Student Services

Overview

The Provost oversees the Offices of Academic Services and the University Registrar.

The Office of the Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment serves the needs and interests of students and has broad responsibility for the services and activities that enhance the quality of student life outside the classroom.

Among its areas of concern are undergraduate admissions, financial aid and student employment and orientation, institutional research, student accounts and student financial services, including community living, career services, student activities, intercultural programs, counseling, health services, religious life and athletics.

The Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment serves as an advocate for students, strives to ensure the quality of their overall cocurricular experience at the university and promotes opportunities for students to engage in leadership activities and to experience personal, social and emotional growth and development.

Academic Services

Office of Academic Services

The staff in the Office of Academic Services assist individual students in planning their undergraduate careers at Brandeis. The Office of Academic Services includes: Academic Advising; Academic Enrichment; Brandeis Undergraduate Group Study; Brandeis Posse Scholars Program; undergraduate Disabilities Services and Support; Fellowships and Research Advising; Health Professions Advising; Lerman-Neubauer Fellowship Program; Roosevelt Fellows; the Textbook Lending Library; the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program; and TRiO Student Support Services.

Academic Advising
Each first-year student is assigned three different academic advisors. First, students are assigned a member of the faculty or staff to serve as a faculty/staff advisor or mentor during the first year. Second, students are assigned an academic advisor from Academic Services to assist with academic planning and policies. Finally, each student is connected with a trained peer advisor called a Roosevelt Fellow. Upon declaring a major, students receive faculty advisors in their own disciplines. Each department designates an advising chair to serve the needs of all students interested in learning more about academic opportunities within the department.

Brandeis University Group Study (BUGS)
Brandeis Undergraduate Group Study, or B.U.G.S., is a program that provides peer tutoring to all undergraduate students who may want to improve their knowledge in a course. Weekly sessions are led by knowledgeable and experienced students who have already taken the class. Drop-in study groups are available for assistance with course material, preparing for an exam, and answering any questions relating to the class.

TRiO Student Support Services Program (SSSP)
Student Support Services (SSSP) is a small, community-oriented program federally funded by a TRiO grant. SSSP is especially dedicated to working with students who are the first in their families to go to college and those who have overcome significant challenges to attend college. At Brandeis, the 145 undergraduates who participate in the program represent a diverse cross-section of the student body. SSSP provides academic support, career planning, graduate school preparation, mentoring, cultural and academic trips, and a computer lab. Students must meet certain federal eligibility criteria to enroll in this federally funded TRiO program.

Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program
Each year, Brandeis admits 20 outstanding students to the undergraduate program through the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program. Brandeis is committed to providing access to higher education for these students who show incredible strengths and talents in their homes, communities, schools, and individual pursuits of post-secondary education, despite having often attended high schools in under-resourced communities.

Roosevelt Fellows/Peer Advisors
Roosevelt Fellows are upper-class peer mentors who offer one-on-one academic advising and outreach programming to all Brandeis students with a focus on first years. Known for the mentoring and care they bring to the position, and for their ability to use their own experience to guide others, Fellows transmit pride in Brandeis University’s history and contemporary accomplishments, and promote academic exploration and success to undergraduates. This prestigious position bears the name of Eleanor Roosevelt, an early teacher, trustee, and friend of Brandeis University, renowned for her work toward greater social justice. Roosevelt Fellows provide one-on-one academic advising sessions in the Office of Academic Services, the residence halls, or through email. All incoming first years are assigned a Roosevelt Fellow.

Information and Services for Students with Disabilities
Brandeis is committed to creating a diverse community that includes students with documented disabilities who may require reasonable accommodations in order to fully participate in the college experience and to develop their maximum academic potential. Because admission to the university is based on the academic qualifications of the applicant, admissions procedures remain the same for all applicants, regardless of disability. Once accepted, a student seeking reasonable accommodations must provide documentation of a learning or physical disability in order to receive appropriate services at Brandeis.

