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Changes to Student Health Insurance Plan Announced
For the 2008-2009 academic year the University will again have one health insurance plan, provided by Aetna Student Health (formerly Chickering)
Some changes to the plan have been implemented, effective 1 September 2008. They include a maximum annual deductible of $250 (down from $1,000 the previous year). There is also a 20% co-payment, to an annual maximum out of pocket of $1,000 (not including the deductible). After the $250.00 deductible has been met, the Plan will pay 80% of covered medical expenses.
Neither the deductible nor the co-payment provisions apply to prescriptions or mental health care. The deductible, but not the co-payment, is waived for annual well woman care visits obtained outside the Northwestern health service. Newborns receive four well baby visits per year. The total cost for the policy, from 1 September 2008 to 31 August 2009, is $2,360. More information will be available June 30, 2008; for details visit www.aetnastudenthealth.com.
TGS will continue to provide health insurance subsidies to full-time graduate school students. All PhD and MFA students will, in some manner, have the cost of their health insurance plans covered 100%. Certain master’s students will receive a 50% subsidization, others 65%. Students should inquire of their Director of Graduate Studies for further information regarding their specific subsidy rate.
Additional information regarding the health plan and instructions for enrolling or waiving enrollment will be available in June 2008. Check back later this spring in the Health Services and Insurance section of TGS' Web site.
If you have any questions, please contact the insurance department at 847/491-2114 or 847/491-4134 on the Evanston Campus, and 312/503-1242 on the Chicago Campus.
Women's Center Recognizes Graduate Student Leadership
This year's Jennifer Cushman Award was given to Carrie Brubaker, a doctoral student in Biomedical Engineering.
Created seven years ago and inspired by the student for whom it was named, the Women's Center's Jennifer Cushman Award is given to the student who demonstrates excellence by striving to build community on the Northwestern University Chicago Campus through outreach and activism.
According to the Women's Center, Ms. Brubaker has worked tirelessly to provide leadership and serve graduate students across Northwestern. As a co-founder of Graduate Women Across Northwestern, she continues to provide invaluable services to Northwestern graduate women by providing social, professional and networking programs. Carrie's willingness to support other graduate students and advocate on their behalf has been an inspiration to others.
Students, faculty, administrators, and friends are invited to attend a reception honoring this year's Jennifer Cushman Award winner Carrie Brubaker and her exceptional accomplishments. The reception will be held on Monday, May 19, from 12pm to 1pm at the Women's Center in Abbott Hall (710 N. Lake Shore Dr. Suite 1400). Please RSVP to e-lindsay@northwestern.edu by Friday, May 16th if you would like to attend our lunch reception.
TGS Doctoral Student Selected as De Kármán Fellow
The Graduate School and Office of Fellowships are proud to announce that Stephen Mak, a fifth-year graduate student in the Department of History, is among the 12 scholars selected for 2008-2009 funding from the Josephine De Kármán Fellowship Trust. The Fellowship awards $10,000 to its undergraduate recipients and $20,000 to its graduate recipients.
Stephen is the third doctoral student in the History Department to be selected as a De Kármán Fellow since 1998. His dissertation, "Enemy Aliens in a World at War," examines the intersection of U.S. foreign relations and immigration policy. Stephen earned his undergraduate degree at Cornell University in industrial and labor relations, worked on labor policy for Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and taught social studies in New York City's Chinatown before coming to Northwestern.
TGS 2008 Hooding Ceremony Intent to Participate Form Due by May 9
December 2007 and June 2008 PhD/MFA Graduates: Do you plan to participate in a Hooding Ceremony?
Graduate students in WCAS, Kellogg, Feinberg, The School of Communication, and TGS Interdisciplinary Programs receiving the PhD or MFA degree in the 2007-2008 academic year who plan to participate in The Graduate School Hooding Ceremony on June 20 must submit the Intent to Participate form no later than Friday, May 9. Regalia must be rented by May 15. For additional information, students may visit the Commencement Web site, The Graduate School's Graduation Ceremony Web site, or contact Kate Veraldi.
Clarence L. Ver Steeg Graduate Faculty and Staff Awards Announced
The Graduate School is proud to announce the 2007-2008 winners of the Clarence L. Ver Steeg Graduate Faculty and Staff Awards: Professor Matthew Goldrick from the Department of Linguistics, Professor Angela Ray from the Department of Communication Studies, and Mark Seniw from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
Named for Clarence Ver Steeg, Northwestern University Professor Emeritus in History and Dean of the Graduate School from 1975 to 1986, these awards recognize two Graduate Faculty members and one staff member each year for excellence in work with graduate students in The Graduate School.
