Graduate Orientation Handbook
Mechanics of Daily Life
Addresses. Please complete the address form and return
it to the department office right away. We must have an accurate address
and phone number for each graduate student on file in the graduate office
at all times. Please let us know when you have changed your contact
information.
Communication. The Graduate Coordinator and Graduate Program Assistant will typically use e-mail as the normal medium of communicating with graduate students. It is the responsibility of the graduate students to maintain and check their e-mail often to ensure that this communication is successful. Students are responsible for any information that is sent out on the Graduate Student listserv.
Computing Resources. The Department
of History will provide a network account and access to a computer lab.
Each student will be assigned a username and password to access the computer
in the lab. The lab is equipped with a computer and a laser printer. Each
student will be responsible for their own paper.
Although the University offers campus-wide wireless internet, Keene-Flint
Hall does not currently offer wireless internet. If you would like to use
your laptop computer in the computer lab, advising room or graduate lounge
please bring your laptop to the Graduate Program Assistant and she will get
the necessary information in order to submit a request for access to the
Keene-Flint network. You will be required to supply your own Ethernet cable
to access the network. Please see the Graduate Program Assistant for instructions.
E-mail addresses, user name, and password. All students must create a Gatorlink email account (example: jdoe@ufl.edu). When you have created your Gatorlink email account please notify the Graduate Program Assistant and you will be placed on a departmental graduate listserv, which is our main resource for communicating information that is vital to your graduate career. It is very important that you check your email at least once a week and pay close attention to the emails sent to the listserv. You are responsible for keeping track of your Gatorlink username and password. If you forget your Gatorlink password, you can reset it at myUFL.edu. Gatorlink email is accessible from any computer with internet access. Please see the Graduate Program Assistant or call 352-392-HELP for assistance.
Fax. The Department will provide fax service (both incoming and outgoing) for teaching or research-related purposes. Prior approval is required. The fax number is (352) 392-6927. The machine is in the main office.
Financial Aid. The only form
of financial aid offered by the department comes in the form of Assistantships
(discussed below). Each
Spring the Graduate Committee – advised by the faculty – assesses
each continuing doctoral student for financial assistance for the coming
year. In the case of students who are on continuing four or five
year financial packages (assistantships or fellowships) the Graduate Committee
checks to confirm that they are maintaining a 3.5 average while making appropriate
progress. In the case of all other continuing students the Graduate
Committee assesses individual progress while consulting with the Chair about
the number of available assistantships for the coming year. Each Spring
students will be asked to affirm their interest in funding for the next year. The
Graduate Coordinator, in consultation with the Associate Chair, also makes
appointments for summer teaching positions following an emailed call for
applications. The department does not routinely offer funded
positions to terminal M.A. students, but on occasion positions have come
available for advanced masters students.
Students should consult
the University’s Office for Student
Financial Affairs (SFA) for information
about loans and other financial aid options.
GAU. All students on graduate assistantship may become members of Graduate Assistants United, United Faculty of Florida Union. You will learn more about this student union during orientation.
Grades. The main office will not give out grades to students; final grade information is available from ISIS. For individual test grades, paperwork is maintained by the instructor for one full year. Grade changes are to be made by the faculty instructor only, and are processed by the main office.
Graduate Student Lounge. The graduate students' lounge (016 Keene-Flint) is available for your use. We only ask that you assist in keeping it neat and that you keep noise in this area to a reasonable level, since there are faculty offices and teaching rooms nearby. As of this writing (July 2008) we are in the process of preparing new lounge, lab, and seminar space around the corner from the current graduate students’ lounge (011 and 013 Keene-Flint).
History Graduate Society. This is the History graduate students’ campus organization; it has both professional and social functions and will be introduced to incoming students in the orientation program. The officers of the HGS are:
Keys. Graduate students have the option of being issued a key to the Computer lab and a key to the building. Each key has an $8.00 (cash) deposit that will be refunded when the student returns the key(s) upon their departure from the university. Please see the Office Manager for your keys.
Mailboxes. Mailboxes will be provided to each graduate student. No personal mail is to be delivered to campus. Boxes and books will be held in the Graduate Program Assistant’s office for pick up. Please check your mailbox at least once a week.
Office Space. Office space will
be provided to Teaching Assistants and Associates only. Because of limited space, three or
more people may have to share a desk. Please see the Undergraduate
Program Assistant for office assignments.
There are 84 individual
graduate study carrels available in Library West. These are distributed
by lottery in the first week of classes each fall. See the
library’s web page for information.
Office Supplies/Postage. Graduate students do not have an office supplies or postage allotment. Research and coursework costs are born by the student.
Paychecks. Paychecks for teaching/research assistants and fellowships are issued every two-weeks on Fridays. The state system requires that all new hires register for direct deposit. Direct deposit often takes a few weeks to begin. Before direct deposit begins to function payroll will send checks to the Local Mailing Address that each student uses in myUFL. It is the student’s responsibility to update their address in the MySelfService section of myUFL. If you have any questions about your paycheck please consult with the Office Manager or Graduate Program Assistant.
Residency. The University of Florida
and the Department of History expect U.S. citizens and resident aliens to
file for Florida residency during the first year. You may sign a form called
a Declaration of Domicile, which registers your intent to become a citizen
of the State of Florida, at the Alachua County Court House for a fee of approximately
$15.00. In determining residency, the university may require evidence such
as a voter registration, driver’s license, automobile registration,
rent receipts and any other relevant materials as evidence that the applicant
has maintained 12-months' residence prior to qualification as a bona fide
domicile, rather than for the purpose of maintaining a mere temporary residence.
Please be sure to list your Florida address as your permanent address with
the University, since this signifies your intent to become a Florida resident. U.S.
citizens and Permanent Residents who choose not to apply for Florida residency
after their first year may be responsible for the difference between in-state
and out-of-state tuition. For
a further discussion of Florida Residency consult the Office of Admissions web
page.
Application forms
for residency can be obtained from the University Registrar’s Office.
Travel Assistance. When financial resources
are available, the Department accepts applications for travel assistance
to national and international conferences, and for travel assistance to conduct
research at archives. Students are encouraged to apply to both the
Department and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, as well as the
Graduate School and Graduate Council for travel funds. These programs
are ‘matching’ grants, where the total cost is born by several
sources. The History Graduate Society also has limited funds to assist
in travel. Announcements regarding guidelines and deadlines will be
distributed by email.
See the “Resources” page
on the Graduate Program web page for some further thoughts on travel funds.
UF ID Cards. UF requires all students, faculty and staff, when on campus, to carry upon their person an identification card. These cards are purchased from UF ID Card Services in the UF Bookstore at the Reitz Union. These cards are used for entry to libraries, sporting events, Lake Wauberg, ticket purchases, meal plans, etc. Teaching Assistants can have that title on their card (as opposed to ‘Student’), which will give them more privileges in the library.