Documentation of the disability should be submitted to Disabilities Services and Support or to the Psychological Counseling Center for review and evaluation. Following certification of a disability, the student should confer with the director of disabilities services and support or the disabilities specialist in the Disabilities Services and Support program of the Office of Academic Services, or with the disability coordinator in each of the graduate schools, regarding academic accommodations. The student should confer with the Office of Community Living for housing accommodations. Reasonable accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the director, the student and, if appropriate, with the faculty. Services such as housing assistance, extra time on exams, adaptive technology, and special parking arrangements are some of the possible accommodations that might be utilized.

Fellowships and Undergraduate Research
Fellowship Advisors help students identify fellowships that are a good match with their academic interests, provide guidance about how to prepare competitive applications, offer feedback on essay and proposal drafts, and guide students who develop relationships with faculty mentors. Many Brandeis students conduct research in the form of an independent study, a senior thesis, or an independent project conducted on or off-campus, either during the summer or throughout the academic year. Both the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fund and the Schiff Undergraduate Fellows Program support these projects. Students often build on their undergraduate research experiences by applying for prestigious academic fellowships and scholarships. In recent years, Brandeis undergraduates and recent alumni have won Fulbright, Marshall, Mitchell, Carnegie, Truman, Boren, and Goldwater Scholarships.

Health Professions Advising
Pre-health advising is open to any student considering a career in the health and health care fields. While many students are interested in pursuing their MD degree at an allopathic medical school after Brandeis, there are a variety of other health professions to consider. Advising services include individual appointments, off-campus speakers, representatives from different health professions schools, and workshops on how to apply to health professions schools.

Textbook Lending Library
The Office of Academic Services manages a small library of textbooks that have been purchased through grant funds in previous semesters. Before purchasing your books, students with financial need can check the library for books to borrow for the term.

Posse Program
Posse is a merit-based scholarship. The Posse Foundation in New York City identifies, recruits, and trains incredible youth leaders from urban public high schools and sends these scholars as "Posses" to top colleges and universities in this country. Each year, twenty students are selected as Brandeis Posse Scholars — 10 for the liberal arts Posse and 10 for the science Posse — for their academic, leadership, and communication skills.

English Language Programs
Classes and tutorials are offered in English language skills to students whose first language is not English. These ELP services support students in their efforts to meet the English language proficiency standards necessary for their success as students and teaching assistants. Students may be required to have their written English skills evaluated before the beginning of classes. If this is the case, students will be notified in advance. On the basis of the evaluation process, students may be offered weekly tutorials.

Graduate students who are non-native speakers of English will take a diagnostic English test during orientation. This may result in a requirement to enroll in a one-credit English language course. English Language Programs provides individual tutorial instruction to undergraduate and graduate students throughout the academic year. Please visit our website for updated information about our program.

Global Brandeis

International Students and Scholars Office
The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO), is dedicated to assisting international graduate and undergraduate students, scholars (e.g., faculty, short-term lecturers and researchers), their dependent family members, and alumni, from arrival and adjustment to the United States through the duration of their academic program and/or appointment at Brandeis and beyond. ISSO Staff are available year round to advise on immigration/visa benefits and procedures, as well as to provide guidance related to academic, financial and personal issues which may impact a student or scholar's status in the U.S. and at Brandeis. The ISSO sponsors a range of programs (including workshops on employment and immigration issues, coordination of host/student matching programs, and conducting annual trips and other events of international interest) and provide opportunities for students and scholars to share their cultures with the entire Brandeis community.

Study Abroad
The Office of Study Abroad, in collaboration with Global Brandeis, works to ensure that study abroad is a fully integrated aspect of students’ academic careers at Brandeis University. Our office advises undergraduate students who are seeking Brandeis University academic credit for Brandeis-Led and exchange programs as well for all other study abroad and domestic off-campus programs. We also work with Midyear students seeking to study abroad before beginning their Brandeis career. Our advising, programming, and scholarship support help students make study abroad an integral part of their Brandeis education.

Justice Brandeis Semester (JBS)
JBS is an engaging, immersive academic program in which small groups of students explore a thematic topic through inquiry-based courses linked to real-world experiential opportunities. These summer or semester long opportunities focus on a cohort of students working in conjunction with core faculty members. JBS that have been offered include Environmental Field Semester, Ethnographic Fieldwork, Web Services and Social Networks, and Civil Rights and Racial Justice in Mississippi. The JBS themes reflect the University’s longstanding commitment to social justice.

