Yale Bulletin & Calendar

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Student Life

Associated Student Agencies

The Associated Student Agencies consists of student-operated businesses that provide a variety of products and services to students, faculty and the Yale community at competitive prices. Bursar billing is available. The office is located in the basement of Hendrie Hall, 165 Elm St. For information on any of these agencies, call 432-1888 or 432-1889. The agencies include: Refrigerator, Cake, Cap and Gown, Care Cubes, Distribution, Laundry, Apparel, Ring, Used Book, Carpet and Linens.

Students who wish to undertake or organize commercial enterprises on campus should contact Diane Healey at 432-1886.

Dwight Hall at Yale

Dwight Hall has been the center for student involvement in New Haven since its founding by undergraduates in 1886. Today, over 2,600 Yale undergraduates volunteer through the hall, providing over 100,000 hours of service annually in more than 100 community organizations and programs.

Students work in schools and homeless shelters; they form advocacy groups concerned with the environment, family and poverty issues; or they create their own programs working with youth, the elderly and the poor. Special programs include the Dwight Hall Urban Fellows Program, which teaches students how to create social change at the neighborhood level; the Public School Intern Program, which identifies needs and coordinates services in city schools; the Summer Intern Program, which allows students to create their own program and implement it during the summer, and others. The hall also serves as an information clearinghouse, linking members of the Yale community with community organizations in need of volunteers.

The Dwight Hall Student Cabinet provides support and resources to help students in their work: funding, transportation, computer access, office space and meeting rooms; and advice and training. It also organizes the Dwight Hall Open House, which annually draws over 600 students looking for volunteer opportunities. This fall's open house will be Wednesday, Sept. 10. For more information, call 432-2420.

Employment

The Student Employment Office has several ways to help students find jobs:

1.) For term-time, on-campus jobs, financial aid students are given initial placement priority.

2.) The Federal Work-Study Program has about 100 openings each year for undergraduates to teach and tutor in community- related projects.

3.) A call-in job service is available to all students: baby- sitting, moving, etc.

4.) The office also keeps a small data bank of other jobs that come up around campus during the year.

For further information, stop by the office at 165 Elm St. or call 432-0167.

English Language Institute

The Yale English Language Institute sponsors full-time intensive language courses during the summer and offers part-time, noncredit courses during both the fall and spring terms. The summer courses address the language needs of approximately 250 students, most of whom plan further academic work in the U.S. These courses cover all language skills at levels from intermediate to advanced or bilingual. During the academic year, courses are designed primarily for international graduate students at Yale.

Since 1993, the institute has administered a test of spoken English -- the SPEAK test -- to all incoming international graduate students at the beginning of the fall term. Students must achieve a score set by the Graduate School before they assume teaching duties in their departments. For students who want to strengthen their oral presentation skills, the institute offers a course in the fall term designed for international teaching assistants. The course explores the classroom culture and teaching styles of universities in the United States.

Other courses are offered in advanced expository writing, public speaking, pronunciation and conversation. For more information, call or write Jan Hortas, director, 246 Church St., Suite 101, New Haven, CT 06510-1722, telephone 432-2430, FAX 432- 2434, or e-mail: jan.hortas@yale.edu.

Graduate Housing

The Yale Graduate Housing Department maintains on-campus graduate student apartments/dormitory housing and listings of off- campus rental housing for the use of members of the Yale community (current Yale I.D. required). Rental listings include apartments, houses, rooms, shares and bed-and-breakfast situations that are available in and around New Haven. The office is located in Rm. 300, 155 Whitney Ave.Hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday. For the convenience of those based in the central campus area, a terminal with up-to-date listings of available hous-ing is located at the Yale Police Substation, 258 Park St. For further information about graduate and off-campus housing, call 432-9756.

Office of Foreign Students and Scholars

The Office of Foreign Students & Scholars (OFS&S), located at 246 Church St., is the University's only representative for the immigration concerns of all foreign nationals who are or will be studying or working at Yale. This office is also a resource for University faculty and staff who admit and/or hire foreign nationals. The OFS&S issues the visa documents needed to request entry into the United States under Yale's immigration sponsorship or to request extensions of authorized periods of stay in the United States, school transfers, etc.

No attorney may represent the University or file petitions with the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) or Department of Labor on behalf of Yale or on behalf of a foreign national based on work or study at the University.

All non-immigrant foreign nationals at Yale must register with the OFS&S upon arrival at the University and at the start of each academic year. This applies to faculty, students, scholars and staff, including Canadian citizens. A Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Document, must be completed at the time of hire and the time of extensions of stay and/or change of status for all foreign students and scholars who will be paid by Yale. This form may be completed at the OFS&S.

