Getting Oriented
Committees on Graduate Affairs
Graduate Program Committee (GPC)
The Graduate Program Committee will advise first-year students about courses, selecting an advisor, and other matters during your first year. The GPC also provides general oversight regarding the graduate program policies and procedures, including the compilation of annual feedback for all graduate students. Current members of the GPC are: Rea Freeland (Co-Chair), Linda Peteanu (Co-Chair), Catalina Achim, Bruce Armitage, Dave Yaron, and Newell Washburn. General questions or concerns regarding registration, grades, and program requirements should be directed to Valerie Bridge. Detailed questions and concerns you may have about your academic progress or upcoming program requirements can also directed to Rea Freeland or Linda Peteanu. However, you should feel free to talk with any member of the committee about your questions or concerns. Rea Freeland also serves as graduate ombudsperson to assist with delicate or confidential concerns.
Chemistry Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC)
The Graduate Student Advisory Committee provides input to the GPC on matters of concern to graduate students and the graduate program in general. For example, the GSAC has been involved in revisions to the graduate program requirements and in assessing the program. You can also talk with members of the GSAC to learn more about the graduate program and to share feedback about it. You can also address concerns to them and they can often help you determine how to get assistance. Membership of the committee is currently being updated and will be announced as soon as it is available.
MCS Graduate Student Advisory Committee (MCS GSAC)
Similar to the departmental GSAC above, the Mellon College of Science has a group of graduate students (two from each department) to provide input to the Associate Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs. The MCS GSAC also organizes events such as the annual MCS Graduate Student Poster Session and panel discussions on careers in science. Anya Zatsman and Jessica Cooper currently serve on the MCS GSAC.
Graduate Student Assembly (GSA)
The Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) serves as student governing body for graduate students at Carnegie Mellon. In addition to university services listed here, the GSA actively works on issues to improve the quality of life for graduate students and to provide varied social activities to enhance students’ experience of graduate school. Departmental happy hours and the department’s graduate student lounge are funded in large part by graduate students’ activities fees. Alper Nese, Josh Hayden, and Greg Drozd currently share the role of the department’s representative to GSA.
More resources in the university for graduate student concerns can be found at:
http://senate.web.cmu.edu/gsa/uploads/university_resources_2005-06.pdf