Program in Biophysics Graduate Student HandbookRegistration«
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- REGISTRATION
In the fall of 2004, the University of Illinois
begins on-line student registration using the UI Integrate, or Enterprise, system.
This system allows greater flexibility for student registration, because of its
ease of access from personal computer systems.
First year students,
will be required to follow the procedures below in order to register for the first
time. Once enrolled, students may take advantage of the early registration
period for subsequent semesters.
A. ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES FOR UI INTEGRATE
1. Log-on and Password
After students receive the official
Notice of Admission from the University, they are eligible to register. However,
they must first have their Student ID card and log-on ID. (The Graduate
College should have sent an email over the summer to all new students which included
their student email addresses, log-on ID, and passwords.) Once a log-on ID and
password have been secured, it is possible to register on-line, however, please
see Step 2 before proceeding with registration.
The Student ID card
can be obtained from the Student ID Center located in the Illini Union Bookstore,
809 S Wright Street, in Champaign. A week prior to the beginning of classes, a
temporary ID Center will also be set up in the Illini Union. Please note: The
Biophysics and Computational Biology Office must have entered all student information
into the on-line NESSIE new hire system prior to any student visiting the ID Center.
2. Advising
Before any Biophysics students can actually
begin on-line registration procedures, they must first speak with the Entrance
Advisory Committee (EAC). The EAC will help determine what classes would be
beneficial for each student based on their background and proficiencies/deficiencies.
A short orientation meeting will also be scheduled prior to the first day of instruction,
to provide an overview of the Center's program and will address the course requirements.
Registration should take place soon thereafter, as the University charges a $25
late fee if registration has not been initiated by 5:00pm on the first day of
instruction. Please note that first-year students may also meet with the any
member of the EAC or BQE committee prior to spring registration to help determine
spring courses.
3. Tutorial/Lab Rotation registration
Faculty research seminars will be held the week prior to classes. These presentations
will provide information on research opportunities within faculty labs and will
assist in the selection of lab rotations. After presentations have been completed,
students will submit their top five (5) lab rotation choices to the Biophysics
Administrative Coordinator. Using the list provided by the student, the first
of three required lab rotations will be determined by the Biophysics Director,
First-Year Advisor and Biophysics Coordinator (working in conjunction with the
School of Molecular and Cellular Biology Admissions Committee when coordinating
MCB faculty requests) by the first day of class. The other two rotations will
be decided later in the semester. Most students will receive their first rotation
choice for at least one, if not all, of their rotations. Sometimes a professor
will not be able to accommodate additional students for a particular semester.
In that case, it will be necessary for the Committee to choose another professor
for the student to work with.
After the lab has been determined, it
will be necessary to obtain the course registration numbers (CRN) from
the Biophysics and Computational Biology Office, 156 Davenport for the lab rotation
courses. Each professor has his/her own CRN for the independent study courses
(581, 582, 583, 586, 590, 599). Without these numbers, it will not be possible
to register for the correct section.
Near the end of the third rotation,
students will need to meet with the professor they wish to work with. If the professor
agrees, the student and professor will sign an agreement, which states the professor
will support the student for the duration of their studies. This signed agreement
will be submitted to the Biophysics and Computational Biology Office and kept
in the student's file.
4. Use of the on-line class schedule for other
courses
Not all courses are offered each semester or every year.
Lists of courses offered by a department for a particular semester can be found
by going to the on-line Class Schedule. The general URL is: http://courses.illinois.edu/cis/index.html,
with a link to Class Schedule. For a list of all courses offered by a department,
students should follow the link to the Course Catalog. The Biophysics and Computational
Biology Administrative Coordinator also has information as to when or how often
a Biophysics course is offered. Students should develop the habit of going to
the Web for information. It is often the most efficient way to locate information.
5. Where to Register
With all the above steps completed,
it is finally time to go to a computer and register! Students should go
to the website: http://courses.illinois.edu/cis/index.html
and go to the link for UI-Integrate Self-Service. Students may register on-line
from their home computers or from various on-campus CITES Instructional Computing
Sites (www.cites.illinois.edu/index.html).
You can find a list of public sites and walk-up sites with jacks for your personal
laptops. If problems occur during the on-line registration at an ICS, each site
has a staff member there to assist in the process. You may also contact the CITES
Resource Center (1211 Digital Computing Lab (DCL), 1304 W Springfield Ave, Champaign,
phone: 244-7000. There is also a computer in the Biophysics and Computational
Biology Office that is available for student use during normal working hours.
