So You Want to See a Dean?

The Doctor Dean will see you now!

As you all know by now (we hope!!), the Dean's Office is a place where you can come to ask questions, get answers, and learn about all kinds of support here at Barnard (read more here about what exactly the Dean's Office can do for you). But getting in touch can be intimidating when there are so many avenues for support. We're here to give you a guide to getting connected with the Dean's Office (your version). 

**Find the TL;DR at the bottom**

1. Email 📬

Most students find that the easiest way to talk to someone on the First-Year Team is by sending a quick email. By emailing first-year@barnard.edu, your question is automatically sent to a group of people whose job is to help connect you to the support you need. For quick questions about registration, academics, and other policies, the First Year email is your gateway to support.

Ack, my problem is like super complicated and hard to explain in an email...

2. Guess I'll meet with Dean Garay!

We know that some questions and answers can't be summed up in just an email. If your issue falls into this category, your next stop should be Dean Garay's scheduling calendar. As the First Year Dean and Senior Associate Dean of Studies, Dean Garay has the answers to pretty much any Barnard question you can think of (try her!), and she is a great resource to use if you're struggling with your classes (or anything else) and don't know where to start. These meetings can happen over Zoom OR in her office, which is located in 105 Milbank.

Uh-oh, Dean Garay's calendar is totally booked for this week and I need help NOW! Do not fear...

3. Emergency Hours are here!

The Dean's Office (also 105 Milbank!) holds emergency hours Monday-Thursday from 3:30-4:30pm –  every single week! While it may not be Dean Garay who is available, the upperclassman deans are just as capable of helping you solve your problem. Just come on over to Milbank 105 and explain that you're here for the Dean's Office emergency hour.

Well I tried that, but Milbank is a maze for no reason and I got lost. Don't worry, just follow this handy dandy...

4. Milbank Map!

To find the Dean's Office, enter Milbank through the front doors. Once you go up that first mini-flight of stairs and are facing Access Barnard, turn left and go down the hallway. At the end of that hall (once you're at the President's Office), make another left. You'll go through a set of double doors and right past a flight of stairs. Then ta-da – you're at the Dean's Office! Easily enough, you can also find the Registrar's Office here. Just step inside and tell Marissa at the front desk who you're here to see. 

But wait? Who else is in here??

5. Yours truly

That's right, in addition to a myriad of deans and registrar staff, you can also meet with either of us: Pooja and Lilja, the student assistants! There are a few ways that you can get in touch with us if you're looking for some student-to-student quality time and exceptional advice. One way is by emailing the normal First Year email, first-year@barnard.edu. Another is by emailing us individually, at pr2730@barnard.edu (Pooja) or lch2154@barnard.edu (Lilja). We will get back to you as soon as we can!

Another way to find the student assistants is by stopping by our walk-in hours. With no appointment needed, these are times when you can just stop in and chat with a student assistant about anything you need help with. This semester, you can find us on Tuesdays from 1-2pm (Pooja) and Fridays from 10am-12pm (Lilja). These meetings also happen in Milbank 105, but if you need to meet over Zoom, just shoot one of us an email. 

TL;DR:

To get connected with someone in the Dean's Office, you can:

• Email first-year@barnard.edu
• Book a meeting with Dean Garay here
• Stop by Emergency Hours in Milbank 105, Monday-Thursday 3:30-4:30
• Visit a Student Assistant Tuesdays 1-2p and Fridays 10a-12p