Identify the issue
Understand the Context: University Resources
- Learn about the graduate student resources available at most universities.
Most graduate students have various issues that come up for which they would like some direction, advice, or resolution. In almost every case, your first stop will be your own department and college. Subsequently, the Graduate College at your university is the unit dedicated to graduate students with faculty and staff who have answers or can refer you to other resources, people, and units.
Every university has its own structure of units, offices, and administrators responsible for developing and implementing university policies. In this module we provide information about the types of issues that come up and where you might go. The names and titles may be different where you are.
Graduate College - Graduate Student Academic Services
A resource for everything related to graduate academic needs, funding, assistance with policies and procedures, support, Program of Study information, and questions about graduation.
Graduate College—Graduate Student Financial Services
A resource for information about teaching and research assistantships, awards and fellowships, national and disciplinary scholarships.
University Student Employment Office
A resource for information about hourly, work-study, and stipend positions on and off-campus.
University Student Financial Aid Office
A resource for information about tuition and fees, need-based scholarships, grants, and loan options.
Graduate Student Affairs Office
A comprehensive resource for information and advice regarding benefits available to graduate students, initiatives across the university, and support for graduate students.
Graduate College
A comprehensive resource for information, advice, and referrals to other university resources.
Office of Institutional Equity
Named differently at many universities, this office supports and fosters a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion through programming, leadership, hiring, consultation and training.
Ombudsperson Office
The Ombudsperson is a university official who serves as a dispute resolver. Their job is to see that students, faculty, and staff are treated equitably. Any individual at the university can seek advice from the Ombudsperson Office. The Ombudsperson is an impartial and confidential service to all university affiliates.
Office of Research Integrity
Organized under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the ORI creates and implements policies on biomedical and behavioral research conduct.
Graduate College
A comprehensive resource for information, advice, and referrals to other university resources.
Office of Research Integrity
Organized under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the ORI creates and implements policies on biomedical and behavioral research conduct.
Ombudsperson Office
The Ombudsperson Office serves as a dispute resolver. Their job is to see that students, faculty, and staff are treated equitably. Any individual at the university can seek advice from the Ombudsperson Office. The Ombudsperson is an impartial and confidential service to all university affiliates.
Graduate College
A comprehensive resource for information, advice, and referrals to other university resources.
Graduate Student Affairs Office
A comprehensive resource for information and advice regarding all aspects of graduate student life for students as well as their families.
Dean of Students
Administrative unit that houses a range of services and has responsibility for many issues pertaining to students. In most cases, the Dean of Students addresses undergraduate matters whereas the Graduate College is the primary point of contact for graduate students.
Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities
An office that promotes a safe and inclusive environment that fosters the intellectual, personal, social, ethical development of all students. In some universities, this office investigates allegations of student misconduct and determines whether a violation of the Student Code of Conduct has occurred.
Student Code of Conduct
Typically found at your university’s student life or student affairs Web page, this document details the responsibilities of undergraduate and graduate students and defines student misconduct.
University Registrar Office
Maintains student information system including registration, residency status, and official transcripts.
Disability Resource Office
Coordinates and monitors campus compliance with requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act, coordinates with faculty regarding disability accommodations, and offers access to assistive learning technology and other resources.
Medical Services/Student Health Center
Provides medical care, pharmaceutical services, laboratory and X-ray services, referrals to community health-care providers, health education, and the maintenance of clinical records.
University Counseling Center/Psychological Services
Offers individual, couples, and group counseling, crisis intervention, psychiatric consults, and consultations regarding friends, roommates, and family.
University Career Services
Offers testing support for graduate student entrance exams, career interest testing, assistance with resume and interview preparation, career advising, and connections with employers and alumni.
Also see Sexual Harassment
Resources may be named differently by each university but generally include the following:
University Dean of Students
If a student is alleged to have violated policy
Campus or Local Police
Report the incident and be connected with a Victim Advocate
Employee Assistance Office
If faculty or staff have allegedly violated a policy
Title IX Coordinator
Responsible for handling reports of sexual harassment
Office of Student Advocacy and Assistance
Support resources and information available with or without a formal complaint
Office of Human Resources
Primary resource for university employees and handles employee complaints.
Campus or Local Police
Provides campus safety and protection of property.
International Student Office
Conducts orientation programs for new students and offers assistance with administrative concerns, immigration advisement, and personal counseling, including providing information on student visas.
Graduate Student Affairs Office
A comprehensive resource for information and advice regarding all aspects of graduate student life for students as well as their families.
Also see Family Friendly Policies
Office of Family Resources
Provides resources to university families, advocates for the needs of families, collaborates with departments in the development and delivery of programs/services.
Office of Family Resources
Provides resources to university families, advocates for the needs of families, collaborates with departments in the development and delivery of programs/services.
