New Reduced Tuition for Self-Pay Students in 6th and 7th Year of Study

In response to requests from faculty and graduate students, the university leadership and General Committee have approved a reduced tuition option for self-pay PhD and DMA students in good academic standing who are in their 6th or 7th year of registration (semesters 11, 12, 13, and 14).  This new reduced tuition rate will be available starting Fall '14.  This option is available only to self-pay students who have received and exhausted their financial support package and will be paying their own tuition to maintain registration status.  

Students on reduced tuition are eligible for all student services including library, student health and electronic services.  Students on reduced tuition may not sign up for any Cornell courses other than the dissertation research "course" required of all students to maintain registration.

The reduced tuition rate will be set at $5,750 per semester ($11,500 per year) and will be adjusted every three years.  Students on reduced tuition will be responsible for the student activity fee and the student health insurance premium.  The reduced tuition must be paid by the student-departments and external agencies may not pay the reduced tuition rate for the student as the reduced tuition is available only to self-pay students. 

Students approved for reduced tuition will receive a Bursar bill for the full tuition rate each semester; the student's account will be credited by the college of the student's special committee chair with a  tuition scholarship to bring the balance due (to be paid by the student) to the published reduced rate. 

The application form for reduced tuition is available at  http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/forms under the Funding and Financial Aid heading.  Applications are due by June 15 for the Fall semester and by November 1 for the Spring semester.  Applications should be submitted to Graduate Student Services in 143 Caldwell Hall or electronically to gradstudserv@cornell.edu.

Questions about the new reduced tuition option should be addressed to the Associate Dean for Administration at gradstudserv_assoc_dean@cornell.edu. 

The Graduate School's Doctoral Student Experience Report - Now Available 

Academic Series - Getting a faculty position

Wednesday May 21, 12:00 -1:30 p.m., 100 Caldwell hall

Come listen to postdocs and graduate students who were offered faculty positions this year. 

We will discuss:

• Looking for jobs 
• Applying and what was the most important piece of the application package
• Interviewing
• Negotiating

Please contact Christine Holmes ch18@cornell.edu with any questions.

7th Annual NIH Career Symposium

• May 16, 2014
• 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
• NIH Campus, Bethesda, MD: Natcher Conference Center, Building 45

The 7th Annual NIH Career Symposium aims to highlight the diversity of career choices available graduate students and postdocs in biomedical field.  With panels and workshops with over 75 speakers, this event will address academic, non-bench, and industry careers, with topics including: how to be attract the attention of industry (both from HR and hiring managers), careers in big data research, getting your paper to publication, building resiliency in your job hunt, and navigating USAJobs,

Read write-ups (written by postdocs) of past NIH Career Symposiums here: https://www.training.nih.gov/nih_career_symposium.  To learn more about the event and register, go here.

Please note: This is NOT a job fair; it is a place for you to gain information about the next step in your career.  There will be NO recruiting tables.

Assessment in a Flipped Classroom

• Thursday, May 22, 2014 from 10:30 am - noon
• 251 Malott Hall

Long before the "flipped classroom" became a buzzword, Dr. Barbara Walvoord pioneered best practices for humanities students' first exposure to course material. When students prepare for class through writing assignments or problems, the instructor can use class time productively for activities focused on synthesis, analysis, problem-solving and other higher-order thinking skills - improving student feedback while reducing need for extensive written comments by the instructor. This approach is broadly relevant to all disciplines, from history and literature to physics and biology. Open to the public and co-sponsored by the Center for Teaching Excellence and CU-CIRTL.

Learn more

Grad/Postdoc Workshop - Keeping Student Evaluation Simple

• Thursday, May 22, 2014 from 12:30-2:30 pm (lunch served at 12:15 pm)
• 225 ILR Conference Center (King-Shaw Hall)

Graduate students and postdocs: join us for lunch and a brief master class on effective use of class time and design of student assignments. Dr. Barbara Walvoord, Professor Emerita from the University of Notre Dame, will emphasize how to establish standards for written student work and ways to get and provide feedback in real time so you know what students are learning in the the lecture hall, recitation, or laboratory. Gain essential assessment skills that you'll use throughout your career to save time and increase student learning. Co-sponsored by the Center for Teaching Excellence and CU-CIRTL. RSVP to cu-cirtl@cornell.edu by May 15.

Learn more

Classroom Research and Teaching Symposium

• Friday, May 16, 2014 from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
• 423 and 229 ILR Conference Center (King-Shaw Hall)

This one-day symposium highlights the research of CTE's 2013-2014 graduate student fellows in a poster presentation session as well as introducing how to use research skills to inform and improve your own teaching. Participants in an interactive workshop by Dr. Robert Bodgan of Syracuse University ("Watch Yourself: Qualitative Research and Teaching") will engage in a simulation of a group-centered teaching technique to use in their classes, followed by a wine and cheese reception to cap off the day. Open to the public and co-sponsored by the Center for Teaching Excellence and CU-CIRTL, with funding from the Teagle Foundation. RSVP to cornellcte@cornell.edu 

Learn more

Bike To Work and School Day on Friday, May 16th

Join hundreds of people biking to work in Tompkins County on Friday, May 16 for the 4th annual Bike to Work and School Day, and find out first-hand why commuting by bike is fun, energizing, and a sustainable way to get where you need to go!

