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Dear Graduate Students,
I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself to those of you who may not know me and who may not be familiar with the role of the Graduate Student Advocate (GSA).
My name is Kassie Hartford, and I am a doctoral candidate in the Music Department. I completed my M.A. at Stony Brook and my B.A. in Music and American Studies at Mount Holyoke College.
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MY POSITION |
Similar to the Ombuds Office, the GSA exists to help you resolve problems you may encounter during your graduate study. In many situations, you may simply need more information or help finding and contacting the appropriate people within the University. Since navigating such a large University can at times be overwhelming, this office was created to address the needs of graduate students specifically.
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WHEN YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME |
Please feel free to contact me when you have a serious problem or concern that you dont know how to handle. When faced with a conflict or issue, it is always best to start locally. Talking first to your advisor, graduate secretary or support staff, graduate program director, or department chair can often remedy the situation. In most cases they will be in the best position to handle your problem quickly and efficiently, since they are most familiar with your specific field. When this is not possible, or if you are unsure of how to proceed, please dont hesitate to contact me.
Typical kinds of problems in the past have included: conflicts with faculty advisors, health insurance problems, housing problems, cases of discrimination, questions of academic standing, and problems with funding or other work-related issues. Note that work-related problems and issues related to Graduate Assistants (GAs) and Teaching Assistant (TAs) are always the jurisdiction of the Graduate Student Employees Union (GSEU), and not matters which I am capable of handling. In cases where the pattern is more serious or where students may wish to work with an independent professional conflict management specialist, the GSA may refer a case to the Ombuds Office. If you are not certain about this, feel free to check with me.
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WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOU |
• Explain University policies and procedures
• Advise you on possible courses of action and guide you in pursuing those that would be most effective
in your specific situation
• Refer you to the person most capable of addressing your concerns and arrange a meeting for you
• Provide support on personal matters that may be impacting your academic performance
• If necessary or appropriate, intercede on your behalf or mediate for you
• Recommend specific changes to the University so that problem areas can be corrected for the future
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HOW TO REACH ME |
E-mail is generally the best and quickest way to reach me. You are also welcome to stop by during my office hours. Setting up an appointment in advance is preferable, but not required
Office Location: The Graduate School, 2401 Computer Science Building
(Up the stairs at the main entrance and to the right)
Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 9am – 1pm
(With additional availability throughout the week)
Office Phone: 631-632-1947 (ext. 2-1947 on campus)
Email: khartfor@notes.cc.sunysb.edu ORGraduate_School_Advocate@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
Other Advocacy Links:
Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Homepage
Campus Community Advocate Homepage
Disabled Student Services Homepage
I look forward to assisting you in the year ahead.
Best of luck!
Sincerely,
Kassie Hartford, GSA 2011-20112
