ORIENTATION GUIDE
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Political Science Graduate Program,
New Brunswick
2014-2015
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Table of Contents
Letter from the Vice-Chair of Graduate Studies ........................................................................................ 4
Welcome to Rutgers from the PSGSA! ...................................................................................................... 5
Directions to Rutgers .................................................................................................................................. 7
To Reach Hickman Hall by Car: ....................................................................................................... 7
To Reach Hickman Hall by Air: ........................................................................................................ 7
In Case of Emergency! ...................................................................................................................... 8
Welcome to New Brunswick ...................................................................................................................... 9
Orientation in New Brunswick .......................................................................................................... 9
Getting Around Without a Car ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Banking .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Shopping............................................................................................................................................... 10
Eating ................................................................................................................................................... 11
Nightlife ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Movie Theaters ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Mechanic .............................................................................................................................................. 12
Transportation: ......................................................................................................................................... 13
Do I Need A Car? ............................................................................................................................ 13
Parking ................................................................................................................................................. 13
Buses .................................................................................................................................................... 15
Trains .................................................................................................................................................... 16
Bicycling .............................................................................................................................................. 16
Housing .................................................................................................................................................... 17
On-Campus Housing ............................................................................................................................ 17
Off-Campus Housing ........................................................................................................................... 18
Getting Started .......................................................................................................................................... 19
Information for TAs and GAs........................................................................................................ 19
Health Insurance ................................................................................................................................... 19
Balancing Paid Work and Doctoral Requirements. .............................................................................. 19
Specific information for TAs ................................................................................................................ 19
Teaching Assistant Project (TAP)......................................................................................................... 19
Course Registration & Term Bills ........................................................................................................ 20
HOW TO REGISTER FOR CLASSES ............................................................................................... 20
Step 1: .............................................................................................................................................. 20
Step 2: .............................................................................................................................................. 22
Step 3: .............................................................................................................................................. 22
Step 4: .............................................................................................................................................. 22
Step 5: .............................................................................................................................................. 22
Step 6: .............................................................................................................................................. 22
Bookstores ............................................................................................................................................ 23
Student Identification Cards ................................................................................................................. 23
Health Care Service and Insurance .......................................................................................................... 24
Health Insurance ................................................................................................................................... 24
Health Services:.................................................................................................................................... 24
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Available Services: ............................................................................................................................... 24
Health Center Locations and Contact Information ......................................................................... 25
Local Hospital Emergency Rooms ....................................................................................................... 26
Domestic Violence Help Line .............................................................................................................. 27
STEPS FOR YOUR PROTECTION... ........................................................................................... 27
Your Rights ...................................................................................................................................... 27
New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act .......................................................................... 27
If you need Help... ........................................................................................................................... 28
Welcome to Campus................................................................................................................................. 29
Computing and Emailing ..................................................................................................................... 29
Libraries ............................................................................................................................................... 29
Recreation/Athletic Facilities ............................................................................................................... 30
Welcome to the Department ..................................................................................................................... 31
Keys:..................................................................................................................................................... 31
Photocopying:....................................................................................................................................... 31
Printing: ................................................................................................................................................ 31
Mail ...................................................................................................................................................... 32
Departmental Mailbox..................................................................................................................... 32
Post Office ....................................................................................................................................... 32
University Mailbox ......................................................................................................................... 32
Political Science Department E-Mail Listserv ................................................................................ 32
Notes for International Students ...................................................................................................... 34
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 34
Arriving ................................................................................................................................................ 34
International Student Services .............................................................................................................. 34
Registration .......................................................................................................................................... 34
Health Services ..................................................................................................................................... 35
Social Issues ......................................................................................................................................... 36
Staying in Status!.................................................................................................................................. 36
For F-1 and J-1 students who are registered for course or program credits: ................................... 37
English as a Second (or third, fourth, fifth etc.) Language .................................................................. 38
Succeeding in the Department.............................................................................................................. 38
What on Earth is the PSGSA? .................................................................................................................. 40
Surviving the Ph.d.: Hints for Navigating the Sometimes Stormy Seas of Graduate Education in
Political Science* David B. Cohen, The University of Akron ........................................................ 41
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Department of Political Science
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
89 George St.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1411
Web: http://polisci.rutgers.edu
Phone: 848-932-9283
Fax: 732-932-7170
Dear Students,
On behalf of the Department of Political Science’s Graduate Program, it is my great pleasure to welcome
you all to the Rutgers family. Our program prides itself both on the excellence of its faculty, course
offerings and student achievements, but also on the atmosphere of collegiality and mutual respect that we
all work very hard to maintain in our department.
At Rutgers, I believe you will find one of the best graduate programs in the country. Among our faculty, we
count nationally and internationally known senior faculty as well as a large cohort of young recently hired
faculty who are engaged in cutting-edge research across the political science discipline.
Rutgers University is ideally situated along the northeast corridor connecting Boston and Washington, DC,
which provides a myriad of research, conference and lecture opportunities. The Graduate program enjoys
reciprocal relationships with Princeton University, New York University, Columbia University, the
University of Pennsylvania, the New School for Social Research and the City University of New York
Graduate Center where our students can take courses not offered at Rutgers or special courses that will help
them prepare for their doctoral dissertation research. The Graduate Program also offers research
opportunities abroad, such as at Konstanz University in Germany and Sciences Po in Paris.
Other research opportunities can be found at the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), at our
sister institution, the Eagleton Institute of Politics, the Eagleton-Star Ledger Poll, the Center for the
Experimental Study of Politics and Psychology, the Rutgers Center for Historical Analysis, the Institute for
Research on Women, the Walt Whitman Center for the Culture and Study of Democracy, the Center for
Cultural Analysis and the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.
I hope that you find this Orientation Guide helpful. Along with the program’s excellent Administrative
Assistant, Ms. Paulette Flowers-Yhap, the Graduate Office’s doors are always open. Please feel free to
contact us if we can be of help.
Best wishes for a productive and enjoyable year.
Yours,
Vice-Chair for Graduate Studies
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Welcome to Rutgers!
Welcome to the Political Science Department at Rutgers University—New Brunswick. This
booklet is designed to help you get situated and become more familiar with the department, the
university, and the city of New Brunswick in general. Rutgers and New Brunswick have many
things to offer, but these new surroundings can also pose some new challenges. With five
campuses, 31,000 undergraduate students, 8,600 graduate students, and close to 5,000 faculty and
staff in the New Brunswick area alone, Rutgers is a very large university. Things can get a little
overwhelming and confusing, especially in the first few weeks when you are trying to get settled
in.
During the first few weeks you will not only start your courses and get acquainted with your new
colleagues (the fun part!), but also take care of some tedious but necessary administrative
business—addressing housing needs, registering for courses, getting your Rutgers identification
card, paying your term bill, getting a parking pass (if you have a vehicle), and purchasing books.
Helpful hints and information on how to do all of these things and more are given in greater detail
in the sections that follow. To start, however, we would like to give you some general hints about
how to do some of these things to make your first week here a little less stressful.
This booklet, plus the other material you’ll receive from Rutgers, should give you all the
information you need to get settled in New Brunswick and oriented with the university. If you ever
need information about Rutgers that you can’t find in this booklet or anywhere else, the university
has a number you can call for information 24 hours a day: (732) 445-INFO (4636), or you can go
to ruinfo.rugters.edu online. They should be able to answer any questions you might have.
An important thing to keep in mind about your first week at Rutgers is that you have to register for
courses before you can do many of the other administrative tasks, such as paying your bill and
getting your ID card. Thus, we suggest that you do this as soon as you can upon arriving, and not
wait until the first week of classes (see the “Registration” section for more details).
You should also be aware of the size and location of the various New Brunswick campuses and
how they are oriented in regards to each other. Some of the tasks above will require you to
commute between different buildings and even the different campuses. During the first week of
classes—when 30,000 other students will be trying to accomplish the same tasks you are—traffic
can be awful, especially during rush hour (4-6 pm), and lines can be very long. Keep this in mind
when planning how you will get things done. It is highly recommended that you arrive in New
Brunswick a week or two early so that you may accomplish these tasks in a less stressful
environment.
Hopefully, the information here will help make your first weeks at Rutgers less stressful and more
enjoyable. Besides this booklet, the department and the grad students have also planned several
activities to help get you settled. Among these are the official orientation meeting held by the
department (usually held during the first week of classes); a “disorientation” party held by the grad
students sometime during the first few weeks in order to help you get acquainted with your fellow
students; a meeting for international students; and a series of field meetings, held sometime during
the fall semester, which are designed to help you meet the faculty and get more information about
the different fields in the department (which is particularly helpful for choosing a minor).
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Last but not least, we would like to make you aware of the Political Science Graduate Student
Association (PSGSA). As a graduate student in the Political Science Department, you are
automatically a member of this group. The PSGSA is designed to organize both academic and
social activities for graduate students and to address our concerns within the department. The best
way to receive information about the PSGSA is to subscribe to the Political Science listserv.
(Details about how to do this are located in the E-Mail section of this booklet.)
We hope that you will find this booklet useful. Feel free to contact your mentor or the PSGSA
steering committee with any concerns or questions. We look forward to meeting you!
Sincerely,
Cathy Wineinger - President
Mary Nugent - Vice President
Kyle Morgan - Treasurer
Cassie King-Burgos - Communications
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Directions to Rutgers
Rutgers University and New Brunswick are located in central New Jersey, just off Exit 9 on the
New Jersey Turnpike.
To Reach Hickman Hall by Car:
To get to New Brunswick by car, your best bet is to use the New Jersey Turnpike. (It’s a toll road, so
you will need change.)
From either direction, get off the Turnpike at Exit 9 (New Brunswick).
 Immediately after the tollbooths go to the right and follow signs for Route 1/Route 18
North.
Merge onto Route 18 North. Make sure you get into the middle lane as soon as possible. The road
splits ahead and you want to stay in that lane but to the right
 Follow Route 18 North. Take the Cook/Douglass Exit. Make a left at the light then make a
right into the Hickman Hall parking lot.
To Reach Hickman Hall by Air:
If you are arriving by air, it’s best to use Newark International Airport. It’s a 40-minute drive north
of New Brunswick. Other airports (JFK, La Guardia) also serve New York City but are further
away.
From the airport you have two options. If you are driving, follow signs for the New Jersey
Turnpike. Get on the Turnpike heading south, and follow the directions above.
If you have no car, you can take a train directly from the airport to New Brunswick. Locate the
AirTrain system in the terminal. Take the AirTrain to the Newark Airport train station.
At the train station, purchase a one-way NJ Transit train ticket to New Brunswick from one of the NJ
Transit machines located along the wall. (It will cost around thirteen dollars.)
 Get on an NJ Transit Northeast Corridor train going south towards Trenton. (All trains—
express and local--stop in New Brunswick.) DO NOT get on an Amtrak train.
