TRUMBULL COLLEGE DEAN’S NOTES: September 5, 2023
Hi Trumbullians! Hope you had some time to relax over the long weekend and hope you’re staying cool during this stretch of hot weather (We went to Lighthouse Point Park yesterday and ran around in the splash pad!). I also hope you had some down time to look carefully at syllabi as you finalize your schedules. Remember that TODAY, Sept 5th at 5:00pm is the end of Add/Drop Period. More info on that below.
Add/Drop period is a particularly busy time for all of the RC Deans’ offices. Some of you have realized that popping into my open Zoom hours can be an efficient use of your time. If you haven’t already, please get into the habit of %20alice.kustenbauder@yale.edu">copying Alice on e-mails to me – thank you. Please also come by the office – Alice may know the answer to your question, and when I have a few minutes between meetings, she can try to squeeze you in for a quick meeting with me.
Wishing you all the best as we settle in for the term. Have a wonderful rest of the week!
Meeting with me
To make an appointment, please use the Calendly scheduling tool, https://calendly.com/dean_c. Please reach out to Alice with any scheduling issues. For in-person meetings, please come to the office. We’re right here in Trumbull G104, which you can access across from Entryway A or through Entryway G. Zoom meetings (including open Zoom office hours) will be through my Zoom page: https://yale.zoom.us/my/skchandhoke.
My OPEN ZOOM office hours for each week are listed on the top of my Calendly page. When you click on the Zoom link, you will be placed into a waiting room. I will speak to students (one-on-one) in the order they “arrive”. My upcoming open hours are on FRIDAY Sept 10th (10am-noon).
Please note that I teach on Wednesday mornings during the fall term.
ACADEMICS
Important Notes on Course Enrollment
The University Registrar’s Office has a helpful website devoted to course registration, at registration.yale.edu. The “FAQs” and “Important Dates” are particularly useful! There are even video tutorials for using your registration worksheet!
During the Add/Drop period, you may add courses (if the course is open or you have permission to enroll) and drop courses within Yale Course Search without a fee. The Add/Drop period ends at 5pm TODAY, Tuesday Sep 5th - the courses listed on your registration worksheet at that time will constitute your fall course schedule.
Note: Canvas Worksheets and Registration worksheets are different! The Canvas worksheet – while useful for planning purposes – does not enroll you in courses. It only allows you to see the announcements and assignments of those courses during the Drop/Add period. To enroll in a course, you must include it on your registration worksheet. Read more in the Registrar’s FAQ on distinguishing the two worksheets.
Overloads, Overlaps, Professional School Courses, and Other Petitions
A schedule of 3.0 course credits or a schedule of 6.0 or 6.5 course credits needs Dean Chandhoke’s permission before the end of Add/Drop period (TODAY, September 5th). To request an overload or underload, make an appointment as soon as possible. Request for an overload also require you to complete the Petition for Credit Overload (Yale College) form.
Course Overlap Information:
To enroll in two overlapping courses, you must petition the Committee on Honors and Academic Standing through my office. The rules governing overlaps depend on the type of courses that overlap: namely, whether they are “asynchronous” or “synchronous.” Please see below for details. But regardless of the type of course, it is always the case that:
*petitions to my office are due by the end of Add/Drop period TODAY;
*no more than two courses may overlap;
*the express permission of both instructors is necessary, but not itself sufficient, for approval; and
*the two final exam times, as given in Yale Course Search, may not overlap.
Synchronous/Asynchronous Overlaps
Every course must have an in-person synchronous component, such as a lecture, section, or lab. An asynchronous course (as below) refers to a course approved to have a period that does not require in-person meeting at the same time; a synchronous course refers to a fully synchronous course.
(a) Two synchronous courses may have a small and insignificant overlap in meeting times (i.e., no more than 15 minutes once per week, including travel times), with permission from the instructors of both courses, via petition to the residential college dean, so long as the final exams do not overlap.