F-1 students are allowed to work on campus for up to 20 hours per week, except during break periods, when they may work full time. J-1 students may also work on campus but must request employment authorization in writing from an adviser in the OFS&S. Any on-campus employment authorization terminates when a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence or graduates.

J-1 scholars are authorized to be paid only for the employment stated on their immigration documents. J-2 spouses may be authorized to work if such authorization is granted by the INS. H-1B and O-1 status are both employer-specific. Non-immigrant aliens who work without authorization violate their status. Consult with an adviser in the OFS&S for complete information.

All international students whose families accompany them are required to purchase health insurance for their dependents. Detailed information is available through the Yale Health Plan Member Services office. All participants in a J program must have medical insurance per U.S. Information Agency regulations. Written information is available at the OFS&S.

For current information regarding immigration, travel advisories and the OFS&S, you may refer to the OFS&S gopher screen on the Yale University web site.

The OFS&S is open to walk-ins 9-11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, and 9 a.m.-noon on Fridays. Appointments are available at other times upon request by calling 432-2305.

Resource Office on Disabilities

The University created the Resource Office on Disabilities to facilitate individual accommodations for students with disabilities; provide access to University programs and activities and information regarding available services, materials and equipment; and to offer assistance in the use of those services or adaptive services. The office also serves as a source of advice and expertise on accommodations for disabilities to the University community. The first step in initiating the process of accommodation is to call the Resource Office on Disabilities at voice/TDD 432-2324.

Graduate Financial Aid

The Graduate Financial Aid Office, located in Rm. 128 of the Hall of Graduate Studies, 320 York St., provides students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences with information about financial aid and student loans. Appointments are recommended for students who need to discuss complex or confidential financial aid matters. Contact the office at 432-2739. Office hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday-Friday.

Professional school students should contact the financial aid officers in their respective schools for information regarding financial aid.

Student Financial Services

Student Financial Services, formerly known as the Bursar's Office, is responsible for student accounts, billing and cashiering. The office, located at 451 College St., is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. For inquiries concerning accounts, bill statements, payments and the Yale Charge Account Plan, call 432-2700. For assistance with student loan payments, call 432-2727.

Undergraduate Financial Aid

The Undergraduate Financial Aid Office is located in Rm. 212, 246 Church St. The office provides information on all matters related to undergraduate financial aid. Undergraduates with questions about schol-arships or loans should call 432-0360, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday- Friday, or visit during office hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Tutoring

Yale College operates a tutoring service for undergraduates having difficulty in specific courses. Residential college deans can provide information about this service.

In addition, the Bass Writing Program has appointed college tutors to assist all undergraduates, freshmen through seniors, with their writing. The tutors, who hold regular office hours in the residential colleges, offer advice at any stage of writing, from first outline to final draft. The Expository Writing Office, 493 College St., can provide further information. Call 432-1895.

In order to help students realize their potential in the natural and quantitative sciences, as well as to encourage and sustain their interest in the sciences they study, Yale College has established a Mathematics and Science Tutoring Program in the residential colleges. Modeled after the writing tutor program, this program assigns graduate students to each residential college to act as tutors. During specified office hours, a tutor is ready to assist students who experience temporary difficulties in their coursework or who seek a deeper understanding of a subject within the tutor's field of specialization. Office hours for math and science tutors are posted in each residential college dean's office and in the "Tutor Hooter," a biweekly flyer distributed to all undergraduate dining halls.

Undergraduate Career Counseling

Undergraduate Career Services (UCS),1 Hillhouse Ave., offers programs and resources to help students and alumni of Yale College further their career goals. The service's primary tasks are helping students make informed choices concerning employment and/or educational opportunities and supporting them in the successful execution of these choices. A range of programs and resources is available, including a reference library of career materials and directories, as well as information meetings held throughout the year and consultation with the professional staff. Information is available regarding employment in the private, public and nonprofit sectors; arts and communications; fellowships; internships; the science and health professions; professional study; and Junior Year Abroad Programs. The Office of International Education is also located here.

For general information and referral, call 432-0803. For information on applying to professional schools and to contact the Health Professions Advisory Board, call 432-0818. Other numbers include: Fellowship Program, 432-0820; the Committee on the Junior Year Abroad, 432-0800; Employment Program, 432-0805; and Office of International Education, 432-0800. Information may also be obtained through the UCS homepage on the World Wide Web at www.cis.yale.edu/career/

Undergraduate Organizations

All undergraduate organizations not operating exclusively within a particular residential college that conduct meetings periodically, sponsor activities on the Yale campus, provide a service or raise funds within the University for charitable or other purposes must register each year with the Office of Student Affairs of the Yale College Dean's Office, Rm. 105, Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall, Grove and Prospect streets.