Get off the train at New Brunswick. You are now in downtown New Brunswick, at the train station
near the College Avenue campus.
 Hickman Hall is located on the Douglass campus, at 89 George Street. To reach Hickman,
you can take a taxi. Taxis are usually located on Easton Avenue, next to the train station.
Taxi fares to Hickman Hall should be between $5 to $6. (When you go down the stairs or
the elevator, you’ll be standing at the corner of Somerset and George Streets. Easton
Avenue is a block to your left.) The Rutgers campus buses stops in front of the train station,
at the corner of Somerset and George. The EE and F buses will take you to the Douglass
campus; the Gibbons stop is the closest to Hickman Hall which is located across the street.
The campus buses run less regularly when school is not in session, though; a taxi may be
your best bet if you don’t have a ride.
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In Case of Emergency!
Call the Political Science Department, (732) 932-9576 or, the University Information desk (732) 445INFO (4636).
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Welcome to New Brunswick
Orientation in New Brunswick
Rutgers University is located in the heart of New Brunswick, a community of about fifty thousand
people. The best way to learn your way around the city, of course, is just to live in it for a while,
but here are some helpful hints to get you started.
Downtown New Brunswick is a short car or bus ride (also easily accessible by bicycle) from
Hickman Hall and the Douglass campus. Just beyond that is the College Avenue campus, the
center of Rutgers University, where you’ll find most of the city’s restaurants and nightspots. Both
downtown New Brunswick and the College Avenue campus are easily accessible through the
Rutgers bus system.
Along U.S. Highway 1 (a.k.a. “Rte. 1”), which runs alongside the Cook/Douglass campus, you’ll
find a number of restaurants and shops, and the same can be found on Rte. 18, which runs
somewhat perpendicular to Rte. 1. If you take Rte. 18 all the way south, you will find yourself at
the Jersey Shore. Should you choose to take Rte. 1 south approximately 1400 miles, you will find
yourself in Key West, the southernmost point in the U.S. (This is not recommended, as there are
too many traffic lights.)
Banking
It’s advisable to set up a bank account soon after arriving at Rutgers (especially if you’re receiving
funds from the University). Rutgers University Student and Alumni Federal Credit Union, located
on the College Avenue and Busch Campuses, offers membership to any graduate student. Several
banks in the area offer checking accounts designed specifically for college students. However, the
Rutgers Credit Union will not allow you to open an account unless you have your Student ID card;
those of you who will be arriving in New Brunswick at the beginning of August (and cannot
register until mid-month) are advised to open an account elsewhere. Many banks also put a hold
on new accounts, so it is advisable to keep some cash with you to use during that period.
Many banks require proof of your address. In order to obtain this, if you live on campus, go to
your campus post office and request a letter with your name and your specific box number on it
and have it certified by the post office agent. A handwritten letter from the person behind the
counter generally suffices. Just be sure they include a phone number where they can be reached in
case the bank wants to verify it.
In downtown New Brunswick on George Street, you can find Washington Mutual, Wachovia, and
Bank of America. PNC Bank is located on in downtown New Brunswick in the Penn Plaza, not far
from the Ferren Deck Rutgers University Bookstore. There are PNC ATM machines in both the
Douglass Student Center and the College Avenue Student Center. When you are really poor, and
need to take out money in $5 increments, this can be done at the Douglass PNC ATM. There are
plenty of other banks in the area as well; choose one that has ATMs and branches convenient to
where you live and that has reasonable fees. (None of the ATMs at any of the student centers
charge fees in addition to those possibly imposed by your own bank.)
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Shopping
Grocery: There are several supermarkets near Rutgers.
From Cook/Douglass:
A&P is located on U.S. 1 South, just south of the Cook/Douglass campus.
Bravos is located downtown on George Street. Only C-Town is accessible by Rutgers bus (but the
other two are significantly better).
Acme is located on Ryders lane south of the Cook/Douglass campus.
From Busch/Livingston/Highland Park/Edison:
There is another Pathmark on U.S. 1 South north of Douglass campus, at the Plainfield Avenue
intersection, and yet another in Piscataway north of Busch campus.
ShopRite is north of Douglass campus on Rte 1, at the Oak Tree Road intersection. There is
another ShopRite in Piscataway north of Busch campus, and one located on Rte. 18 South in East
Brunswick. Prices at ShopRite are generally pretty good, and they have an aisle dedicated to
organic foods (though you may also be able to find these products elsewhere).
In Highland Park, there is a Stop and Shop, which is good if you are in the area and just need to
run in for something, but doesn’t have the greatest selection of products, or the most helpful staff.
For fresh fruit and vegetables check out the farmers’ market grocery on the corner of French St.
and Louis St. or the farmers’ market in Highland Park held on Fridays during the summer.
Additionally, there is an Asian food market on Rte. 27 in Edison (just north of Highland Park) that
has terrific produce and a wide selection of Asian foods. There is also a Hong Kong Supermarket
on Rte. 18 South, a few miles from campus.
Kosher foods can be found in almost all local grocery stores; a wider selection may be available at
Glatt 27 on Rte. 27 in Highland Park just north of 11th avenue.
The George Street Co-op (actually on Morris Street) offers natural and organic foods.
Shopping malls: The Menlo Park Mall is located just off U.S. 1, about fifteen minutes north of
campus. The Woodbridge Center is another shopping mall, about a mile or two north of the Menlo
Park Mall. Both are accessible via NJ Transit buses—the 810 from the New Brunswick Train
Station. The Brunswick Square Mall is located on Rte. 18 South, though it can be reached by
taking Ryders Lane all the way south to where it ends on Rte. 18 (about 20 minutes from Hickman
Hall, depending on traffic). Other general shopping can be found either downtown or along the
two highways (Rtes. 18 and 1).
Sundry: Wal*Mart is located on Rte 1 South about a mile or two from Douglass Campus. On
Ryders Lane, you can find a Target, Home Depot, and Staples. Also there is a Sam’s Club, Costco,
and BJ’s all located on or around Route 1 North in Edison.
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Eating
Kitchen facilities are available at all on-campus housing locations. Rutgers University also offers a
meal plan; you can purchase as few as 50 or as many as 255 meals, to be used at the university’s
dining halls over the course of the semester. Dining halls are located throughout campus; there is
one (Neilson) on the Cook/Douglass campuses. You can purchase a meal plan at the dining
service’s office on the College Avenue campus for use at the Brower Commons facility.
As there are many ethnic groups in the New Brunswick area, there are lots of restaurants and kinds
of foods served nearby. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous! Cheaper fare is plentiful in New
Brunswick: try Noa Noa (Mexican), Harvest Moon (American), Stuff Yer Face (Strombolis), Kairo
Kafe (Middle Eastern), and Panico’s (Italian) among the plethora of fast food, fat sandwiches
(From the grease trucks), and quickie bites that can be had on George and Easton Streets.
EXCELLENT Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese restaurants can be found in Edison,
Metuchen, and Princeton. For a nicer night out in New Brunswick, check out Old Man Rafferty’s
(American), Makeda’s (Ethiopian), Soho (American), Catherine Lombardi’s (Continental), Daryl
(Eclectic) and 360 (Italian). If your professor, trust fund, or parent is paying, try the Frog and the
Peach (Continental and very expensive!). For takeout menus on-line, go to www.campusfood.com.
Nightlife
Graduate students tend to patronize a variety of bars and pubs throughout the area. For a nicer
night out, you can go to Old Bay (61 Church Street), Clydz (55 Paterson Street), Harvest Moon
(392 George Street), World of Beer (335 George Street), Mike’s Courtside (1 Elm Row), the bar at
the Hyatt Hotel (2 Albany Street), or Christopher’s at the Heldrich Hotel (10 Livingston Avenue).
Each of these bars has drink specials and/or live music which change periodically. For a more
undergraduate experience or to sing karaoke, travel to Easton Avenue where The Golden Rail,
Stuff Yer Face (home to the infamous New Jersey ‘boli), Knight Club and Olde Queens Tavern
reside. Other choices include the Court Tavern (124 Church St), McCormick’s (266 Somerset
Street), and Ale ‘n Witch (245 Hamilton) for a more alternative atmosphere.
For gay and lesbian bars, check out the The Den (700 Hamilton Street, Somerset—a short drive).
The Den is the only predominantly gay bar in the area (http://www.dennightclub.com/). The L Bar
(2080 State Route 35, South Amboy) is the predominant lesbian bar night in the area
(http://www.thelbar.com/).
Movie Theaters
Rutgers now has its own movie theater. Check it out at http://www.rutgerscinema.com/en/new-jersey/rutgers/
The second closest movie theater is Loews New Brunswick on Rte. 1 South north of Douglass
campus. They have student prices Monday through Thursday and matinee prices every day before
6:00 p.m. If you have no car, you can take the 818 bus from the New Brunswick Train Station.
There is another Loews Dine-In theater at the Menlo Park Mall, accessible by the 810 bus from the
New Brunswick Train Station. On Rte. 1 South about 5 miles from campus, there is a Regal
Cinema. They offer student prices every day. On Rte. 18 South, at the Brunswick Square Mall,
there is a Mega Movies with its own food court that sells every type of brand-name junk food you
can imagine.
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The Cook student center sells discount movie tickets for $5.50. They're good at Loews Theatres,
Cineplex Odeon Theatres, and Sony Theatres. Tickets to Regal Theatres are sold for $5.00. These
generally are good for shows that have already been out for 10 days.
While there are no art house movie theaters very close by, less mainstream films are often
screened by the Rutgers Film Co-op’s Film Festival each fall and spring. See www.njfilmfest.com
for details. Also, the Princeton Garden Theater on Nassau St. in Princeton is 30 minutes south by
car.
Mechanic
Excellent and reasonably priced automobile repair services can be found at F & F Auto on Route
27 in Highland Park. Ask for Frank or Howard at (732) 985-5313. 1015 Raritan Ave, Highland Park, NJ
08904.
Website
A very helpful website is http://nb.rutgers.edu/student-experience/get-oriented, there you can see
all that Rutgers and New Brunswick has to offer you. There are campus maps available to help
navigate around our 5 campuses in the area, you can get acquainted with the computing services,
and also offers move-in guides and housing options, along with so much more. It is a fairly easy
website to navigate around and can offer you a lot of information you may need to acclimated to
the University.
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Transportation:
Getting Around (and out of) New Brunswick
Do I Need A Car?
Many students believe that a car is necessary for survival at Rutgers. The university is spread
across two cities and five different campuses. More importantly, supermarkets, movie theaters,
malls, and other essentials tend to be scattered about on highways.
On the other hand, there is a vibrant contingent of Rutgers students who believe that a car is not a
necessity. Many of these students favor bicycling to get around; indeed, bicycling is often the
fastest way to get from place to place in New Brunswick. In addition, Rutgers maintains a free,
(somewhat) convenient bus service connecting the campuses (though it runs infrequently during
vacation periods). However, many of these students do find it necessary on occasion to get the
assistance of a friend with a car. If you do decide not to have a car at Rutgers, it helps to know
someone who does.
