Graduate Organizing Group
International Services Office
Rochester International Council
Office of Minority Student Affairs
Pride Network
Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender and Women’s Studies
Frederick Douglass Institute for African and African American Studies
Student Organizations
Symphony and Chamber Orchestra
Eastman-Rochester Chorus
Graduate Organizing Group
Website: http://www.rochester.edu/gog
Email: Check http://www.rochester.edu/gog/officers for current officer email addresses.
The Graduate Organizing Group (GOG) represents students in Arts, Sciences and Engineering (School of Arts and Sciences and the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences). GOG is funded by an activity fee collected every semester. GOG has three main goals: to provide funding for activities that enrich the academic and career development of our students, to advocate on behalf of our students to the University’s administration, and to create a sense of community among our students by organizing social events.
Every year GOG partially funds many cultural and academically-related events, from the Susan B. Anthony Women’s Leadership Conference to the Rochester Indian Association’s Diwali celebration. Other events include film series, department seminars, and conferences. In addition, GOG provides a small amount of funding in the form of competitive grants to support career development for individual students to travel to conferences. Our advocacy program allows graduate student input to be heard by the administration on policy areas most important to graduate students. Traditionally, this has focused on issues of stipend support, parking, transportation, housing, and health care. Every month GOG organizes social events open to all of our students. These events are sometimes small gatherings at pubs or a trip to the apple orchard for students with families. Other times we organize large events such as skiing and white water rafting.
The above efforts are the direct result of our students’ involvement and passion to create a dynamic and connected community. GOG welcomes new people and new ideas in achieving our aims. GOG is headed by an executive committee and student representatives from each department. For officer de- scriptions, contacts, and information on how to get involved, please visit our website above.
International Services Office
Director: Cary Jensen
Location: 213 Morey Hall
Phone: (585) 275-2866
Email: questions@iso.rochester.edu
Website: http://www.iso.rochester.edu/
The ISO is the University’s official liaison with the Department of State, for- eign and American consulates, and the Department of Justice (Immigration and Naturalization Service). The ISO also works hard to cooperate with members of the University community to advocate for and address various interna- tional student needs. The ISO operates a full range of programs and services for more than 1500 international students, 600 international scholars and employees, and their dependent spouses and children. Over 90 countries are currently represented in the University’s international community. The ISO is a member of The National Association for Foreign Student Affairs: Association of International Educators, and works closely with community organizations such as the Rochester International Council.
The ISO is responsible for issuing all Visa documents and for advising students and scholars on all immigration matters including Visa renewal, travel outside the US, replacement of lost documents, extension of stay, and employment. The Organization also engages in crosscultural counseling and advising, offering support and information to aid students in adjusting to the United States. This support includes advice about legal rights and responsibilities, employment and tax workshops, and English language classes for spouses. The ISO publishes several booklets and newsletters, both on paper and electronically.
An International Student Orientation Program is offered prior to the start of classes. Students are introduced to the University of Rochester campus, the Rochester community, and to the United States. The program includes workshops on immigration laws, cultural adjustment, and life in and around Rochester.
This office is a valuable resource to many international students and scholars, and they are encouraged to contact the ISO directly for more information.
Rochester International Council
President: Josephine M. Perini
Location: 229 Morey Hall
Phone: (585) 275-8779
Email: jw@rifc.org
RIC is a volunteer group of local citizens who offer international students friendship and hospitality. Their services include meeting students at the airport, dinner invitations, ongoing opportunities to participate in community and American life, and activities such as hikes, museum tours, and dances. They also offer social and cultural programs for spouses of international students, and coordinate opportunities for international students to make presentations about their home countries to area school children.
Their core program, Friendship Volunteers, serves over 200 new international college students each year by providing them with American hosts (with whom they do not live) who introduce them to the Rochester community and American culture. This relationship continues throughout the student’s residency in Rochester. RIC also runs the International Wives program twice a month at both the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology. Each year, RIC sponsors over 20 programs and activities that provide opportunities for the 2500 international students in the Rochester area to participate in American life.
Office of Minority Student Affairs
Director: Norman B. Burnett
Location: 310 Morey Hall
Phone: (585) 275-0651
Email: OMSA@mail.rochester.edu
Website: http://www.rochester.edu/College/OMSA
The University of Rochester’s Office of Minority Student Affairs (OMSA) in the College focuses on enhancing the environment in which minority students live and learn. Committed to retention and support of students, OMSA offers counseling, information, programs and workshops, and educational opportunities. In addition, OMSA acts as a liaison with other academic departments and divisions of the University.
Pride Network
Location: 101K Wilson Commons
Phone: (585) 275-3068
Email: urpride@gmail.com
Website: http://sa.rochester.edu/pn/
The Pride Network (formerly the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Friends Association) of the University of Rochester was founded originally in 1969 as the Gay Academic Union. Since then, the organization has fostered a supportive environment for the University community to discuss issues of sexuality, diversity, and tolerance and has grown to be an integral role in student activities at the University.
Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender and Women’s Studies
Director: Professor Honey Meconi
Location: 538 Lattimore
Phone: (585) 275-8318
Email: sbai@rochester.edu
Website: http://www.rochester.edu/college/wst
SBAI supports the research and curricular development of graduate students whose work focuses on gender and women’s studies. The Institute takes an interdisciplinary approach to women’s studies, incorporating courses from numerous departments including anthropology, visual and cultural studies, English, and nursing. Graduate students can earn a Graduate Certificate in Gender and Women’s Studies, notification of which appears on their transcripts. SBAI also offers funding for a variety of academic pursuits: travel and conference reimbursement, research grants, and dissertation fellowships. SBAI provides summer teaching opportunities, and sponsors a yearly competition for two $2500 teaching fellowships.
The graduate students involved with SBAI hold an interdisciplinary conference each spring, open to all graduate students at the University, and they also coordinate several discussion groups depending on student interest. Currently there is a dissertation discussion group focusing both on the process of writing and on the contents of their works in progress. Pedagogy discussion groups and reading groups have also met in recent years.
Finally, SBAI sponsors numerous speakers and events throughout the year, publishes a newsletter, compiles a listing of job and conference opportunities, and maintains an e-mail list for upcoming events and deadlines.
Frederick Douglass Institute for African and African American Studies
Director: Jeffrey Tucker
Location: 302 Morey
Phone: (585) 275-7235
Email: fdi@mail.rochester.edu
Website: http://www.rochester.edu/college/AAS/
The Frederick Douglass Institute was established in 1986 to promote the development of African and African-American studies in undergraduate and graduate education and through advanced research at the University of Rochester.
While most of the Institute’s current programs are aimed at undergraduates, it does provide some programs of interest to graduate students. In addition to providing general support and community, the Institute holds occasional seminars and lectures, and brings speakers to campus.
Student Organizations
Most student organizations are run and funded by undergraduates. As such, they each have their own rules about graduate student participation. While many welcome graduate students, they typically do not allow grad students to serve as officers. For more information, contact the group that interests you. A current list can be found at https://sa.rochester.edu/clubs/.
There are also a number of graduate student organizations, under the umbrella of GOG. Grad students are welcome to fully participate in these groups, including at the executive level (http://www.rochester.edu/gog/groups. html). Students interested in creating a new student organization should contact GOG or Kyle Orton at Residential Life (korton@reslife.rochester.edu).
Symphony and Chamber Orchestra
Director: David Harman
Location: 208 Todd Union
Phone: (585) 275-2828
Website: http://www.rochester.edu/College/MUR/ensembles/
The University has both a Symphony and a Chamber Orchestra. The Symphony is composed of students, faculty, and community musicians, and provides free concerts throughout the year. They hold auditions in early September.
The Chamber Orchestra is composed entirely of students. They also hold auditions at the beginning of September.
Eastman-Rochester Chorus
Website: http://www.esm.rochester.edu/ensembles/erc.php
Email: erc@esm.rochester.edu
The Eastman-Rochester Chorus is comprised of Eastman students and community members (including graduate students like you). The Chorus is led by Dr. William Weinert and has ongoing auditions that can be scheduled via email. The Chorus performs concerts in the fall and spring, usually accompanied by the Eastman Symphony Orchestra and occasionally by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.