B. MISCELLANEOUS REGISTRATION INFORMATION
1. Encumbrances
If any money is owed to the University (library fines, parking fines, tuition,
or fees) or a University requirement (official transcripts from previous University,
non-compliance with state immunization laws) has not been completed, an encumbrance
may be placed on a student's registration. These encumbrances must be cleared
up by 5:00pm on the first day of instruction, or registration
will be cancelled for that semester and further registration will not be allowed
until the encumbrances have been cleared.
2. Required hours
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To be considered a full-time graduate student by the University,
students must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 hours. Depending on the type
of support received, enrollment for more than the minimum amount of hours may
be required. Most Biophysics and Computational Biology students enroll for 12
hours per semester through the academic year. Minimum enrollment for the summer
session is 8 hours.
3. Summer Session
Biophysics and
Computational Biology students are required to enroll for the Summer
session. If there are extenuating circumstances which would prevent summer enrollment,
the student must receive prior permission from the Director of the Center to defer
registration. If an exemption from summer registration is granted, students must
purchase optional health insurance available through the University of Illinois
to cover them over the summer. This must be arranged through the Student Insurance
Office, 807 S Wright Street during their open enrollment period.
III. SUPPORT
While in the Center as a student in good standing
and making satisfactory academic progress, Biophysics students will be offered
some level of financial support. This support will be through fellowships, assistantships
(either teaching or research), and tuition waivers.
A. FELLOWSHIPS
AND TRAINING GRANTS
There are many fellowships and training grants
available through the University. These awards are competitive and are based,
primarily, on scholastic achievement. Students must be nominated by
the Center to be considered for most of these awards.
The Molecular
Biophysics Training Grant (MBTG) is one training grant currently available to
Biophysics and Computational Biology students. It offers support for up to two
years. Other fellowships are available throughout the year through the Graduate
College and other sources. The Center Administrative Coordinator will keep students
informed of deadlines, requirements, etc. when information is received from the
Fellowship Office. The Fellowship web site: www.grad.illinois.edu/fellowship.
If awarded one of these fellowships or training grants, students may have
to meet certain criteria or fulfill certain requirements specific to the award.
Notification of these requirements will be given upon receipt of an offer of support.
For example, students receiving a MBTG must attend a monthly seminar given by
trainee recipients.
B. ASSISTANTSHIPS
1. Research
Assistantships
Research Assistantships, or RA's, are usually given
to a student through the laboratory in which he/she has chosen to do thesis
research work. If a student changes labs, the funding source will also change.
RA appointments are generally assigned at 50%, though under some circumstances,
students receive 25% appointments, with the salary adjusted accordingly. A 25%
appointment equals roughly 10 hours per week; a 50% appointment is roughly equal
to 20 hours a week (based on a 40-hour work week). However, these are rough estimates,
and you may be expected to put in more hours per week. The maximum appointment
time allowed for graduate students is 67%, or about 26.5 hours per week. These
appointments are limited to domestic students only and are rarely given.
Some RAships are more demanding than others. Students will need to discuss with
the professor what duties will be expected of them and what time commitment is
involved. It is generally up to the professor and student to work out the specifics
of the RA, and to make sure the appointment is in place for each semester.
RA's are generally appointed for 11-month appointments. The appointments cover
the two academic semesters plus two months in the summer, and are based on the
policies of the home department of the advisor. Some departments offer 33% appointments
in the summer - with the summer salary divided over three months instead of two.
The checks will be smaller, but the students receive a paycheck in August which
they won't if the summer salary is paid out over two months.
2. Teaching
Assistantships
All Biophysics and Computational Biology students
are required to teach at least one semester [see Sec I.B.]. As with RAships,
some Teaching Assistant appointments are more demanding than others. TA duties
can run from grading of exams and papers, to audio-visual operators, to the actual
teaching of courses. Generally, the professor who is in charge of the course,
and to whom the TA reports, determines the responsibilities of the appointment
and is considered the TA's supervisor. They are also the main source of information
regarding coursework or questions and provide the feedback to the student (and
the Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology) regarding their job performance.
C. TUITION/FEE WAIVERS
Tuition waivers are automatically
granted for graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
who hold a University 25-67% TA or RA appointment. The service fee is also
waived, however, students are responsible for health service and miscellaneous
University fees (some of which can be refunded, upon request). The student must
be enrolled for at least 12 hours and must have continuous enrollment for 91 days
to qualify for the tuition waiver for an academic semester. Over the summer, enrollment
for 8 hours is required, with continuous enrollment for 41 days.
D.