Getting Around Without a Car
It is somewhat of a hassle though possible to get around the area without a car of your very own.
See www.njtransit.com/sf_bus.shtm for bus schedules and destinations. Also, see information
below about movie theaters and shopping malls. Luckily, many Rutgers students have cars, and
most of them are friendly enough to give you the occasional lift. Zipcars are also available in New
Brunswick and environs; check out www.zipcar.com for more information and car locations.
Rutgers shuttles can get you from campus to campus. www.nextbus.com/#!/rutgers/ On mobile,
this website will find your location and give you the times of the next bus arriving on various
routes depending on your location.
Parking
In order to use the Rutgers University parking facilities, including the gated lot at Hickman Hall,
you must obtain the relevant parking identification from the parking and transportation office
(located at the corner of Commercial and George Streets). If you are a Fellow, Teaching Assistant
(TA), or Graduate Assistant (GA), you are entitled to park in the faculty parking lots. (Note:
students with faculty parking stickers may not park in student-only lots. You will be ticketed.)
In order to obtain faculty-parking status, you must request a letter from Paulette, on the fifth floor
of Hickman Hall, and take the letter to the Department of Parking and Transportation Services on
Mine Street. You should then be able to obtain a parking sticker and a rearview window pass,
which will allow you to park in the faculty lots. If you try to park in the faculty lots without the
proper identification, you will be fined.
When you get the parking sticker and window pass from the parking office, you must request a
parking lot keycard, which will allow you to gain access to the faculty parking lots. You will not
be able to get into the faculty lots without the keycard. The parking permit, plus the keycard, will
cost about twenty dollars.
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If you are living on-campus, you should also request a permit to park in the lots near your house or
apartment. This can be done without any extra cost or paperwork.
You can download the vehicle registration form from the parking office’s website.
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Rutgers Department of Transportation Services
Public Safety Building
55 Commercial Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Main Office: (732) 932-7744
Fax: (732) 932-1450
Bus Dispatch: (732) 932-7817
For Any Emergency Dial
9-1-1
From a University Phone
Obtain an outside line Dial
9-1-1
Alternate Non-Emergency Public Safety Numbers
Rutgers New Brunswick Police Department: (732) 932-7111
New Brunswick Police Department: (732) 745-5200
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Buses
Rutgers University maintains a system of free bus lines connecting the five New Brunswick area
campuses and downtown New Brunswick. The frequency of these buses varies according to line,
day, and time of day; each bus line generally runs about every fifteen minutes during school hours.
Information and schedules are available at www.nextbus.com.
New Jersey (NJ) Transit operates local public bus lines connecting the greater New Brunswick
area, including shopping malls, supermarkets and movie theaters, with stops in downtown New
Brunswick and near the Rutgers campuses. This is a common mode of transportation for students
without cars. For further information visit their website: http://www.njtransit.com/sf_bus.shtm.
Suburban Transit/Coach USA operates public bus lines connecting New Brunswick with New
York City and Princeton. Ticket prices are cheaper than train fare: $13-15 roundtrip with a student
discount. Students can purchase half off tickets at the Student Activity Center: 613 George Street.
For more information, visit their website: www.suburbantransit.com/site.html or call (800) 2220492.
Trains
NJ Transit’s Northeast Corridor line connects New Brunswick with Trenton, Princeton, Newark
International Airport, and New York City. From this line you can also access the PATH train
system of northern New Jersey, as well as Philadelphia and the SEPTA train system. The train is
the most convenient way to access New York City. Round-trip tickets from New Brunswick to
New York City cost $26. Student monthly passes are available, and become cost effective after 10
roundtrips. Forms can be picked up at the New Brunswick Transit Office and need to be signed by
Alex Buchanan with the graduate office. Some Amtrak trains also stop in New Brunswick, but
Amtrak tickets are more expensive. For information and schedules, visit NJ Transit’s website:
http://www.njtransit.com/sf_train.shtm or call (800) 772-2222 (in New Jersey) or (973) 762-5100
(out of state). Those who wish to access Amtrak’s Acela service (travel between Washington, DC
and Boston, MA) should use the NJTransit trains to go to Trenton (for points south of New
Brunswick) or Metropark (for points north of NYC), and pick up Amtrak there (dealing with
Amtrak at either of those stations is much easier than dealing with NY Penn Station or 30 th St.
Philadelphia Station, and the NJTransit ticket is cheaper as well).
When returning late in the evening you may want to take a taxi home from the train station. Fares
run about $5-6 to Douglass campus. Taxis are cash only in New Brunswick. Convenient parking is
also nearby, for students with cars. For those who ride bicycles, there are also secure bike racks in
the front and rear of the station.
More information on other mass transit options can be found at Rutgers University’s website:
http://parktran.rutgers.edu/masstransit.htm.
Bicycling
Often, particularly during rush hours (4-6 pm on weekdays), bicycling is the fastest way to get
back and forth between the College Avenue campus, downtown New Brunswick, and Hickman
Hall on the Douglass campus. (Of course, area drivers and their peculiar habits might dissuade the
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faint of heart!) Rutgers University is attempting to promote bicycling to relieve traffic congestion
in the area; bike routes are therefore becoming (somewhat) more prevalent around the campuses.
Please note that it is illegal to bike on the sidewalks in parts of New Brunswick and state law
requires you wear a helmet. Campus police enforce both of these laws.
An unpaved “tow path” along the Raritan River connects New Brunswick to Princeton and
Trenton. The 20-25 mile ride to Princeton is another, more scenic possibility for students needing
to commute between universities. For mountain bikers, the Ecological Preserve on the Livingston
campus has great trails of varying difficulty.
For those who need a bike but cannot afford a new one or need a bike for only a few months,
check out the Bike Library where you can obtain a bike at no cost which can be ridden in
exchange for simple repairs and attending a short workshop on bike safety and maintenance. The
Bike Library is located at 154 Commercial Avenue between Commercial and Seaman Avenues.
For more information contact the Bike Library at nbbikelibrary@lists.riseup.net.
Housing
On- and off-campus housing are both available for graduate students in the New Brunswick area.
Housing is often highly limited, however, so it’s advisable to find a place to stay as soon as you
can.
On-Campus Housing
If you requested on-campus housing on your application to Rutgers, you should have received a
packet about the available graduate on-campus housing options from the housing office. (If you
haven’t, contact the office at the number listed below.)
When making your selection, keep in mind that Hickman Hall is located on the Douglass campus.
The nearest on-campus residences for graduate students are the Old Gibbons Houses on the
Douglass campus and the Starkey Apartments on the Cook campus. (Old Gibbons is all-female.)
The next closest residence, though considerably farther away, is Ford Hall, a dormitory-style
residence on the College Avenue campus. Graduate housing for families is also available on the
Busch campus.
When planning your arrival, remember that you can only pick up the keys to your room during
normal office hours. Check with the housing office in advance. You might be able to move into
your room a couple days earlier if needed; again, check with the housing office for more
information.
If you have a year-round contract that allows you to move in August 1st, please be aware that
Rutgers will not allow you to complete your registration until the middle of the month. You
will not be able to obtain your Student ID card, an account at the Credit Union, pay your
term bill, obtain a Rutgers computer ID so that you may use the Internet, or many other
things until you register. If you will be moving in during the first week or two of August,
contact the department ahead of time and ask them if there are other political science
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graduate students living in your building (or around it) that can show you around. Campus
is virtually deserted around this time, and it is nice to have someone who can guide you
around (you should also make sure to be in contact with your mentor).
The graduate on-campus housing office is located on the Busch campus.
Graduate On-Campus Housing Office
55 Bevier Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854-5610
Phone: (732) 445-0750
http://ruoncampus.rutgers.edu/my-housing
Off-Campus Housing
Rutgers University also has an off-campus housing website to assist in finding off-campus
apartments and rooms in New Brunswick and the surrounding area. Their website contains a
continually updated list of available apartments posted by local landlords, as well as a roommate
search service that helps pair up potential roommates.
Current listings are also published in the student newspaper, the Daily Targum, and the local
newspaper, the Home News and Tribune. You can also find housing listed on Craigslist
(www.craigslist.org) and occasionally the Political Science graduate student listserv. Notices of
available units and rooms are also posted on bulletin boards in student centers, libraries, and
classroom and office buildings throughout the campus.
Make sure you ask a lot of questions when renting an apartment. Ask about things like heating and
air conditioning, laundry facilities, dishwashers, maintenance service, etc. Ask which services and
utilities are included in the rent, and which are not. If you will be living off-campus, ask your
mentor to ask around about vacancies, as it is preferable to move to a house that is owned by a
landlord who is familiar with graduate students.
The graduate off-campus housing office is located at 542 George Street, on the corner of George
Street and Seminary Place on the College Avenue campus.
Graduate Off-Campus Housing Service
542 George Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1167
(732) 445-5737
http://ruoffcampus.rutgers.edu
Email: ochsci@rci.rutgers.edu
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Getting Started
Information for TAs and GAs
If your funding arrangement requires you to work in the department as a TA or a GA, your
experiences here will be different from other students. While much of the information contained
elsewhere in this document applies to you (see especially the sections on parking and registration),
the following targeted advice might be helpful:
Health Insurance
Your employee benefits are different from the benefits available to other students. The Human
Resources office can give you specific advice about what is covered under your plan; contact them
at 57 ASB II, 57 US Highway 1 (848) 932-3020, web: http://uhr.rutgers.edu). Students with
private health insurance may opt out, and you can do this online. You will also need to submit
immunization records, and an email will be sent to you over the summer once you have accepted.
It is your responsibility to make sure that you have the right coverage’s at all times.
Balancing Paid Work and Doctoral Requirements.
If you are working 20 or more hours a week in the department to fulfill your funding obligations
you will likely find 4 courses too much, especially in your first semester. However, bear in mind
that you will move through the program more slowly if you take fewer classes. You need to make a
decision regarding how quickly you want to get through and how much work you can comfortably
handle in a semester. Consult Eric Davis, the department’s vice chair for graduate studies, and
other students. Ultimately, your solution to this dilemma will be highly personal and dependent on
your work habits, your family and financial circumstances, your reasons for being here, your long
term plans, and the type of job you are doing.
Specific information for TAs
You can ask to be considered as a TA for a specific course (typically one in which you are a major
or minor specialist) if you wish, although there is no guarantee you will get the placement you
want. Contact Eric for more information about this.
Your major time/work/stress crunch will occur towards the end of the semester, when you will
need to both grade and get your own final papers submitted. Usually undergraduate exams occur
after graduate papers are due in, but final undergraduate papers may be due around the same time
yours are.