Professors Goldrick and Ray, and Mark Seniw will be recognized at the June 20, 2008 PhD and MFA hooding ceremony and each will receive a certificate of recognition and a $3000 award. Please join us in congratulating these outstanding faculty and staff members for this recognition of their tremendous contributions to graduate education at Northwestern University.
Registration for Spring TGS Night Out Opens May 12
It's time for the quarterly "TGS Night Out". This quarter's event will be held at Tommy Nevin's Pub.
We continue to receive good feedback about this event - it's an excellent opportunity to get students talking across disciplines. TGS invites you to gather with students outside the lab and library and have a drink and a bite to eat with colleagues from across campus. We'll be providing assorted sandwiches, appetizers, draft beers (domestic) and house wine to all attendees. There is no charge for admission or for refreshments. The details:
Registration will be open in the "Events" section of the TGS home page May 12 through 14. The extended registration will ensure that most students interested in the event are part of the pool from which students will be randomly selected. From the respondents, we will choose a cross section of humanities, social science, and STEM students on May 15, and send confirmation letters to 300 in a separate memo. While you are there, check out the latest from TGS in our News section.
Building a graduate student community is one of our goals at The Graduate School, and we believe that providing this kind of event is right in line with this goal. We will be hosting these events quarterly; students that did not make the event this time may have the opportunity to join the fun next time!
FICA and Summer 2008 Registration Deadline
Graduate students who are scheduled to receive a check for 06/30/2008 must register by 5 PM on June 20, 2008 in order to avoid having Social Security/Medicare tax (FICA) deducted.
Only students being funded entirely or partially as graduate, teaching and/or research assistants are subject to FICA being deducted if they are not registered. Registration for Summer 2008 began on Monday, April 14, 2008.
If registration occurs after 5 PM on June 20th and FICA tax is deducted, students should print a copy of the confirmed registration from CAESAR. This registration receipt must be brought to the Payroll office where a refund of FICA tax will be processed within 60 days of receipt.
If a copy of your confirmed registration can not be obtained through CAESAR, the Office of the Registrar should be contacted for assistance.
If there are questions concerning registration, please contact the appropriate TGS Student Services representative. If there are any other questions, please contact the Payroll Office at 847/491-7362.
The Graduate School Announces Implementation of the Professional Development Grant
The Graduate School has introduced the Professional Development Grant, a newly established program intended to support meaningful graduate student professional development programming at the department and program level.
This includes any activity that provides professional and life skill development relevant to the preparation of graduate students for their future career endeavors, whether inside or outside of academia. Directors and administrators of any academic program that falls under the purview of The Graduate School have been invited to submit a grant proposal. Students who would like to suggest ideas for grants should contact their director of graduate studies or department assistant. Please visit our Web site or contact Kate Veraldi for additional information.
Continuous Registration Policy Implemented for Students Beyond Their Degree Deadlines
The implementation of The Graduate School's Continuous Registration Policy is fast approaching its last phase. TGS 512, the $100/quarter registration for students not enrolled in coursework or research registrations, went into effect in winter 2007 with success.
As part of its passage in Fall 2006, TGS allowed for a two year grace period before requiring registration in TGS 513, Advanced Continuous Registration, for students beyond their degree deadlines. Beginning in Fall 2008, doctoral students after nine years from first term of enrollment and master’s students after five years from first term of enrollment are required to maintain their affiliation with Northwestern by registering for TGS 513, Advanced Continuous Registration.
Tuition for TGS 513 is currently $1000 per quarter. Students past their degree deadline must maintain this registration until completion of all degree requirements, and are required to register in all quarters with the exception of summer quarters. Any lapse in registration must be paid in full, including appropriate retroactive registrations fees, or no degree will be awarded nor will a transcript be released.
Students in this advanced continuous registration status are also not eligible to receive federal loans or to qualify for the university health insurance subsidy, nor will they be eligible for fellowships, traineeships, teaching or research assistantships, and scholarships. This status is considered less than half-time and therefore does not provide students with the ability to defer loans or extend visas.
In cases of extreme hardship, special dispensation might be granted. Please contact your Student Services Representative for more information.
NU Health Plan Options Detailed for Students Leaving the University
This message is for students who are enrolled in the Northwestern Health Plan and are graduating, or leaving the University at the end of spring quarter 2008.
If you wish to cancel your enrollment in the NU health plan you must submit your request in writing to the Health Insurance Office at 633 Emerson Street by Friday, June 6 , 2008 . You may also fax your request to 847/491-4268. Once the request has been approved, your charges will be adjusted. Your health insurance may be adjusted following a review of your account.
