Advocacy and Statements
The GRO is a voice for graduate student concerns. The GRO is presently working on multiple issues, including international student issues, healthcare, parking and safety concerns.
Current Advocacy efforts
- Issues with the Office of International Services (OIS)
- Space related issues
- Systematic graduate course evaluation in KSAS (not existent currently)
- Issues with PHutures (due to understaffing)
- Healthcare & Wellness issues
For detailed information and our suggestions you can visit our Advocacy Communication & Accountability sheets:
Advocacy Team
These E-Board members focus (in particular) on advocacy issues (2022-23):
- Advocacy Chair: Richa Vinodkumar Saboo (rsaboo2@jhu.edu); Harini Ragu (hragu1@jh.edu)
- OFFICE HOURS: TBD
- Health & Wellness Chair: Qiong Cao (qcao14@jhu.edu)
- Diversity Chair: Soumya Behera (sbehera3@jhu.edu)
- Security Concerns Chair: Yu Yang (yyang138@jhu.edu)
You can find their contact information here.
What we will try to do:
- listen and think about possible options
- connect you to appropriate resources
- go with you to meetings, if possible and by request***
What we cannot do:
- provide legal advice
- know every detail
Past advocacy efforts
GRO SHUTTLE ROUTES (Updated 2023)
The GRO has been working with the JHU transport office to increase connectivity around campus by facilitating the creation of more shuttle routes across campus and around Baltimore. The updated shuttle routes are summarized here:
GRO Advocacy Update (8/2021)
The GRO has been working with the JHU administration to eliminate the GRE as a component of the application to graduate school. We are happy to spread the news that the GRE will not be required for applicants to Ph.D. programs in WSE this coming cycle. For more information, please visit here.
GRO Survey Results
Please reach out if…
If you experience academic problems, we strongly encourage you to contact Christine Kavanagh (WSE) or Renee Eastwood (KSAS) from Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs. You can find their contact information on this website. Christine and Renee can provide detailed information on policies and compliance issues. Please feel free to contact the GRO. We try to help as much as possible.
Contact Information
Christine Kavanagh: christinekavanagh@jhu.edu, 410-516-0777
Renee Eastwood: rseitz@jhu.edu, 410-516-8477
If you are having problems with your advisor(s), you can talk to Christine or Renee. Christine and Renee can provide advice on how to communicate.
If you are threatened with or are on academic probation, make an appointment ASAP and read the policy.
If you have grievances, Christine can explain to you the grievance policy. If you do not want to file a grievance case: You can write a report about your experience(s) and file it with Christine or Renee. Please contact them for more information.
*** Please be aware that it is very likely that you have to notify all participants that you are bringing a GRO E-Board member to a meeting. At most official meetings, the E-Board member will come with you as a support person. This means that they do not have the right to interfere with the ongoing procedure. However, they can debrief the conversation with you and take notes afterward.