Teaching Assistant Project (TAP)
This program provides training and guidance for TAs. It runs a hotline, and will come to video
your class and give you feedback on your teaching on request. The 21th annual Teaching Assistant
Orientation will be held Thursday, August 30th. The International Teaching Assistant Orientation
will be held Wednesday, August 29th. Visit their website at taproject.rutgers.edu, email
tapweb@rci.rutgers.edu, or telephone them at (732) 932-7747. Specific information about the
Orientation is available at http://taproject.rutgers.edu/tao.php3.
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Course Registration & Term Bills
Register for classes as soon as possible. Until you have registered you will be unable to obtain an
e-mail account, a Rutgers ID card (that you need to access campus facilities) or obtain a term bill.
Even if you are not completely sure about what courses you might want to take, keep in mind that
you can drop/add courses until the end of the first week. See Eric for advice and a signature during
that week.
Once you register, you will also have to pay a student fee (and the housing/dining fees if
applicable) on your term bill that all graduate students must pay after registering (this also holds
true for the following semesters). Note that tuition will appear as an item on your term bill even if
you have tuition remission. If you are a TA, your student fees are covered, but fellows will have to
pay these fees.
If you are paid by the university as a TA/GA or a fellow, you have the option of paying your
student fee over the semester (a portion of the student fee will be deducted from each paycheck).
You can have on-campus housing fees deducted the same way. You can obtain a payroll deduction
form from the cashier which you need to enclose with your term bill. Or, go to Student
Accounting/Cashiering Office, Records Hall Room 138, College Avenue, New Brunswick
Campus, or you can call and ask to have the form sent to you (732 932-7019). You need to have a
Social Security number to use this program.
A helpful website to use concerning graduate students at Rutgers, is gsnb.rutgers.edu, it will help
guide in any academic questions you might have.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: You must register for at least 12
credits each semester to maintain your visa status. Exceptions can be made but you need to talk to
Eric. (See the Section of Special Notes to International Students for details.)
HOW TO REGISTER FOR CLASSES
Step 1:
To view course offerings, go to the registrar’s website (http://registrar.rutgers.edu - your WEBREG
personal ID is your email username, your password (is an 8-digit number of your choosing) or ask
Paulette Flowers-Yhap or the Graduate School to send you a course booklet. Paulette may also
have the course syllabi. Keep in mind that you must register for the Research Design course.
Full time status is 9 credits or more.
International students must maintain full time status for visa purposes. In addition, international
students with TOEFL scores below 233 must enroll in an “English as a Second Language” course
to remain in good standing. International TAs who is coded 1 or 2 on the ITA oral interview must
also enroll in ESL courses to retain their TA positions.
If you are a GA, TA, or fellow you must also register for the appropriate 0-credit section (not an
actual class). Assistantship registrations are listed by graduate program in the schedule of classes
(GAs are registered as course #866, and TAs are course #877). If you have a full appointment, you
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must register for 6E credits (exempt from degree credit and from payment). You may not take
more than 10 additional credits for 16 credits maximum per term. Fellowship registrations are also
listed by graduate program in the schedule of classes (course #811). This will list your fellowship
on your transcript for 0 credits and does not affect student fees.
You can also register for classes through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium. After selecting
a university ask Paulette Flowers-Yhap for a course approval form, which must be signed by the
graduate director, then by the Rutgers dean of Graduate Studies (25 Bishop Place, College Avenue
Campus). Lastly, you need to receive the approval of the professor of the desired university class
by having him or her sign the form. It might also be a good idea to email the respective professor
in advance. You will then have to bring the course approval form to the University’s registrar’s
office. To get a university library ID card, you need to bring a letter from Jan Kubik (Dept. Chair)
to the library about one week after your registration is effective. Your grade is transferred to
Rutgers automatically. Be aware of the fact that the university’s semester might be different from
Rutgers.
The Inter-University Doctoral Consortium is open to doctoral students from participating schools
who have completed at least one year of full-time study toward the Ph.D. The Consortium
accommodates students only in the arts and sciences and in the field of education. Students may,
with the required permissions, attend courses at any other participating school as part of their
home school registration.
Participating schools are:









Columbia University, GSAS
CUNY Graduate Center
Fordham University GSAS
Graduate Faculty, New School University
New York University, GSAS
Princeton University-The Graduate School
Rutgers University, Graduate School-New Brunswick
Stony Brook University
Teachers College, Columbia University
How to Enroll
Students enroll using the consortium form at http://gsnb.rutgers.edu/academics/inter-universitydoctoral-consortium and follow its directions. (For Princeton, please use this form.) Students
register at their home institutions and tuition charges are applied at the home institution. Students
are governed by the academic policies of the host institution while attending a course, except that
Rutgers students receiving the grade of incomplete have only one year to complete the course,
regardless of the incomplete rule at the host institution. The one-year rule also applies to visiting
students from other member institutions.
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Forms for students who wish to take courses at:





Drew University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Princeton University
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
University of Pennsylvania
Step 2:
Make an appointment with Eric Davis. Fill out the Course Request form and ask Eric to sign it.
Make sure you enter all index numbers correctly. If you have an assistantship or a fellowship, you
need to obtain a tuition remission application card called RT100 from the Political Science
Department (ask Paulette).
Step 3:
To activate your registration, you must then pay your term bill in full at the Cashier’s office:
Administrative Service Building, Room 306 on College Ave. Make sure you turn in any of the
following that apply to your billing situation: 1) RT 100 card; 2) Payroll deduction form; 3)
Payment plan promissory note.
Step 4:
After registering you may obtain your student ID card. (See chapter on ID cards)
Step 5:
If you need to correct your registration you may do so via the computer (webreg) or the telephone
(RTTRS) system (732 445-1999). Check the deadlines for dropping and adding courses!
Step 6:
Once you are registered you will be able to find any information you need pertaining to that course
on Sakai, sakai.rutgers.edu. This website is very important it is how many Professors
communicate with their students, your course schedule and grades are usually posted on there as
well. On the home page of Sakai there is a tutorial that teaches you how to use Sakai successfully.
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Bookstores
Cook/Douglas Bookstore: located on 57 Lipman Dr., (just past the Douglass College Student
Center) (732) 932-9017
College Ave. Bookstore: Barnes & Noble at Rutgers University, located on 100 Somerset St. (just
behind the train station) (732) 246-8448
Course packets and books will be available from one or more of the following (depending on
where faculty sends the order):
You can also order books (either new or used) on-line; this can be considerably cheaper than using
conventional bookstores. Some useful sites include www.abe.com, www.textbooks.com and
www.campusi.com, although your preferred search engine will put you in touch with many others.
If you order books on-line remember that they may take a while to get to you. You can ask faculty
for a copy of the syllabus before the course starts if you want to order your books early; they might
be able to help you. Also it might be worth it to rent your text books which you can do online, a
popular website is www.chegg.com.
Unfortunately, there are no good used book stores in New Brunswick, Piscataway, or Highland
Park. The closest options are in Metuchen (approx. 20 minutes north by car) and Princeton.
Student Identification Cards
A student ID card is needed to borrow books from the library, to use the university computer labs,
to use recreational facilities, and to carry a dining plan/debit account. You must present a photo ID
(e.g. driver’s license, passport) to obtain a student ID and must have already registered for classes.
GAs and TAs may either get a faculty or student ID card. Get your student ID as soon as possible,
since there will be long lines once the undergraduates arrive on campus. Going early in the day
will also help you avoid the lines.
For more information, see http://rci.rutgers.edu/~ruconxn/nbp/?page=content/firstyear_grad.php.
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Health Care Service and Insurance
Health Insurance
Eligibility and coverage of Rutgers graduate students varies depending upon their status
(TA/GA/Fellow) and enrollment. Graduate Students registered for 12 or more credits are
automatically entitled to use the University Health Services, since they have paid the full-time
student fees. You may also purchase the Major Medical Plan, which provides additional coverage.
However, Teaching Assistants (TAs) are covered as government employees and have access to
more extensive services, and thus will not need this additional coverage. Also, some domestic
partners are eligible for coverage as well, pending verification. Enrollment and affidavit forms for
this purpose are available at the insurance office (in the Hurtado Health Center, see phone listing
below).
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: International students are told at
the International Students Orientation that they have to purchase the university’s health insurance,
even if they have their own health insurance from home that covers them in the United States.
However, despite this claim, there are waiver forms available at the International Students Office
that can be submitted to avoid this and its attendant charge.
Health Services:
Services available on campus are listed below. Referral to off-campus providers or specialty
services will be made when necessary and will entail an additional charge. A student, spouse, or
partner needing health care who is covered by the basic health care insurance plan should first
consult with a provider at one of the University’s five health centers. If subsequent referral to a
community-based provider becomes necessary, it will be made by the health center physician or
nurse practitioner. Following this procedure ensures that a portion of the outside care received will
be covered by the insurance plan. Bypassing referral means that the student will be held
responsible for the entire fee for an outside provider.
Details about fee schedules and coverage can often be confusing. You must obtain receipts for
reimbursement, invoices, and other bills for approved health care and submit them to the Student
Insurance Officers at the Hurtado Health Center (contact info below) with the appropriate
paperwork. The officers are very nice. The doctors, at least at Hurtado, are good, too, by the
standards of the very unscientific small-n study conducted by the author of this portion of the
booklet.
Available Services:
General Health Care: General health care including gynecology is offered as well as treatment of
common problems, such as respiratory and urinary tract infections, accident-related injuries, and
chronic illnesses like asthma and diabetes.
Appointments/Walk-In Care: Although some of the health centers have walk-in clinic hours, call
to schedule an appointment whenever possible. Waiting times vary depending upon the time and
day of arrival, season, reason for visit, and health center. Hurtado (the main center, off of College
Ave.) sees patients by appointment only. Same day appointments are available. The appointment
line phone number for Hurtado Health Center is (848) 932-7402. Appointments at other health
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centers are made by calling their respective main telephone numbers, listed below. As of April 7th,
2003, for security and safety reasons, all students are required to present their student ID when
checking in for an appointment.
Emergencies: Rutgers University Health Services does not provide emergency care. All patients
with a medical emergency (a sudden, life threatening, and unexpected sickness or injury) are
referred immediately to a local emergency room. At the health centers students with urgent
medical problems will be seen quickly—just notify the receptionist of your urgent problem as soon
as you arrive.
Mental Health: Psychiatric consultation, evaluation, treatment, and referrals are available.
Counseling services are also available for alcohol and substance abuse.
Immunization: Reviewing, screening, and updating immunizations is provided. Students must pay
separately for the vaccines.
Others: Health Services provides Alcohol & Substance Abuse Counseling, Health Education,
Laboratory Testing (mononucleosis, urinalysis, pregnancy, chemistries, bacteriology, hematology),
specialized referral testing (by reimbursement) and HIV (for minimal charge, by appointment),
Nutrition Counseling, Orthopedics (on site but by referral), a full scale Pharmacy (accepting
outside health plans, too), Sports Physicals, Social Services, Women’s Health Care (routine pelvic
and breast exams, Pap tests, contraception counseling, STD services and colposcopy), and X-Ray
services.
