HAFFS 2026 Voting Guide
Voting for the Harvard Board of Overseers and the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) Elected Directors is now open and will continue until 5:00 p.m. EDT on May 19, 2026. You may access the official election website for additional information and voting materials.
Eligible alumni should have received an email from harvard@electionservicescorp.com containing a link to the online ballot and voting instructions. Paper ballots have also been mailed to eligible voters, unless you previously opted out. Alumni may vote either online or by paper ballot.
HAFFS Recommendations (Free Speech Considerations)
Based on our evaluation, HAFFS recommends the following candidates for the Board of Overseers with regards to free speech-related issues:
Salvo Arena
Nisha Kumar Behringer
Trey Grayson
Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena
Nadine Burke Harris
Philip Harrison
We would particularly like to highlight Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena for his deep understanding of the legal foundations of free speech and related issues; his commitment to these principles; and his recent teaching experience at Harvard Law School, which provides him a current, first-hand perspective on the University. We believe he would contribute meaningfully to discussions and leadership on these issues and urge that you support his candidacy.
HAFFS Review Process
This year, Harvard Alumni for Free Speech (HAFFS) focused its review on candidates for the Board of Overseers.
We invited all Overseer candidates to speak with us to better understand their views on free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity, which are central to HAFFS’s mission. Based on prior experience indicating that it discouraged candidates responding to us, we did not require candidates to complete a written questionnaire.
Six candidates met with us: Salvo Arena; Nisha Kumar Behringer; Trey Grayson; Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena; Nadine Burke Harris; and Philip Harrison.
Three candidates declined to speak with us.
In our discussions, we addressed various topics pertaining to free speech, academic freedom and viewpoint diversity, including:
the appropriate limits on speech in a university setting
whether there should be distinctions between classroom and non-classroom expression
Harvard’s institutional voice policy
the appropriate role of diversity or similar statements in faculty hiring.
To encourage candid dialogue, we agreed not to attribute specific statements to individual candidates without their consent. We also reviewed the Harvard Magazine questionnaires, HAA video materials, and other public information of the six candidates who engaged with us.
HAFFS did not evaluate candidates for HAA Elected Director this year in order to focus resources on the Overseer election. This decision should not be interpreted as diminishing the importance of the HAA elections.
Observations
Based on our discussions, we observed:
Broad support for free speech and academic freedom, with commonly recognized limits such as harassment, incitement to violence, and material disruption of university activities. Unless speech falls under one of these limitations, speech should not be limited even if it makes others on campus uncomfortable.
Widespread support for Harvard’s institutional voice policy.
Consensus that merit should remain the leading consideration in faculty hiring, although all the candidates we spoke with shared a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion and felt that these two objectives were not mutually exclusive.
Overall, the candidates we interviewed expressed views on free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity that were consistent with the core principles of HAFFS’s mission. We also felt that support for these principles by this year’s candidates was more widespread than the candidates we reviewed in previous years.
Other Alumni Organizations
In conducting our review, HAFFS consulted with the Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance and the 1636 Forum, two alumni groups that also engage on issues related to free speech and academic freedom, though their missions extend beyond these areas.
These organizations are conducting their own independent evaluations. Alumni interested in their perspectives, including recommendations for HAA Elected Director candidates—are encouraged to visit their respective websites.
Closing
Voting in Overseer and HAA elections is one of the most direct ways alumni can influence Harvard’s direction. We encourage all alumni—particularly those concerned with free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity—to participate actively in this and future elections.