You do have the option of staying enrolled in the NU health plan through August 31, 2008. If you wish to continue your enrollment in the NU Plan after you leave the University and you requested monthly payroll deductions from your stipend to pay your health insurance cost you will need to make other arrangements with the Office of Student Accounts to settle your obligation since you will no longer be receiving pay through Northwestern.
If you have further questions about this matter please contact the Health Insurance Office at 847/491-4134 or contact Ethlyn Pitts-Senecal.
Conference Travel Grants Available for PhD and MFA Students
Conference Travel Grants provide funds to assist PhD and MFA students traveling to conferences or seminars to make presentations on behalf of the University.
Students are eligible to receive one Conference Travel Grant per academic year. The final deadline for receipt of all 2007/08 Conference Travel Grant applications is Friday, June 13, 2008. Students should apply two months prior to the conference whenever possible. For more information, go to the Conference Travel Grant Web site.
Call Made for 2008 TGS Hooding Ceremony Volunteers
Planning for The Graduate School 2008 Hooding Ceremony is underway.
Current PhD students not being hooded this year are encouraged to volunteer at the 2008 Hooding Ceremony, on June 20 at Noon. Volunteers attend one planning meeting and assist with the ceremony from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Volunteers may attend the hooding ceremony without a ticket as well as the lunch reception that follows. Interested volunteers shouldcontact Kate Veraldi, Coordinator of Student Services at The Graduate School.
2008-2009 Community Building Proposals Due May 15
Help develop programming that brings together groups of students who would ordinarily not come into contact with each other!
TGS' Community Building groups and programming continue to help stem the isolation that graduate students often experience in their laboratories and libraries. Details on the how to apply - and guidelines for programming - can be found on TGS' Community Building Web site.
Teaching Assistant Fellow Application Deadline Extended
Do you enjoy TAing? Like helping students learn to think for themselves? Want to boost your teaching credentials? Apply to become a Teaching Assistant Fellow.
The Searle Center for Teaching Excellence invites outstanding TAs from across the university to participate in the 2008-2009 Teaching Assistant Fellows (TAF) Program. As a TAF, you will design and deliver workshops for new TAs in September. Work with TAs from across the university as you receive professional training from Searle Center staff. Training sessions occur in the summer and the New TA Conference takes place in September. Application deadline extended to Monday, May 5. For details, visit the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence Web site.
Proposal-Writing Workshops Continue
The Office of Fellowships offers proposal-writing workshops for all graduate departments.
Interested students should contact Stephen Hill to arrange a workshop in the Spring Quarter. In the workshop students learn what funding agencies seek in fellowship proposals, how to identify sources of funding, the elements that make up a complete proposal, and how to turn an interesting topic into a researchable question. Stephen Hill can be reached by phone at 847.491.2617, or by e-mail at s-hill@northwestern.edu.
Fulbright Informational Meetings
Dates: Friday, May 2, 12pm; Monday, May 5, 12pm
Location: Office of Fellowships, 1940 Sheridan Road, Evanston Campus
Interested in a year of study or research abroad after you graduate? Attend an information session and learn about the Fulbright Grant and the Northwestern application process. All meetings will be held in the Conference Room of the Office of Fellowships.
Graduate Teaching Certificate Program Information Sessions
Dates: Friday, May 2nd, 12:00pm; Thursday, May 8th, 12:00pm
Location: Searle Teaching Center, 627 Dartmouth Place, Evanston Campus
Attend one of these required sessions to learn more about the program, talk with alumni and find out how to apply. Please email teach@northwestern.edu if you cannot attend one of these sessions. For more information, visit the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence Web site.
Grading Assignments and Assigning Grades
Date: Monday, May 5th, 1:00-3:00pm, Evanston Campus
Registration Required
Grading can be one of the most time consuming and frustrating parts of the TA experience. Discuss ways to clearly communicate expectations, increase grading fairness and efficiency, and respond effectively to students’ issues with grades. For more information, visit the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence Web site.
TGS Run with the Dean
Date: Tuesday, May 6, 4:00p
Location: Rebecca Crown Plaza, Evanston Campus
It's time to dust off your running shoes! Please join Dean Wachtel for the first Run with the Dean of the season. Runners can meet Dean Wachtel in the Rebecca Crown Plaza on Tuesday, May 6th, 4:00p. Those who run are welcome to join the dean for a refreshment afterwards at The Celtic Knot.