Dental care is not provided by Rutgers Health Services, but health center staff can refer you to a
number of New Brunswick area dentists who offer student discounts.
Health Center Locations and Contact Information
(http://health.rutgers.edu/)
Hurtado Health Center, College Avenue Campus
11 Bishop Place, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1180
Phone: 848-932-7402
Hours: (during the semester): Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm (Mon-Fri 5pm-8pm and Sat-Sun
10am-4pm are urgent care only) Spring Break and Sumer hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, closed evenings
and weekends.
(N.B.: there is a one-time fee, around $25, for using health services during the summer if you are not
registered for summer courses.)
Other Phone Numbers (College Avenue Campus)
Immunization Line:
848-932-7402
Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Programs : 848-932-7402, ext. 232
Health Education: 848-932-7402, ext. 273
Laboratory Specimen Collection (M-F 8:30am-12pm)
848-932-8056
Mental Health Unit
848-932-7402, ext. 233
Occupational Health 848-932-8254, ext. 221
Pharmacy (open during the academic year: Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat. 10am-3pm; during the summer:
Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm) 848-932-7402, ext. 219
Radiology
848-932-8391
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Student Health Insurance 732-932-7402, ext. 236
Travel Immunizations: Info & Appts. 732-932-1990
Rutgers College Counselling Center (Two Locations)
College Ave Location: 17 Senior St. 848-932-7884
Cook/Douglas Location: 61 Nichol Ave. 848-932-7884
Willets Health Center, Douglass Campus
Suydam Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-2889 (across from bookstore and behind Cooper Dining
Hall)
Phone: 848-932-7402
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:00pm (during academic year—closed for summer)
After hours, call Hurtado until 8:00pm.
Pharmacy: 732-932-9805 Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm
Busch/Livingston Health Center, Livingston Campus (near the Athletic Center)
Hospital Road & Avenue E, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8043
Phone: 848-932-7402
Clinic Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:00pm (during academic year—closed for summer)
After hours, call Hurtado until 8:00pm.
Pharmacy: 848-445-3606 Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:00pm
Local Hospital Emergency Rooms
(In case of medical emergency or for when you require immediate treatment when the Rutgers
health centers are closed) If you need emergency transportation to a local hospital, call Rutgers
police at 732-932-7211 or 911
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Directions: Driving North on Easton Ave., turn Left onto Somerset Street; Go one block
to intersection with Little Albany and turn Left.
Main Phone Number 732-828-3000
Emergency Department No phone number
EMS and Trauma Center 732-937-8686
St. Peter’s University Hospital
254 Easton Ave., New Brunswick
Main Phone Number 732-745-8600
Emergency Department 732-745-8528
Pediatrics Emergency Department 732-937-6009
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Domestic Violence Help Line
If you, or somebody you know is being abused, break the cycle, end the silence.
Make a confidential call to:
1-800-572-SAFE
STEPS FOR YOUR PROTECTION...
Make sure you have access to house and car keys, money, and transportation to a safe place.
Keep a small bag packed with essentials for you and your children, and give it to a friend for
safekeeping.
Call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-572-SAFE for information and referral to your local
battered women's program.
Call the battered women's program in your area for guidance.
If an incident of abuse occurs, call the police immediately.
If you are physically injured, go to a doctor or hospital emergency room and tell them what
happened to you. Ask the physician to document your injuries in your medical record and to
photograph any visible injuries. These confidential medical records and photographs may be
helpful if you choose to take legal action.
Your Rights
New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act
You have the right to request a judge to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) that may help
protect you from more abuse by the person who abused you.
A TRO may require that you attacker be temporarily forbidden from, entering your home, having
contact with you or your relatives, or bothering you at work. A TRO may also require your attacker
to pay temporary support for your children or you, and to pay you back money spent for medical
treatment or repairs because of the violence. A TRO may also say that you have temporary custody
of your children, and may include other things that the court can order.
You can get a TRO by contacting the Family Part of Superior Court in your county during business
hours (until 3:30 p.m.). On weekends, holidays, and after 3:30 p.m. on business days, you can get
a TRO from he Municipal court in your area.
You also have the right to file a criminal complaint against your attacker. In some cases, the police
themselves are required to file a criminal complaint against the attacker.
To get information about contacting a court for a TRO or filing a criminal complaint, contact your
local police department or call the statewide Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-572-SAFE.
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If You Need Help...
For emergency shelter, counseling or other services call the New Jersey Division on Women's
Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-572-SAFE. This hotline is toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. It is also bilingual, and TDD equipped for the hearing impaired.
This hotline can refer you to your local battered women's program for emergency shelter and
counseling. The local program can also help you fill out forms, provide legal advocacy, prepare
you for a court appearance, and in some cases accompany you to court.
If you would like to consult a lawyer and do not know where to get one, look under Lawyer
Referral Service in the Yellow Pages of your telephone directory. For a small fee the Lawyer
Referral Service will put you in touch with an attorney.
Usted puede conseguir informacion sobre la ley de violencia domestica. Llame al numero: 1-800572-7233.
Information provided by:
New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
Division on Women
Office on the Prevention of Violence Against Women
Other numbers:
New Brunswick Police Department
732-932-7211
Rutgers Sexual Assault Services 732-932-1181
Roosevelt Hospital (Sexual Assault Services) 732744-9216
New Jersey State numbers (toll free):
AIDS Hotline 1-800-624-2377
Alcohol/Drug Hotline
1-800-225-0196
Eating Disorders 1-800-522-2230
Poison Control 1-800-962-1253
STI Hotline 1-800-227-8922
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Welcome to Campus
Computing and Emailing
The Political Science Department maintains two computer labs, located on the fourth and sixth
floors of Hickman Hall, for political science faculty and graduate students. Access codes for entry
to the labs are available from the department secretaries. In order to access computers in the
computer labs, you will also need a login and password. If there are problems, please submit a
work order at: http://sasit.rutgers.edu/submit-a-workorder
There are also a large number of computer labs available for general use on all Rutgers campuses.
On the Douglass campus, there are computer labs in the Loree building (across the street from
Hickman Hall), the Douglass Student Center (3rd Floor), and the Douglass Library. On other
campuses, computer labs are available at any student center or library. The labs are open at varying
times throughout the school year, but generally close around midnight. (The department computer
labs are available at all times.)
If you live on campus, direct internet access is available at all Rutgers graduate housing. If you
have problems obtaining your NETID right away, be aware that both Douglass and Alexander
Libraries have computers that do not require NETIDs to login. (Your NETID is the same as your
username that you used to log into WEBREG)
You should create a Rutgers email account as soon as possible after arriving on campus. There are
two main email services: Eden (for students) and RCI (for faculty). Graduate students serving as
teaching assistants or fellows may also create an RCI account (yourname@rci.rutgers.edu); all
others must create an Eden account. You can set up an Eden account
(yourname@eden.rutgers.edu) at any university computer lab. Email can be accessed via Telnet,
SSH, or http://webmail.rutgers.edu.
Libraries
For hours, directions, databases and library collections: www.libraries.rutgers.edu. In order to
borrow books you need to bring your student ID to the circulation desk where they will register
you and put a bar code on your ID.
There are a number of libraries on the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus (for more information, see
the libraries website above). Two of the most commonly used by our department's graduate
students are:
Alexander Library: Located on College Avenue across from the Rutgers College Student
Center—Graduate student reading room located on 3rd Floor. Most of the books and journals
pertinent to political science are held at Alexander. However, most of the journals are also
available online through the Catalog: www.iris.rutgers.edu, and the articles can be printed for free
in one of the University computing labs.
Douglass Library: Located behind Hickman Hall, across the wooden bridge and on the opposite
side of George Street from the Douglass Student Center. While Douglass’s holdings are not as
impressive as Alexander’s, if you live on Douglass or Cook campuses you can request that books
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from Alexander be sent to Douglass Library where you can pick them up (Rutgers Libraries will
deliver from library to library across all three major campuses). For Women and Politics students,
Douglass Library has the most extensive collection of feminist holdings.
Students also have access to library services at Princeton University. First, you must obtain a
memo from Paulette to present to the library Access Office at Princeton University along with your
student ID. The Princeton Access Office located in the library lobby is only open on the weekdays
between 9 am and 5 pm.
Finding your way around the library or navigating the libraries' various holdings, internet search
options, etc., can be very challenging. The person to consult regarding such matters is Tom Glynn,
the libraries’ Anglo-American history and political science selector, at glynn@rci.rutgers.edu.
Recreation/Athletic Facilities
There are a number of recreational services open to all Rutgers students, including fitness centers,
volleyball courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, and pools. The websites below give you
information about each of the facilities, their locations, and their hours, as well as information
about intramural and club teams.
For the College Avenue Gym, Easton Avenue Gym (College Avenue Campus), Werblin Recreation
Center (Busch Campus), University Park recreational area (Busch Campus), and Busch Tennis
Center visit: http://www.recreation.rutgers.edu.
For the Cook/Douglass Recreation facilities visit: http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~rec/
For Livingston Recreational facilities visit: http://livingston.rutgers.edu/students/recreation.html
Rutgers recreational services also offer a number of non-credit classes each semester, such as
tennis, aerobics, swimming, dance, rock climbing, and yoga. In order to enroll in these classes you
must register in person at the College Avenue Gym. Fees for these classes usually range between
$5 and $15 per class, plus a one-time registration fee of $5 for students per semester. You can find
the specific dates for registration either at http://www.recreation.rutgers.edu/instruct_classes-f.html
(which also provides an online PDF version of the class catalogue and registration form) or by
calling (732) 932-8204.
Fitness Center Phone Contacts:
Easton Ave Gym: (732) 932-6890
Cook/Douglass Recreation Center: (732) 932-8574
College Avenue Gym: (732) 932-7171
Werblin Recreation Center: (732) 445-0661
For the Werblin, College Avenue, and Easton Avenue gyms you will need to obtain a “fit card” in
order to use the aerobic equipment. You can schedule a fit check by calling or dropping by any of
these three gyms.
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Welcome to the Department
Keys:
Keys are available for
Graduate Student Lounge (Room 514)
Mailroom / Photocopying room (Room 513)
Main doors of Hickman Hall
To obtain these keys see one of the Department Secretaries.
Photocopying:
The department photocopiers are located in the mailroom (Rm. 513). You need an account number
to use them.
You can request a personal copy account number from Janet Murphy (Rm. 505). You will be billed
for the number of copies you have made at the end of the academic year. If you are making
photocopies for a faculty member or for the department, ask Janet to input either the faculty
member’s number (with permission) or the department code.
Photocopiers are also available in the libraries. They are operated by copy cards that can be
purchased at the libraries. The price is 12 cents per page.
