• Office of Graduate Minority Education
• Graduate Legal Aid Office
• Graduate Student Government
• The Graduate Council
• College Park Senate
• Off-Campus Housing
• Graduate Student Housing
• Counseling Center
• Disability Support Services
• Health Center
• Health Insurance
• English Language for International Graduate Students
• Other Useful Campus Services

Office of Graduate Minority Education

The Office of Graduate Minority Education, located in the Graduate School (Room 2122, Lee Building), serves as the chief advisory body to the Graduate Dean on all matters related to recruitment, retention, quality of minority graduate student life, and all other diversity-related issues in the Graduate School. The Office is responsible for providing effective and efficient supportive services to minority students; planning and implementing campus-wide recruitment and retention activities; conducting orientation activities; participating in the distribution of fellowships and consulting on fellowship policies; fostering positive faculty-student relations; initiating and facilitating activities for minority student development and welfare; supporting the programs and activities of minority graduate student organizations; and fostering and maintaining relations with graduate alumni.

Consistent with the University's commitment to creating and maintaining a model multi-ethnic and multi-cultural environment, the Office of Graduate Minority Education supports the diversity- related initiatives of the University community, promotes interest in multi-cultural studies and programs, and addresses issues related to positive graduate educational experiences for faculty and students of color. The Office serves as the liaison between the Graduate Dean and the following committees: Campus- Wide Recruitment Committee, Steering Committee of the Diversity Year Initiative, Student Affairs Committee of the Campus Senate, Graduate Council Committee for Student Affairs, Graduate Council Committee for Women's Affairs, and the Graduate Enrollment Management Committee. For more information, contact the Associate Dean and Director, Office of Graduate Minority Education, (301) 405-4183, or toll free at 1-800-245-GRAD. 

Graduate Legal Aid Office

The Graduate Legal Aid Office provides free legal advice, referrals, and assistance to currently registered University of Maryland graduate students. Staff members give general legal advice on a wide variety of matters, including landlord-tenant issues, consumer problems, traffic accidents, uncontested divorces, and University-related matters. The Office provides direct legal assistance in routine matters, but cannot sue on behalf of students or represent them in court. The Office is staffed eight hours a week for student interviews; staff members see students on a walk-in basis and by appointment. Walk-in and appointment schedules are posted on the Office door. The Office cannot handle disputes between graduate students and does not provide emergency services. For more information, contact the Office in Room 1221, Stamp Union, phone: 301 405-5807. 

Graduate Student Government

The Graduate Student Government (GSG) is the student government for graduate students. Its purposes are: (1) to improve the quality of education and enhance the quality of life of  graduate students; (2) to communicate and support research interests of graduate students; (3) to recommend members for policy-making and administrative committees of the campus; and (4) to be an active agent / voice for graduate student concerns.

Membership is open to all full and part-time graduate students enrolled in degree programs on campus. The Assembly of the GSG consists of representatives from each graduate department, but its meetings are open to all interested graduate students. Elections to the Assembly are held every year in the Fall and occur within the departments. Officers of the GSG are elected at- large in the Spring. The President of GSG is a full Graduate Assistant paid position in the Graduate School but is elected by the graduate student body.

The GSG has eight standing committees that perform the majority of governing responsibilities. Membership on these committees is open to all graduate students. Committees include the Executive, Elections, Social, Newsletter, Communication, Minority Affairs, Legislative Action, and Graduate Research Interaction Day.

Departmental Graduate Student Organizations (GSOs) are active in most departments on campus and are directly supported by the GSG. Involvement in a GSO is not a prerequisite for GSG membership but is encouraged.

For more information, contact the Graduate Student Government, Box 105, Stamp Student Union, phone: 301 314-8630. 

The Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is a Council of elected and appointed members of the Graduate Faculty which governs all policies and procedures covering graduate education and research. The Council has six standing committees: Academic Standards; Fellowships; Graduate Faculty; Programs, Courses and Curricula; Research; and Student Affairs. The Council is home to several adjunct committees as well, including the General Research Board and the Animal Care and Use Committee among others. The head of Graduate Student Government is a member of the Graduate Council, and graduate students are asked to serve on all committees except the Committee on Graduate Faculty. The Council meets twice a semester to consider policies affecting graduate students, to approve the adoption of new graduate programs or changes in the curricula of established programs, and in general to advise the Associate Provost for Research and Dean for Graduate Studies on all graduate education and research issues. 