(b) One asynchronous course may overlap with one synchronous course, including for the full class meeting time, with the permission of both instructors, via petition to the residential college dean, so long as the final exams do not overlap.
(c) Two asynchronous courses may overlap with each other, including for the full class meeting time, with the permission of both instructors, via petition to the residential college dean, so long as the final exams do not overlap.
To petition, here’s what you need to do:
1. Confirm that the final exams for the two courses are offered at different times.
2. Explain how enrollment in the two courses is possible, despite the conflict in published meeting times (refer to the information above).
3. Secure both instructors’ explicit (written) permission to take the two overlapping courses
4. Fill out the Petition for Overlap Online Form with all of the relevant information, including the instructors’ permissions. Do not just email me the details.
Professional School Courses: A schedule with a course in a professional school requires an additional form for each course: the Request to Enroll in a Professional School Course (Blue Form) is due no later than September 20th. Some Professional Schools (like SOM) may require their own form as well.
Only four professional school credits can be offered toward the 36 credit requirement; however, students may enroll in more than four credits understanding that all courses will remain on the academic record and be included in the GPA even if not offered toward the 36 credit requirement.
Courses at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and courses at a Professional School cannot elect the CR/D/Fail option.
Credit for these courses on your transcript: When you put a Professional School course on your schedule, zero (0) course credits are recorded for the course until you submit your completed Blue Form and the Registrar’s Office determines the course credits for that course after that. Some courses earn 1 course credit in Yale College and some earn 0.5 course credits (most commonly in SOM and EPH). Some do not earn credit.
Independent Studies: (Directed Reading, Directed Research, etc. as listed by most departments). There are limits on the number that a student can enroll in during a given year and over four years. Enrolling in an independent study requires the additional permission of a Director of Undergraduate Studies. See the YCPS for details: http://catalog.yale.edu/ycps/academic-regulations/course-credits-course-loads/ Such courses may not be used to fulfill any distributional requirements. Independent study courses, other than senior projects and certain other courses designated for A-F grading by the department offering the course, are graded Pass/Fail. Students cannot petition for a conversion from P/F to A-F; only the department or program offering the course may do so.
Double credit: If you are interested in petitioning to earn double credit in a single-credit course, please read the relevant section in the YCPS, and then consult with me. The deadline to submit this petition is Midterm, but I recommend that you do so well before that date.
Yale Degree Audit: Yale Degree Audit (YDA) is a tool that tracks your progress toward the bachelor’s degree. You can access Degree Audit through Yale Hub. Degree Audit displays the Yale College degree requirements that you have already completed and those that are still pending. A “Look Ahead” feature shows you how future course enrollment might apply toward your degree. If you believe that academic information in your degree audit is incorrect, contact our office.
A list of Sc courses without prerequisites may be found at http://science.yalecollege.yale.edu/academics/faculty-resources/science-courses-without-prerequisite.
A list of QR courses without prerequisites may be found at http://science.yalecollege.yale.edu/academics/courses/qr-courses/qr-courses-without-prerequisite.
September 5 Add/Drop period ends, 5pm
September 5 All students planning to complete degree requirements at the end of the fall term must file a petition by this date
September 13 Final deadline to apply for fall-term Leave of Absence
September 13 Withdrawal from Yale College on or before this date entitles a student to a full rebate of fall-term tuition. See Undergraduate Regulations
September 20 Deadline course Request to Enroll in a Professional School Course (Blue Form)
September 21 Last day to withdraw from a course offered in the first half of the fall term without the course appearing on the transcript.
FIRST-YEARS
First-Year Distributional Requirements: At the end of your first year (after two terms of enrollment) the student’s record must record enrollment in at least one course credit in two of the three skills categories (WR, QR, and foreign language). For a course with two distributional designations, only one or the other designation can be counted toward the distributional requirements; in other words, no double dipping. A course may, however, count toward both the requirements for a major and for a distributional requirement.
