As a Development Leaders (DL) you are a vital part of the Graduate Student Orientation (GSO) team. Although it is not required, DLs are usually second year or continuing graduate students appointed by their academic
department. Your role is to act as the primary liaison between your department, your incoming students, and the GSO staff.
Because of your knowledge and skills, your department has selected you to be their representative. You will work closely with
your Graduate Coordinator and other department faculty and staff in designing and implementing the department-specific orientation
for your incoming students in addition to assisting with GSO week. The departmental program is concurrent with and complementary
to the University professional development programming. The combination of these elements helps students quickly become familiar
with their new surroundings, their roles and responsibilities as graduate assistants and students in your academic program,
and as members of the BGSU community.
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attend all development leader training meetings and to actively participate in scheduled activities during GSO week. Attendance at training meetings and August GSO week
is required. However, in the event you are required to conduct an academic internship or field study during the summer and
must miss any meetings please contact Barbara Peck at 372-7714;
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serve as a role model and key resource person for incoming graduate students to your department in all areas that affect life
as a graduate student including academic and professional excellence; enthusiasm for Bowling Green State University; evidence
of organizational and planning skills; dependability and honesty; and concern for the welfare of others;
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actively participate in the planning and implementation of departmental meetings and activities for your incoming graduate
students during GSO week;
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submit required materials to your GSO Coordinator on the designated dates as outlined in the DL Meetings section;
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to correspond with all incoming full- and part-time, funded and fee-paying graduate students from your department throughout
the summer and prior to GSO week;
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to assist the GSO staff in conducting daily operations during GSO week; and
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to conduct follow-up activities during the fall semester to ensure continued interaction among your fellow graduate students.
GSO is dedicated to providing opportunities for graduate students to improve themselves both inside and outside of the classroom.
This program goes beyond the typical orientation program for graduate students by offering training that will enable all graduate
students to reach higher levels of personal and academic proficiency as well as to further enhance skills needed for various
teaching, research, and administrative assistantship assignments. GSO is offered throughout the year as either the August
Program or the Ongoing Program. GSO is open and encouraged for all graduate students. However, it is required of all graduate
students receiving their first assistantship contract. Much as any new job has an orientation for employees, BGSU is dedicated
to ensuring that our graduate assistants are well trained so that they, and our undergraduate students get the most benefit
from their educational and work experience at BGSU.
The August Program
This program is also known as GSO week and is held the week prior to the start of fall semester in August. Participants in
the program attend a variety of training seminars scheduled on Monday and Tuesday. Academic departments offer their own activities
(departmental programming) to orient their new graduate students with a welcome meeting on Monday followed by extensive departmental
programming beginning on Wednesday. The majority of students who complete their GSO requirements will do so through the August
Program. This offers participants an excellent opportunity to become familiar with campus and their department before they
are caught up in the busy activities of the semester.
There are two mandatory on-line training modules on Preventing Sexual Harassment and Preventing Employment Discrimination that all graduate students are required to complete prior to their arrival at BGSU. These can easily be accessed online
at http://www.newmedialearning.com/psh/bowlinggreen/index.htm and http://www.newmedialearning.com/ped/bowlinggreen/index.htm.
The Ongoing Program
This program is offered to graduate students who were unable to attend or complete the August Program. The Coordinator of
Ongoing Programs works closely with the students enrolled in the Ongoing Program. This program of GSO operates allows students
to tailor their individual professional development needs while meeting the requirements of their academic course work and
assistantship duties throughout the semester. This is also an excellent opportunity for all graduate students to gain valuable
continuing knowledge offered through such resources at the Center for Teaching and Learning, Career Services, and Student
Money Management, just to name a few.
Students that are required to complete GSO but did not complete it during the August Program are notified shortly after the
beginning of the semester and must attend one informational meeting. This meeting is offered at two different times and students
can attend the meeting that best fits their schedule. If both times conflict with class or assistantship duties an individual
meeting can be arranged with the Ongoing Programs Coordinator. Following this meeting, students are kept in close communication
with the Coordinator via e-mail, phone, and written correspondence.
