep a copy, but the information is lost from the PDF form when you close the reader. Of course, you can always re-enter the information, so keep a .ps version around for reference.
This is, of course, a federal government form, and is therefore in full bureaucratic style. There are instructions on the last page of the form, but even so some of the fields can be a bit obscure. For a key to how to fill out the form, I've made a PDF version of the file that has the common-yet-confusing fields filled in, based on the forms I've filled out and gotten approved in the past. I've left the (hopefully) self-explanatory fields, like name and phone number, blank.
The fields I filled in should be the same for all of us (meaning CXC data aids), though the ones in brackets will need to be changed to reflect your job and/or course.
A note on the cost fields -- for an FAS course this will be half of the "Cost per 4 credit course". By the way, not all the information on the Harvard pages applies to us. Since we are not full Harvard employees (our paychecks don't come from Harvard), we don't get full benefits from them. The SAO has made arrangements for some of the benefits, however - such as getting half tuition waived for Harvard FAS classes.
In addition to the course cost, check to make sure there isn't an extra registration fee. I haven't seen one for an FAS class, but the Extension School has one. Finally, you can also get reimbursed for required course textbooks. Take a look at the Harvard website and see if you can find the syllabus for your class. If they list required textbooks, find an approximate price somewhere like Amazon.com and put that under "Books or materials".
Now that that's done, time to deal with the other pieces of paper.
First, you need to make a copy of the cover page of the course catalog where your class is listed, the full class description, including dates and times it's offered, plus a copy of the page(s) listing the cost of the course and any registration fees. If you are using the Harvard web page, those pages are, in order:
1. http://www.harvard.edu
2. Somewhere off the "FAS Courses" page
  Addendum: Being obsessive about these things, I found another page that (currently) lists last year's fees, for 2000-2001, not 2001-2002. It may be updated by the time you read this, or you might be able to use that and make a note that the price has increased. The fee you are interested in is the per term one-course rate. Just FYI.
Finally, if the class you want to take is during the work day (8:45 to 5:15) you also need to submit a letter requesting a change to your tour of duty. Tour of duty is just the official-yet-awkward term for your work hours. Again, here's a copy of a letter I submitted one semester in ASCII text, Lyx and LaTex formats. Change the dates, times, and names. (The Lyx and LaTex formats will add today's date and format things for you.) You can get approximate dates of the course from the 5 year academic calendar on the Registrar's page if nowhere else.
Make sure that your new hours add up to 8 1/2 hours a day. Your normal tour is 8:45am to 5:15pm, including a half hour for lunch, and they need that half hour in there. Also make sure to leave time for "travel" to and from class (because it's "at another location" or something) -- about half an hour before and after the class is safe. Of course, since we usually make our own hours, this may not actually be the hours you plan to work. But if there's an audit, these will be the hours you will need to remember to say you work, or SAO will get in trouble.

All right -- you have just created a pile of paper that will one day grow into a reimbursement check. Now you'll need to start walking it around so it can make friends with various people in the SAO. For the paper version, take the whole thing. For the "eform", just print out the first page for now.

First stop is always your supervisor. S/He needs to sign the SF-182 and your request to change your tour of duty.

The next step varies with who you talk to. Your timekeeper may have special requests or demands, and there are always vagaries and inconsistencies in any well functioning bureaucracy. Generally, though, you now take the stack to Su Tuttle and she will sign it and forward it around to all the other appropriate people.

Congratulations, the first pile of paperwork is complete. Now you get to wait for a response.

For Harvard:

When you actually go to register for the class at the Harvard Registrar, you will need:

The Harvard TAP Form
Graduate Course Tax Exemption Form -- if your course if for graduate credit

Harvard TAP:

The Harvard TAP process is nowhere near as bad as the SAO one. You will need the blue TAP form from the TAP office, in Holyoke Center - it's the big modern building by Au Bon Pain in Harvard Square. Walk in past the flower stand and take the elevator to the 6th floor. Get the regular blue TAP form (you probably will want to get several copies so you don't have to go back).
Harvard is not an uptight government agency and therefore you can handwrite your forms, as long as you write neatly. It will have a space for "Harvard ID number" - just put your SAO ID number. For "Employment Status" you can write "SAO Employee" at the end of the line.
On this form, you are the "Staff Member". Your supervisor will also have to sign this form, as will your professor (first day of class, or before if you feel like talking to them beforehand) and Linda McDonald.
Take the completed form with you when you go to register for your class.
Note: If you want to take non-job-related classes and pay for them yourself, you just need the Harvard forms, and you don't have to deal with SAO at all, except to tell your boss if you're taking a daytime class. And remember, tuition may be tax-deductible.

Graduate Course Tax Exemption Forms:

If you use the Harvard TAP program to reduce the cost of a Harvard graduate class, that somehow counts as a special kind of employee benefit and is taxed (rather heavily - it's more than $1000). However, this does not apply to classes that are "job related". So, to avoid Harvard charging you these taxes when you go to register for your class, you have to fill out the Graduate Tax Exemption Form. Or rather, you fill out the top part, and your boss fills out the justification, then you sign it again.
Take the completed form with you when you go to register for the class.

Helpful people:

Anne LeBlanc in the Human Resources department is the person to contact with questions about this stuff. She's very knowledgeable and helpful.

You may also get some help from your administrative support person, AKA your timekeeper. Some people also refer to these people as our secretaries. I don't know the official relationship, but in any case, they can help a lot.

Helpful websites:

Registrar, Harvard Faculty of Arts & Sciences - Class listings for all graduate and undergrad courses at FAS. There are probably similar lists for other schools (medical, law, etc) available from the main Harvard site.

The SAO's TAP webpage. Useful information about SAO policy.

Harvard Extension School - Mostly night classes, designed for the part-time student. Much cheaper to register for than FAS courses, and easier to fit into one's schedule, but course offerings are more limited.

Extra Tips

Harvard library access: For some classes you might want to use the Harvard library system, other than the astro library where you can use your SAO ID card. If you think you'll need a library card, you should ask the registrar about it when you register. They'll give you a form to take to Widener Library (the enormous library in Harvard Yard), where you'll pay $3 to get your picture taken, and they'll give you another form to take to the ID office, back in Holyoke Center. At the ID office they'll actually give you your "Special Borrower" library card. This is a powerful card. Use it with care.

For those with student loans: If you're taking two or more classes in one semester, and you have student loans from your previous college experience, you're probably eligible for a deferment (i.e., you don't have to pay anything while you're in school) because you're considered a "part-time student". Check with your lending agency; it'll probably require more paperwork, but it'll provide you with a little extra cash. By the way, this is NOT dependent on whether SAO pays your tuition, so if you have to pay it yourself the lack of loan payments will be even more useful.