SOPHOMORES
Sophomore Year Distributional Requirement: At the end of the sophomore year (after four terms of enrollment) the student’s record must record enrollment in at least one course credit in each disciplinary area (Hu, Sc, and So) and at least one course credit in each skills category (WR, QR, and foreign language). For a course with two distributional designations, only one or the other designation can be counted toward the distributional requirements; in other words, no double dipping. A course may, however, count toward both the requirements for a major and for a distributional requirement.
JUNIORS
Junior Year Distributional Requirement: At the end of the junior year (after 6 terms of enrollment) a student’s record must show successful completion of all skills requirements: two course credits in QR, two course credits in WR, and foreign language). A course completed CR cannot count toward a distribution requirement. For a course with two distributional designations, only one or the other designation can be counted toward the distributional requirements; in other words, no double dipping. A course may, however, count toward both the requirements for a major and for a distributional requirement.
SENIORS
Distributional Requirement for the degree: Successful completion of two course credits each in WR, QR, Hu, So, and Sc and completion of the foreign language requirement. A course completed CR cannot count toward a distribution requirement. For a course with two distributional designations, only one or the other designation can be counted toward the distributional requirements; in other words, no double dipping. A course may, however, count toward both the requirements for a major and for a distributional requirement.
Please also note that, Tuesday, September 5, is the deadline to file a petition for students planning to complete their degree requirements by the end of the fall term.
TUTORING
Advising Resources: http://advising.yalecollege.yale.edu
Sc/QR Tutoring: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/stem-tutoring-programs/small-group-and-1-1-tutoring
Language Tutoring: http://cls.yale.edu/foreign-language-tutoring
Writing Center/Tutors/Partners: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/undergraduate-writing-and-tutoring; https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/writing-center
Trumbull Writing Tutor: Adam Reid Sexton is the Trumbull College Writing Tutor. Adam teaches three courses in the English department (The Craft of Fiction, Reading and Writing the Modern Essay, and Writing About Music) and is a Critic in the graduate School of Art. During summer 2022 he taught Writing About Music for Yale in London. Adam is also a writer; his next book, Difficult Listening, is due to be published soon.
To meet with Adam, please reserve a half-hour by logging on to https://www.yalewco.com/index.php, and be sure to email him the document you want help with by 7:00 a.m. on the day of your appointment. Include the instructor’s prompt, your focus for the meeting, and when the paper is due. Adam looks forward to working with you!
Yale Academic Strategies Program/Office of Educational Opportunity
https://yaleconnect.yale.edu/PoorvuAcademicStrategies/club_signup
https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/academic-strategies-program
Our mission is to help all Yale undergraduate be active, empowered learners at Yale. Though peer academic mentoring, interactive workshops, and connections to resources, we hope to provide you with the tools that can propel you towards your goals.
Essentials for First Years. This 5-week series showcases the 5 workshops that students find most impactful for getting a good start to academic work at Yale. Four workshop times available each week! Students can register for 1 or for all 5. Click on the links below to register for one of this week’s Organize Your Time workshop for time management and creating a weekly schedule:
Tuesday, Sept. 5, 4-5 pm, Poorvu CTL 120A
Wednesday, Sept. 6, 4-5 pm, Poorvu CTL 120A
Thursday, Sept. 7, 2:30-3:30 pm, Poorvu CTL 120A
Friday, Sept. 8, 1-2 pm, Poorvu CTL 120B
STEM Navigators. Want to learn the best practices for succeeding in introductory STEM Courses? Join STEM Navigators, a mentoring network that provides you with information, events, and support to guide you through these crucial first courses. Sign up via this link: STEM Navigators sign up
ASP/Community Initiative Peer Groups for Sophomores. A partnership between the FGLI Community Initiative and Academic Strategies, this program places first-generation/low-income (FGLI) students in small peer groups led by an FGLI-identifying junior or senior peer mentor. Students can talk through their experiences navigating Yale and receive in-depth information and support about important Yale resources and opportunities.