You'll be treated to a free breakfast at any of the fourteen Bike to Work and School Stations from 7 am -10 am in Ithaca and Tompkins County. You can also enter to win prizes provided by Cayuga Ski and Cyclery, the Bike Rack and Ithaca Carshare.

Don't live downtown? No problem! This year, we've expanded to include NEW breakfast stations in the towns of Dryden, Brooktondale, Danby and Trumansburg. Plan your route and pick a station by going to ccetompkins.org/biketowork. Don't forget that each TCAT bus is equipped with a bike rack! For more fun, plan to meet a friend for breakfast at a Bike to Work and School station!

For event information and location details see ccetompkins.org/biketowork.

Plantations Running Tours

Friday, May 16, 2014 at 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. → more dates through June 27, 2014

Meet at Kinzle Overlook - Across from the Dairy Bar Tower Road

Have you ever jogged through the Plantations and wondered where you were or what you were looking at? Now you can see our gorges, gardens and green spaces like you've never experienced them before: on a guided running tour. Come for any or all of these noon-time outings, offered on alternating Fridays. Plantations staff will lead you through some of the gorgeous spots you may have seen before, plus a few you may have missed on past visits. Don't worry if you aren't a sprinter or marathon runner; the pace will be a moderate jog, with several stops along the way to interpret the plants and landscapes, or just admire the view from one of several scenic overlooks. Participants should be in good physical condition, wear appropriate running shoes and attire, and bring a water bottle. (A water refill stop will also be made along the way.) 

2014 Spring Garden Fair & Plant Sale

Saturday, May 17, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.  at Ithaca High School, 1401 N. Cayuga Street (off Rt. 13 near the Stewart Park-Cayuga Street entrance), Ithaca NY

The Clinical and Translational Science Center of the

Featuring Presentations by CTSC Trainees and Scholars 

• Hosted by: Olaf Andersen, MD
• Friday, May 16, 201412:30-1:30pm
• 525 E. 68th Street, 2nd floor, Payson Solarium (P-224)  

"Evaluation of the Pathobiology of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) in Pediatric Patients"  

CTSC KL2 Scholar - Nicole Kucine, MD  

"Dynamic Load Bearing Characteristics of Implants for Osteochondral Defects"

CTSC KL2 Scholar - Tony Chen, PhD

"Fecal metabolite profiling: a noninvasive method to determine biomarkers of chemopreventive efficacy in intestinal neoplasia"

CTSC TL1 Trainee- David Montrose, PhD

 Please RSVP by May 14, 2014 to ctsc_k30@med.cornell.edu 

-Light refreshments will be served-

Need Help? - Consider "Let's Talk"

Do you have a concern, problem, or issue that you would like some insight from a trained professional that is free,  confidential, and you do not need to make an appointment?  Consider the Let's Talk program as counselors can help provide insight, solutions, and information about other resources.  Counselors hold walk-in hours at sites around campus Monday through Friday; times and locations occasionally change throughout the semester.   

From Cornell Cinema  

Need a break? Go see a film right on campus in a classic movie theatre, with state-of-the-art projection, in Willard Straight Hall.  Regular ticket price for grad students is just $5 (less with a Six Pass). If you'd like to receive Cornell Cinema's weekly e-blast directly, which includes links to trailers and special event information, sign-up at their website: cinema.cornell.edu, where you'll also find showtimes.

Summer Registration

Now through mid-July, graduate students may self-enroll through their Student Center for Summer 2014.  We encourage students to enroll now and not delay.

There is no charge for summer registration with the Graduate School. To register, simply enroll in the Graduate School's Graduate Summer Research course GRAD 9006 (class numbers 1719, 1720, 1721, 1722, or 1723) via Student Center.

Graduate students must register with the Graduate School for the Summer 2014 term if any of the following conditions apply: 

• They are receiving financial aid during the summer (fellowships, summer loans, assistantships, travel grants, or tuition awards);
• They wish to use campus facilities; or
• They are off campus but need to be registered for summer study. 

Commencement Packet Information (with severe weather tickets)    

PhD, MA, or MS students hoping to participate in the May 2014 Commencement Ceremony can pick up commencement packets in 143 Caldwell Hall starting Feb. 20^th.  Other professional degree students can obtain their packets from their appropriate College Registrar (AAP, Arts & Sciences, CALS, Engineering, Hotel, Human Ecology, or ILR).

Information about commencement, including a link to the form for requesting names in the program, is available on the Graduate School's website at http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/commencement.