College Park Senate

The College Park Senate, an integral part of the institution's system of governance, is somewhat unique in that it has representation from all segments of the campus community: administrators, staff, faculty, and undergraduate and graduate students. Participation in the Senate or any of its 16 standing committees is an honor and a responsibility. The full Senate meets eight times a year to consider matters of concern to the institution, including academic issues, University policies, plans, facilities and the welfare of faculty, staff and students. The Senate advises the President, the Chancellor, or the Board of Regents as it deems appropriate.

Graduate students who wish to serve in the College Park Senate are nominated by the deans of their academic colleges and elected in an at-large, campus-wide election held in the spring. Students are also encouraged to participate on a series of Senate standing committees, such as Student Affairs and Human Relations. These committees draw membership from the campus community at large and cover every aspect of campus life and function. Students are sought every spring to fill the committee appointments. Details on the election and appointment processes are available through the College Park Senate Office, Room 1100, Marie Mount Hall, phone: 301 405-5805. 

Off-Campus Housing

Housed in the Office of Commuter Affairs, the Off-Campus Housing Service (Room 1195, Stamp Student Union, 314-3645) maintains an extensive and up-to-date computerized list of rooms, apartments, and houses (both vacant and to share) that are for rent in the area and organized by cost, type of housing, and distance to campus. Personalized printouts tailored to your individualized needs can be requested (in person) to simplify your housing search. Be sure to bring your letter of admission or student ID when requesting a printout. A personalized housing search system is also available on the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.inform.umd.edu/OCA.

Average monthly rates for housing in the area are: $200-$400 for a room in a private or student home; $400-$750 for an efficiency, basement apartment, or one-bedroom apartment; $250-$400 for a shared apartment, and $800-$1,400 for an unfurnished house. Maps of the College Park area, lists of local motels, and furniture rental companies, as well as information of general interest to commuter students are also available at the office. (Figures are estimates reflecting 1998 market and subject to change.) 

Graduate Student Housing

For information about graduate housing in close proximity to campus, write or call SMC Graduate Hills/Graduate Gardens, 7704 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville, MD 20783, call (301) 422-7368 or toll- free 1-800-230-7368 or e-mail at smc.grad-housing@mail.wdn.com.

Counseling Center

Located in the Shoemaker Building, (301) 314-7651, http://www.inform.umd.edu/Campusinfo/department/counseling.

Many students encounter a variety of personal, social, career, and academic issues that call for assistance beyond advice provided by friends and family. Fortunately, the Counseling Center provides free and confidential services by professional counselors to all University of Maryland students. The Counseling Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. and Friday 8:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Among the many services available at the Counseling Center are:

Personal/Social Counseling. You do not have to deal with your problems alone. In a warm and supportive environment, you can meet with a staff counselor to discuss any concern you may have related to your personal and social well-being. Among the topics many students discuss in counseling are self-esteem, stress, relationship issues, sex, family problems, and loneliness. You may see a counselor for individual counseling or join one of the many counselor-led support groups.

Career Counseling. A normal part of your development is identifying who you are in relation to your future career. You can get help with this process at the Counseling Center in individual career counseling. Your exploration may include taking vocational interest tests and interpreting the results with a counselor or taking advantage of a computerized career information system. As you pursue career goals or consider job opportunities it is important to understand how your personality, values, and interests relate to your professional life. Career counseling at the Center can help with that process. Call 301 314- 7651.

Academic Skills Counseling. Many students have academic skills that they would like to improve. If you are tired of struggling because of your own weak areas, schedule an appointment to see the Center's education specialists. They can help you enhance such skills as writing, learning science, math, and statistics material, and organizational skills. Workshops cover a range of topics, including exam skills, time management, English conversation, and completing your dissertation. Call 301 314- 7693.

Returning Students Program. If you are over 25 and returning to school after a break in your formal education, you may have different needs than other graduate students. The Returning Students Program is designed to help you with the transition to academic life. Workshops, counseling, and publications are available at the Counseling Center to make your adjustment to the university successful. Call  301 314-7693.

Workshops and Group Counseling. You can gain strength to deal with your concerns by getting together with other people who share similar problems, interests, and goals. Each semester, the Counseling Center offers weekly support groups addressing a variety of topics, such as career exploration, dissertation support, procrastination prevention, and stress management. Recent group offerings have also included "Caught in the Net," a support group for reducing dependency on e-mail and the Internet; "Circle of Sisters," a group for black women; "Women, Food, and Obsession with Thinness," which addresses problems of body image and eating; and "Living with Illness," a group that assists people living with chronic illness. Call 301 314-7651. 