University Registrar

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. The enrollment certifying official for VA benefits is located in the Registrar's Office.

Office of the Dean of Students

The Office of the Dean of Students serves the needs and interests of students and has broad responsibility for the services and activities that enhance the quality of student life outside the classroom.

Community Living
More than 85 percent of undergraduate students live in residence halls. As with all indoor space at the university, residence halls are smoke-free. First-year students are assigned to double rooms or lofted tripled rooms on corridors with shared bathrooms. The university accepts requests but cannot promise to assign entering students to specific roommates or honor requests for assignment with another student with a particular religious or cultural background. Returning students choose accommodations through a housing selection process held each spring.

With the exception of the entering midyear class, incoming students are guaranteed four consecutive semesters of on-campus living. For the purposes of room selection, the midyear class is considered a part of the rising sophomore class and is guaranteed three consecutive semesters of on-campus living.

The Department of Community Living staff works to establish a quality living environment, facilitate strong leadership development of community members, and foster the development of the individual. Students and staff collaborate on programs and services which are developed to assist our community both inside and outside of the classroom. We intentionally foster a student’s holistic development from their first year through commencement. Our goal is to empower and develop leadership and respect in our students who will use these skills to influence the Brandeis community and beyond.

The Department of Community Living at Brandeis University is committed to the core values of the Division of Student Affairs: citizenship, integrity, respect, civility, lifelong learning and embracing diversity.

In addition, student resident staff, known as community advisors, live in the residence halls and assist with the development of student-directed communities, as well as administrative tasks. Staff members are available to provide assistance to students on academic, personal and social matters.

Currently Brandeis does not provide housing for graduate students on-campus. We do have many resources available for helping students find off-campus housing, either close-by within the Waltham area, or easily accessible by public transportation within the broader Boston Metro community. Information regarding off-campus housing can be found in the off-campus housing section of the Department of Community Living website. Graduate Student Affairs also has more information on off-campus housing options for Graduate Students

In addition, the Department of Community Living maintains a listing of available housing in the off-campus area. For additional information, please visit the Department of Community Living office in the Usdan Student Center, call 781-736-5060, or consult the Web site.

The first-year experience programs are a yearlong series of programs that complement and extend the educational mission of the university and focus on first-year student development, transfer connections and commuter involvement in the Brandeis community. First-year programs provide opportunities for and encourage increased contact between first-year students, their advisers, faculty, staff and the community as a whole.

The programs specifically address the core values developed within the Division of Student Affairs and focus on developing the whole student. These programs prepare new students for the challenges of an intellectual and academically rigorous environment, as well as for living and learning in a pluralistic and diverse community.

First-Year Experience: Spirit, Mind, and Body, is a class taught under the PE umbrella and offered to first-year students. The class is offered for 15 students each semester and fulfills one of their two PE requirements. It provides new students with the background and skills needed to become effective and engaged citizens in a variety of fields and disciplines; creates positive relationships with students, faculty and staff; and exercises their spirit, mind and body.

New students will be educated and empowered to transfer the skills learned in the classroom to the real world and personal interactions, and the course will help them become contributing citizens of the Brandeis community and beyond throughout their lives.

Community Service
The Department of Community Service is dedicated to providing relevant volunteer experiences to students and the Greater Brandeis community that address the needs of both local and global communities as they align with the skills and interests of the Brandeis community. The department strives to establish sustainable and reciprocal partnerships with community, governmental, educational, cultural and social-service agencies. The Community Service staff advise and support community service initiatives led by students as they work with the university's community partners. Endeavors include fostering a community member who is engaged as an advocate, volunteer and educated citizen. We strive to embody the pillars of the university and core values of the Division of Student Life & Success through our award-winning student leadership models, training, experiential service opportunities, collaboration with the academy on Community-Engaged Learning initiatives and intentional reflection.