ILLINOIS RESIDENCY
The Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology
strongly encourages all students to apply for Illinois residency as soon
as possible. Tuition for non-residents is much higher (almost 3 times more!!)
than for residents of the State, and your advisor's funding can go a lot farther,
and help more students, if the majority of Biophysics and Computational Biology
students are residents. You may visit the Residency website at www.usp.uillinois.edu/residency.asp
to determine if you qualify.
To apply for residency, students may pick
up an application in the Office of Admissions and Records, 901 W Illinois Street,
Urbana, or go on-line to www.usp.uillinois.edu/residency/petition.htm
and follow the link to the petition form.
It is possible that approval
for residency may not be granted on the first, or second, attempt. If it is not,
please try again as soon as possible.
IV. MISCELLANEOUS
INFORMATION
A. US AND CAMPUS MAIL
All incoming students
will have a mailbox provided for them outside the Biophysics and Computational
Biology Office, 156 Davenport Hall. Once a student has joined a laboratory, they
have the option to receive their mail at their lab, if it is more convenient,
or to continue to receive it at the Center Office. Please advise all correspondents
of the correct addresses below.
The official US mail address
and Fed EX or UPS delivery address is:
Center for Biophysics &
Computational Biology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
156 Davenport
Hall, MC-147
607 S Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801-3638
USA
The campus mail address is:
Biophysics and Computational Biology
156 Davenport Hall
MC-147
Also, please note the format of
the above addresses. It is important to use these formats when mailing items on
or off campus.
Campus addresses must contain the person's name, department,
building location, and mail code (MC-###). Mail codes for campus departments can
be found listed in the Student/Staff Directory. Campus mail, which requires
no postage, is to be used for official University business only. Greeting
cards, catalogues, personal bills and letters, etc. are not acceptable. Campus
mailboxes are located throughout the campus, and marked accordingly.
US mail, which requires postage, must include a person's name, street address,
city, state, and zip code.
Mail with an international address, may
be sent via US mail, using the correct postage (rates can be obtained at any
US Post Office) and must contain the postal code/city, with only the country of
destination on the bottom line of the address.
For more information
on the United States Postal Service, please visit their web site at www.usps.com
B. SEMINAR AND OTHER NOTICES
The Center Administrative Coordinator
will disseminate information vital to students through the campus mail and/or
via e-mail. Please keep the Biophysics and Computational Biology Office informed
of all changes of home or lab addresses, email addresses, and home and lab phone
numbers.
Some seminar notices will be posted on the bulletin board
outside 156 Davenport Hall, though most are posted on-line or announcements sent
via email. Links to many departmental seminars are listed on the Biophysics and
Computational Biology home page under the Seminars link.
C. EMAIL
ACCOUNTS
An email account can be obtained free of charge,
to all registered students. The ph alias for student accounts is listed on
the student ID cards. Accounts are maintained through the CITES Customer Support
Services Resource Center at 1211 Digital Computing Lab (DCL), 1304 W Springfield
Ave, Champaign. phone: 244-7000. The address should be activated within a week
of the request.
D. PERSONAL COMPUTER ACCESS
Several of
the CITES sites used for registration are also available throughout the
year for student use. Please visit the CITES website (www.cites.illinois.edu)
or contact the CITES Customer Support Services Resource Center at the address/phone
above. In some cases, it will be necessary to sign up in advance to use equipment
(such as scanners), so students will need to plan ahead of time in case there
is a waiting list.
Some labs may give students who are rotating
through access to a computer. Students will want to ask each professor about
the specific lab's policy on student use of lab computers and related equipment.
E. PHOTOCOPYING
If it is necessary to make photocopies that
are required for a class in the first year, prior approval from
the Center Director is required to use the Biophysics and Computational Biology
copy machine, located in 156 Davenport Hall.
If it is necessary to make
photocopies for an advisor, access should be given for use of a copy machine
in their home department.
If it is necessary to make copies for personal
use, students will need to go to a copy center at a library or a copy shop
(like Kinko's or PIP) on campus. The Center regrets that it cannot pay for personal
copies.
F. PAYCHECKS
Graduate students on RA, TA, or
Fellowship appointments receive their pay on the 16th of each month. If
the 16th of a given month falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, their pay will
be issued on the last working day prior to the 16th.
Students receive
their earnings via direct deposit into a personal bank account (which need to
be set up upon arrival in town). Having the earnings deposited directly into a
bank account is more convenient and allows for a little more freedom. Students
can rest assured that the money will be in their account on the 16th of every
month. And, as an added bonus, some banks don't charge their customers for checking
and savings accounts if they use direct deposit.
