Trainee Support Resources

General Resources

Students having academic difficulties

Tutoring

• Tracy Pezzimenti, Registrar and Director of Student Services, 585-275-7288
• Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) learning assistance

Academic writing support

• Elaine Smolock, Life Sciences Writing Specialist, 585-276-7436

Bias-related concern: incident motivated by age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation of the targeted person or group

• CARE Network

Community concern: a concern that impacts the UR community, such as a humanitarian concern

• CARE Network

Concerns that a faculty member is mistreating or unfairly treating a trainee.

• Discuss concerns with the faculty member’s Department Chair
• Discuss concerns with academic leadership
  • Rick Libby, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education, 585-275-0906
  • Stephen Dewhurst, Vice Dean for Research, 585-275-3216
  • Linda Chaudron, Associate Vice President and Senior Associate Dean for Inclusion and Culture Development, 585-276-7652
  • Jeffrey Lyness, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, 585-275-3030
  • Vivian Lewis, Deputy to the President and Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity, 585-273-2760

• Discuss concerns with Human Resources
  • HR Business Partner (HRBP) for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs - Charmaine Pionilla,  585-276-3554
  • Discuss with the HRBP for the faculty member’s department: list of HR Business Partners by department
  • Discuss with your own department’s HRBP

Concerns that a staff member is mistreating or unfairly treating a trainee.

• Discuss concerns with the staff member’s Department Chair
• Discuss concerns with academic leadership
  • Rick Libby, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education, 585-275-0906
  • Linda Chaudron, Associate Vice President and Senior Associate Dean for Inclusion and Culture Development, 585-276-7652
  • Stephen Dewhurst, Vice Dean for Research, 585-275-3216
• Discuss concerns with Human Resources
  • HR Business Partner (HRBP) for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs - Charmaine Pionilla,  585-276-3554
  • Discuss with the HRBP for the staff member’s department: list of HR Business Partners by department
  • Discuss with your own department’s HRBP

Concerns that another trainee is mistreating or unfairly treating a trainee.

• Discuss concerns with the trainee’s Program Director and/or Department Chair
• Discuss concerns with academic leadership
  • Rick Libby, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education, 585-275-0906
  • Linda Chaudron, Associate Vice President and Senior Associate Dean for Inclusion and Culture Development, 585-276-7652
  • Stephen Dewhurst, Vice Dean for Research, 585-275-3216

Intercessor

Individuals who feel that they have been treated unfairly, inequitably, improperly, or in a biased manner may seek help from the Intercessors. Intercessors employ an informal process aimed at restoring the relationship among the individuals, mediating differences, resolving problems, and rebuilding trust.

• UR Intercessor
  • Lynnett Van Slyke, 585-275-9125
  • Frederick Jefferson, 585-273-5664

Sexual Harassment (Title IX) and Sexual Violence Prevention

• Report an incident
• SMD Title IX Officer: Linda Chaudron, 585-276-7652
• UR Title IX Officer: Morgan Levy, 585-275-7814
• Public Safety Sexual Violence Prevention and Resources

Harassment and discrimination

• Policy 106 includes contact information

Health care concerns

• University Health Service (UHS) (participating students only)
• Postdocs and non-participating students must seek care from their individual health care provider

Mental health counseling

• University Counseling Center (UCC) (participating students only)
• Postdocs and non-participating students must seek care from their individual health care provider

Immediate incident response or to report criminal or suspicious activity (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

• Public Safety, 585-273-3333

International trainee matters

• International Services Office: contact person depends on the trainee’s visa

Peer support

• Graduate Student Society (GSS)
  • President, Sydney Simpson Sydney_simpson@urmc.rochester.edu
• Postdoctoral Association (PDA)
  • SMD Co-Chair, Anthony Franchini, anthony_franchini@urmc.rochester.edu

Career services

• Eric Vaughn, Life Sciences Career Coach, 585-273-1629

Ombudspersons

• The ombudspersons are faculty members who can provide confidential, neutral, independent, and informal advice to help trainees address their concerns.

Student-Specific Resources

• Individual student in distress - CARE Network

Academic and administrative policies for students

• Rick Libby, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education, 585-275-0906
• Tracy Pezzimenti, Registrar and Director of Student Services, 585-275-7288
• Sharon McCullough, Director of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs, 585-273-1619

Grade-related or other grievance for students

• Grievance Procedure

Postdoc-Specific Resources

Individual postdoc in distress

• Refer to Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Refer to their individual health care provider
• UR Medicine - Crisis Call Line - for postdocs coping with issues related to a mental illness, for example, a panic or anxiety attack
• Monroe Mobile Crises Team - a mobile psychiatric emergency team for postdocs and families who are experiencing a crisis in mental health

Academic and administrative policies for postdocs

• Rick Libby, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education, 585-275-0906
• Sharon McCullough, Director of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs, 585-273-1619

Resolution of disagreements

• Postdoctoral Appointment Policy – see “Resolution of Disagreements”

Unpaid Academic Interns/Shadows Specific Resources

Academic and administrative policies for unpaid academic interns and shadows

• Sharon McCullough, Special Project Manager for SMD Finance and Administration, 585-273-1619