Student service outreach is done primarily through the Waltham Group, a student-led community service organization. The Waltham Group was founded in 1966 in response to student activism and in recognition of the university's responsibility to produce engaged citizens of the community. Over 750 students volunteer each semester through the 21 Waltham Group programs, making it the largest student organization on campus. The Commitment to Service Award Program offers students the opportunity to log their volunteer hours in SAGE. The program adds many benefits to students, the community and the university. These include references for internships or graduate programs, volunteer hour summaries, data for grants and more, while offering an opportunity to celebrate our students' commitment to social justice and service. Students are honored at a ceremony prior to graduation with a Commitment to Service medal if 300, 600, or 900 hours of service are attained and are encouraged to wear their medal at the Commencement ceremony.

Intercultural Center
The Intercultural Center (ICC), located in the Swig Student Center, is dedicated to creating a haven of respect, education and celebration that aims to foster growth and awareness of the myriad cultures at Brandeis University. The center fosters a welcoming community where diverse experiences and perspectives are valued and dedication to the understanding of cultures and ethnicities is essential.

The Intercultural Center is devoted to cultural diversity programming; it offers a range of opportunities for engaging with the Brandeis community. The center is equipped with computers, printers, a conference room, kitchen, lobby and other resources for your use.

Orientation
The Department of Orientation develops, advises, manages and evaluates all elements of the comprehensive New Student Orientation Program for both fall arrivals and midyear students. The staff advise and supervise the Orientation Core Committee, a small group of undergraduate student leaders who are chosen through a selective process in the fall, who are responsible for creating and coordinating the programming for New Student Orientation. In addition to New Student Orientation, there are four Pre-Orientation programs offered to students that take place the Friday and Saturday before New Student Orientation begins. One is for all international students and they are enrolled automatically into this program. The other three programs are Creative Arts, Outdoor, and Social Justice and students apply for the available spots within the program. Lastly, each year there are over 100 Orientation Leaders who are returning students that volunteer their time to be trained and then serve as mentors and resources to all incoming students. This is an invaluable leadership opportunity for our students.

Religious Life on Campus
The Multifaith Chaplaincy is housed in Usdan Student Center 133. Three chapels — the Berlin Chapel (Jewish), the Bethlehem Chapel (Catholic) and the Harlan Chapel (Protestant) — as well as a Muslim Prayer Space and a Dharmic Faiths Prayer Space serve the religious needs of our students. The Jewish student community on campus is also served by Hillel at Brandeis, a multifaceted and pluralistic group which embraces and welcomes Jews of all backgrounds and interests. Students are empowered to take responsibility for their own Jewish identities, through community service projects, social justice work, artistic expression, informal Jewish learning, Israel activism and religious services.

The Bethlehem Chapel Community serves the total Catholic community at Brandeis: students, faculty and staff. There are Sunday 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 the Harlan Chapel Christian Community. Brandeis has an active Muslim Students Association which works to meet the social and religious needs of the Muslim community on campus. Friday Jum'aa Prayers, Islam Awareness Weeks and other activities are held for the Muslim community, while educating other members of the Brandeis community regarding Islam and Muslims.

Many clubs and organizations can be found on campus for those who wish to learn more or get involved. Hillel at Brandeis, the Catholic Student Organization, the Brandeis Muslim Student Association, Christian Fellowship and Namaskar work independently and together to meet the religious needs of the Brandeis community. For more information about specific services, please contact the Chaplaincy at (781) 736-3570.

Student Rights and Community Standards
Student Rights and Community Standards works with students to provide educational opportunities for personal growth and values clarification. The department performs educational outreach around the university's core values; deals with inappropriate student behavior in a fair and responsive manner; oversees alcohol and other drug education; and provides interpersonal communication, academic integrity and leadership development.

The student conduct system is administered by the Department of Student Rights and Community Standards. Standards, policies and procedures are published in the booklet Rights and Responsibilities and can be found online.

