Important Dates – (Attendance is Required)

Summer English Program (SEP Participants Attend): July 22 – August 16, 2013

(8:45 a.m. Bessey Hall)

MSU International TA Orientation: August 13^th registration 8:30 – 11:00 am

Program August 13-16, 2013

Department of Chemistry Orientation (All Students Attend): August 19 – 23, 2013

Enrollment: August 21, 2013

First Day of Classes: August 28, 2013

Orientation Information and Important Websites

Orientation Info/Important websites can be found at: www.chemistry.msu.edu/Graduate/orientation/welcome.htm.

Placement Exams

All incoming graduate students are required to take three Placement Exams designed to evaluate their background in the traditional areas of Chemistry. The first exam tests background knowledge in Analytical and Physical Chemistry. The second and third exams cover undergraduate training in synthetic chemistry and focus on material traditionally taught in Inorganic and Organic Chemistry. The information obtained from these exams will be used to establish a course work plan that will help prepare each student for research, and to make initial teaching assignments. Placement exams will be administered on the first day of the Chemistry Department Orientation for the Fall Semester.

Course Information

Course descriptions and schedules are located on-line at: www.msu.edu/current/index.html.

PID Number/PAN Number

Your PID number is your student number. It is a nine digit number resembling A12 34 5678. Your PAN number is a four-digit number that is used with your PID number to enroll for classes by means of computer enrollment. These numbers remain the same for each semester that you enroll. (The PAN number is a personal and confidential number that should not be shared with anyone.)

Enrollment

All incoming graduate students will enroll for classes during the Chemistry Department Orientation Program. Your initial advisor will help you determine the courses that you should take. Your PID and PAN numbers are needed in order to enroll, and you should have received them in your admission materials. Additional information on how to register and add or drop courses will be covered during Orientation.

Degree Granting Transcripts

A copy of your degree granting transcript should have been received by the Admissions and Scholarships Office at MSU. If it has not been submitted, you should arrange with your previous school(s) to have the degree granting transcript(s) sent directly to Admissions and Scholarships (Hannah Administration Building Rm 250, Michigan State University, 426 Auditorium Road, East Lansing, MI 48824-2604). A degree-granting transcript is defined as one that shows all of the courses you have taken, including the grade that you received for each course, and also confirms that your degree is recognized by the University attended. It should have the University seal and should be translated into English if it is not already in English and accompanied by the original language transcript.

Student ID Card and Building Access (Chemistry Building)

Students will have an opportunity to get their student ID cards during the Chemistry Department Orientation Program. In order to have access to the Chemistry building on evenings and weekends, you will need access placed on your card. Please go to room 170 of the International Center to receive your student ID and bring your student ID card to the graduate office to have building access added. If you want access to a gated parking lot, you must go to the MSU Police Department and place a deposit on your ID card. This card is needed in order to use campus facilities such as the library, pool and exercise facilities, etc. and to receive student discounts. (http://idoffice.msu.edu)

Health Insurance

Health insurance coverage is provided by the University to all Graduate Assistants. A health insurance representative will be here during Orientation. To enroll a spouse or children, contact Ann Eure (517-884-0144, eure@hr.msu.edu) if your last name begins with A-K, and Michelle Fewless (517-884-0170, fewless@msu.edu) if your last name begins with L-Z.

AIN Form (Address Information Form)

An AIN form must be completed at: www.reg.msu.edu (under Student Services). Whenever your address changes, you must update your AIN form on-line.

Room Key for the Chemistry Building

A key request form will be included in your Orientation folder which will allow you to get the appropriate key from the sub-basement stockroom (B1 Chemistry).

Parking

Parking on the MSU campus is restricted. Students who have a Graduate Assistantship are eligible to purchase a parking permit from the MSU Police Department, issued by semester. Students with a Graduate Assistantship may obtain a permit on-line (www.dpps.msu.edu), providing their assistantship has been approved on the MSU system. You will need to go to the Police Department to get your permit. You will need your MSU ID and vehicle registration to do so. You should attempt to obtain a Parking Permit prior to the Orientation Program, if possible. One day parking permits will be available to students for the first day of the Chemistry Orientation Program. Please park in the Shaw Street Ramp located directly across from the Chemistry Building (in the un-metered area; non-numbered; non-handicapped space unless you have a handicap permit), or in the surface lot located across the street from Abrams Planetarium. The Department of Chemistry cannot “fix” parking citations received during the orientation program. Free parking in the visitor lot across from the International Center is available the week of Orientation.

The Chemistry Graduate Program Guide

The Chemistry Graduate Program Guild is the Ph.D. and M.S. degree manual of requirements. An electronic version is located at: www.chemistry.msu.edu/Graduate/grad_current.asp#info.

I-9 Form (U.S. Department of Justice Immigration & Naturalization Service, Employment Eligibility Verification form)

Each student is required to complete an I-9 Form for employment before a paycheck will be issued.

You must bring the following with you to the Chemistry Department Orientation:

Domestic: Documents to show ID and work eligibility. The most commonly used documents are the original social security card and a Driver’s License or State ID card. However, please see our website for other acceptable documents. These documents are needed to process your I-9 Form, which is required to process your Graduate Assistantship. Domestic students must complete an I-9 by August 15^th in order to be paid on time in Rm 382.

International: The Chemistry Graduate Office must receive the original I-9 Form in order to process your Graduate Assistantship. Your original Social Security Card should be brought to the Chemistry Graduate Office as soon as you receive it so that a copy of the card can be made and sent to the Payroll Office. You will apply during SEP or ITA and it will be mailed to you. When you receive it please sign and bring to the Graduate Office in room 382 – it is blue. The Office of International Students and Scholars (103 International Center) is responsible for completing this paperwork, and international students should submit the completed original I-9 Form to the Chemistry Graduate Office by August 15^th in order to be paid on time.

Paychecks

All MSU Graduate Assistants are paid bi-weekly. Your Fall Semester employment period begins on August 16, 2013, and you will receive your first paycheck on September 6^th if the paperwork was completed on time. Subsequent paychecks will be distributed every other Friday. Arrangements for direct deposit of paychecks should be made on-line at: www.epayroll.msu.edu. Your original social security card must be brought to the graduate office in order to set up your payroll.

W-4 Forms (Federal and State tax withholding forms)

Domestic students can fill out their tax forms on line at: www.epayroll.msu.edu. International students must fill them out at the Payroll Office (350 Administration Bldg.). These forms must be received by the MSU Payroll Office prior to the first graduate assistant payroll date (September 6th), and cannot be processed without a Social Security Card.

Tuition/Fees

All graduate students appointed as Graduate Assistants through the Chemistry Department have their matriculation fees covered, and receive a tuition waiver of 9 credits per semester for Fall and Spring Semesters and 4 credits for Summer Term. Students paid as Graduate Assistants are required to carry a minimum of 3 credits in the Ph.D. degree program and 6 credits in the M.S. degree program per semester for Fall and Spring and 3 credits in the Summer. The payment of student fees, approximately $50-100 per semester, are the responsibility of the student. Questions regarding your registration bills should be addressed to the Student Accounts Office, 140 Administration Building, 517-355-5050. The Chemistry Graduate Office cannot help you with billing issues.

E-mail Address

Please set up an e-mail account through the Computer Support Office (Room 383) after you arrive at MSU. You will need your PID and PAN numbers in order to do this.

Textbooks

Textbooks for graduate students are available at the MSU Bookstore in the International Center on campus or Ned’s Book Store and the Student Book Store (SBS) located on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing.