Ask a Dean
How can I get funding to present a conference talk? How do I apply for parental leave? Who can I talk to about a confidential issue in my graduate field? How do I handle a difficult relationship in my field?
Use the “Ask a Dean” program to get answers to your questions.
Questions and responses that may be of interest to the graduate community will be published anonymously on the Graduate School website and in the Graduate School Announcements.
Academics
- What are our prospects for resuming in-person research group meetings after members have completed their vaccination cycles?
- Is there a way that teaching assistants teaching in-person sections can receive microphones?
- Are in-person A exams currently allowed?
- Students get evaluated through the SPR yearly, but is there a process that evaluates our advisors?
- Is the A exam scheduled before a student completes research for a dissertation, during which the student presents proposed dissertation research?
Fellowships and Funding
- What information can Cornell provide about unemployment insurance and other assistance for unfunded students?
- How and why does biweekly gross pay change?
- Is Graduate School conference funding available for virtual conferences?
- Does Cornell allow graduate students to accept contract or consulting work a few hours per week?
- What are the criteria for Spring 2021 TA assignments?
More Fellowships and Funding questions
Health and Wellness
- Will Cornell be easing its restrictions on graduate student personal travel?
- What are our prospects for resuming in-person research group meetings after members have completed their vaccination cycles?
- When will we receive new guidelines about restrictions for vaccinated persons?
- What happens when international students get sick overseas and not in Ithaca?
- How does student health insurance work during an internship? Do I have to take a personal leave of absence?
More Health and Wellness questions
Other/Miscellaneous
- Can you assure students that only response themes from the Doctoral Experience Survey will be shared with fields? If not, can we withdraw or edit our survey responses?
- Are the Doctoral Experience Survey results truly confidential? Will my advisor see the results? How will the results be used?
- Is there a way that teaching assistants teaching in-person sections can receive microphones?
- Is there a mailing list, website, or calendar where I can find out about upcoming talks?
- Does Cornell allow graduate students to accept contract or consulting work a few hours per week?
More Other/Miscellaneous questions
Policies and Requirements
- Will Cornell be easing its restrictions on graduate student personal travel?
- How does student health insurance work during an internship? Do I have to take a personal leave of absence?
- Is the new Spring 2021 travel policy applicable to graduate students who live off campus in Ithaca permanently?
- Three questions: Can we see accrued sick leave in Workday? What is the process for taking sick leave? What are the changes to the academic leave policy?
- Can I travel this winter for health-related purposes?
More Policies and Requirements questions
Political and Global Concerns
- Can I travel this winter for health-related purposes?
- I am on the verge of panic about the proposed immigration rule change. What is Cornell doing?
- Can international students travel abroad over winter break and are there specific disadvantages to doing so?
- Is there anything in the works to get students to fill out the census?
- Has Cornell been advocating for international students relying on OPT work authorization?
More Political and Global Concerns questions
Student Life
- Will Cornell be easing its restrictions on graduate student personal travel?
- Is there a mailing list, website, or calendar where I can find out about upcoming talks?
- Is there a reason some physical education classes are restricted to undergraduates?
- Why are we still being charged the semesterly Student Activity Fee?
- Will parking be enforced through tickets now that undergraduates are gone again?
Tax
- Will I still qualify for the stimulus payment if I did not file a tax return last year?
- Are we taxed on our health insurance?
- Which taxes do not have to be paid by graduate students?
- Which tax year is used for spring stipends?
- Can you tell me how Cornell follows 117 a-c while so many other institutions obviously follow 117d?
Union Representation
- What ever happened with the union vote?
- Are there any updates on the unionization vote that took place last spring?
- Is the union allowed to use my name and image without my permission?
- If we vote to form a union, where will the money come from to pay for the added benefits?
- Several questions about student union design