Hiatt Career Center

The Hiatt Career Center, located in Usdan, assists undergraduate students and alumni in making thoughtful, informed career choices, and developing the skills to transform their unique backgrounds, liberal arts education and experiential learning into meaningful professional futures and relationships. Hiatt engages employers, alumni, parents and the greater Brandeis community to achieve this mission. Students are encouraged to participate in Hiatt's professionally-focused programs and services early in their Brandeis experience. Hiatt provides career services not only during a student's time on campus, but for life.

Hiatt provides an array of opportunities to help students learn about themselves, explore careers, secure internships and jobs, and apply to graduate or law school. Skills training available through Hiatt includes, networking, resume and cover letter writing, search strategy, personal statement writing and interviewing. Individual counseling and walk-in appointments are available. Hiatt career development staff members most often work with students to identify their attributes, develop professional skills and strategies, explore possible career paths and access alumni networking opportunities. Hiatt employer relations staff creates partnerships with employers for campus recruiting, hosts employer events on and off-campus, such as career fairs, employer site visits, classroom presentations and information sessions, and manages Hiatt’s information, internship and job posting, recruiting and events system. Hiatt alumni and parent engagement staff foster relationships with these communities to strengthen the center’s services and resources. The Hiatt Career Center also manages a selective program that provides grants to students pursuing unpaid internships.

The center strives to combine individualized attention with innovative programming and state-of-the-art online resources encompassing the wide range of opportunities open to liberal arts graduates. Students are regularly notified of upcoming events and career opportunities so that they can select those appropriate to their goals.

Athletics

Recognizing the importance of physical activity in a sound educational program, Brandeis 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.

The University fields varsity teams for women in varsity basketball, cross country, fencing, track and field, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball. Men participate in varsity sports of baseball, basketball, cross country, fencing, track and field, soccer, swimming and diving, and tennis. Brandeis fields 19 Division III varsity athletic programs. The Judges compete in the University Athletic Association (UAA), comprising Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University, Emory University, New York University, the University of Chicago, the University of Rochester and Washington University (St. Louis). UAA teams are among the most successful athletic programs in the nation, giving Brandeis athletes a chance to prove themselves against the best Division III has to offer.

In addition, the University offers a club sports program with 20 teams ranging from Equestrian to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Brandeis is a member of the NCAA (Division III), Eastern College Athletic Conference and the University Athletic Association, which provides national competition among its eight-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 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. Recently, nontraditional sports such as dodge ball and whiffle ball have been added. The lighted artificial turf athletic field has stimulated additional activity. Residence hall and commuter teams have been organized in these sports with the competitive aspects adding to the enjoyment of the game.

Health and Wellness

Health Center
The Brandeis Health Center is operated by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Brandeis Health Center is a resource for the campus community providing expert primary care, health education, and wellness promotion. Services include individual medical assessment, on-site testing and orders for laboratory and imaging tests, diagnosis, treatments, evaluation, prescriptive services, education, follow up, and referral as needed. Our services are respectful, inclusive, accessible, and confidential. All undergraduates have unlimited access to the services and staff Brandeis Health Center while Graduates can purchase this with an optional health services fee. Laboratory testing, diagnostic testing, pharmaceuticals, and services provided by off campus providers are covered according to your health insurance policy.

Services include:

  • Assessment and management of acute infections or injuries
  • Assessment and management of chronic conditions
  • Annual exams and routine screening tests
  • Immunizations
  • Travel planning and preparation
  • Employment and athletic screenings
  • Nutrition counseling and support
  • Health counseling and education

It is the student's responsibility to know if their insurance requires a specific lab provider and what lab tests will be covered under their insurance policy. Students are responsible for any unpaid laboratory bills. Each student must have a good understanding of their insurance policy coverage to prevent unnecessary charges.

The Health Center maintains a list of providers of many medical and dental specialties in the Waltham and Greater Boston areas and can assist you with these names. As always, if you have private insurance, you should always check with your insurer about coverage.

Health insurance is mandatory in Massachusetts for undergraduate students enrolled at three-quarter time or greater, unless proof of other sufficient coverage is provided. The full annual premium is charged in the fall semester for those students attending for the full academic year. Single semester premiums are available for students only attending one semester within an academic year if selected at the time of enrollment.

