1997-98 University Bulletin Entry for:

Academic Services

T = Academic Advising

Each freshman is assigned a member of the faculty or staff to serve as a formal academic advisor during the first year. Upon declaring a field of concentration, students receive faculty advisors in their own disciplines. Finally, each department designates an advising chair to serve the needs of all students interested in learning more about academic opportunities within the department.

T = Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs

The deans in the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs assist individual students in planning their undergraduate careers at Brandeis, and in addressing their problems and concerns through the Committee on Academic Standing. Guidance is available in program planning and the selection of a major field of study. In addition, the Office administers funds to support undergraduate research efforts; monitors the progress being made by all undergraduates toward completion of degree requirements; and coordinates services to disabled students, the Advanced Placement Program, Cross Registration, and premedical advising.

The office provides counseling services for Brandeis undergraduate and graduate students who seek to enrich their education through a period of study abroad. It also maintains a resource library of materials on available programs. The office provides information and assistance in obtaining international study grants available through Fulbright, Rhodes, D.A.A.D., Marshall, and other scholarship and fellowship programs, including the Sachar International Scholarships for Brandeis students.

T = Office of Student Enrichment Services

Programs under the umbrella of Student Enrichment Services provide learning assistance, academic support, and supplemental instruction.

Consultants at the Writing Center assist undergraduate and graduate students to focus ideas, define topics, prepare well-organized outlines, revise rough drafts, improve stylistic elements, and master related writing skills. The Center is located in the Goldfarb Library. Services are available on a drop-in basis.

The Student Support Services Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, offers academic and career counseling, tutorial services, study skills workshops, individualized assessment, GRE preparation, and access to cultural events to eligible students. For further information contact Student Support Services, Kutz Hall.

Individual and small group tutoring is provided in selected courses to students experiencing academic difficulty. Workshops on such learning strategies as note-taking, time-management, and test-taking are also offered. Requests for tutorial assistance or workshops may be made in the Student Enrichment Services Office in Kutz Hall.

T = Disability Services

Brandeis University is committed to providing an environment that is equitable and accessible to all qualified students. Since admission to the University is based on the academic qualifications of the applicant, admissions procedures remain the same for all applicants, regardless of disability. The University provides reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Once accepted, a student must document a learning or physical disability at Brandeis to receive appropriate services. To do this, a student must have his or her medical records regarding the disability reviewed by the director of health services. Following documentation as a student with a disability at Brandeis, the student confers with the coordinator of academic support services for students with disabilities in the undergraduate program, or the person who handles disability in each of the Graduate School offices, for guidance and academic accommodations. Appropriate accommodations are determined on a case by case basis in consultation with the coordinator, the faculty, and the student. Services such as housing assistance, extra time on exams, notetakers, alternative testing procedures, and special parking arrangements are examples of possible accommodations that might be utilized.

T = International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO)

The ISSO, located in Kutz Hall, serves international graduate and undergraduate students as well as scholars (e.g., faculty, short-term lecturers, and researchers) who enter the United States on nonimmigrant visas. The staff members of the ISSO provide all necessary immigration documents and advise international students and scholars on matters concerning their legal status in the United States, including extensions of stay, employment, transfers to and from Brandeis, and leaves of absence. Advisors are available daily through drop-in visits or by appointment to counsel students and scholars on personal, academic, and immigration-related matters throughout the year, including the summer months.

The ISSO sponsors a range of programs, including workshops on employment and immigration issues, as well as International Week and other events of international interest. The office also coordinates the host family program and publishes a newsletter for the international community. The ISSO supports activities that allow students to share their cultures with the entire Brandeis community.

T = The English as a Second Language Program

Classes and tutorials are offered at Brandeis to support nonnative English-speakers in their efforts to meet the English proficiency standards necessary for their success as students and teaching assistants. Certain students whose native language is not English are required to take the Diagnostic English Proficiency examinations and to have an oral interview approximately one week before the beginning of classes. Those required to have their English proficiency evaluated are notified in advance. On the basis of the examinations and the interview, a student may need to enroll in the English as a Second Language Program.

The English as a Second Language Program provides individual and group tutorial instruction throughout the academic year. No course credit toward the degree is earned for these courses.

T = Program in Library Research Strategies

As the information environment becomes more complex, instruction in the effective use of information resources becomes an increasingly integral part of education at Brandeis. Reference librarians provide classroom sessions for students at various levels.

The First-year Library Instruction Program is part of the University Seminar/Writing Lab curriculum. Each freshman participates in a formal session in basic library research skills and strategies conducted by a librarian. Students learn methods for analyzing and approaching research questions, and gain some experience in using basic resources, such as the online catalog and general periodical indexes.

The Library Intensive Course Program serves the needs of students in more advanced courses. Selected upper-level and graduate courses incorporate library sessions geared specifically to the course or program content. These courses offer instruction in the use of more specialized resources, such as scientific databases, full text electronic databases, specialized abstract and indexing services, archival resources, and Internet resources. Students are thus equipped to find and evaluate information from a wide variety of sources. A list of participating courses appears in the courses of instruction.

T = Transitional Year Program

Since 1968, Brandeis has offered a Transitional Year Program (TYP) in which promising students, who do not qualify for admission to Brandeis at the time of their application, are enabled to supplement their secondary school preparation with an additional year of concentration on basic academic skills. Students who successfully complete the program are recommended for admission to the University.

Evaluation of TYP applicants emphasizes academic promise rather than past academic performance. Consideration is also given to the secondary school record, recommendations from teachers and guidance counselors, and College Board test scores. Those selected combine the need and desire for the transitional year experience with the ability to make the best use of the opportunity.

Further information about the program may be obtained by contacting the Transitional Year Program Office, Brandeis University, MS 074, P.O. Box 9110, Waltham, Massachusetts 02254-9110.

T = Office of the University Registrar

The Office of the University Registrar, located in Kutz Hall, is the official repository of academic records. As such, it issues official transcripts of students' records upon written request, performs other certification functions of service to students, and audits the progress of students toward degree completion. The office conducts activities in which all students participate: registration and course enrollment at the beginning of each term, and pre-enrollment in advance of each term. Staff members in the office are useful sources of information concerning registration, course enrollment regulations, summer school and transfer of credit policies, and final examination procedures.

S = Student Life

The Division of Student Affairs is responsible for the quality of student life outside the classroom, as well as for providing the opportunities for students to develop skills and interests beyond their academic course work. Among its areas of concern are social, cultural, intellectual, recreational, and religious programs; residential life; intercollegiate and intramural athletics; health and counseling services; the availability of professional resources to aid students in their present endeavors and future educational and career planning; and student conduct matters.

The Dean of Student Affairs coordinates student services through the following departments:

T = Office of Campus Life

Located in the Usdan Student Center, the Office of Campus Life is responsible for cocurricular programming; advising, supporting, and coordinating student groups and activities; residential programs and services; the smooth operation of the multipurpose Usdan Student Center; and other campus programs such as orientation and family weekend. The staff, in conjunction with students and faculty, maintains a varied program of social, cultural, and intellectual events during the academic year.

Over 85 percent of undergraduate students live in residence halls. As with all indoor space at the University, residence halls are smoke-free. Freshmen are assigned double rooms, except for the last to make housing deposits--they will be assigned double rooms temporarily equipped for three students. Only freshmen and sophomores are guaranteed housing. In recent years, all juniors and seniors wishing to live on campus have been accommodated. The Office of Campus Life is responsible for the effective administrative operation, as well as counseling and programming activities, within all residence halls.

Residence halls are grouped into nine living areas ranging in size from 106 to 400 students. Each area is under the supervision of a quad director. In addition, undergraduate resident advisors "live-in" and aid in the administration of several residence halls. Staff members are available to provide assistance to students on academic, personal, and social matters.

Off-campus housing information and graduate housing are also functions of this office.

Brandeis University offers a variety of housing units available for single and married graduate students. The apartment units we offer include efficiencies, two-, three-, and five-bedroom apartments. The efficiencies are designed for one or two people, while the two-, three-, and five-bedroom units are designed to allow use as separate bedrooms with a shared kitchen and bath. Some of the larger units also have living rooms. All of the apartments come furnished.

Housing applications are sent to eligible graduate students by the first of May and must be returned to the Office of Campus Life by the middle of June.

In addition, the Office of Campus Life maintains a listing of available housing in the area. For additional information, please write or call: Brandeis University, Office of Campus Life, Usdan 114, MS U3, P.O. Box 9110, Waltham, Massachusetts, 02254-9110. Tel: 781-736-3550. FAX: 781-736-3556.

T = Intercultural Center

The Intercultural Center, located in the Swig Student Center, fosters an atmosphere for learning about the histories and cultures of people of color; provides a healthy framework and meeting space for discovery and strengthening of cultural commonalities; enables the University to address issues of race; and provides a structure for the Brandeis community to interact from a multicultural perspective. With a student programming board and a faculty/staff/alumni/community advisory board, the center sponsors cultural, social, and intellectual programs open to all members of the Brandeis community.

T = Hiatt Career Development Center

The Hiatt Career Development Center assists students in assessing their skills and interests and helps them explore how these skills and interests will translate into a meaningful career path. The office staff provides individual career counseling, life planning workshops, career exploration programs, internships, and a full career resource center including computer-assisted guidance and videotape equipment. Located in Usdan Student Center, the Center serves as a link between current undergraduates and Brandeis alumni from the business and professional world. The Hiatt Career Development Center sponsors a range of programs including workshops on the job search, interviewing skills, and resume writing. The Visiting Professionals Program features experienced practitioners who lead seminars on work-related topics and Career Panels highlight several professionals within a field.

Coordination of placement interviewing with prospective employers and visits from graduate/professional schools is provided throughout the academic year. All students are encouraged to make use of the resources of the Hiatt Career Development Center as early in their Brandeis careers as possible. Counselors are available daily through drop-in schedules or by appointment.

T = Chaplaincy

Religious activities and related programs are centered in the three chapels and are conducted by the student religious organizations: Berlin Chapel/B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation, the Bethlehem Chapel Community, and the Harlan Chapel Christian Community. Interfaith dialogue is an integral part of the programs of the three chapels.

Hillel, the Jewish student umbrella organization on campus, is a multifaceted and pluralistic community that embraces and welcomes Jews of all persuasions and interests. Hillel presents a wide range of programs, including a variety of seminars and study groups; workshops; social service and philanthropic projects; Jewish arts and cultural programs; Holocaust Remembrance Week programming; a diversified Israel program; a Sabbath lecture series; oppressed Jewry projects; a Hebrew chorus and Israeli dance troupe; and a full spectrum of religious services and holy day celebrations. Oppressed World Jewry, the Brandeis Zionist Alliance, the Orthodox Organization, and the Giving-Doing-Caring Network also exist under the aegis of Brandeis Hillel.

The Bethlehem Chapel Community serves the total Catholic community at Brandeis: students, faculty, and staff. There are Sunday and daily Masses, hours for private and group consultation, seminars, study groups, holy day and feast day programs, and other events.

The Harlan Chapel Christian Community serves the Protestant community at Brandeis and presents a variety of services and programs including religious services, poetry readings, films, and speakers. The Christian Fellowship and the Brandeis University Gospel Choir are under the sponsorship of Harlan Chapel Christian Community.

The three chaplains serve as advisors to these groups and are available to all persons within the University community for personal and religious counseling and informal exchange.

T = Athletics, Recreation, and Intramural Sports

Recognizing the importance of physical activity in a sound educational program, Brandeis University offers a wide variety of competitive and recreational opportunities. The Intercollegiate Athletic Program provides a challenging and enjoyable growth experience for Brandeis student-athletes, as well as providing a focus for campus spirit and pride. All full-time students may participate in annual varsity team tryouts after completing the required physical examination.

