Dear Graduate Students, I'm thrilled to be stepping in as the new Director of Graduate Studies. I've gotten to know many of you during my time as the Assistant Director, and I'm looking forward to working with all of you, along with Professor Bill Orchard, the new Assistant Director. You all know firsthand how brilliant and generous Andrea is, and I'm intimidated by the impossible task of filling her shoes. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as I get situated. The Spring 2015 semester begins next week on *Wednesday, January 28*. Below and attached are some important beginning-of-the-semester announcements -- please read them carefully and let me know if you have any questions. I've also attached the updated MA English Handbook, which contains important information specific to the program. For info re: general academic policies and procedures, please consult the Handbook of Graduate Studies, which is available online at http://www.qc.cuny.edu/academics/gradstudies/documents/Grad-Handbook.pdf. Finally, I encourage those of you who have yet to register for classes to do so ASAP. MA courses that currently have open seats include ENGL 636, 638, 727, 742, and 781-02. You can find course descriptions on our brand-new English Department website at http://english.qc.cuny.edu/graduate-programs/current-graduate-courses/. Wishing all of you a wonderful start to the semester, Caroline -- *QC English Graduate Studies* *Spring 2015 Announcements* *CALENDAR* Classes begin on *Wednesday, January 28*. You can find the Spring 2015 academic calendar with important dates and deadlines on the Registrar’s website at http://www.qc.cuny.edu/registrar/Documents/Calendar%202014_15%20academic_pdf.... Please make note of any deadlines that pertain to you. The last day to drop classes for a 100% tuition refund is *Tuesday, January 27*. The last day to add classes is *Tuesday, February 3*. Please keep in mind that the Bursar may charge you a late fee for classes added after this date. *OFFICE HOURS* Caroline Hong, Director of Graduate Studies Office: Klapper Hall 604 Email: caroline.hong@qc.cuny.edu Spring 2015 office hours: Thursdays 3:30-6:30pm, and by appointment Bill Orchard, Assistant Director of Graduate Studies Office: Klapper Hall 635 Email: worchard@qc.cuny.edu Spring 2015 office hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 3:30-4:45, and by appointment It’s always a good idea to schedule an appointment ahead of time if possible, even during regular office hours. Walk-ins are always welcome, but students with appointments have priority. Email is the quickest way to reach us. For routine inquiries (e.g., for faculty contact info and office hours), please consult the brand-new English Department website at http://english.qc.cuny.edu/ or contact the English Department Office (Klapper Hall 607, 718-997-4600, english@qc.cuny.edu). *CHECKING YOUR SCHEDULE* Before the semester begins, please take a moment to log into your CUNYfirst account and double-check that you’re registered for your spring courses. Every 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 canceled by the Bursar’s office. It’s much easier to sort out the bureaucratic tangle if issues are caught early and before the start of the semester. *ADDING A COURSE / REQUESTING AN OVERTALLY* If you’re looking to add a course, there are still some with open seats, including ENGL 636, 638, 724, 727, 742, and 781-02. Course descriptions are available on the English Department website at http://english.qc.cuny.edu/graduate-programs/current-graduate-courses/. Please confirm current seat availability by checking the Schedule of Classes on CUNYfirst. 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, 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. *ENGL 791 (THESIS ESSAY) AND ENGL 795 (INDEPENDENT STUDY)* If you are planning to write your culminating thesis essay or pursue an independent study in Spring 2015, the deadline to submit your sign-up forms is *Friday, January 30*. You will not be registered for either course until your sign-up form has been received and approved by the department. Sign-up forms must be typed and submitted electronically (as DOC, DOCX, or PDF files) to caroline.hong@qc.cuny.edu. To discuss the requirements for 791 or 795, or if you need a copy of the form, please email or make an appointment with the Director of Graduate Studies. *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, the Bursar, and the 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 are usually not qualified to help you with these matters. The OSSC is located in the Dining Hall, Room 128. For their hours and more information, see http://www.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/services/onestop/Pages/default.aspx. *QCARD* If you haven’t yet obtained a QCard, the new Queens College ID card, please do so ASAP. You can no longer enter the library or other secure locations on campus without a QCard. For more info, see http://www.qc.cuny.edu/StudentLife/services/online/qcard/Pages/default.aspx. -- Caroline Kyungah Hong, PhD Assistant Professor of English Director of Graduate Studies (MA) Queens College, CUNY caroline.hong@qc.cuny.edu