Brown University provides numerous wellness and support resources for graduate students.
Support
Every incoming first-year student is matched with a primary and a secondary mentor, who are current NSGP students, in an effort to maximize access to the resources, information, and people that are available at Brown. The goal of the mentoring program is to provide every incoming student with:
- Someone to answer questions about and help connect mentees to potential rotation labs
- Help in finding useful resources/groups on campus
- Practical advice and answers to general questions about Brown/the NSGP program/grad school
- A connection within the current grad students to help make the transition to a new place easier
Thesis Advisor
Your advisor should serve as a resource for all issues within the lab. Usually, if your advisor is not able to answer the question, they may be able to direct you to other resources.
Thesis Committee
The Thesis Committee can also serve as a useful resource for resolving issues, especially if they are academic in nature. Students can use their committee as a sounding board if they need technical advice, or a fresh perspective on their research. Keep in mind that the committee has at least one tenured faculty member on it who is not the advisor.
Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)
As the Neuroscience graduate program is an interdepartmental program, NSGP and the Graduate Partnership Program each have a Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), also called the Program Director. Grievances with faculty members within the department can be raised with the Program Directors. Program Directors can also provide advice on navigating personal (e.g. taking a leave of absence) or academic (e.g. concerns about the preliminary exam) matters.
Dean Harrington
Dean Harrington oversees the Division of Biology & Medicine’s Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (OGPS). She provides graduate students and postdocs with advice and support for all aspects of their training. If a student has a departmental issue, they should contact her via email at [email protected].
The Graduate School
The Graduate School has several deans covering different aspects of the Graduate School experience. Students in need of emergency funding or assistance with personal, medical, or family matters should contact Maria Suarez, associate dean of student support, via email at [email protected]. Students with issues related to diversity and inclusion may wish to contact Marlina Duncan, associate dean of diversity initiatives, [email protected].
Maria Suarez, Associate Dean of Student Support in the Graduate School, is dedicated to serving master’s and PhD students (Horace Mann 110, [email protected], 401-863-1802)
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provides free confidential counseling (Page-Robinson Hall, Room 516, 401-863-3476). CAPS offers Saturday appointments for graduate students from 9 am to 4 pm during the academic year at Health Services, 13 Brown Street.
Student and Employee Accessibility Services (SEAS) coordinates and facilitates services for students with physical, psychological, and learning disabilities, and temporary injuries (20 Benevolent Street, 1st floor). Please inform the Program Director if you have a disability or other condition that might require accommodation or modification of any course procedures. As part of this process, you should be registered with SEAS and provide the course instructor with an academic accommodations letter. For more information, contact SEAS at (401) 863-9588 or [email protected].
We expect that all graduate students will have positive relationships with colleagues and faculty during the course of graduate work at Brown. However, in the event that difficulties arise, it is important for students to know how the situation can be handled.
University Ombuds Office
The Ombuds Office provides an independent, confidential, neutral and informal resource for for students (and others) who have concerns arising from or affecting their work and studies at Brown. The Ombudsperson can:
- clarify university policies and procedures
- navigate your way through the university bureaucracy
- explore informal resolution of a conflict
- get assistance with a difficult conversation with a colleague, co-worker, supervisor, someone you supervise or teach
- get assistance with someone you are finding difficult
- think through an ethical or misconduct issue that you would like to address
- think through any issue arising from your life at Brown
- find the appropriate person, department or office within the University to respond to your question
Student Support Services
The Graduate School Dean of Student Support can answer any questions or concerns, and can advise students on how to handle personal, family or medical issues and their academic implications. The Dean can also advise on questions about leave taking.
Title IX Office
The Title IX Office provides a comprehensive list of confidential and non-confidential support for gender and sexual-based harassment.
Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion
The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion administers Title VI and VII, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.
Graduate School
The Graduate School maintains a comprehensive listing of resources and contacts for a variety of matters. The contacts provided can advise students on how to proceed with an formal complaint. Students may also refer to the Graduate school website for information on the official grievance process.
Neuroscience Department
The Neuroscience Director of Graduate Studies and the Department Chair can serve as advisors and resources on issues related to discrimination, harassment, and other grievances.
Students seeking more information about medical, personal or other leaves of absence should contact Student Support Services (Graduate Center, 4th floor) and the Graduate Program Director. Further information can be found in the Brown Graduate School handbook. Return from leave requires permission of the Neuroscience Program, as stated in the Graduate handbook.