On Wednesday, September 26, 2006, the Graduate Council passed two new initiatives. First is the Stony Brook Childbirth Accommodation Policy (SB-CAP)
that will enable pregnant and child-bearing Graduate School students to
maintain full-time, registered student status and facilitate their
return to full participation in class work, research, teaching and
clinical training.
SB-CAP includes provisions for academic externsions, relief from
regular teaching, research, clinical and/or training duties and interim
financial support from the Graduate School for students that receive
stipend support as Teaching Assistants, Graduate Assistants, or
Research Assistants. The SB-CAP guidelines encourage open communication
between students, their advisors, Graduate Program Directors and
additional supervisors of clinical work or teaching responsibilities
with the goal of accommodating the needs of pregnant and child-bearing
graduate students in a manner that minimizes the disruption to their
graduate training activities and responsibilities.
ELIGIBILITY
The current policy states that pregnant graduate students must inform their program directors, advisors and whomever they are working closely with (i.e professor) that they wish to take leave by the 24th week of pregnancy. Students must have the knowledge and consent of their advisor, program directors, professors and a doctor's note to be eligible. International students will also need to consult with International Services.
Please find "Request for Childbirth Accommodation Approval " form here.( word | pdf)
The second initiative is a Stipend Bridge-Loan Funding Program
that is available to Graduate Assistants who are supported by sponsored
projects that have encountered funding difficulties that endanger the
continuation of stipend support.
As outlined in the document (available above), the Bridge-fund loan is
requested by the Graduate Program on behalf of the student who needs
stipend support and the requesting Graduate Program will have primary
responsibility for repayment of the loan.
For more information or questions, please contact Peter Gergen in the Graduate School (631-632-7170).
