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Apprentices and Magisters alike sometimes wonder who to go to when they have questions or problems. Luckly you have this handy page in your trusty Handbook to provide you the answers you need! 
 

The GSW Hierarchy refers to the series of people who are in charge of a specific area. The GSW currently has five main divisions, each headed by a member of the Administration. These five areas are the following.

 

Academics: Headed by the Dean of Curriculum - [1]. This includes the GSW curriculum (classes, Majors and Minors, etc.), College of Deans, advising, graduation and commencement, the Dean’s List, and so on. Queries made concerning academics would thus follow one of the following paths, depending on exactly what information the query involves.

GSW Handbook > Individual teachers > Department Deans > Dean of Curriculum

GSW Handbook > Dean’s List > Dean of Curriculum

GSW Handbook > Academic Advisers > Dean of Curriculum

 

Non-academics: Headed by the Dean of Students - [2]. This includes anything that has to do with GSW's pupils that isn’t part of academics: the Lodge system, the Head of Lodges, Prefects and Captains, school regalia, clubs, the school magazine (Whispering Grey Matters), Conclaves, Moots, and so on.

Resolving queries involving non academic issues would follow one of the following progressions
 

Lodges: GSW Handbook > Prefects > Captains > Head of Lodges > Dean of Students

Clubs: GSW Handbook > Club President > Club Adviser > Prefect > Captain> Dean of Students
 

Conclaves or Moots: GSW Handbook > Conclave staff > Conclave planners > Conclave Wizard in Charge > Dean of Students > Provost
 

Grey Matters: (WGM) magazine: GSW Handbook > WGM staff > Desk Editors > Editor in Chief > Faculty Advisers > Dean of Students/ Dean of Curriculum

 

Faculty: Headed by the Dean of Faculty -  This is the GSW’s “Human Resources” department, hiring the school’s teachers and overseeing their training, management, and everyday function. Resolve issues of this kind with the following progression.

GSW Handbook > Individual faculty members > Department Deans > Dean of Faculty

 

Technology: The GSW has a small team of Technomages that oversee the functioning of the school site, email, and forums.

GSW Handbook > Email Techno@GreySchool.com

 

Virtual Campus: Headed by the Provost - This department deals with anything happening on our virtual campus in Second Life.

GSW Handbook > Prefect > Captain > VGSW Groundskeeper > Dean Of Students > Provost

 

Using the Chain of Command

Why do you need to know all of this? All Apprentices, staff, faculty, and administrators in the GSW must understand and use the hierarchy. Always start at the left-most, or lowest point, and only work your way up to the next level if you don't find an answer. Failing that, continue up the hierarchical chain to each level, in turn, until you find a resolution.

Test yourself with these questions: (Answers below)

1. If you have a question about finding your way around the forums, you should ask _.

2. If you have questions about signing up for classes, the first person to ask is _.

3. If you're already in a class and have questions about a lesson, you should ask _.

4. If you've sent in a piece of homework and the teacher has not responded for several days, what should you do?

5. If you have tried to contact a teacher but have gotten no response after waiting more than a week, who should you contact next?

6. If you have a question about earning merits, who should you contact?

7. If you want to change your magickal name, who do you talk to?

8. If you’re having trouble logging onto the site, what should you do?

9. If you have a question about paying tuition, what should you do?

10. Bonus question: If you’re having a disagreement with another member of the GSW, who should you discuss it with?

Answers to questions:

1. Your Lodge  Prefect, Failing that, any Prefect, or the Captain, if a Prefect isn’t handy.

 

2. See #1. You might also find answers to your questions right here in this Handbook.

 

3. The teacher of that class.

 

4. Nothing. Teachers have up to three to respond to requests for assignments or tests, to grade work, and to admit Apprentices to a class. If three days goes by without word, e-mail the instructor directly.

 

5. The Dean of the department hosting the class.

 

6. Start by looking in the Handbook: there’s a List of Common Merits at the end. Next stop is your Prefect.

 

7. The Head of Lodges.

 

9. Start with the Handbook. If that doesn’t answer your question, check the Apprentice Resources forum. If you don’t find your answer there, post a query there, on the Technomage forum.

 

10. That person! Take the conversation off list. Then, quietly, and with patience and understanding, try to come to an agreement. Please do not engage in public argument on the forums, and please do not gossip about it with other people behind the scenes. If you need more help, and you and the person with whom you have issues are in the same lodge, go to your Prefect. If you’re in different lodges, ask the Captain.