The University fields varsity teams for men in baseball, basketball, cross country, fencing, golf, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, swimming and diving, and tennis. Women compete in varsity basketball, cross country, fencing, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball. The varsity squads compete against teams representing colleges and universities that regard athletics in the same spirit as Brandeis University. In addition, students have organized club teams in sports such as ice hockey and lacrosse. Brandeis is a member of the NCAA, MAIAW, New England Athletic Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference, the Greater Boston Collegiate Athletic Association, and the University Athletic Association, which provides national competition among its nine-member private research universities. The University has fielded conference and national championship teams as well as many national caliber individual competitors.

Believing in the value of athletic participation for both conditioning and relaxation, the University maintains a full array of intramural and recreation programs. The intramural program has included basketball, flag football, soccer, softball, squash, tennis, and volleyball. Residence hall and commuter teams have been organized in these sports with the competitive aspects adding to the enjoyment of the game.

T = Health Services

Note: For detailed information on graduate student health plans, consult the graduate student health information packet.

Because health and medical care are an integral part of the university experience, University Health Services provides a program of comprehensive medical and emotional care. A mandatory health participation fee entitles undergraduate students to medical services available at the Golding Medical Outpatient Facility and counseling services available at Mailman House without additional charge during the academic year. (This fee is optional for graduate students.) The annual health fee does not pay for off-campus medical consultations, dental care, medications, laboratory tests, drugs, X-rays, reusable supplies, or admission to the University's hospital, Stoneman Infirmary. Students are responsible for these charges.

In addition, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires each student to have personal health insurance. The student may elect to participate in the Student Health Insurance Plan offered through the University or may substitute membership in another plan. Students who do not notify Health Services of alternative insurance coverage are, as required by state law, automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan offered through the University.

Health Services and the use of the Stoneman Infirmary are available to students only during the period in which the University is in regular academic session. Limited weekday services are available in the Golding Medical Outpatient Services Building during intersession, midterm, and spring recesses and the summer months.

Prospective students planning to matriculate in the college and graduate schools must submit a health examination report completed by the family or personal physician prior to registration. In addition to information about previous health and details of the physical examination, evidence of immunization against tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella are required. Since students may not register until the requirements have been satisfied, it is strongly recommended that the Health Examination Report be submitted by August 1.

The Student Health Insurance Plan is designed to defray expenses of those care situations that are beyond the scope of Health Services, for example, laboratory and X-ray examinations, as well as hospitalization for illnesses or accidents of a more serious nature. The plan extends for a full calendar year commencing with August 15.

A detailed brochure of the services offered by University Health Services as well as an outline of the details of the plan is mailed to parents and students each June. This brochure includes a statement of patients' rights in Health Services. Students and parents are urged to read this brochure carefully and keep it for reference. Additional copies are available through Health Services.

While situations not covered within Health Services or by the insurance plan are infrequent, an awareness of these possibilities will lessen misunderstanding and disappointment. In such instances, students and their parents are responsible for expenses that are not covered by the University's health program or its associated insurance policy. Similarly, students and their parents are responsible for expenses that are not covered by alternative insurance programs substituted for the Brandeis University Student Health Insurance Plan.

T = Psychological Counseling Center

The Psychological Counseling Center is located in Mailman House. It provides professional assistance to students who have personal or emotional problems. Those who wish such help may refer themselves directly to the Center.

S = Student Judicial System

The University establishes standards of student behavior and reserves the right to suspend or permanently dismiss students whose conduct warrants such action. The University will give due notice and, if requested, a hearing before the appropriate body. The student judicial system is administered by the Office of Campus Life. Standards, policies, and procedures are published in the Student Handbook.

S = Student Activities

T = Usdan Student Center

The Usdan Student Center acts as a focal point for cocurricular and extracurricular activities at Brandeis. The center provides office space and facilities for student government and a broad range of student clubs and organizations. Undergraduate students play a major role in the operation of the Center through the large number of student staff who work in the building.