Multicultural Student Center
Provides a central location for multicultural, biracial, and multiracial students to access services designed to help them with their academic success.
Graduate and Professional Student Organizations
Most universities offer comprehensive listings of women’s, graduate, cultural, and international student organizations online. Information about groups or organizations can also be obtained from the Graduate Student Affairs Office.
Graduate Student Affairs Office
A comprehensive resource for information and advice regarding all aspects of graduate student life for students as well as their families.
Faculty Women’s Association
Every university has organizations that represent and provide programming targeted for women faculty but open for all. Graduate and post-doc students are generally welcome to participate. Members of the Faculty Women’s Association may be or have ideas about finding mentors.
Also see Online Resources and Supports
Is the Effort Worth the Outcome?
Explains when to confront a problem and when it may be better to maneuver around it.
Observations on Women's Safety (Part 1)
Discusses necessary precautions to take as a female student working late nights on campus.
An alternative way to approach being the only woman in a given situation.
How being unaware of being the only woman was advantageous to program success.
Urges students to seek multiple campus resources for support.
How to make friends with colleagues to encourage a supportive environment.
Notes the challenges of a dual career marriage and the obstacles in fighting for tenure and balancing a relationship.
The importance of sharing stories of sexual harassment with others and realizing that you are not alone.
Explains that satisfaction comes from working with students and the opportunity to make new disco
Explains that satisfaction comes from working with students and the opportunity to make new disco
The importance of learning from mistakes and persisting despite setbacks.
The importance of learning from your effort, regardless of the outcome.
Advice on how to seek out support in graduate school and how to bounce back from setbacks.
Shares the excitement that comes from collaborating with others to make new discoveries.
Elaborates on the standard practice of science despite cultural differences.
Strategies for negotiating as a faculty member.
When it's time to graduate and when it's important to start learning on the job.
Highlights the transition into graduate level science where the answers aren't known.
The importance of goal setting and using others' experiences to make strong choices about your own p
Advice for balancing research and fun in graduate school.
Advice for students: stay focused, ask questions, and remain open-minded when working with others.
How to adapt experimental methods to match a lifestyle.
How to negotiate a schedule for raising a family and overcoming setbacks in a new career.
The importance of giving yourself credit and remembering why you are doing what you're doing.
The importance of peer relationships and the learning process that takes place despite concrete outc
Working with graduate students is a rewarding aspect of being a faculty member.
Advice for graduate students on how to maintain their confidence, courage, and dignity.
Emphasizes peer relationships and departmental climate.
How to handle being accused of having an affair with the advisor.
Explains an interdisciplinary branch of physics and the passion for research, service, and teaching.
Teaching as the impetus for work.
Discusses necessary precautions to take as a female student working late nights on campus.
Discusses necessary precautions to take as a female student working late nights on campus.
Being accused of cheating and regrets about not being more assertive.
Being accused of cheating and regrets about not being more assertive.
The importance of self-authorship and using graduate school as a process for self-definition.
Reminder that support can be found in unexpected places.
Urges female graduate students to persist in the field of mathematics because the field needs divers
How being unaware of being the only woman was advantageous to program success.
Alternatives to departmental isolation and the importance of networking.
Environmental issues faced in academia.
The importance of first impressions in choosing a graduate program.
Satisfaction comes from interacting with intelligent people across cultures.
Adjusting physical appearance to fit in with peers.
The importance of remembering that graduate school is only one part of a larger career.
Describes an incident of receiving a lower grade than a man for similar work.
The opportunity for freedom, growth, and collaboration as a faculty member.
How to survive the aftermath of a sexual harassment incident.
Highlights the gendered assumptions encountered as a faculty member.
The Importance of Having Positive Working Relationships: A Case Study
An alternative way to approach being the only woman in a given situation.
Contributions to the field are reflected through choices.
The importance of sharing stories of sexual harassment with others to gain support.
The importance of finding the right advisor to support your research goals.
How to handle being accused of having an affair with the advisor.
Explains when to confront a problem and when it may be better to maneuver around it.
How to be upfront, direct, and assertive when confronting instances of sexual harassment.
Highlights the universal customs of science.
Class performance builds confidence to remain in program.
Captures the annoyance of male colleagues making sexist assumptions and the challenges with conferen
The importance of recognizing the progress that has been made by women in science fields.
Advice for accomplishing your academic goals without making unnecessary compromises.
Emphasizes the challenge with saying no, but the importance of learning to do so.
How to make friends with colleagues to encourage a supportive environment.
Underscores the challenges that come from being the only woman in an academic department and gives s
Highlights an experience in which peers were not only colleagues, but also friends.
How the physical space in a laboratory allowed for collaboration among colleagues.
The importance of a good leader in setting standards for diversity, climate, and tenure policies.
