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Letter from Harry J. Elam, vice provost for undergraduate education, regarding a special summer opportunity for Stanford undergraduates

Dear Stanford Undergraduates:

I hope this note finds you doing well as you navigate your studies from residences around the globe. I’m writing to share with you a special opportunity that the university is extending to Stanford undergraduates.

During this year’s Summer Session, 12 courses incorporating 300 available slots will be awarded free of charge to undergraduate applicants via a randomized lottery system. Our goal: to help students continue to make degree progress following a very disruptive Spring Quarter. Each course being offered is either Ways-certified or satisfies Stanford’s full language requirement. Students will be awarded full credit, as long as they enroll for a letter grade, even though the classes are free.

Application and Selection Process
Beginning Monday, May 18, eligible students will be invited to apply for one class they wish to take. The one-week application period ends Sunday, May 24, at 11:59 PM Pacific time. Applicants for each course will be entered into a randomizer by the University Registrar. All students who apply for one of the free courses will be notified about lottery results the week of May 25. Students selected through the lottery will be auto-enrolled for their chosen course and contacted with additional details. Waitlisted students, as well as those students whom the lottery does not select, will be informed of their status following the application period.

12 Free Courses, 300 Available Slots
The 12 courses offered free of charge this summer include:

  • Acting 1: Fundamentals of Acting TAPS 120A
  • Citizenship POLISCI 135
  • Classical Greek Philosophy PHIL 21S
  • Drawing 1 ARTSTUDI 140
  • Gender at Work: Understanding Gender Inequality in the Workplace SOC 127D
  • Intensive First-Year French FRENLANG 5
  • Intensive First-Year German GERLANG 5
  • Intensive First-Year Spanish SPANLANG 5
  • Intensive Latin CLASSICS 4L
  • Philosophy as Freedom PHIL 23S
  • Voice Class 1: Beginning Voice, Level 1 (Group) MUSIC 65
  • Witches, Witchcraft, and Witch-Hunting in Early America RELIGST 24S

A full description of courses and policies related to participation can be found at https://summermatrics.sites.stanford.edu

A reminder about this unique opportunity will come to you early next week by way of the Academic Advising Newsletter that is issued to all undergraduates every Monday. I hope you are regularly reading this very important weekly communication to stay informed about opportunities, deadlines, and general support and resources available to you. If you have questions about whether this Summer Quarter opportunity would benefit you in your overall academic planning, I encourage you to reach out to your academic advisor and/or your major advisor.

Best wishes as you move through the final weeks of spring quarter. Please continue to stay healthy and safe, and reach out to any of our VPUE staff if we can connect you to key resources or support you in any other way during this unusually challenging period.

Warmest regards,

Harry

Harry J. Elam, Jr.
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
Senior Vice Provost for Education
Vice President of the Arts

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