T = Student Government

Brandeis students consider themselves a part of a community dedicated to the advancement of liberal values, the enrichment of life experience, and the broadening of knowledge. Organized as the undergraduate Student Union and the Graduate Student Association, they consider it their prime responsibility to create democratic student organization, increase the flow of new ideas, and provide enjoyable and creative recreational and cultural activities for all students.

The Student Union is the assembly of the entire undergraduate student body. The Student Senate, funded through the mandatory student activities fee, consists of elected officers and elected representatives from each class meeting regularly to conduct its business and supervise its programs. The student programming board, Student Events, has the responsibility for the allocation of a portion of the student activities fee to support social, cultural, and educational programs.

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) is the assembly of all graduate students. The Graduate Student Senate consists of elected officers and elected representatives from each academic department offering a graduate degree. Cultural, social, and educational programs are organized by the GSA throughout the year. There is a GSA lounge in the Usdan Student Center.

Students also serve as members of a variety of University committees, including the University Curriculum Committee, the Personal Safety Committee, the Parking Appeals Board, the Community Relations Committee, and the Conservation Committee. Two undergraduates and one graduate student also serve as representatives to the Board of Trustees and the National Alumni Association Board of Directors.

T = Student Organizations

A variety of student organizations exists for all who are interested. Organizations are open to any matriculated student on the basis of competency or interest. No exclusive or secret societies are recognized.

Exclusive or secret societies are inconsistent with the principles of openness to which the University is committed. Therefore, social fraternities and sororities, in particular, are neither recognized nor permitted to hold activities on campus or use University facilities.

T = 1996-97 Student Organizations and Media

Activist Resource Center

Adagio

Adult Scholar Organization

_Ahora!

Aikido Martial Arts Club

All Energy Productions

American Civil Liberties Union

Amnesty International

Animal Rights Klub (BARK)

Anthropology Club

Arab/North African Club

Archon (yearbook)

Artemis (feminist magazine)

Asian-American Student Association (BAASA)

BAHA'I Club

Ballroom Dancing

Bands Need Rehearsal Space Club

BaRuCH Reform Chavurah

Bhakti Yoga Club

Black Student Organization (BBSO)

Bongo Bums

Boris' Kitchen (comedy troupe)

Boxing Club

Brandeisian (magazine)

Business Club

Card Sharks

Caribbean Connexion

Catholic Student Organization (CSO)

Chamber Choir

Chamber Ensemble

Charitable Concerts Club

Cheerleaders

Chinese Literary/Culture Club

Christian Fellowship (BCF)

Chung Do Kwan

Coalition for Peace

Comic Book and Science Fiction Club

Committee on Rape Education (CORE)

Company B (performing group)

Conservative Organization

Cooking Club

Crew

Dead Poets Society

Debate and Speech Society

Democrats

Early Music Ensemble

Emergency Medical Corps (BEMCO)

Ensemble Theater (BET)

False Advertising (improvisational comedy)

Friends of Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League (RAIL)

Graduate Student Association

Graduate Students Interested in Gender

Gravity (humor magazine)

Gymnastics Club

Habitat for Humanity

Handicrafts of the Past Club

Health Education Leadership Program (HELP)

Hellenic Society

Hillel

Hillel Theater Group

Hip Hop Culture Club

Hockey Club

Holocaust Remembrance Week Club

In Sync (performing group)

International Club

International Football Club

Investment Club

Irving Zola Organization on Disabilities (IZOD)

Israeli Dance Troupe

Italian Culture Club

Jam Apple Zig Zag (performing group)

Jazz Ensemble

Jewish Graduate Student Association

Justice (newspaper)

Kokondo

Korean Student Association

Lacrosse (men's)

Laurel Moon (poetry magazine)

Lawyers, Guns, and Money

Lend a Helping Hand

Lesbian and Gay Graduate Student Association

Lion Dance Troupe

Magic Club

Manginah (performing group)

Medieval Society

Model United Nations

Mountain Biking Club

Muslim Student Association (MSA)

Orthodox Organization (BOO)