How to observe others' reactions to subtle comments in order to gauge an appropriate response.
Urges students not to get wrapped into issues that do not directly involve them.
Departmental reactions to the choice to have children.
How to refute sexist comments and challenge gendered assumptions.
The importance of sharing stories of sexual harassment with others and realizing that you are not al
Confronting a male colleague with contradictory findings at a conference.
How colleagues can assist in making the transition into graduate life easier by sharing information
Captures the small but noticeable annoyances that come with being the only woman.
The importance of picking your battles to avoid unfair labeling.
Reminder that it is not necessary to feel comfortable socially to do good science.
Gender stereotypes faced in getting into graduate school and conducting research.
How to seek support from administrators outside the department when dealing with departmental sexism
The first realization that being a woman in science was outside the norm.
Challenges of being international and female, particularly with regards to an academic career and th
Suggestions for how to deal with sexist comments.
Playing a variety of roles as the only woman in the department.
The process of establishing yourself in the same department as your spouse.
Emphasizes positive peer relationships within her cohort.
The challenges of working in male-dominated academic environments and the negative stereotypes assoc
The feasibility of pursuing a family and science.
The importance of hearing other people's stories.
The importance of understanding priorities and allocating resources accordingly.
Advises how to keep family informed about research goals and progression from student to faculty mem
Explains some of the setbacks in dating relationships.
Advises students to continue to pursue their education because the payoff is self-respect.
The importance of believing in yourself, admitting your mistakes, and continuing to do what you love
How to accept non-traditional relationships and lifestyles in academia.
Notes the challenges of a dual career marriage and the obstacles in fighting for tenure and balancin
The process of overcoming setbacks related to career options and personal relationships.
How to balance motherhood responsibilities in graduate school.
The importance of supportive peer relationships.
Being married in graduate school and having children as a faculty member.
Advisor's experiences encourage well-informed career decisions.
The importance of a supportive network of colleagues.
Doing something useful to make a difference and how to appreciate a happy, supportive work environme
Taking time off before pursuing her PhD.
How a supportive department and a modified teaching schedule allowed for maternity leave.
How to sustain taking time off and pursuing the PhD later in life.
Advises how to keep family informed about research goals and progression from student to faculty mem
The importance of a supportive extended family in helping to balance school and children.
The importance of having a number of things in your life that bring you joy and satisfaction.
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses, but ultimately giving yourself recognition for your suc
The importance of learning over time and remaining positive in the face of criticism.
Motivation for doing work: interacting with students and doing research that can make a difference i
Emphasizes the challenge with saying no, but the importance of learning to do so.
The importance of remaining passionate and remembering that the PhD opens doors.
The importance of defining clear goals, remaining self-confident, and learning to say no.
The importance of allowing yourself the opportunity to change your mind and reconsider your goals.
The importance of knowing what you want and expecting tradeoffs on the path to get it.
Making discoveries and collaborating with others brings satisfaction.
Creating a schedule and meeting an advisor's expectations.
Advises graduate students to take a semester off if they choose to have a child because it is too ch
Explains the role children play in career choices.
Using leisure activities to relieve stress and build friendships.
The satisfaction that comes from working with colleagues and interacting with others.
The decision to get married in graduate school.
The importance of maintaining a balanced lifestyle to alleviate stress.
Addresses personal relationship sacrifices.
The importance of nurturing relationships outside of academia.
Explains the choice to have children in graduate school.
Challenges with being married to a fellow academician and finding faculty positions.
How a flexible schedule as a professor made it possible to have a family and a career.
The importance of evaluating your priorities to create balance and happiness.
Appreciation for advisor's assistance in transitioning to the US.
Emphasizes the joy in working with others and giving back to society.
Chronicles the evolution of a career over time.
Suggestions for how to increase women's participation in science with an emphasis on policy change.
The importance of being open and honest with your advisor.
How a positive advisor challenged his students to think for themselves.
Highlights the obstacles faced when trying to have research reviewed by the advisor and emphasizes t
The importance of having a variety of mentors throughout your graduate experience.
Challenges faced with establishing yourself as an independent researcher separate from an influentia
The importance of asking questions and searching for creative solutions to new problems.
The importance of finding a good advisor and making sure to get everything in writing.
Challenges in confronting the advisor with news of pregnancy.
Experiences with an international advisor.
How to maintain good relationships with colleagues while being motivated to finish the program qu
The importance of giving back to students and making an impact in their future education and care
An Arizona State University project, supported by the National Science Foundation under grants 0634519, 0910384 and 1761278
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. © 2021 CareerWISE. All rights reserved. Privacy | Legal
Comments
We want to hear from you. Did this page remind you of any experiences you’ve had? Did you realize something new? Please take a moment to tell us about it—and we’ll keep it confidential.