Welcome IGP and CPB students:
|
Welcome
to our page of what we hope will be much useful information
to you in your move to Nashville and the start of
Graduate School. Throughout the summer we will be
emailing you and sending you bits and pieces of information
about your move, but in the meantime we will update
this page up so you can check it from time to time
to keep up with start dates, stipend levels, etc.
If
you have not yet received your official acceptance
letter....be patient, it is on its way. Once you get
it, please mail back the student response form to
the Graduate School at: 411
Kirkland Hall
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 37240
The
most important thing to know at this point is that
IGP/CPB officially begins on August
17 th. We will begin with the nuts
and bolts of the first year. The morning orientation
session is basically an introduction to your first
year of graduate school and Vanderbilt. We will have
Biosafety, Environmental, Radiation and Animal Safety
Trainings on August 18th.
If you have already completed these trainings please
bring with you a copy of your certificate, if you
do not have a certificate, we will need a letter from
the institution where you completed your training.
We
have planned a Welcome Dinner at Dean Chalkley's home
on August 21st.
We hope you can attend. Please RSVP to Gisel at gisel.a.martinez@vanderbilt.edu.
The IGP schedule has not been posted. Once it is posted
we will send you the link and password. If you have
not had a chance to do so, please scroll down. Hopefully
you will have some of your questions answered concerning
life as a graduate student. If you don't find answers
to your questions on this page, by all means call
us at 800-810-8993 or drop us an email.
We
look forward to seeing everyone in August if not sooner!
Interdisciplinary Programs
340 Light Hall
Nashville, TN 37232-0301
615/343-1908
NOTE:
Click here to see the menu for
linking to more information.
|
Jim Patton, Ph.D.
Director
james.g.patton@vanderbilt.edu
Michelle Grundy, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
michelle.grundy@vanderbilt.edu
Lindsay Meyers
Training coordinator
lindsay.c.meyers@vanderbilt.edu
Gisel Martinez
Program coordinator
gisel.a.martinez@vanderbilt.edu
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Information
for Incoming IGP Students:
Administrative Matters
Graduate Program Matters
Important Dates
Relocating to Nashville
Summer Research
IGP
Fact Sheet
Administrative Matters
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1.
Stipend Awards. Stipend amounts and other scholarship
awards, if applicable, have been outlined to you in correspondence
from Dr. Jim Patton (or Al Beth if you are CPB) regarding
program commitments and from Dean Dennis Hall regarding
Graduate School commitments. Your stipend checks will be
available monthly on the last day of the month (or the Friday
before the last day if the last day falls on Saturday or
Sunday). You will pick up your check in the IGP office,
340 Light Hall. The first check will be based on the days
in August that you are required to be in orientation and
first classes. Because your stipend check comes from a demand
check system and not payroll, you can not have any payroll
deductions or direct deposit. After you have matriculated
into a department, depending on the method you are paid,
you may have these options. You will need to check with
your PI or departmental Administrative Officer to find out.
The stipend for the 2009/2010 is $25,500.
2.
Student Account. In the mail, you will receive a formal request from the Vanderbilt Student Accounts Office to establish a student account in your name. Please sign the provided form and return it to Vanderbilt University. Monthly mailed account statements will provide a record of charges and payments made by you as well as tuition and fees paid for you by the IGP or your graduate department.
3.
Pre-Billing. Your tuition and fees for the Fall 2009
semester likely will be pre-billed to your student account
(with a due date) before you register and before the paperwork
clears the accounting office showing these items have been
paid by the University. All IGP students have a funded position
in the IGP program, and therefore do not need to pay the
tuition and fees items. For further clarification of Vanderbilt’s
billing procedures, please call the Graduate School (615
343-2727).
4.
Tax Liability. As of August 1986, your stipend was
made taxable and you are required to report and file taxes.
Publication 520, issued by the IRS, will explain your tax
liability. Go to the IRS Website,
then click on individuals and students.
5.
