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The Graduate Student Handbook (issued by the Graduate School online) is a useful compilation of information and policies that affect all graduate
students at the University. The Graduate School maintains an excellent web site that explains
the policies and the rules of the Graduate School. It has links to all the forms
that need to be filed with the Graduate School for Masterês and Ph.D. degree
programs. The EEB Graduate Student Handbook (issued by the EEB Graduate Program)
is a compilation of information and policies that are specific to the EEB Graduate
Program.
- Office and Laboratory Space
- Orientation of New Students
- Seminars
- Committees
- Grievance Procedures
- Safety Requirements
1. Office and Laboratory Space
Incoming graduate students in the EEB Program are assigned office and laboratory space, as required, by the head of the department in which the temporary advisor resides. Keys are issued by the department office responsible for the space. To foster a sense of community among EEB graduate students, the Department of EEB provides space if available for students whose advisors have offices and labs outside of the Ecology building.
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2. Orientation of New Students
The Graduate School offers a Graduate Student Orientation program before classes
start, and new students should take advantage of the program to learn about facilities throughout the University. Incoming students
will receive a brochure from the Graduate School with the orientation schedule.
For further information go to http://www.ofyp.umn.edu/graduate/
The DGS of the EEB program will hold a general orientation before classes start
to inform incoming students of program requirements and procedures. The DGS of
the EEB program will also meet individually with all incoming graduate students
and their temporary advisors before they first register for classes to inform
each student of program requirements and procedures that are specific to the student,
and to aid the student with choosing courses.
Incoming students will have an opportunity to meet faculty members and current graduate students of the EEB program and to
become acquainted with their research interests during a retreat held early Fall
semester. During the retreat, faculty members give brief reports on their current
research, and faculty and graduate students talk informally with new students
about research and other aspects of graduate education. As a new student, you
should introduce yourself to faculty members and students you have not yet met
and inquire about research and classroom opportunities.
During your first year
of study, you are encouraged to arrange with one or more faculty members for independent
study. This might take the form of a tutorial in which you read and critique selected
research papers, or it might involve experience in laboratory or field techniques
or a short research problem. You may register for and obtain credit for these
activities (through EEB 8991, or 8994) and become familiar with the way
a faculty member approaches problems without commitment to pursue the research
or the area further. Seminars provide another way to learn more about the interests
of the faculty and their current students.
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3. Seminars
The Department of EEB sponsors a weekly seminar series during the academic year, usually on Wednesday afternoons. These are on topics of general interest to faculty and students and often are presented by visiting scientists. All faculty and graduate students in residence are expected to attend these, except in cases of conflict with courses or teaching duties. EEB students will receive one credit per semester for attending the weekly EEB seminars by registering for the appropriate section of EEB 8990.
A second informal seminar series, which normally meets at noon on Fridays, is organized by graduate students in the department. It offers members of the department, especially current graduate students, an opportunity to present informally aspects of their work or relevant experiences. Seminars and colloquia also are offered regularly by other departments, and you should check bulletin boards and e-mail for seminar announcements of interest to you.
Study seminars for credit are offered by faculty members singly or jointly from semester to semester on special topics. These are an excellent way to explore a subject in depth or learn of current research in an area. You are encouraged to participate in these. You may obtain credit by registering for the appropriate EEB 8xxx number, with the instructor's permission. If you are interested in a particular topic, you may explore the possibility of organizing a seminar around it by consulting with faculty.
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4. Committees
The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA, http://www.gapsa.umn.edu/about.html) represents all graduate students. The GAPSA advocates for your interests, from curriculum changes to dining services. They organize activities and also run a grant program (http://www.gapsa.umn.edu/grants.html). EEB graduate students are represented via the University Council of Graduate Students (COGS, http://www.cogs.umn.edu/). Representatives for EEB are elected by all EEB graduate students in the Fall of each year for the following responsibilities:
- EEB faculty meetings: Two EEB graduate student representatives (plus one alternate)
- University Council of Graduate Students (COGS): One representative
In addition, EEB graduate students are elected by all EEB graduate students in the Fall to serve on the following departmental committees:
- Policy and Review Council (two representatives)
- Seminar duties
- TA Liaison (two representatives)
- Ethics and Aesthetics Committee (three representatives)
In the beginning of each fall semester, all EEB graduate students meet to elect the EEB graduate student president and assign graduate students to various committees, such as the Friday noon seminar committee, Ethics & Aesthetics committee, etc.
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5. Grievance Procedures
Disputes and complaints about your academic life should be brought first to
your faculty advisor, the DGS, or the Department Head. One of these people may
be able to settle the grievance by informal arbitration. If not, it is their
responsibility to direct you to sources of help within the University or to
formal grievance procedures.
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6. Safety Requirements
Liability in the Field
Minnesota law requires that each boat carries one U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket per person. Persons working from open boats or rafts should wear life jackets at all times.
Private automobiles may not be used to transport groups of students on class field trips, as no insurance coverage is provided by the University. Students who own their own cars may provide their own transportation, with instructor approval, as they will be covered by their own insurance policies. University of Minnesota vehicles are covered by University insurance.
CBS All-College Safety and Hazardous Chemical Training
All persons working with hazardous chemicals are required to have initial training and annual retraining in their safe use and disposal. To help ensure compliance in these training efforts, the College of Biological Sciences offers college-wide training sessions each semester.
Annual initial training sessions will be offered for hazardous chemical training (covering compliance with MERETA, Lab Safety, and Hazardous Waste Management Standards). All laboratory workers new to CBS or those who have not previously had training are welcome to these sessions, including new faculty and staff, new graduate students, and new undergraduate students working in research labs. These sessions will be comprehensive but must be followed by a training session on the specific hazards used in each individual lab.
It is expected that annual retraining will occur in the regular, scheduled meetings of lab groups. Annual "train the trainers" review sessions will be offered for hazardous chemical training. These sessions are intended for the person who will be handling the annual retraining for each laboratory. The sessions will review all safety aspects but will concentrate on changes that each trainer should know. The trainer can then pass on this information in annual retraining sessions to others in the lab.
The college-sponsored training does not substitute for laboratory-specific training. Lab-specific information that each laboratory worker needs to know includes which chemicals are used in that lab, where the fire extinguishers are kept, what the standard operating procedures are, and who is responsible for hazardous waste disposal. Also, this college-wide training does not cover specific training for use of radioisotopes, infectious agents, or blood-borne pathogens.
Safety training specifically for teaching assistants who have responsibility for teaching laboratories is also offered at the beginning of each semester.
For questions call David Okita, Coordinator of CBS Instructional Labs, at 624-2789, or FAX 624-2785, or okita001@umn.edu
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