Printing:
Printers are available at the department, the computer centers, and at the libraries.
Department printers are located in the computer labs (Rm. 413 and Rm. 604—see a department
secretary for the door codes) and the mailroom (Rm. 513). They are all connected to the computers
in the two labs. You can specify one printer before printing by clicking “print…” and choosing one
of the three locations. Each student has a free printing quota of $50 per semester. More capacity
can be purchased from Paulette at 5 cents per page. The computer will notify you of your
remaining printing credits after each printing activity.
Printing costs 4 cents a page the general university computer labs and all students have $30 worth
of print money. You must have your Rutgers ID card to release your print jobs. After sending your
document to the printer, you swipe your card at a terminal, and your print job is released to a
specific printer. This prevents jobs from getting entangled, and reduces the “hey, that undergrad is
walking away with the last two pages of my article!” problem that was so rampant in the
university labs. Printing in the computer labs is more efficient than doing so in the Political
Science labs, as the university printers are calibrated to print everything two-sided, thus saving
paper (and money).
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Mail
Departmental Mailbox
A mailbox is provided for each graduate student in the department mailroom (Hickman Hall,
Room 513). You may get departmental materials and university correspondences there. You could
also have your own correspondence mailed to this box. The mailing address for this box is: (Your
Name), Department of Political Science, 89 George St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1411.
Post Office
Each campus has a post office that is usually located at the campus center. Campus mail, which is
delivered from one campus address to another, can be sent there for free. For a list of the services,
hours and other information of the post offices, visit their web page at:
http://ruinfo.rutgers.edu/external/searchpage.asp?searchfield=post%20office
University Mailbox
If you live in on-campus graduate housing, you will get a mailbox at the post office of the campus
where you live. For example, people who live on Douglass Campus will get a DPO address from
the Douglass Post Office. The housing office will provide you with the information on how and
where to apply for this mailbox.
Political Science Department E-Mail Listserv
The easiest way to communicate about both academic and social activities of the department is to
use the graduate student email listserv. To subscribe, send an email to
“https://lists.sas.rutgers.edu/mailman/listinfo/polisci_gradstudents” (don’t include the quotation
marks) with the heading "subscribe political graduate students". (Again, don’t include the
quotation marks.)
Rutgers iPhone App
New this year Rutgers introduced an app that can be found in the app store on your iPhones. On it
you can access any news about the University. As well as bus route info, your Sakai and
myRutgers, and search any Rutgers library catalog. It is very customizable and will come in
handy many times throughout the year.
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Political Science Department Offices
and Contacts
Department of Political Science
Hickman Hall, 89 George St.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1411
Phone: 848-932-9283
Fax: 732-932-7170
Webpage:http://www.polisci.rutgers.edu
Office of the Chair, Hickman 505
Dept. Chair: Jan Kubik
Email: kubik@rci.rutgers.edu
Phone: 848-932-9261
Office of the Vice-Chair for Graduate Studies, Hickman 501
Vice Chair: Eric Davis
(Advisor for all incoming students)
Email: davis@polisci.rutgers.edu
Phone 848-932-9321
Paulette Flowers-Yhap Hickman 501
Graduate Administrative Assistant
Email: pyhap@polisci.rutgers.edu
Phone: 848-932-9576
Alicia Picone, Hickman 509
Undergraduate Administrative Assistant
Email: apicone@polisci.rutgers.edu
Phone: 848-932-9582
Johanna Stephenson, Hickman 504
Department Administrator
Email: jsteph@polisci.rutgers.edu
Phone: 848- 932-9262
Janet Boyle, Hickman 503
Department Secretary
Email: jmmurphy@rci.rutgers.edu
Phone: (848) 932-9283
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Notes for International Students
Introduction
Although the information provided elsewhere in this document applies to all incoming students,
there are some specific challenges faced by international students that require attention.
Departmental student orientations in September are important so make sure you do not miss them.
But before that meeting, you might want to know the following:
Arriving
Your mentor should have provided a telephone number and e-mail address–call them or e-mail
them as soon as you know when you are arriving. They will have information you need, and may
be able to provide you with help regarding transportation, arranging somewhere to stay,
registration and so on.
You should have received an information packet about the New Brunswick campus from the
department—if you have not call or e-mail Paulette. You may also be contacted by some student
associations before you arrive (especially if you arrive from East Asia); they may have programs
to help you when you arrive.
If you are staying in university housing, take note: THE HOUSING OFFICE IS ONLY OPEN
DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS. If you arrive in the evening or on weekends, you will
not be able to get your room keys. Of course flights (especially from Europe) are usually cheaper
on Sundays, but bear in mind that you will have to arrange alternative accommodation if you
arrive then.
International Student Services
The international student office has resources that can help you. Visit their website at
www.rci.rutgers.edu/~cifss. This site contains information on New Brunswick, on important
documents you should bring with you, on how you can get a social security number (very useful
for getting a bank account) etc. You should read this site thoroughly.
You may have chosen to participate in the orientation offered by the international student office the
week before classes start (you can find out more about it on their website). This can provide you
with information regarding the university and New Brunswick, and can give you the opportunity
to meet new people.
Whether you attend their orientation or not, you will have to go to the international student office
as soon as you arrive to give them a copy of your visa and passport. At the start of the semester the
office is very busy so either go before classes start, or get there early in the day unless you want to
wait. As you know from the rest of this document, this advice (“go early”) applies to every single
office you have to visit at Rutgers when you get here!
Registration
Navigating the complexity of Rutgers bureaucracy in the first week can be extremely stressful for
newly-arrived international students unfamiliar with the American education system. Your mentor
should help you through this process–remember that it is difficult for everyone.
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It is customary that all new students register for 4 courses; however, some international students
feel overwhelmed by that course load and wish to take 3 classes at first, while some want to take
some English as a second language courses. Eric will support you in this but you must tell him
what you want (see the section below on the need to be direct and proactive in American
universities).
International students are required to purchase extended health coverage from the university unless
you have alternative equivalent insurance arranged, either in the US or from your home country. If
you have proof of alternative coverage, you can get the requirement waived using a form available
in the international student office.
If you are not paying tuition but are paying health insurance, your fees will total around $700
dollars—slightly higher than for US students. Remember that if you have a fellowship from the
department or a TA job, you can arrange to have that $700 taken out of your paycheck over the
course of the semester without any additional charge (see the Course Registration & Term Bills
section above).
Health Services
As mentioned above, you must get extended health insurance or submit proof of alternative
coverage in order to register (unless you are teaching that year, in which case you get different
health insurance provided–none of this information relates to that insurance policy). The U.S. has
no free universal health service; you must pay to get access to medical services, and costs are
astronomical. This means that people buy insurance policies that pay for most or all of their
medical costs when they need to see a doctor. This may or may not be familiar to you from your
own country. In case it is not, here is how it works (or doesn’t work, depending on your position in
the debate on the provision of social services). If you purchase the university’s insurance, you can
visit a doctor on campus for free (unless you need one in the summer, when you must pay a small
fee for summer coverage). You will get a booklet telling you what is and what is not covered.
Gynecological exams are provided free, and female students should ensure they get one. Routine
dental exams are not covered; clean your teeth, and ask for referrals from other students for
affordable dentists if you need to visit one. Counseling services are provided, and some services
are tailored to the needs of international students; if you are depressed, unhappy, stressed or having
a hard time adjusting you might consider this option.
You need to be proactive with your doctor in the American health care system; take someone with
you to your appointment if you are worried that you will not understand what is being said to you,
and under no circumstances should you ever allow yourself to be rushed out of an office by a
doctor or pressured to accept treatment you do not understand. You can request a male or female
doctor, and if you feel you may need a long appointment ask for one when you telephone.
If the doctor prescribes medicines for you, you have to pay for them – you either leave the
prescription with the doctor’s office and the pharmacy on Busch campus gives you your drugs
when you give the office your money, or you take the prescription to a pharmacy of your choice.
Medicine can be very expensive, and you should ask the doctor what every item on your
prescription is supposed to cure. You can also ask how much it will cost, although the doctor may
not know—the pharmacist, however, will tell you. If your medicines cost over $250, you can get a
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prescription reimbursement form from the student insurance office in the Hurtado health center on
College Avenue campus.
If you need to visit the hospital for a serious ailment, different rules apply. You may need a referral
from your doctor in order for your treatment to be covered under your insurance, although
obviously in an emergency get yourself straight to the hospital. Try to protect yourself if this
system is new to you: ask at all times “will my insurance cover this,” call the insurance office to
make sure, and try to stay physically and mentally healthy.
Social Issues
Pursuing your graduate career in a foreign country can be a wonderfully fulfilling and exciting
experience, and it offers you the opportunity to learn from exchange with others. Our department
is full of friendly, supportive people, and you will get to know other students (international and
American-born) through your classes. However, international students can also feel isolated at
times. This may be particularly true of students who lack confidence speaking English. The
department organizes social events from time to time–try to attend them, since they will give you
an opportunity to interact with your colleagues outside of classes. Bring your family if they are
with you in the US; families are always welcome at PSGSA events. The PSGSA has been trying to
organize a range of activities in order to attract the participation of students with families, students
without cars, and students who do not drink alcohol. If you would like to suggest an event or
organize one yourself, please contact a member of the steering committee.
There is also a range of social opportunities available to you outside of the department. Rutgers
has excellent sports facilities, and you may like to register for a sports class (yoga tends to be
particularly popular in our department). The free aerobic classes at Loree Gym are also good
choices. There are numerous student organizations on campus that may be of interest; these
include the International Student Affairs Committee, the Korean Student Association, the Chinese
Student Association, and the European Studies Association. Visit the Student Activities Center, 913
George Street, College Avenue to find out about student groups. Rutgers also runs an international
friendship program that puts you in touch with American host families; some of our students have
found this to be a wonderful way to meet people, increase confidence in conversational English,
and learn about American culture. Contact the program at (908) 932-7015 for more information, or
download the application form from the international student office website at
www.rci.rutgers.edu/~cifss/culture/community.htm. Another good source of information on
campus activities is the school newspaper—Daily Targum, which you can pick up for free on
various campus locations such as post office, student centers and the first floor of Hickman Hall.
Staying in Status!
Staying in status is a very serious issue. You may not be able to continue studying if you are out of
Status! Read the following regulations carefully. To highlight, you MUST stay in status with your
visa, and notify the department and the international student office of any changes to your status.
International students are required to meet “full course of study” enrollment requirements for each
semester at Rutgers. This usually means 9 credits in our department. However, exceptions can be
made under certain circumstances: you are here for your first semester and language poses a
difficulty for you to meet the 9 credits requirement; or this is your last semester, you have done
with all your course work and you are only working on your Master’s thesis. You need to talk with
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Eric Davis about your situation. NEVER register for a semester without talking to Eric Davis; he
can advise you about staying in status. You may be allowed to work on the university campus if
you hold a J1 or F1 visa; check with the international office. They hold regular workshops for oncampus and off-campus jobs. If you need a job, ask around other international students to get
information on different opportunities – some of our students grade, some have worked in the
library, some have worked in the student centers on different campuses, etc. You also need to
report to the international student office if you are traveling out of the States on vacations.