Orientation. The one day orientation will include
introductions and a multitude of housekeeping items. On
Thursday you will have time to obtain your University ID
card, Light Hall access card, etc. Also, during this time
you will set up an E-mail account through the University
system.
6.
Student Health Insurance. The University requires
that all students in degree programs of four or more credits
have adequate health insurance. For this reason the University
will include the student insurance charge on your tuition
invoice. The IGP will pay for your health insurance through
your student account. If you have insurance coverage from
another source and do not wish to participate in the Koster
Student Injury and Sickness Insurance Plan offered through
the University, you must complete an Online Waiver Form
www.Kosterweb.com
by providing verification of alternative coverage. The Online
Waiver Form will be available June 16 and must be submitted
no later that August 1, 2008, or you will be responsible
for paying the insurance premium. Insurance information
will mailed in mid-June. If you do not receive insurance
information, please contact the Office
of Student Accounts at 615-322-6693 or 1-800-288-1144
or visit www.vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/forms.html
. Here is the Koster's website with frequently asked
questions regarding the policy and coverage: https://www.kosterweb.com/faqs/184.pdf.
8.
Message Box. You will be assigned a message box on
the third floor of Light Hall to receive class-related assignments
and other school communications. Personal mail should be
sent to your home address in Nashville. However, on a temporary
basis or an emergency basis, you may use the 340 Light Hall
address to receive personal mail through the first two weeks
of school. You also may use the IGP office telephone number
to receive emergency calls, especially during the early
weeks of the year before you have a laboratory assignment.
Be aware that we do not have staff enough to handle other
than emergency communication needs for you. We also cannot
be responsible for receiving packages for you.
9.
ALL International Students. Once you have mailed
your student response form back to Vanderbilt, you should
contact the International
Student and Scholars Service Office (ISSS). The contact
person in that office is Sherif Barsoum. Her number is 615-322-2753.
She will expediate any paperwork needed for your arrival
to Vanderbilt. As soon as you arrive in Nashville, please
come see me. You MUST go to that office within 24
hours of your arrival. You must also visit the International
Tax Office at 975 Baker Building. I will direct you to these
places once you arrive.
10. Final Transcripts. You must send a final transcript
including your degree awarded to the Graduate School.
Send a final transcripts to:
The Graduate School
411 Kirkland Hall
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 37240
Back
to Information Menu
IGP
Fact Sheet
Graduate Program Matters
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1.
Orientation. The schedule for Orientation will be
full--including welcomes, introductions, and general administrative
housekeeping necessary to start your time at Vanderbilt.
We will begin Orientation on August 17th.
During Orientation, you will complete registration, get
Vanderbilt identification badges and access cards, and establish
an Email account--among other activities. These badges,
accounts, etc., are dependent on your being a registered,
full-time student and, thus, cannot be handled in advance.
You will also complete all the necessary biosafety training
courses to work in a lab.
2. Classes. The
IGP Bioregulation class will begin on August 20th
in room 208 Light Hall. Generally, class is held on Mondays,
Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. However,
the specific needs of various sections of the course sometimes
require alterations from this pattern. You can view all
the latest changes to your class schedule by going to TBA
and clicking on IGP Schedule 2008/2009.
The
Bioregulation course is designed by the Interdisciplinary
Graduate Program Executive Committee, led by Dr. Jim Patton,
and by associated sub-committees for curriculum development.
The course curriculum for 2009/2010 is currently being planned
and will reflect exciting new restructuring based on 15
years of experience with the IGP and new insights from faculty
and former students.
The course will continue to be based on the most recent literature in the subject fields of the sections of the course. This means that lectures and discussions are heavily dependent on recently-published journal articles. Textbooks primarily serve as background and general reference material.
3.
Textbooks....Please
buy the following books.
Molecular Biology of the Cell, 5th edition. by Alberts,
Johnson, Lewis, Raff, Roberts and Walter. published by Garland
Science.