Sign up for an FGLI Sophomore Peer Group.Our First Year FGLI Peer Groups sign-up deadline was Sept. 1; if you missed our invitation email or other advertising and would still like to join a first-year group, email Nancy Sanchez, our Graduate Lead Mentor for our First-Year FGLI Peer Groups: nancy.sanchez@yale.edu.
Disability Peer Mentorship Program. This program matches students with disabilities with peer mentors who have similar experiences navigating academic life at Yale for individual mentoring. Students can request a mentor via this form: Disability Peer Mentor Request. First-year students can also request mentorship and guidance about Student Accessibility Resources through the SAS Peer Liaison Program.
Meet with our Learning Specialist. Have a learning difference or other condition that affects how you accomplish your academic work? We can talk with you about new approaches for meeting Yale’s academic challenges. Contact Karin Gosselink (karin.gosselink@yale.edu) for an appointment.
For First Years: College Transition Videos. Did you know that diving into your syllabi can help you succeed in your classes? What to learn the keys to performing well on p-sets? Learn about these topics and more through our college transition videos: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/academic-strategies/first-years-workshops-videos-events.
Individual Mentoring. Get organized for the semester by meeting with an Academic Strategies Mentor. Mentors will help you develop a weekly study routine, offer strategies for approaching complicated readings and p-sets, and help you develop a plan for prepping for those first exams. Our online mentoring schedule goes live Monday, Sept. 18. If you’d like to schedule a meeting before then, please email us at academicstrategies@yale.edu.
Workshops. Our famous workshop sessions are available in person and online! Register via the YaleConnect links below. FYI: Poorvu CTL M104A is upstairs from the York Street Entrance to Sterling Memorial Library. Poorvu CTL 120 A, B, C, and 121 are the classrooms on the first floor. Questions? Contact us at academicstrategies@yale.edu.
STEM Navigators Ice Cream Kickoff. Come meet other STEM-interested students, eat ice cream, and learn more about our STEM Navigator events for the semester.
Tuesday, Sept. 5, 5-6 pm, Cross Campus
Optimize Your Reading. Learn how to preview a text, effectively interact with the text while reading, and review your reading for class, essay, or exam preparation
Tuesday, Sept. 5, 7-8 pm, Poorvu CTL M104A
Organize Your Time! In this interactive session, students will create a weekly routine to help them manage their time and get their academic work done.
Tuesday, Sept. 5, 8-9 pm, Online
Fresh Start. Want to refresh your approaches to your academic work? Our mentors will lead you through a series of activities to help you identify your current strengths and develop new strategies for meeting the new challenges presented by your current semester’s courses
Wednesday, Sept. 6, 4-5 pm, Poorvu CTL M104A
Getting the Most Out of Your Language Classes. Learn the daily habits and mindsets that can help you succeed in learning a language at Yale
Wednesday, Sept. 6, 7-8 pm, Poorvu CTL M104A
Managing a Heavy Reading Load. Feeling overwhelmed by piles of reading? Learn some essential strategies to make the most of your limited reading time. Have less stress and create more free time!
Wednesday, Sept. 6, 8-9 pm, Online
STEM Navigators: How to Succeed in Intro CS. Are you taking CS50, or other intro CS courses? Want to know how to do well in CS at Yale? Come hear from students who have taken & succeeded in these courses and their major! They will share their insights on how you can tackle the courses when it comes to p-sets, exams, and more.
Thursday, Sept. 7, 4-5 pm, Poorvu CTL 121
Planning for Your Senior Thesis. Learn how to plan your writing and research, and how to access support resources for your senior thesis. For full-year and 1-semester senior thesis writers.
