Category talk:Harvard University alumni

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This category needs a clear definition of alumni on its description page. Apparently, Hilary Duff is now in the category because she accessed the "Harvard Extension School", which as online program. It doesn't involve meeting the normal admission requirements, and some students have objected to her claiming to be called a Harvard student. [1]

I'd like to see only those people who were granted a degree. Hilary Duff then would not count as she has not received a degree from Harvard. This is not the broad definition of alumnus, mind you, but I think the one closest to what people generally mean. This is my vote, anyway. --Yamla 00:25, 1 February 2006 (UTC)

No, it's not what people generally mean. It's not what I ever thought "alumnus" meant, it's not what the dictionary thinks "alumnus" means, and it's not what our article on alumnus thinks "alumnus" means.

I'd say that the distinction here is that "Harvard Extension School alumnus" is not the same thing as "Harvard alumnus."

On the other hand, if we mean "Harvard alumnus" is not the same as "Harvard graduate," and if the category is only supposed to include Harvard graduates the name of the category should be "Harvard graduates," not "Harvard alumni." Dpbsmith (talk) 00:11, 8 April 2006 (UTC)

I would just like to add that Harvard alumni are typically given a huge volume or two that list other Harvard alumni graduating from their year and before. It is my belief that you are only a Harvard alumni if you can be found in that volume.

The best way to determine this is for another alumna/us to search for the person in Harvard's online alumni directory, http://post.harvard.edu That is the definitive list of Harvard alums. In general, taking courses at the Extension School doesn't qualify but receiving a degree does. Hilary Duff is not a Harvard alumna (under that name, at any rate). Mergy 1 November 2006

guys, she took ONE class ONLINE that GED holders can take. that does not an HC alumna make, by any calculation or definition.

The distinction to be made is that one can take classes at Harvard Extension without being formally accepted into the program as a degree candidate. One who simply takes classes at Harvard Extension without being accepted into a degree program is not an alumnus of Harvard University, as would be the case at any school. On the other hand, one who is an alumnus of the Harvard Extension School is in fact an alumnus of Harvard University, as the Extension School is one of the thirteen degree granting schools of Harvard University. -- the*rising*tide

Alumni of the college call it "Harvard COLLEGE Alumni"

The usage is pretty clear: do not call a person with an undergraduate degree a Harvard UNIVERSITY alum. Rjensen 16:17, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

That's not what Category:Harvard College alumni says. --Paul A 02:40, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

I agree with the 'best way' - which is that membership in the Harvard Alumni Association is what counts. Otherwise we are splitting hairs (i.e., Harvard has several professional programs that *do* qualify for HAA membership, and several that do not - how do we decide?) In this case it's simple - "Harvard Alumni" *has* a definition put out by the Harvard Alumni Association. Hillary Duff is not a member. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.5.24.11 (talk • contribs) 13:13, 9 September 2009 (UTC)}}

Recategorization mechanism

I would like to know whether this page can be recategorized by creating subcategories with the passing year as category name ie. if a student has passed in 2010, the subcategory name needs to be 'Harvard University alumni from 2010'. I would also like to know whether the pages that are present in the subcategories will get into this list(The list displayed under the heading Pages in category "Harvard University alumni") or not. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Adithyak1997 (talk • contribs) 17:07, 12 February 2019 (UTC)

No; such categories for Princeton were merged per consensus at Wikipedia:Categories_for_discussion/Log/2017_February_24#Princeton_University_alumni_by_decade. – Fayenatic London 11:12, 10 March 2022 (UTC)