Graduate school is challenging in many respects, and it is not unusual that graduate students will encounter problems besides those expected in pursuit of your academic and scientific goals. These can, for example, arise in personal and professional relationships, from academic or financial matters, or interruptions to your progress due to external factors. The Department of Chemistry and the University offer resources that can help guide you through challenges both big and small in your personal and professional life. This page will guide you through your options for dealing with different cases.
Network of Support
With all problems, remember that it is helpful to discuss the situation with someone you trust. Your support network of friends and family that care are a great sounding board and the first place to begin discussing your concerns; they can help crystallize an issue and offer clarity in emotionally stressing situations. Students and postdocs understand some of the challenges at work and can offer useful advice or solidarity for your situation. Your faculty advisor understands the people and workings of your department, the University, and professional activities. They often have advice for dealing with issues that arise in these areas, or can often refer you to other resources that will serve you well.
Department Ombudspersons
The Department's main resource for dealing with problems of a personal or professional matter is the Department Ombudspersons, a confidential, independent, impartial and informal resource, that can help you constructively address concerns or conflicts, identify resources, and explore options for resolution. The team consists of student and faculty ombudspersons and the Director of Graduate Studies, which can meet with you one-on-one to discuss problems of all sorts. The graduate student ombudspersons are trained in conflict mediation to help you work through your issue, and are available by email and through weekly office hours. Faculty ombudspersons can help with advisor, research group, and department issues that seem thorny, and the Director of Graduate Studies has lots of experience and has dealt with most any situation graduate students encounter.
Additionally, the Department Chair can be an ally in a difficult situation and help address complicated issues involving the Department community. The DoGSIs (Directors of Graduate Student Initiatives) represent the graduate students to the department administration on matters of policy and faculty conduct. Also, several peer groups run by graduate students, such as Women in Chemistry (WiC) and the Graduate Recruitment Initiative Team (GRIT) are well positioned to offer advice related to their mission.
Outside the Department
If you feel uncomfortable raising issues within the Department or external advice seems appropriate, the PSD Dean of Students can assist with all student affairs. This office is there to support students, and governs the personal and academic matters for graduate students within the Division.
Students may also avail themselves of the Office of the Student Ombudsperson to resolve a concern.
Dealing with Conflict in the Research Group
Most Chemistry graduate students spend the vast majority of their graduate school life in close quarters and collaborating with their research group. Even in the healthiest and well-managed work places, challenges and conflicts among co-workers can arise, and these should be dealt with constructively in order to maintain a respectful, professional, and safe work environment. We hope that most of such matters can be handled within the research group, however, it can happen that you feel that such problems are not being effectively addressed by communicating with other lab members or the faculty member in charge. Under most circumstances, the Ombuds Team is well positioned to help you deal with the situation, primarily as a sounding board to discuss possible paths forward and advice on de-escalating conflict.
The Department of Chemistry ethical and civic values promote dignity and professionalism in our personal interactions, health and safety of all members of our community, integrity in our actions, and a diverse an inclusive environment. These principles are to be expected of work within any departmental research group, and actions that are counter to these values are not allowed. The faculty research advisor to the lab bears the primary responsibility to uphold these principles in their group, and if you as a lab member feels that your advisor is not properly responsive to your concerns, faculty ombudspersons are the first resource you can address with these concerns. They can play a silent and confidential role, provide mentoring advice to the faculty, or act as a mediator depending on your needs and wishes. Based on the severity of the situation or the advice of the ombudspersons, you may wish to elevate this concern to the Chair or the Dean of Students.
More serious circumstances are those where you feel that your health and safety is at risk in your research group, or if you are subject to any form of harassment or discrimination. Here also, the Faculty Ombudspersons are available to help diagnose and mediate the problems, but it is advised that you take these matters directly to the Chair or the Dean of Students.
Research group conflicts cover a spectrum from mild to serious to illegal behaviors, and in most cases there is no fixed approach to dealing with them. The Department of Chemistry provides a range of resources which each have a particular scope of maximum effectiveness. Challenges in working and personal relationships involving all members of the department are well suited for discussion with all members of the Ombuds Team, and the Chair or Dean of Students should be involved for serious and egregious matters. However, all of these resources are available to address conflicts that you find yourself in.
Grievance Procedures for Academic Matters
With regard to academic matters, the Department of Chemistry adheres to the Physical Sciences Division Grievance Procedures.
From time to time questions or complaints about an academic matter may arise that need to be resolved. Academic matters include but are not limited to such matters as course grades, teaching assignments, publication rights, timely feedback on academic work, and application of policies and practices. Questions may be addressed to a course instructor, the student's academic advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies, or the Chair. If you are not sure who to talk with, the Director of Graduate Studies can help determine whom to talk with.
Hopefully your questions can be resolved informally without additional steps being necessary. In other cases, following from this initial conversation, you may feel that you have a grievance: a real or perceived wrong or other cause for complaint or protest, especially unfair treatment. Students with a grievance may bring it to the attention of the Director of Graduate Studies, a faculty ombudsperson, the Associate Chair, or the Chair. After proper consideration, this official will meet with the student to discuss their assessment with the student and follow up in writing.
Should the matter remain unresolved, the student may bring the grievance to the attention of the PSD Dean of Students. The student should submit the grievance, the written response to the grievance, and an articulation of why the matter is still unresolved in writing to the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students will review the written materials, may ask the student for clarification, may consult with the official who initially responded to the grievance and/or the chair or program director and the academic dean, and will make a final determination. The Dean of Students will discuss the outcome of the review in person with the student and follow up in writing.
With regard to graduate program requirements, if a Chemistry graduate student believes that they are not in good standing due to unfair treatment or extenuating circumstances, the student can petition the faculty. Petitions to the faculty should be submitted in writing to the Director of Graduate Studies, and the petition will be heard in a faculty meeting if allowed by the Chair. It is advised that the student discuss the petition with the Director of Graduate Studies prior to submitting a petition.
Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct
Complaints about sexual harassment and misconduct and unlawful discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law are addressed under the University's Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct.
The Department of Chemistry is committed to providing its faculty, staff, postdocs, and students an academic and professional environment free from harassment. This opportunity can exist only when each member of our department is assured of an atmosphere of mutual respect and civility. Harassment violates the dignity of individuals and impedes the department’s educational and research mission. Complaints will be dealt with promptly to stop the harassment, inappropriate and unprofessional behavior whenever or wherever it occurs.
If you feel that you have been a target of harassment or discrimination by a member of the Chemistry community, please inform the Chair or a member of the Ombuds Team. In the case of sexual misconduct, be aware that faculty are mandatory reporters of harassment.
For more information on sexual harassment, see the Office for Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Support.
To report an incident of Harassment, Discrimination, or Sexual Misconduct to the University, go to Get Help.
Health and Wellness
Are you concerned for your physical or mental health, or for one of your peers? See the Health and Wellness page for options and reporting regarding medical care, laboratory accidents, or mental health. More resources are available at Urgent Health Care: https://wellness.uchicago.edu/get-help-now/.
Emergency Financial Assistance
If you have an urgent problem that requires an expenditure you cannot afford, there are two options available to Chemistry graduate students:
Helen L. and Charles Friedman Personal Needs Fund. This fund was established so that the Department could assist graduate students with a special need or in an emergency. Grants are typically made as an interest free loan. Inquiries can be sent to Vera Dragisich or the Student Ombudspersons.
University Emergency Assistance Program. The UChicago Bursars Office (https://bursar.uchicago.edu/emergency-assistance-programs/) can provide short-term loans up to $1,500 which are expected to be repaid within 60 days.