Disability Support Services

The Counseling Center provides a range of services for students with disabilities, including help in locating interpreters for deaf or hard-of- hearing students, readers for visually-impaired students, blind students, and students with learning disabilities, and assistance with access to various buildings and facilities on campus. If you are a new or returning student, contact the Disability Support Services Office in the Center as soon as possible. Call (301) 314-7682 (V/TTY).

Testing Services. The Center administers tests for counseling purposes, such as career interest inventories, and also administers national standardized tests, such as the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, and Miller Analogies. Call 301 314-7688.

Consultation and Evaluation for Parents and Children. Consultation, counseling, and child testing are available to assist parents, single parents, and their children (ages 5-14). Call 301 314-7673.

Research Services. Group and individual consultations are available if you need assistance with research design, statistics, and writing proposals, theses, and dissertations. Call 301 314-7687. 

Health Center

The University Health Center, a nationally accredited ambulatory Health Care Faculty, is located on Campus Drive directly across from the Stamp Union. The Health Center provides primary care for the treatment of illness and injury, in addition to preventative services. Services include (but are not limited to): dental care, men's health clinic, women's health clinic, allergy clinic, sports medicine, physical therapy, travel clinic, nutritional counseling, mental health services, social services, and anonymous HIV testing. A comprehensive health education program includes: sexual health, stress management, smoking cessation, alcohol and other drugs, substance abuse treatment, and CPR certification. The Health Center also houses a pharmacy, laboratory, and radiology department.

The Health Center is open Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 10:00 P.M., and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Hours vary during semester breaks, summer sessions, and holidays. You may be seen, by appointment, Monday through Friday, 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Students are encouraged to make appointments whenever possible to assure prompt attention. There is only limited care available after hours. Urgent problems are seen on a walk-in basis anytime the Health Center is open.

Any currently registered student is eligible for care. The Health Center provides routine health care for the semester. There are charges for special services such as x-ray, laboratory tests, dental treatment, allergy injections, casts, physical therapy, and pharmacy supplies.

Note: The University of Maryland requires ALL new students, including graduate and transfer students, to provide proof of immunization dates for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (M.M.R.) and Tetanus/Diphtheria. International students must document a negative Tuberculosis (T.B.) test or chest x-ray within the past 12 months.

A medical record is established and maintained for every patient who receives care at the Health Center. All medical records and interactions with Health Center staff are confidential. Information is released only with the student's written permission or upon a court ordered subpoena.
 

CAMPUS EMERGENCY DIAL 911

Health Insurance

Because the service provided by the Health Center is limited and many students do not have adequate health insurance coverage, a voluntary group insurance policy is available to students. This policy provides benefits at very reasonable rates for hospital, surgery, emergency, laboratory and x-ray purposes; some coverage for mental health services; and contains a major hospital provision. Students may elect to have family coverage. For additional information and application forms, see the brochure available in the Health Center.

Teaching, research, and graduate assistants are also eligible for the State Employee Insurance Plan options. Please note that fellows and hourly employees are not eligible for the plan. For further information, contact your graduate programs or the personnel benefits office.

English Editing for International Graduate Students

The English Editing for International Graduate Students (EEIGS) program, operating under the aegis of the University of Maryland Office for Graduate Studies and Research, offers editing serves to international graduate students who must present their required seminar papers, theses, dissertations, etc. in English.  This program is staffed by volunteers from the university's "Retired Volunteer Corps" and Golden ID group, and by volunteers from other university and non-university sources.  These services are free. 

The EEIGS program operates as follows:

1.    Names and telephone numbers of volunteer editors on whom student may call may be obtained by calling Ms. Pettis, the program coordinator, at 301 434 6944.  

2.    The student can contact a volunteer editor to arrange for the editing services.  If an arrangement does not work out satisfactorily, either the student or the editor my discontinue the service.  The student may then seek another volunteer editor.

3.    The student should allow a reasonable amount of time for the editing services.  Long documents will not be edited on very short notice. 

4.    Editing services are expected to take place on University of Maryland premises.  The student is responsible for finding working space (for example, an empty classroom or office in the department in which he/she is majoring).

5.    The student is expected to inform his / her Department's Director of Graduate Studies of the aid being received through this program. 

There are also graduate students and other s on the University of Maryland campus who offer English language services for a fee.  Graduate students in the Department of English who are available for this service can be contacted through the Director of Graduate Studies, Department of English, 3117 Susquehanna Hall.  

Other Useful Student / Campus Services