More than likely, the
first paycheck in September will come to the Biophysics and Computational Biology
Office. The next check should be directly deposited, though it is wise to verify
with the banking institution that the money has been deposited before making transactions
against the account. It takes at least one month, sometimes two, for the request
for direct deposit to be processed.
G. PERSONNEL AND TAX FORMS
Students will need to complete the appropriate forms to have employment initiated.
1. Employee forms
Students are required to complete
employment forms on-line through the net-based employment web site -- NESSIE (http://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu).
The NESSIE password and a log-on ID will be issued through the Biophysics and
Computational Biology Office and sent to the student's campus email address.
The employee information form, W-4 tax withholding form*, personal history form,
and insurance forms must be completed on NESSIE. These forms inform the University
of student addresses, phone numbers, tax information, and how paychecks are to
be distributed. (*International students will complete their W-4 forms in the
Payroll Office - See 3. below.)
In order to complete the I-9 Employment
Eligibility Verification Form, students should print the form directly from
NESSIE, and bring it with them to the Biophysics and Computational Biology Office.
The Office is not allowed to ask for specific forms of identification, but we
suggest that domestic students bring a passport OR 2 forms of identification (Driver's
license or school ID AND Social security card or birth certificate), and international
students may want to present their passports and current visa information.
All forms, especially the I-9, must be completed prior to receiving a
first paycheck. To avoid delays in payments, all forms must be completed prior
to August 18.
2. Fellowships
Fellowships for US
citizens and permanent residents are subject to income taxes, even though taxes
are not withheld during the year. Some items are tax-free, such as any fees
paid (which are deductible from the value of the stipend) or required educational
supplies like books, materials and supplies for coursework. Unfortunately, computers
are considered desirable, not required. Sorry! For more information about this,
Publication 520 - Scholarships and Fellowships, can be obtained from the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at 1-800-829-1040 or 1-800-829-3676, or via the
web at www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html.
International students on temporary visas must have taxes withheld
and must make arrangements with the Payroll Office (see below). Publication
519 - Tax Guide for Aliens has information that may help explain these taxes
and can also be obtained as above.
3. International Tax Laws
Most international countries have special tax laws and treaties with the
United States. Prior to completing the W-4 form, international students must
make an appointment with the University Payroll office, 100 Henry Admin Bldg,
or call 333-6706.
The International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)
web site has information on frequently asked questions at www.ips.illinois.edu/isss
Around tax season (January-April 15), ISSS offers income tax assistance workshops
to help international students through the "red tape" of the American
tax laws.
H. STUDENT MENTORS
All first-year students
will be assigned a student mentor. These mentors will be advanced Biophysics
and Computational Biology graduate students who have been in the Program for at
least one year. Mentors will be available to assist new students with questions
they may have regarding registration, housing, courses, and the University or
Biophysics and Computational Biology Program in general. Mentor email addresses
will be sent to incoming students prior to their arrival on campus.
I.
ILLINOIS BIOPHYSICS SOCIETY (IBS)
The Illinois Biophysics Society
is an official U of I Registered Student Organization, run by the Biophysics and
Computational Biology graduate students. The group has elected officials, including
a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. They have designed t-shirts,
organized receptions and picnics, and have developed a Biophysics and Computational
Biology newsletter. IBS has also sponsored research symposiums in the past few
years. We encourage new students to become active members of the IBS and to attend
the group's activities. Meeting with other students on a regular basis will help
students to learn about other areas of Biophysics and Computational Biology perhaps
otherwise unknown to them. It may also help with networking opportunities after
graduation, when looking for a Biophysics and Computational Biology-related position.
Who knows, we may have future Nobel-prize winning scientists in our Program right
now!
J. GET-TOGETHERS
In an attempt to keep the Biophysics
and Computational Biology Students and Faculty in contact with others in the Center
(which is hard to accomplish since everyone is spread out over the campus), we
arrange get-togethers throughout the year.
In the past, we have sponsored
Center picnics and winter parties, and at least once a semester, we will hold
Biophysics reception at a local establishment. We will also host an all-Biophysics
reception during student recruitment in the Spring. We want to encourage all students
to attend these events.
K. MEDICAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM (MSP)
The Medical Scholars Program, or MSP, is a joint program between the
College of Medicine and the Graduate School. This program allows students to pursue
both Ph.D. and M.D. degrees. Most students begin with their graduate studies,
where they complete all the degree requirements, except their thesis work. They
then pursue medical school courses, returning to obtain their Ph.D. after they
finish their core medical courses. This program is restricted to US citizens and
permanent residents. For more information regarding this program, please contact
the MSP Office, 190 Med Sciences Bldg, or call 333-4876.
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