Dear master’s students,
Welcome to the 2013-14 academic year! Below are some beginning-of-semester announcements which we ask that you look over before classes begin next week. (They’re also attached to this message as a PDF.) You’re welcome to email us with your concerns and questions—our contact information is listed below. Pre-semester advising will be held on Monday August 26 from 2:00-5:00pm in Klapper 604. Stop by anytime within these hours, or email andrea.walkden@qc.cuny.edu if you need to schedule a later appointment between 5:00 and 6:00pm.
We wish you a productive and rewarding start to the semester and look forward to seeing you on campus soon!
Andrea Walkden and Caroline Hong
Directors, Graduate English Programs
Fall Calendar:
The academic calendar for Fall 2013 is available on the Registrar’s webpage (a copy is also attached to this message). Please bookmark the page and make careful note of any deadlines that pertain to you.
http://www.qc.cuny.edu/registrar/calendars/Documents/Fall%202013%20IMPORTANT%20DATES.pdf
Classes begin on Wednesday August 28
The last day to drop classes for a 100% tuition refund is Tuesday August 27. The last day to add classes is Tuesday September 3. Please keep in mind that the Bursar will charge you a late fee for classes added after this date.
Office Hours:
Dr. Andrea Walkden, Director of English Graduate Studies
Office: Klapper Hall 604
Email: andrea.walkden@qc.cuny.edu
Mondays 5:00-6:00, Wednesdays 4:30-7:00, and by appointment
NOTE: on Wednesday Aug 28, hours will run only from 4:30-6:00
Dr. Caroline Hong, Assistant Director of English Graduate Studies
Office: Klapper 636
Email: caroline.hong@qc.cuny.edu
Tuesdays 4:30-6:30 and by appointment
You’re welcome to stop by at any time during these hours; alternatively, and if you wish to avoid the possibility of a wait, you can email in advance and schedule a specific appointment time. We’re also available to meet at other times during the week by appointment and are always available to you by email – often this is the quickest way for you to reach us.
Checking Your Schedule:
Please take a moment to sign into your record on CUNYFirst and double check that you’re registered for your fall courses. Each semester, one or two students belatedly discover that they’re not registered for courses when they thought they were, or that their registration has been cancelled by the Bursar’s Office. It’s much easier to sort out the bureaucratic tangle if registration errors/cancellations are caught early and before the start of the semester.
Requesting an Overtally:
This year, master’s level English classes close on CUNYFirst once 14 seats have filled. If you wish to overtally into a class, please email the course instructor and asked to be placed on the course waiting list. If seats open up, or if the department raises the cap on student numbers, the instructor will let students know in the order in which they were added to the list. Keep in mind that instructors have no obligation to overtally you into classes once they are full and that all instructor decisions are final.
If you’re looking to add a course, there are still some with open seats available. Descriptions of all fall 2013 courses with open seats are attached to this message for your reference.
ENGL 791 (thesis-essay writing course) and ENGL 795 (independent study course):
If you’re planning to write your culminating thesis essay or pursue an independent study this semester, please remember that the deadline for submitting sign-up forms is Wednesday August 28. You will not be registered for either of these courses until your sign-up form has been received and approved by the department.
ENGL 795 sign-up forms should be submitted either in hard copy or via email to Caroline Hong
ENGL 791 sign-up forms should be submitted either in hard copy or via email to Andrea Walkden
One Stop Service Center:
The One Stop Service Center (OSSC) is staffed with the nicest and most helpful people from the Office of the Registrar, Bursar, and Financial Aid Office and is by far the quickest way to get any financial or registration problems resolved and your questions answered. As academic advisors, we’re often not qualified to help you with these questions. The Center is located in the Dining Hall, Room 128. For more information and opening hours, visit: http://www.qc.cuny.edu/STUDENTLIFE/SERVICES/ONESTOP/Pages/default.aspx
Q-card:
If you haven’t yet obtained the new Qcard—an updated version of the Queens College ID card—please plan to do so as soon as possible. It’s no longer possible to enter the library or other secure locations on campus without a Qcard. For further details, visit:
http://www.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/services/online/qcard/Pages/default.aspx