Ask a Dean Category: Health and Wellness
Why are graduate students allowed to be assigned offices without windows?
Category: Health and Wellness Date: July 2023
Hi Deans, I was wondering why graduate students (or any university employees for that matter) are allowed to be assigned offices without windows? In some EU countries, it’s considered inhumane…
Can you talk about CAPS’ ADHD/autism evaluations?
Category: Health and Wellness Date: May 2023
Dear Deans, I wanted to ask some clarifying questions about an ADHD testing policy that I have recently heard about. A first year in my department was told to “get…
Can graduate students take PE classes over the summer?
Category: Health and Wellness Date: May 2023
Hi Deans, I am writing to inquire about the possibility of enrolling in a PE class over the summer as a graduate student. Specifically, I am wondering if I would…
Is there any chance the Cornell gym’s paid membership plan may change to be less cost-prohibitive?
Category: Health and Wellness, Student Life Date: January 2023
Dear Deans, I am grateful that mental health is something Cornell spends a lot of time and resources emphasizing; I know a lot of graduate students, including myself, take advantage…
How is Cornell addressing food insecurity?
Category: Health and Wellness Date: November 2022
Hello, Food insecurity is national problem that affects many in this country. It is unfortunate that resource-constrained graduate students must contend with the inability to secure enough food for themselves…
Why are Cornell Tech Ph.D. students unable to access CAPS services?
Category: Health and Wellness Date: March 2022
Dear Deans, With it being famously hard to find a therapist in NYC, and since CAPS provides therapy via TeleHealth, why are the ~80 Ph.D. students on the Cornell Tech…
How does meeting the Ph.D. degree requirements impact stipends and health insurance?
Category: Fellowships and Funding, Health and Wellness, Policies and Requirements Date: January 2022
Dear Deans, I have some questions regarding graduation and completion of Ph.D. requirements as they relate to stipends and health insurance. My understanding is that the Ph.D. degree requirements are…
Will spring semester physical education classes start during the third week of classes due to current university policy?
Category: Health and Wellness Date: January 2022
Hi Deans, As a fifth year Ph.D. student, physical education (PE) courses have been some of the high points of my time at Cornell; getting to do some fun exercise…
Is there a reason why PE classes are different from other classes when it comes to pre-enrollment?
Category: Health and Wellness, Student Life Date: November 2021
Hi, I was quite disappointed to learn about the new policy preventing graduate students from pre-enrollment in PE classes. Is there a reason why PE classes are different from other…
What happens if a graduate student teaching assistant or instructor of record gets sick and is unable to perform their assigned responsibilities?
Category: Fellowships and Funding, Health and Wellness Date: August 2021
Dear Deans, The Provost has recently announced Cornell’s approach towards providing individualized accommodations to graduate students whose disabilities or weak immune systems preclude them from safely participating as the university…