Who do I talk to about...

It is not uncommon for difficulties to arise during the pursuit of a Ph.D., though most issues are minor. When problems do occur, a number of resources available in the department and on campus can help you resolve them. These resources are described below. You may also wish to consult the GradLife advice pages or the Physics grad student forum for advice from your fellow grad students.

If the suggestions below don’t fit your concern, consider talking to our Department Chair or Vice Chair. One of their jobs is to resolve difficult issues, and they enjoy hearing directly from students -- really!

Administrative issues

These are the most common issues. The staff graduate advisor can be of great help, and can refer you to other resources if you need further assistance.

Academic issues

The first place to go for academic advice is your faculty mentor or research advisor. Contact them for help with course selection, questions about hooking up with advisors, or understanding the UCSB system. The graduate seminar instructors are also a useful resource.

Find out more about faculty mentors and research advisors on the GradLife Advice page.

If you need further advice on these or other academic issues, contact the faculty graduate advisor. If you wish to change mentors, or if you would like advice on changing advisors, then this may be the place to start.

You may also wish to speak to the campus Office of the Ombuds -- a confidential, impartial, informal, and independent resource for conflict prevention, management, and resolution that serves all members of the UCSB community.

Teaching issues

Being a Teaching Assistant can be a big part of a grad student's life. If you have concerns (instructional, workload-related, etc.) about your TA responsibilities your faculty supervisor, the head TA, the TA mentors, or the TA-training instructor are good points of contact.

Financial issues

There is departmental financial assistance available to Physics graduate students. Find out more about aid, fellowships, teaching assistants and more on our Department Financial Aid page.

Find out about various financial aid options, loan status, and other other information from UCSB's Financial Aid Office.

Personal issues

UCSB Counseling Services is available if you would like to consult about any personal issues you are having that is making it difficult to fully enjoy this time of your life or causing you difficulty focusing on academics. Counseling Services is located in Building 599 and can be reached at (805) 893-4411.

Health issues

UCSB S tudent Health provides high quality, accessible primary health care and health education to the UCSB campus community. They specialize in personalized health care by clinicians and educators, paying close attention to physical, psychological and preventive aspects of each clinical visit.

Housing issues

Through the UCSB Housing & Residential Services, graduate students may apply for space in on-campus university-owned residence halls or off-campus University-owned apartments. The Community Housing Office helps graduate students find private accommodations in the community.