All returning organizations must register by the first week in October. Access to funding through the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee is not permitted until a group's registration is complete and up to date.

For further information, see Appendix D of the Undergraduate Regulations, and contact the Office of Student Affairs at
432-2908. For information about graduate and professional student organizations, group representatives should contact their school's dean's office.

Yale Women's Center

There are a number of organizations on campus which are directly concerned with the status of women at Yale. Many of these groups meet at the Yale Women's Center in the basement of Durfee Hall, 198 Elm St. The center coordinates the activities of a variety of student groups and is also an informal drop-in space which serves as a meeting and office space for various women's groups on campus. It is staffed weekdays and maintains resources such as a library, file system, newsletter and a bulletin board on women-related issues. Yale women are welcome to come to the center to relax and talk with people or to browse through the materials and learn about upcoming events. For more information about groups using the center or to reach the telephone referral service offered by the center, call 432- 0388.

Minority Student Organizations

The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs maintains lists of minority student organizations and information concerning special programs and opportunities for minority students. For information, contact Dean Betty Trachtenberg, Rm. 105, Sheffield-Sterling- Strathcona Hall, 432-2907.

Afro-American Cultural Center

The Afro-American Cultural Center, located at 211 Park St., is in its 28th year of providing cultural, social, political and educational programs with an African, African-Caribbean and African-American theme for students and other members of the Yale and New Haven communities. Activities include lectures, musical and dance performances, symposia, films, theatrical presentations, art exhibits, speakers, poetry readings, social functions and many other events designed for students, faculty, staff and community members. Among the wide variety of organizations in residence at the center are the Black Student Alliance at Yale, the Yale Black Political Forum, the Black Church at Yale, the Heritage Theater Ensemble, the Black Graduate Network, the African Students' Association, the Caribbean Club, Shades and the Urban Improvement Corps (a tutoring program). The center also serves as the site for local chapters of Black Greek letter fraternity and sorority organizations. In addition, the center has several community affiliates, including the Paul Huggins Drumming Troupe and the Coalition of 100 Black Women. The center issues a regular bulletin of events and activities called 211 Park Street. For further information, call 432-4131.

Asian American Cultural Center

The purpose of the Asian American Cultural Center is to promote the diversity of Asian-American culture and to educate students about the social and political experience of Asians in America. Housed at 296/297 Crown St., in the same building as the Chicano Cultural Center, the center is affiliated with over 20 student organizations. Most of the organizations represent discrete Asian ethnic groups, and include the Asian American Students Association, the South Asian Society , the Korean American Students Association, the Vietnamese American Students Association and Kasama (Filipino American). Each week during the academic year, the center sponsors a number of events, including lectures, dinners, readings, conferences, community-service activities, discussion groups and sports tournaments. The center maintains a library with an extensive collection of books, papers, videos and magazines, and is equipped with a kitchen, computer room, conference rooms and a TV/VCR lounge. For more information, contact Mary Li Hsu, director of the center and assistant dean of Yale College, at 432-2906.

Casa Cultural Julia de Burgos

The purpose of Casa Cultural Julia de Burgos, located at 301 Crown St., is to provide an educational, cultural and social forum for Puerto Rican students at Yale and for the New Haven Latino community. An assistant dean of Yale College is responsible for administering and supervising activities at Casa Cultural. Social and cultural events relating to the Puerto Rican experience are sponsored each year. In the past these have included art exhibits, concerts, speakers, theater presentations and social functions. Most of these events are free and open to anyone interested in Puerto Rican culture. The center houses an exhibit/gallery area, a dance/rehearsal room (with a mirror), a library, a conference room, a classroom, a TV room/lounge, a computer room, a fully equipped kitchen, a game room and several offices. For more information about the center, contact Edgar Letriz, assistant dean of Yale College and director of Casa Cultural, at 432-2906.

Chicano Cultural Center

The Chicano Cultural Center, located at 296/297 Crown St., is a meeting place for Yale students of Mexican descent and the various student organizations which represent them. In addition, the Association of Native Americans at Yale maintains an office in the center.

The center sponsors and supports student-initiated conferences, lectures and discussion groups which explore relevant and timely issues within the Chicano community. It also organizes various cultural events throughout the year, such as poetry and fiction readings, film festivals, guest speakers, political forum, dinners and receptions. The center maintains a collection of Chicano materials within its non-circulating library, as well as a fully equipped kitchen, two conference rooms, a TV/VCR, a computer and fax machine room, and several smaller meeting rooms.

Student organizations affiliated with the center include Movimiento Estudiántil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA), Las Hijas de Coatlicue and the Association of Native Americans.

The center is open to the Yale and New Haven communities. For additional information, contact Richard Chavolla, director of the center and assistant dean of Yale College, at 432-2906.


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