ULM GRADUATE ASSISTANT AND WORK STUDY ORIENTATION

ULM GRADUATE ASSISTANT AND WORK STUDY ORIENTATION ULM Graduate School January 18, 2012

WELCOME (AND WELCOME BACK) TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT MONROE • Dr. William McCown Interim Director of the Graduate School • Jeff Hendrix Coordinator of Graduate Assistantships, Recruitment and Marketing ULM Graduate School

ORIENTATION OUTLINE • Graduate Assistantships and Graduate Work Study Information • Graduate School Resources • Guidelines for Degree Completion • Life at ULM

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL • Toshia Davis 318.342.1038 tdavis@ulm.edu • Graduation, comprehensive examinations • Change of degree plan • Student appeals for readmission • Melissa Thorpe 318.342.3036 thorpe@ulm.edu • Thesis and Dissertation • Misty Wiggins 318.342.3032 mwiggins@ulm.edu • Admissions • International Student Information • Jeff Hendrix 318.342.1037 jhendrix@ulm.edu • GA/GWS Inquiries

GA/GWS REQUIREMENTS • You MUST earn at least nine semester hours credit toward your degree (12 hours for Pharmacy) during a regular semester and not less than three hours of credit per summer session. • May not have more than one GA or GWS at the same time • Must commit to a full-time appointment. There are no partial assistantships • Must attend GA/GWS Orientation presented by the Graduate School once per academic year • Must perform duties in a satisfactory fashion • Must complete programs in a timely fashion • You can be supported by ULM funds for two years for a master’s degree and four years for a doctoral degree (may be longer with Research funds)

REAPPOINTMENTS • Reappointment is contingent, in part, upon continued eligibility for graduate enrollment, satisfactory progress toward meeting degree requirements, availability of funding, and satisfactory performance of duties

TUITION AND FEES • STUDENTS MUST PAY FEES • In-state tuition and out-of-state fees will be waived for the semester in which the student serves as a graduate assistant • In-state tuition will be waived for a summer session ONLY IF a student has a graduate assistantship during that summer session • Fee waiver applied after signed acceptance letter has been submitted to Graduate School

GUIDELINES FOR DEGREE COMPLETION • Degree Plans • Major Professor • Graduate Advisory Committee • Remaining in Graduate School • Requirements for Degrees • Time Limits • Requirements for Time Extensions • Comprehensive Examinations • Thesis and Dissertation

DEGREE PLANS • Must be filed with Graduate School before the end of 12 semester hours • Formal degree plan; review with major professor and approved by the Dean of Graduate School • FILE DEGREE PLAN EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER • Degree Plans are the contracts between the student and degree programs

MAJOR PROFESSOR • Department Head recommends to the Dean of the Graduate School your major professor who will assist in planning your program • Your “guide” through your program • Ultimately, YOU need to know degree requirements and policy to graduate

GRADUATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE • Major professor recommends to Dean your graduate advisory committee • Composition: student’s major professor and one, two, or three faculty members representing the principal fields of study to be included in the degree plan • Thesis Graduate Advisory Committee must be composed of at least three members

ULM GRADUATE COORDINATORS The Graduate Coordinator evaluates the application for Graduate School with the Department Head and serves as the College point person Arts & Sciences: Dr. Kim Marie Tolson Business Administration: Dr. Donna Luse Education & Human Development: Dr. ThillaSivakumaran Health Sciences: Dr. Johanna Boult Pharmacy: Dr. Paul Sylvester

… what happens if something with my major professor or committee goes “wrong”?? • Under certain circumstances, it may be necessary or desirable to reconstruct a graduate advisory committee • Reconstructed = the academic unit administrator (Department Chair or Dean) recommends change in the major professor • The major professor recommends changes of members on the committee

REMAINING IN GRADUATE SCHOOL • The Dean will deny further continuance in Graduate School if one or more of the following conditions occur: • any grade lower than C • a graduate GPA that falls below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters (NOTE: I grades are calculated as F for your GPA; must be removed by the beginning of the next semester)

TIME LIMITS • Master’s degree = earned within six years • Regulations governing time limits for doctoral programs are detailed within program descriptions for individual doctoral programs of study (typically 4-9 years)

REQUIREMENTS FOR TIME EXTENSIONS • Student may request a time extension • These requests should be submitted before or during the semester in which the time limit expires • Contact your Major Professor or the Coordinator of Graduate Studies for your particular major and college involved

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS • Required of all candidates for master’s degrees • No comps for MBA, M.A.T., and M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership • Covers the major area and the minor or related areas • The candidate must pass both areas • Student must file an application to take the comprehensive examination with the Graduate School (review deadlines) • You must have completed all courses shown on the approved degree plan or be enrolled in them to take comps • All grades of I, excluding graduate recital, graduate research, thesis, field study, and dissertation, must be completed at the time you take comps