International student advisor for political science students: Julie Hafeez, you can contact her
through email at jhafeez@gaiacenters.rutgers.edu
For F-1 and J-1 students who are registered for course or program credits:
Maintain a valid passport and a valid I-20 or DS-2019 at all times, and apply in a timely fashion
for any needed extensions of any of these documents
• Always meet the “full course of study” enrollment requirements of your program every semester
at Rutgers. If needing to register for fewer than 9 credits (or to drop to below 9 credits), obtain
approval from the Center prior to doing so. Request for such approval can be made by submitting
to the Center one of the following forms: Request for Authorization for Reduced Credit or
Reduced Course Load or Confirmation of Fewer Than 12 Credits. Both forms can be accessed and
printed from our website at: http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~cifss/studs-scholars/ssmain.htm. If the
reason meets regulatory exceptions to the full time requirement and complies with University
policies, the Center will approve the request. Regulations state that students who do not obtain
prior approval from a DSO (in the Center) before registering for or dropping below 9 credits are
automatically “out of status.”
Follow all applicable F-1 or J-1 regulatory procedures for transfer of schools
Follow all applicable F-1 or J-1 regulatory procedures for change of degree level
Report all U.S. address changes immediately, both to the University and to the INS!
Advise the Center in writing every time you will be out of the U.S. for more than 5 months (advise
the Center each semester this occurs)
Advise the Center when ending Rutgers’ F or J visa sponsorship permanently by completing and
submitting an “F-1/J-1 Notice of End of Rutgers’ Visa Sponsorship (to Request Rutgers’
Termination of SEVIS Reporting)” to inform the Center of the date and reason for your
termination of Rutgers’ visa sponsorship (required SEVIS information.) You MUST submit this
form regardless of the reason for leaving–whether it is that you graduated, withdrew, are taking a
leave of absence, or for ANY reason at all. You may access the form on our website at:
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~cifss/pdfs/end_RUvisa_spon_std.pdf
Seek and receive proper authorization from the Center or the INS for any on- or off-campus
employment prior to starting work
Register all accompanying dependents with the Center upon their arrival, and notify the Center of
all long-term (5 months or more) or permanent departures of dependent. Ensure that F-2 or J-2
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dependents do not undertake unauthorized employment of any kind, and ensure that you and your
F-2 or J-2 dependents have insurance coverage at all times
Read all “Notices to International Students” emailed to you by the Center–you are responsible for
knowing all information in these emails that specifically applies to your nonimmigrant status.
English as a Second (or third, fourth, fifth etc.) Language
Most of our international students are not native English speakers, and some need a little time to
get used to reading, writing and speaking entirely in a foreign language. Do not feel alone or
inadequate if you feel overwhelmed at first. Experience from more advanced students in our
department tells us that:
Things will get easier as your fluency and confidence increases.
Practicing conversational English outside of class will increase your confidence.
If you are having problems the ESL facilities that exist at Rutgers can help you, and the sooner you
get access to them the better. The Program in American Language Studies (PALS) runs many
classes for Rutgers students; visit their website at http://pals.rutgers/edu, or go to their office in
Tillet Hall 107, Livingston Campus, 53 Avenue E (Tel: 732-445-7422, e-mail
eslpals@rci.rutgers.edu). The university also runs academic writing classes; some of our students
have found these very helpful. The university now requires all future teaching assistants from
abroad to take an ESL assessment before they start teaching in order to diagnose their skills. This
diagnosis enables you to get access to targeted services that will improve your English skills. If
you want to take this diagnosis (whether you are registered to teach or not), ask Rick to arrange it.
Our students advise using the ESL services at Rutgers for help with writing rather than using the
campus writing centers. If you are having trouble with writing papers in English, it is best to turn
either to faculty or to professionally trained ESL specialists for help; it is unlikely that other
students in the department will be able to help you.
Succeeding in the Department
The academic environment in American universities may be different from that in your home
country. You are entering a big, busy university in a fast-paced and crowded part of the country;
you will have to be proactive to get faculty attention.
Do not wait for your professors to contact you; do not wait for them to offer to help you; do not
wait for them to ask about your research interests. Go and see them. Find out their office hours, email them to tell them you are coming, and make yourself known. In our experience, when
approached directly faculty members here are very helpful and supportive, but they will not notice
you unless you make yourself known. This may require that you act in a manner more aggressive
than would be appropriate in your home country – this is part of the culture shock you should have
been warned about!
Classroom interactions in the department may differ considerably from those at home. American
students disagree openly (and sometimes forcefully) with their professors, and often seminars are
run very informally, with students jumping in to discuss issues. This informal discussion format
tends to disadvantage international students, especially those with English as a second language,
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and in some cases has led to American students dominating class discussions even when they are
in the minority. Sometimes faculty will correct this problem, but sometimes they will not. You can
increase your own contribution to class discussions by sketching out some points you would like
to make beforehand, by contributing over e-mail, or by asking that you be called on if you raise
your hand. If you feel you are not being given an opportunity to talk, speak with the faculty
member. Often students are required to make a more formal presentation in class on a certain topic
or reading; if you rarely contribute to open class discussions, this forum is crucial for you. Prepare
for these presentations well; it is important that you make a good impression.
You will of course have many more questions as you progress through the program; shout loudly
until you get an answer.
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What on Earth is the PSGSA?
The Political Science Graduate Student Association (PSGSA) is the organization of the political
science graduate students at New Brunswick. It exists to foster collective, democratic action in
support of our interests as political science graduate students. Every graduate student in the
political science department of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick, is
automatically a member of the association.
The activities of the PSGSA are coordinated, administered and organized by the PSGSA officers.
The activities of the officers include: organizing subfield meetings and various social activities and
happy hours, being present at the faculty meetings, assigning student mentors to first year students,
helping organize academic/informative brown bag events, , and addressing the concerns of PSGSA
members approaching the officers. The officers have also called a series of General Meetings to
discuss and vote on these and other issues.
The PSGSA officers are elected in the first semester of every academic year. Any and all PSGSA
members are eligible to vote in the officer elections and to run for officer positions. To serve as an
officer is a wonderful opportunity to help support the interests of graduate students, to get to know
fellow students better, and to have a lot of fun. All incoming first year students are encouraged to
nominate themselves to run for the first year representative office, please contact one of the current
officers if you are interested.
PSGSA Officers 2014-2015
Cathy Wineinger - President Email: cnwineinger@gmail.com
Mary Nugent - Vice President Email: marynugent@gmail.com
Kyle Morgan - Treasurer Email: kjm225@scarletmail.rutgers.edu
Cassie King-Burgos – Communications Email: cassandra.king@rutgers.edu
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Surviving the Ph.d.: Hints for Navigating the Sometimes Stormy Seas of Graduate
Education in Political Science*
David B. Cohen, The University of Akron
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David B. Cohen is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Akron. His research
interests include executive politics, specifically White House staff and organization, and the formulation
and conduct of U.S. national security policy. His research on executive politics has been published in
American Politics Quarterly, Congress & the Presidency, Presidential Studies Quarterly, Southeastern
Political Review, and White House Studies. He can be reached at dbcohen@uakron.edu.
The scene is a familiar one: two graduate students, alike in most respects, but headed down divergent
paths. Both students entered the Ph.D. program in political science at the same time with similar
credentials and similar goals. While having coffee one day, the two reminisced about their graduate
experiences and their respective futures. Graduate Student X was lamenting that after four full years in the
Ph.D. program, he still hadn't reached the dissertation stage. Graduate Student Y, on the other hand, was in
very good spirits—she had finished the dissertation and secured the job of her choice. What distinguishes
these two very similar individuals who achieved very different results?
Graduate education can be very intimidating. Even those who have been in the system a while may find
the process unnerving. Often, students fail to see graduate school through to graduation. Many such
failures stem from students having unclear expectations and a lack of knowledge about how they can
enhance their prospects for a successful graduate career.
Graduate students, especially those in doctoral programs, must start almost immediately to wrestle with
certain issues that will impact their future careers. How will I make it through my course work? How will
I survive my comprehensive exams? What subfield would I like to eventually do research in? Whom
should I pick as a mentor? What topic should I select for my dissertation? Should I present my work at
conferences? How do I write, let alone build, a vita? These are questions that every graduate student
should confront and grapple with. How students address these questions can significantly influence the
career choices and paths they will face when (if) they graduate.
Stage One: Getting the Feet Wet without Drowning
First-Year Blues
The first year in any graduate program can be difficult both personally and professionally. Often in this
situation, the student has moved away from family, friends, and significant others and is cast into an
uncertain environment. Fellow graduate students and professors are strangers and the first few weeks can
be intimidating. Besides the personal tumult, the academic component can be even more unnerving.
Graduate work is different from undergraduate studies—expectations are higher, the workload is greater,
and the pressure can be enormous.
This whole phenomenon involving the first two semesters of graduate work could be termed the first-year
blues. It is just what it sounds like—a potentially discouraging but important initial stage of the graduate
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career. Courses usually are chosen for beginning students (frequently core classes and the one or two
methods/research design classes) and they may feel like nameless faces in the classroom. New students
must remember: it gets better and, they are not alone. If a student survives the first year blues, he or she
will often find that graduate school isn't such an awful place, that he or she can compete, and that
ultimately he or she can succeed. Students must also realize that most fellow graduate students are going
through the same process and are having similar negative feelings. The urge to drop out may be greatest at
this point—especially in the first semester when many students come to the realization, often incorrectly,
that they have made a terrible mistake.
Workload
One of the challenges students face in the first stage of a graduate program is the increased workload.
There is a sharp difference between undergraduate and graduate studies—courses are tougher and students
are expected to come to class prepared and ready to participate. Papers in graduate seminars are predicated
on solid social science research, not based on opinion. In essence, the bar has been raised and graduate
students must meet these higher demands.
A daunting task of graduate scholarship is the large workload for each class. If a student were to attempt to
read every word of every assignment in every course, there would not be enough hours in the day to
accomplish this task. Students must learn quickly to look for general themes, conflicts, etc., in assigned
readings in order to synthesize large bodies of research. Students must not lose the forest for the trees—
i.e., students should learn to grasp the general essence of a body of literature without memorizing every
reading it in its entirety. Once a student develops this skill, the workload isn't as overwhelming.
