Graduate Student Organization - Stony Brook

Contributions and Public Service:

Orientation

The GSO contributes to the Graduate School’s New Graduate Student Orientations.

Residential Support

Resident Associations of on-campus graduate housing recognized by the SBU Student Union and Activities Department are eligible to receive funding. Receipt of these funds is contingent upon an official representative of the Resident Association serving as a committee member of the GSO Housing Committee. For more information on this committee, click here [Link to page].

Campus Life Awards

These awards are given annually to outstanding students, faculty/staff, and on-campus organizations in recognition of their accomplishments and services to the campus community. GSO provides funding for GSO Service Awards and support of the ceremony.

Legal Clinic

The GSO provides graduate students access to free legal consultation. Graduate students are encouraged to seek consultation related to traffic violations, landlord-tenant issues, matrimonial (divorce) and family law questions, or any other legal issue with which they may require assistance. Legal counsel will not be provided to any Stony Brook graduate student seeking advice regarding a conflict with another Stony Brook graduate student.
The GSO Legal Clinic is held every other Wednesday in the GSO office (Student Activities Center Room 227) from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Sept. 29 and Nov. 18 are, however, at a different time, running from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. In addition, the Legal Clinic during the first week of November will take place on Thursday, 11/5, rather than 11/4.
To request an appointment, please send your name, department, and preferred meeting time (between 5:30 - 8:30 pm, or 6:00 – 9:00 pm on 9/29 and 11/18) to: sbgrad.legalclinic@gmail.com

Tax Clinic

GSO provides free one-on-one tax and financial counseling services throughout the tax season, Jan. – Apr. The accountant will prepare and file your income taxes for a reduced fee right on campus.

Grants

Individuals and groups can apply for funding with a Miscellaneous Grants Funding Proposal, available in the GSO office and online, including as well an itemized budget for the grant; sources of external funding; specific costs that GSO funding will cover; and any other requested documentation. 

Resource Access Project (RAP)

This program aims to aid graduate students by providing financial assistance in the form of travel grants. Specifically, RAP provides up to $275 for graduate students to travel to present professional work related to their particular academic discipline at a conference or a performance.

In order to receive RAP your department must have an active senator. The RAP applicant must fill out the RAP application found on the “Forms” section of this website, provide evidence of presenting at a conference or performance, and original receipts.

GSELF Student Loans

This fund was established by the Graduate Student Organization to provide short-term loans to graduate students who are in need of money on an emergency basis, and who do not have alternative means of obtaining a loan. Find out more...

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

About EAP (PDF)
Add yourself to our listserve for news about upcoming workshops, etc.
Visit the EAP website for information on all EAP services.

Survival Guide

The Survival Guide is sponsored by the Graduate Student Organization and it is written by graduate students of Stony Brook University. The goal is to share the knowledge and experience we gained during our years here to make your life easier.

• 2008-2009 GSO Survival Guide
• 2006-2007 GSO Survival Guide
• 2005-2006 GSO Survival Guide
• 2004-2005 GSO Survival Guide
• 2003-2004 GSO Survival Guide

Program Funding:

Student Clubs and Organizations

Student clubs and organizations recognized by the Office of Student Activities and GSO are eligible for funding. To be considered for GSO recognition, 50% of the club’s members and executive council must be graduate students. Groups interested in funding can complete a Student Clubs and Organizations Funding Request Proposal, available in the GSO office and online.

Clubs with less than 50 students are eligible for a $200 allocation; clubs which have between 50 and 199 members are eligible for a $350 allocation; and clubs with more than 200 members are eligible for a $500 allocation.

Clubs currently receiving funding:

• Freewheel Bicycle Collective:
  The Freewheel Bicycle Collective collects and repairs abandoned bicycles and runs a bicycle repair shop on campus.
• WUSB 90.1:
  Staffed and programmed solely by volunteers from the university and community, WUSB 90.1 is Long Island’s largest non-commercial, free-form community radio station. The station has a range of approximately 120 miles, is heard on 2 worldwide Internet streams, and is podcasted on the University podcast server.
• Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Corps (SBVAC):
  SBVAC is a New York State Certified Ambulance Corporation that primarily serves Stony Brook University. SBVAC is certified by Suffolk County to perform emergency response care up to an Advanced Life Support level and is staffed by approximately 80 volunteers and 3 operational ambulances. Volunteer opportunities and community outreach programs are available to GSO members.
• Stony Brook Child Care Services:
  Stony Brook Child Care Services provides day care for pre-school children and toddlers of graduate students. It charges fees on a sliding scale according to family income and also offers work and volunteer opportunities.

New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG):

NYPIRG is a not-for-profit organization with chapters at CUNY, SUNY, and private universities throughout the state. As the state’s largest student-directed consumer, environmental and government reform organization, NYPIRG aims to effect policy reforms while training students and other New Yorkers to be advocates.

Stony Brook Cabaret:

Stony Brook Cabaret, comprised mostly of second-year MFA students in the Theater Department, presents experimental theater to Stony Brook.    

Interdisciplinary Discussion/Workshop Groups

These groups can receive funding through Student Club and Organizations Funds during the first two consecutive semesters of their existence. Each group must have at least two organizers and two faculty advisors from two separate departments.

Speaker Series and Conferences/Social and Cultural Events

The GSO financially supports two types of events, cultural and social events and speaker series. General Cultural and Social Events include events sponsored by a wide variety of social and cultural organizations with the purpose of enhancing the social interaction and development of graduate students. Speaker Series and Conferences are for speakers and conferences which are of general interest to the graduate student community.
To be eligible to receive event funding, the event must be organized by a recognized club or organization or by a committee of three or more graduate students. Only events which are widely publicized on campus in English, which have a graduate student presence, and which follow the GSO guidelines and processes can receive funding. Funding is ultimately dependent upon Senate approval. The Event Funding Request Form is available online.

Departmental Allocations

GSO provides funding for departmental activities and programming to enhance the sense of community within each department. In order to receive a departmental allocation please fill out a departmental allocation form and provide a list of graduate students to the GSO. You also must provide the original receipts for all items purchased within ten (10) days of the event.

Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC) and Stony Brook Manhattan
GSO will provide roundtrip tickets on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) from Stony Brook to Penn Station for graduate students enrolled in courses offered by IUDC or any Stony Brook course that regularly meets in Manhattan.

Seminar/Workshop Travel

Funding to subsidize the cost of traveling between Stony Brook and NYC is available to graduate students to attend workshops, seminars, talks, conferences, and similar events in NYC that are related to their field of study.  

Recreation

The GSO will subsidize the cost of membership in various physical fitness programs by reimbursing graduate students for mandatory intramural sports fees and providing a discount on fitness class punch cards once each semester. NYC Museum Programs reimbursements are also available to students attending museums and other institutions which are members of the Museums Council of New York City (http://www.museumcouncil.org).