Hartwell et al. Genetics (McGraw Hill)
Introduction to Protein Structure by Brandon and Tooze
Practical Statistics for the Biological Sciences by Ashcroft
and Pereira
4. Academic Calendar, 2009/2010. Please be aware
that the IGP academic year is uniquely developed to match
the objectives of the program and may not mesh with the
items listed for the Graduate School on the University calendar.
Please check the schedule daily to find out what days you
will have off.
5.
Faculty Adviser. Your faculty adviser during the first
year IGP is Jim
Patton.
Back
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IMPORTANT
DATES
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August
17 th
9:00 - 5:00 PM
IGP/CPB Orientation
August
18 th
9:00 - 5:00 PM
Welcome / Introductions to Departments
Vanderbilt Id's
VUMC Parking Passes
Meharry Vanderbilt Alliance
AIDS outreach
ACDR
IGP IMPACT Group Dinners
August
19 th
9:00 - 4:00 PM
Biosafety Training
Environmental Safety Training
Radiation Safety Training
Animal Safety Training
August
20th
Classes Begin in 208 Light Hall
August
21st
Dinner
at Roger Chalkley and Linda Sealy's Home
Please RSVP to gisel.a.martinez@vanderbilt.edu
Back
to Information Menu
Relocation
Matters
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1.
Housing- Housing is a major concern for
most people moving to Nashville. If you already have housing
worked out, that’s great! If not, we are glad to make
general suggestions, though the IGP office does not provide
a housing service, as such. The best place to start is through
the Graduate Student
Council website.
In
addition, rentals are posted on various bulletin boards
around campus and in the yards of private dwellings in the
Vanderbilt community. Some of these are not advertized in
the newspaper or elsewhere. You would need to be here, see
the sign, and inquire. Campus housing may be available--at
a range of prices from approximately $600, depending on
size and furnishing. Contact the Housing
and Residential Education Office, 615 322-2591; FAX
615 322-2020. The Housing office maintains a listing of
places (privately owned) for living off-campus. As you estimate
moving expenses, see information on the accompanying pages
from the Nashville
Chamber of Commerce.
2. Roommate
List- Go to our BRET
homepage and click on "Current
Students." From there you will see "Submit
Roommate Request" under the IGP heading. If you are
interested submit your name and information. Once you submitted
your information you will receive a userid and password.
Once you have received that, go back to the current students
website and click on "Look for Roommate". You
will need to enter your userid and password to view the
students looking for roommates. You are responsible for
contacting students on the list and making living arrangements.
Once you have found a roommate you may go back and enter
that information on the website. Other persons seeking roommates
often advertise through the campus newspapers and bulletin
boards and through local newspapers.
3.
On-Campus Parking-
We will take care of parking during Orientation. Please
bring your registration and drivers license with you along
with your tag number. Parking is $10/monthly if you pay
for the year OR $15/monthly if you pay monthly. It cannot
be paid via your stipend. You will need to bring a check,
cash, or credit card.
4.
General Information- For information on
hooking up utilities, phone service, getting a driver's
license, ect. visit http://www.nashvillechamber.com/relocation/newresident.html.
5.
Helpful websites As you begin your move to Nashville, some
websites that may be of some help are:
Moving
and Reimbursements
Graduate Student Housing
Information
nashville.citysearch.com
nashville.net
The Welcome Group
The Division
of Student Life
Back
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SUMMER
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
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**Please
check this daily as I will update it as faculty contact
me.
IGP
Students,
Here
are the names of faculty who have expressed an interest
in having an early arriving IGP/CPB student work in their
lab this summer. This is a paid position that lasts for
approximately ten weeks. The start date and end date are
to be determined with the faculty member. To obtain research
descriptions, phone numbers and email addresses in which
to contact these faculty members go to: Participating
Faculty Page
You
are responsible for contacting the faculty and making all
arrangements for your summer work. Once you have
made arrangements with a lab, please let me know...so that
I may contact the PI with details for setting you up in
the system.
.