Prospective undergradaute students planning to matriculate in the college and graduate schools must submit a Undergraduate Health Report prior to registration. All graduate students who are three quarter time or full-time students are required by Massachusetts State Law to provide immunization records or proof of immunity.

In addition to information about previous health and details of the physical examination, evidence of immunization against tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and meningococcal meningitis is required. A skin test for tuberculosis is recommended.

As students may not register for courses in the fall until the requirements have been satisfied, it is strongly recommended that the Health Examination Report be submitted by August 1.

Psychological Counseling Center
Established in 1952 as one of the first university counseling centers in the United States, the Brandeis Psychological Counseling Center, located in Mailman House, has continued to serve as a model for others of its kind. Founded on the premise that the best learning occurs in an environment that supports individual growth, the center strives to help students integrate new information and experiences and expand their understanding of themselves in the world.

The center offers the services of a diverse and accomplished staff that endorses a twofold approach to working with students. It promotes a "wellness" model of care, which is aimed at helping students anticipate times of stress and encourages them to ask for help with their most immediate concerns.

No concern is too large or too small to be met with respect and care. In addition, the staff brings skill and expertise to the deeper developmental and psychological issues that confront our student population and is prepared to address these more difficult emotional conflicts. As an essential and integral aspect of our efforts to provide an environment where students are free to seek help, the center maintains the strictest standards of privacy and confidentiality.

The Psychological Counseling Center, located in Mailman House, is staffed by psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors. All visits are kept confidential. Counseling should be viewed as a good opportunity for personal growth, as well as a way to solve problems. Appointments can be made in person or by calling (781) 736-3730. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and a staff member is always on call during the academic year. For psychiatric emergency assistance after regular hours, call the main number and follow instructions on the voice message.

Student Activities

Staff in the Department of Student Activities offer and provide leadership development, training and guidance to student leaders and to clubs and organizations. The department is involved in supporting major programming efforts on campus and in providing a number of leadership opportunities for Brandeis students.

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 Department of Student Activities is committed to enhancing the student experience outside the classroom; supporting university-recognized clubs and organizations; and encouraging creative learning and leadership development.

For programs such as Fall Fest, our Family Weekend program, the department integrates student planning committees into every aspect of the program planning to increase leadership skills and to provide lifelong learning. In addition to developing leaders and citizens, one of the mainstays of any university is its social life. The staff within the department of Student Activities work alongside the leaders of our 250 clubs and organizations to create a vibrant and diverse social environment. 

In addition to working with major programming and student organizations, Student Activities also manages several student-oriented facilities. The staff manage the Shapiro Campus Center, the Usdan Student Center, the Student Service Bureau, Usdan Game Room, and Cholmondeley's Coffeehouse. These facilities along with several others, meet the demands of our community throughout the academic year. Find out more about the programs and services the Department of Student Activities provides.

Student Organizations
A variety of student organizations exist for all who are interested. Organizations are open to any matriculated student on the basis of competency or interest. For a more extensive look at the clubs and organizations that are active on campus, please visit http://my.brandeis.edu/clubs/.

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, use university facilities or use the name of the university.

Student Government
Brandeis students consider themselves part of a community dedicated to the advancement of liberal values, the enrichment of life experience and the broadening of knowledge. Organized through the undergraduate Student Union and the Graduate Student Association, their prime responsibilities are to create a 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 and each residence quadrangle, who meet regularly to conduct its business and supervise its 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 Kutz Hall.

Students also serve as members of a variety of university committees, including the Undergraduate 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.

Student Support Programs

Writing Center
Consultants at the Writing Center assist students with their writing skills. Consultants work with students on areas such as focusing ideas, defining topics, preparing well-organized outlines, revising rough drafts and improving stylistic elements. The Writing Center is located in the Goldfarb Library. Services are available on a drop-in basis. Students may also sign up for a session online.

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 Writing Seminar curriculum. Each first-year student participates in a formal session conducted by a librarian in basic library research skills and strategies. Students learn methods for analyzing and approaching research questions and gain some experience in using basic resources, such as the online catalog and general periodicals indexes.

The Library Intensive 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.