Thursday, Sept. 7, 4-5 pm, Poorvu CTL M104A
Pathways for First Years. What do you really want to get out of your first year? This interactive workshop helps students identify goals and sources of satisfaction while avoiding common first year pitfalls
Thursday, Sept. 7, 7-8 pm, Poorvu CTL M104A
Strategies for Intro Math. Learn strategies for efficiently working on intro math problem sets and key strategies for studying for exams.
Thursday, Sept. 7, 7-8 pm, Poorvu CTL 120B
Getting the Most Out of Your Seminars & Lectures. Learn preparation, participation, note-taking, and review strategies to help you succeed in these two very different learning environments
Thursday, Sept. 7, 8-9 pm, Online
OTHER
Take it Easy Tuesday: Tuesday September 5th from 2-4pm at the Good Life Center in Schwarzman.
Take it Easy Tuesdays is a monthly series hosted by YC3 for students to take a break and engage in artistic activities. While focusing on the importance of rest, this program aims to create a culture of wellness in an environment where all students can feel as open, expressive, and creative as they would like to be. Stop anytime today between 2–4pm & grab a snack!
Apply to be a Yale World Fellow Student Liaison! Are you passionate about global leadership, cross-cultural exchange, and shaping the future of our world? Here’s your chance to make a meaningful impact as a Student Liaison to a 2023 Yale World Fellow! As a Student Liaison, you’ll help facilitate and maximize the contribution that World Fellows make to Yale. Your role will involve:
*Organizing and promoting conversations on key global issues
*Enabling networking opportunities for your peers
*Collaborating on exciting initiatives
In return, you will have the opportunity to be mentored by a World Fellow, benefiting from their unique experiences and perspectives, as well as potential internships and work experience. Join us in shaping a more connected, informed, and empowered global community.
The World Fellows Student Liaison program is open to all Yale College students who are actively enrolled in the Fall 2023 semester. Applications are due Wednesday, September 6, 11:59pm. More information and application at http://worldfellows.yale.edu/liaison
Wellness Wednesday: Wednesday September 6th 1-3pm, at the Good Life Center in Schwarzman.
Join YC3 for Wellness Wednesday! This month we are focusing on setting goals and time management skills. We will explain the science behind this topic and give you ways to incorporate it into your day-to-day life. Stop by anytime between 1-3pm & grab a snack and free giveaways!
Introduction to Mindfulness: Tuesday September 12th 1pm-2pm, at the Good Life Center in Schwarzman.
Have you ever tried mindfulness meditation? Would you like to cultivate your practice over the course of 4 weeks? The Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults MIEA (previously Koru) is an evidence-based four-session course designed to help you build the habit of meditation. Research shows that MIEA reduces stress, improves sleep, and boosts self-compassion with 10 minutes of daily practice.
*Class meets once weekly for 1 hour. You must be able to attend all four classes to enroll.* Please click here to register.
Apply to YMUN Taiwan! We organize a beginner-focused Model UN conference for high school students in Taipei. (You get a free trip to Taiwan over spring break!)
Come to our info session on Friday, September 8th at 8 PM (WLH 119) or check out our website (ymunt.org) for more information. Applications are due September 20th and can be accessed at bit.ly/applyymunt.
Please contact secgen@ymunt.org if you have any questions!
From the Yale Library
Let’s Find Books for Class | Online Learn how to optimize Quicksearch to find books (including e-books and audiobooks). Bring your course syllabus and save a trip to the bookstore!
Monday, September 11, noon | Register: https://schedule.yale.edu/event/11173563
First Steps with Zotero | Online Join us for 30 minutes to learn about Zotero, free software to help you manage your research, take notes, and create a bibliography.
Friday, September 8, noon | Register: https://schedule.yale.edu/event/11173525
Tuesday, September 12, noon | Register: https://schedule.yale.edu/event/11154498
Students who attend 3 library workshops this semester will receive a FREE Yale Library tote bag! Learn more: https://guides.library.yale.edu/WorkshopIncentiveProgram