G-SALSA International Potluck
Date: Saturday, May 10, 8:00-11:00pm
Location: The John Evans Alumni Center (1800 Sheridan Road, Evanston)
Join us in the international potluck organized by The Graduate Student Association for Latino and Spanish Activities (G-SALSA). Open to all graduate students.
The Office of Fellowships presents Graduate Fellowships Night
Date: Monday, May 12, 7:00pm
Location: Technological Institute, LR3
Graduate Fellowships Night provides an opportunity for the graduate population to learn about prestigious external fellowships. There is no better way to distinguish your career at Northwestern and advance your research than to win a prestigious external fellowship. Current winners will relate their experiences and provide helpful hints. Peter Hayes (German and History) will deliver the keynote address.
Town Hall Meeting with Dean Wachtel
Date: Tuesday, May 13, 6:30p - 8:00pm
Location: Hardin Hall, Rebecca Crown Center
The next Town Hall Meeting with Dean Wachtel will take place on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008, 6:30pm - 8:00pm in Hardin Hall. The topic of discussion will be "Civic Engagement for Graduate Students: Ideas for Integrating the Public Domain with Doctoral Education." Please join the dean in an open discussion. Refreshments will be served.
International Graduate Student Workshop Part III: Cultivating Professional & Personal Development in U.S. Academia
Date: Tuesday, May 13th, 5:30-7:00pm
Registration Required
Co-sponsored by the International Office, this workshop is the third in a three-part series to help international students adapt to the unique U.S. academic environment. For more information, visit the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence Web site.
Workshop on "Reconstructing Social History in a Post-Structural World"
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008, 9:30am to 5:00pm
Location: Hagstrum Room (University Hall 201) - 1897 Sheridan Road, Evanston Campus
This workshop addresses movements within the field of Social History as scholars work to develop new approaches to study social relations in the past. The workshop will feature graduate student work that attempts to incorporate the empirical demands of History with the theoretical advances of the social sciences.
Keynote presentation by Professor Keith Wrightson of Yale University. Please visit the Center for Historical Studies Web site (click on Conferences) or contact Lonnie Robbins for information.
Chicago History Museum Trip
Date: Saturday, May 17th, 12:00pm - 3:30pm
Location: 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614 (Chicago History Museum - 1/2 mile north of Clark/Division Red line El stop; also accessible from #72 North Avenue CTA bus)
The Chicago History Museum stands at the crossroads of America’s past and its future. If you live in Chicago or visit here and are curious about the city’s past, present, and future, the Museum should be your first stop. Sign up for a chance to experience the museum with other graduate students from a variety of departments. Lunch at a local restaurant is included. This event is sponsored by the Chicago Cultural Club, a TGS community building group. Please RSVP to chicagoculturalclub@gmail.com by Thursday, May 1st. 25 tickets available.
Teaching Through Tragedy
Date: Tuesday, May 20th, 1:00-3:00pm
Registration Required
How do you respond appropriately in the classroom after tragic events such as the Virginia Tech shooting or 9/11? How do you address your students’ emotions? What about your own? Discover strategies and resources to create teachable moments after tragedy. For more information, visit the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence Web site.
TGS Day Out for Parents at Kohl Children's Museum
Dates: Saturday, May 24, 9:30am-12:30pm
Location: Kohl Children's Museum - 2100 Patriot Boulevard, Glenview, IL 60026
The Graduate School will host a "Day Out" for Graduate Student Parents on Saturday, the 24th of May, from 9:30am-12:30pm at the Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview. Food, Fun and Admission for a full day of Museum exploration are free to you and your family. To confirm your attendance, please send an e-mail to Antoaneta Condurat at a-condurat@northwestern.edu by May 10, 2008.
May Events from the Program of African Studies
Dates: Throughout May
The Program of African Studies is hosting several events in May designed to further the knowledge and experience of African scholarly work in the greater community. See the Program of African Studies Web site for more information.
University Events
NU's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Searle Center for Teaching Excellence and University Career Services all offer valuable programming to the graduate student population.
Please see the following links for a full list of events:
Other Graduate Student Resources
In addition to the University offices mentioned above, there are also units dedicated, at least in part, to graduate student quality of life and professional development. For more information, please visit the following links:
Student Services Staff
The Graduate School's Student Services staff is here to help with any questions or concerns.
- Lesley Perry, Associate Director Student Services, l-perry2@northwestern.edu
- Stephen Scott, Coordinator Student Services, sms@northwestern.edu
- Kate Veraldi, Coordinator of Student Services, k-veraldi@northwestern.edu
- Antoaneta Condurat, Counselor Student Services, a-condurat@northwestern.edu
- Mike Wachowski, Data Specialist, m-wachowski@northwestern.edu
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