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS • The written comprehensive examination • Constructed and administered by department • Major professor reports to Dean of the Graduate School your performance • Grading = satisfactory or unsatisfactory • Your major professor notifies the student, as soon as possible, of the results of the comprehensive examination. • You must pass both the major area portion and the minor or related areas portion of the written comprehensive examination • If you pass one portion and fail the other, only that portion which was failed must be repeated • No one will be permitted to take any portion of the comprehensive examination more than three times without revisions to the Student Plan of Study

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATIONS • Oral examination = determined by each department or school; taken after you pass comps • If the oral examination is unsatisfactory, you must wait until the next comp period to reapply to take any part or all of the comprehensive examination. • Talk with your graduate advisory committee and Graduate Coordinator regarding procedures and structure of the comprehensive examination

THESIS AND DISSERTATION • Topic selected by the student in consultation with the major professor • Topic MUST be approved by your advisory committee prior to starting research or registration in 5099 or 6099 • If you have finished all of your coursework except for thesis or dissertation, you must register for at least 1-3 hours of 5099 or 6099 each semester until graduation • You must enroll in school each semester you are working on your thesis or dissertation until you graduate • Your thesis or dissertation topic must be connected with field of study • Max credit on your degree plan for thesis/dissertation may not exceed six semester hours.

THESIS AND DISSERTATION • When your thesis/dissertation is successfully defended and complete: • Submit 1 pre-approval copy to the Graduate School by deadline • A pre-approval copy = completed work of the student, which has been formally reviewed and approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee. • The pre-approval copy must: • include signatures of ALL graduate advisory committee members • Be on 81/2’’ x 11” photocopy paper and of appropriate print quality • Will be reviewed by the Graduate School by a proof reader • Corrected copy will be returned to the student • Deadline given to make changes and submitting the complete corrected original document and original faculty signature title pages to the Graduate School • Refer to ULM Guidelines for the Preparation of Field Studies, Theses & Dissertations for specific guidelines (online)

DRESS CODE • You are a representative of ULM • Based on departmental policy but minimal expectations include: • No cutoffs, mini-skirts, tank tops, flip flops, etc • Wear appropriate ‘foundational’ clothing • Attend to personal hygiene (bathing, physical appearance) • Piercings acceptable as long as they don’t detract from your GA/GWS responsibilities

STUDENT RIGHTS • When you have a question, ask for clarification • Specific times in which GAs are required to work. • When can’t you be asked to work? • What types of activities are off limits? • 20 hours means 20 hours. • Any time there is a problem, let Jeff Hendrix know.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES • Remain a positive representation of the unit, university, and program • Commit to 20 hours per week • Remain eligible • Do the basic things (show up on time, work hard, etc…) • Take care of your paperwork

WHAT IF I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY SUPERVISOR • Most problems are misunderstandings in nature • Graduate School Director is the student’s academic dean • Steps if problems can’t be resolved

LIFE AT ULM • Library • Athletics • Recreational Services • Auxiliary Services • International Student Services • Office of Sponsored Programs and Research

LIBRARY • Dr. Dinah Williams Assistant Dean, Library

CAREER CONNECTIONS • Offer several events over the course of the year • Want feedback on what types of activities would be helpful for graduate students

ULM ACTIVITY CENTER AND THE DEPARTMENT OF RECREATIONAL SERVICES Ms. Treina Landrum Director of Recreation Services and Facilities www.ulm.edu/recserv/

MOODLE • Ms. Sheau Yun Choo ULM Computing Center ttp://moodle.ulm.edu

OFFICE OF SPONSORED PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH • Ms. IvonaJukic SPR

TIME SHEETS: DEADLINES, PAY SCHEDULE, PAYROLL • Ms. Holly Whittington • Controller’s Office • whittington@ulm.edu or 342.5146 • First time sheet is due January 25 • First paycheck cut on January 31

ATHLETICS • Ms. Robin Taylor, Director of Marketing Warhawk Athletics

AUXILIARY SERVICES • Mr. Michael Trevathan • Coordinator, Auxiliary Enterprise

AUXILIARY SERVICES • IDs, CWIDs • HID prox access, building access control & security • RFID Clicker program • Meal plans • Warhawk Express • The bookstores, AT&T Wireless Communications, the Fieldhouse, vending, concessions, et al. • Housing/Residential Life

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT INFORMATION • Dr. Mara Loeb • Director International Student Affairs

STUDENT INSURANCE • Camile Currier • Assistant Vice President for Student Affair

ADDITIONAL ON CAMPUS SERVICES • Student Success Center • Student Union • Computer labs and tutoring centers

ULM GRADUATE ASSISTANT AND WORK STUDY ORIENTATION