Otaku Anime Club

Outdoor and Mountaineering Club

People Are Listening (hotline)

PeopleÃs Agenda

Persian Club

Photo Club

Players (theater)

Post-Modern Society

Pottery Club

Prelaw Society

Premed Society

Preveterinary Society

Pressure Point Massage Club

Psychology Club

Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Hotline

Recycling Program (BURP)

Remember the Alamo Club

Republicans

Road Rash

Rocky Horror Picture Show Fan Club

Roller Hockey Club

Rugby Club (men's)

Rugby Club (women's)

Shakespeare in the Square

Sign Language Club

Ski Team

Snowboarding Club

Society for Creative Fantasy

Softball Club

South Asia Club

Spur of the Moment (performing group)

Stand

Starlighters

Starving Artists (performing group)

Steal This Paper (political magazine)

Student Events

Student Senate

Student Service Bureau (SSB)

Student Sexuality Information Service (SSIS)

Students Against Driving Drunk

Students Dedicated to Free Speech

Students for Environmental Action (SEA)

Studentsà Theatre

Table Tennis Club

Tae Kwon Do

Technological and Mathematical Modeling Club

Third Eye Club

Triskelion (Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender/Supporters)

Tympanium Euphorium

Uechi-ryu Karate

Ultimate Frisbee

University Chorus

University Symphony Orchestra

Update (newsletter)

Up the Octave (performing group)

Vietnamese Student Association

Voice for Choice (BVC)

Voice Male (performing group)

Voices of Praise (Gospel Choir)

Volleyball Club

Waltham Group

Watch (magazine)

WBRS (radio station)

We Care

Where the Children Play (magazine)

Wind Ensemble

WomenÃs Resource Center Organizing Committee

Zany Bagel Testers

Zionist Alliance (BZA)

S = Public Safety

The Department of Public Safety is located at Ford/Sydeman, Room 1-A. Responsibilities of this 25-member campus police force include campus-wide security/safety patrol, traffic control, and enforcement of University driving/parking regulations, protective custody of University offices, classroom/dormitory areas, and professional inquiry into incidents involving theft, trespassing, and related matters. The department places special emphasis on preventive and protective care for all members of the University community.

T = Automobile Regulations

All students must register their vehicles with the Department of Public Safety. Students with motor vehicles must observe University traffic and parking regulations, copies of which are available from the Department of Public Safety. Due to limited space, the Brandeis Parking and Traffic Committee strongly recommends that students leave their motor vehicles at home.

S = Dining Facilities

Student dining facilities are located in the Sherman and Usdan student centers. Kosher meal service is available in the Sherman Student Center, which shares a dining area with nonkosher meal service. The Usdan Dining Center offers a number of dining options including a snack shop and fast food operation in addition to the normal meal plan service. Light refreshments are also offered in Cholmondeley's, a coffeehouse operated by students in Usen Castle.

Graduate students should consult Dining Services for more details on the dining plan.

T = The Stein

Located in the Sherman Student Center, The Stein is a restaurant which offers sandwiches, light meals, beer, and wine. The Stein is a popular gathering place for students throughout the academic year.

T = Faculty Club

The Brandeis University Faculty Club is located in the Wien Faculty Center. The club offers membership to all in the greater Brandeis community and serves as a central location for formal and informal gatherings. Luncheon is served Monday through Friday from noon to 2:00 pm.

S = Bookstore

Located in the Usdan Student Center, the campus bookstore is operated by a private, non-Brandeis agency. The bookstore, through close association and coordination with academic departments and faculty members, offers students a comprehensive stock of textbooks and paperbacks related to the academic program. School supplies, computer supplies, clothing, health and beauty aids, and gift items may also be purchased at the bookstore.

S = Post Office and Student Mailroom

The campus mailroom is located in the Usdan Student Center. All student mail is delivered to the campus post office, and a separate mailbox is maintained for each student. All U.S. postal services are provided, including the sale of stamps and money orders, registry of mail, handling of parcel post packages, and express mail delivery.