First Impressions Matter
The first year is also crucial because it is then that a graduate student fashions his or her reputation. I
cannot overstate how important it is to establish an excellent reputation from the beginning. Fortunately
for some, unfortunately for others, reputations can be hard to change once formed. It is up to the student to
make sure that the faculty and other graduate students see him or her in a positive light. The surest way to
do this is for the student to be prepared for class and willing to participate. Nothing deflates a professor's
opinion of a graduate student quicker than a student who appears unprepared and not serious about his or
her studies. Another way to accomplish this is to be punctual or even early in submitting assignments. A
student's punctuality demonstrates that, unlike many others, he or she is not a procrastinator. Finally, if a
student finds him or herself struggling in a particular class, the student should speak with the professor in
an effort to determine the problem. Most professors are open to this as it demonstrates that the student is
serious about his or her scholarship. However, the student should not expect special consideration because
of such discussions.
Networking with Peers
The first stage is important for one final reason: friendships made with fellow graduate students can enrich
both the student's personal and professional lives. Friends can, among other things, provide entertainment,
companionship, and emotional support. Graduate school can be a very lonely place and a close friend or
two can make a great difference. Friendships in graduate school do more than just enhance a student's
personal life—they can also provide a network that can pay dividends throughout graduate school and
beyond. First, graduate school friendships can provide students with a support system through which they
can help one another get through graduate coursework. This would include, among other things, meeting
for study sessions, providing input on seminar papers, and being a source for ideas. Also, peers can
provide emotional support and advice. After all, who knows more about the situation that a doctoral
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student is going through (e.g., money problems, family conflicts due to graduate school, politics within the
department) than another doctoral student in the same program? Finally, friendships made in graduate
school can last a lifetime, thus enhancing one's personal and professional lives. Peers can become a source
of intellectual stimulation and motivation for research—many coauthored books and journal articles are
spawned directly from friendships struck in graduate school.
Stage Two: Refining the Agenda
By the end of the first year, much has changed for the typical graduate student: individuals who were once
strangers are now friends; many students will have grown accustomed to the rigors of graduate study; and
some students will have a better grasp of the substantive issues that interest them. It is the second stage of
graduate school, however, that is arguably the most important. During this stage, students normally
identify their area of specialization, find a faculty mentor, and some become actively involved in
presenting their research at professional conferences.
Finding a Faculty Mentor
Establishing a strong relationship with a faculty mentor is one of the most important factors in
determining the success one achieves as a graduate student. Faculty members "know the ropes," so to
speak, and their guidance on research, and professional and personal matters, can be invaluable. Typically,
a faculty mentor is someone with research interests similar to those of the student. Thus, the mentor can be
an excellent source for ideas and can serve as an informed reviewer of the student's work (e.g., see
Andersen 2001; Benesh 2001; Farrar-Myers 2001).
Professionally, a faculty mentor is "connected." As such, the mentor can introduce students to top names
in the field and direct them to other academics who are pursuing similar research. Also, a mentor can help
prepare graduate students for conference participation—from submitting a strong paper proposal to
knowing what to expect at a panel presentation. Finally, a mentor can be a trusted source for guidance on
personal matters. While it is true that some mentors are more accessible than others, because they have
already been through the trials and tribulations of graduate school they will have likely encountered
situations similar to the student's (e.g., see Andersen 2001; May 2001).
Avoiding Departmental Politics: Duck Your Head and Stay Out of the Crossfire!
Academia is an ugly place at times. Regrettably, academic departments may suffer from office politics and
animosity between faculty members. Conflicts arise for a variety of reasons, from methodological
differences to personal jealousy (e.g., Ricci 1984). Some professors have large egos, jealously guard their
perquisites and turf, and can be petty. In some academic environments, faculty view graduate students,
especially Ph.D. students, as pawns in an ongoing departmental war. A good survival strategy for most
graduate students is to avoid getting involved in the conflict if at all possible. If a student maintains
collegial relations with most faculty members and other graduate students, he or she minimizes the risk
that personal animosities could derail graduation or job placement.
Unfortunately for some students, staying neutral is next to impossible and those students are eventually
forced to choose sides. Even in those situations, the student would be wise to avoid conflict as much as
possible—bad-mouthing other graduate students or faculty members is never a good strategy, as such
comments may get back to those individuals. When that happens, it is difficult to repair the damage. Also,
such scurrilous behavior runs counter to the profession's norms of civility and professionalism (e.g.,
AAUP 1987; APSA 1997). Thus students must be careful not to damage their own reputations by
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becoming involved in conflicts that do not concern them.
Making Your Coursework Count: Converting Seminar Papers into Conference Papers
An active professional conference-participation record can only help a graduate student stand out on the
job market (e.g., see Brintnall 1996; Dolan et al. 1997; Furlong and Furlong 1994).2 Though most
departments do not require graduate students to present research at academic conferences, those students
that do so can improve their job prospects (den Dulk 2001). By converting graduate seminar papers into
conference papers, a student can build a consistent and large record of conference presentations. Such a
process is relatively easy and requires little extra effort. Also, faculty will often help their students write
conference proposals and revise their papers.
Presenting papers at professional conferences can be an eye-opening experience for a graduate student.
Some realize that public speaking and the intellectual give-and-take that occurs at such events can be
stimulating and exciting. Conferences also afford students the opportunity to network with peers and
established academics in their fields (den Dulk 2001). Conferences also aid students in the transition from
"consumer of knowledge" to "producer of knowledge" (e.g., Ryan and Bruening 1994). The sooner a
student realizes that he or she has made this transition, the sooner he or she can capitalize on it. In the end,
the practical payoff of presenting conference papers is great and comes down to a very simple formula:
graduate seminar papers + revisions = conference papers + revisions + persistence = published papers =
decent job offers.
Professional conferences also have another benefit: self-confidence. It is very common for graduate
students to feel inferior to faculty and other graduate students, especially in the area of research. A positive
experience at a professional conference begins to chip away at this feeling of inferiority and often results
in the realization that after a number of years of graduate school, the student has acquired an impressive
base of knowledge and that he or she can "hold their own" with peers and faculty members alike. For
others, they realize that perhaps academia is not for them (or at least a research institution may not be for
them—see Harman 1991) and they make plans to seek employment outside academia. Either way, the
student has learned valuable information about him or herself and gained experience in a venue that the
student will operate in should he or she decide to pursue an academic career.
On a related note, political science graduate students have the opportunity to join professional associations
at a discount. Membership in such organizations as the American Political Science Association and its
various subsections, the Midwest Political Science Association, and the International Studies Association,
is valuable for graduate students. Not only does membership bring with it common material benefits such
as discounts on travel and car rentals, and a subscription to that organization's journal(s), it also provides
students with information necessary for keeping abreast of developments within the discipline.
Establishing an Area of Specialization
Though the student may not be ready to begin writing the dissertation, it is not too early to decide in which
subfield they will eventually write their dissertation (den Dulk 2001). By making such decisions early, the
student can begin to tailor classes and seminar papers to that broadly defined topic and thus can acquire
expertise in that area before the official dissertation process starts (Fox 2001).
Surviving Comprehensive Exams
Perhaps the biggest hurdle a doctoral student faces is the dreaded comprehensive exam. For some
students, there is no bigger worry than that of "comps." The notion that two to four years of time spent in
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graduate school could be wasted based on a poor comprehensive exam performance can be unbearable.
More than one graduate student has cracked under the pressure of an upcoming comprehensive exam. My
advice to the graduate student facing the comps is to study, try to relax, and, have confidence in yourself.
The latter suggestion may be the most important—a student who goes into the comprehensive exam
process without confidence wastes valuable time worrying and doubting his or her abilities, and will have
a harder time than a confident student. Students must remember that they must have been first-rate to get
into a Ph.D. program to begin with, and arriving at the comprehensive exam stage means that they have
already demonstrated competence in their coursework.
Stage Three: The Final Push
The Dissertation
At the beginning of the final stage of doctoral education it is imperative that the student begin thinking in
earnest about a dissertation topic (Andersen 2001; May 2001). Such a process is not easy for many
students. It is crucial to take this process seriously and not to leave the decision up to a faculty mentor
(e.g., see Useem 1997). The dissertation topic will impact the student's postgraduate career for years to
come (Andersen 2001).
It goes without saying that the doctoral student should pick a topic that he or she is interested in (e.g., see
Wuffle 1989). The dissertation is a beast that the student will grapple with for a long period of time, and if
the student is not excited about the project, the quality of the dissertation will likely suffer, thus increasing
the chances that the student will never finish his or her degree (den Dulk 2001; May 2001). On the other
hand, the student who chooses a topic that he or she is genuinely excited about will likely work harder,
finish faster, and be more enthusiastic about his or her first book-length manuscript. It goes without saying
that a better-written dissertation improves the odds that the dissertation will be published as a book or as a
series of articles at a later date (Fox 2001).
Publishing
At this stage students should also give serious thought and effort to getting some of those earlier
conference papers published (e.g., see Brintnall 1996; Dolan et al. 1997). In preparing manuscripts for
publication, comments from panel discussants should be taken seriously and incorporated into revisions.4
When writing the dissertation, the student should think in terms of presenting a few of the best chapters at
professional conferences. Such a process not only builds the student's vita, it allows the student to get
valuable feedback about the dissertation and thus improve the final product (den Dulk 2001; Wuffle 1989).
If any of the individual chapters are respectable, efforts at publishing them are well spent. Even papers
listed on the student's vita as "under review" show prospective employers that the student is serious about
publishing his or her research.
Conclusion
Some students easily adapt and acclimate to graduate education; for others, graduate school is simply not
the right choice. Also, political science departments differ from one another in terms of the rigor of their
academic programs, the status of their graduate students, and their internal subcultures. Thus, there is no
"one-size-fits-all" model. I have highlighted a few of the more important strategies that assure a greater
likelihood of success in graduate school. Taking this advice will not guarantee success; however, it will
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help students better navigate the sometimes stormy seas of graduate education in political science.
Notes
* The author would like to thank Blake Brunner, Jerrell Coggburn, and Cornelia Reed for their helpful
comments on this manuscript. Any errors or omissions, however, are the sole responsibility of the author.
1. In the event that the student has made a mistake in terms of the graduate program he or she picked, it is
not too late to start fresh in another program. Though a decision to change programs should be made
relatively quickly (by the end of the first year) such decisions should not be made rashly.
2. For web-based resources that aid students in pursuing a job in political science and other related
professions, see the APSA website .
3. Unfortunately, there is a high-rate of attrition at the ABD (all-but-dissertation) stage. Though many
students have struggled for years just to get to this point, for reasons such as burnout and lack of selfconfidence, many students choose to leave graduate school as an ABD (e.g., NSF 1998).
4. Be it for reasons that the discussant is commenting on topics outside of his or her area of expertise or
because the discussant has not read the paper with much care, panel discussants are occasionally "off the
mark" and in this instance, the student should feel free to disregard the discussant's advice. However,
discussant comments should be taken seriously even if those comments are highly critical of the paper.
Professional differences of opinion are inevitable—let the journal referees decide who is right.
References
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