Orientation Information

Fall 2009: August 24 - 28, 2009

 

Notes:

 

Attendance at the Chemistry Orientation Program is MANDATORY for ALL incoming students.

 

Individuals may obtain parking permits, keys and Student IDs throughout the week. 

 

Lunch with Orientation Committee Members throughout the week is at the individual’s expense, so you may want to bring money with you if you plan to go to lunch. 

 

You should stop by the laboratory in which you have received your desk assignment to meet some of the students in the lab and find your desk.  It is important to use your desk and become acclimated to your major area and the Chemistry Department.

 

Fall 2009 Orientation Committee Co-Chairs: 

Matt Fhaner fhanerma@msu.edu   and Erica Schwander schwand6@chemistry.msu.edu

                                                                                          

 

Fall 2009 Orientation Schedule

Everything here will be held in Room 136 Chemistry unless otherwise noted.

 

Sunday, August 23

 

6:00 p.m.

Pizza Party to Meet the Members of the Orientation Committee (Room 481W)

Monday, August 24

 

8:15 a.m.

Refreshments & Welcome and Brief Introduction (Debbie Roper, Graduate Office)

 

8:30 a.m.

Placement Exams (Analytical and Physical)

10:30 a.m.

After completing the A/P Placement exams, there will be a half hour break in Room 481W for refreshments.

 

11:00 a.m.

Placement Exams (Inorganic)

12:00 p.m.

noon

Placement Exams (Organic)

1:00 p.m.

Lunch with Orientation Committee Members  (Meet outside Room 136 Chemistry)

(Students will buy their own lunch)

 

2:30 p.m.

How and Where to Get Started (Debbie Roper, Graduate Program Administrator)

3:30 p.m.

Building Utilities (Melissa Parsons, Building Manager, and Bill Flick, Receiving)

 

3:45 p.m.

 

Accounts and Purchasing (Beth McGaw, Business Office)

4:00 p.m.

Campus Errands and a Trip to the Dairy Store

Tuesday, August 25

 

8:30 a.m.

Refreshments

9:00 a.m.

Welcome by Professor John McCracken, Department Chair

9:30 a.m.

Degree Requirements, Graduate Level Courses, Integrity in Research

by Professor Gary Blanchard, Graduate Program Director

 

10:00 a.m.

Advisor Selection  (Professor Babak Borhan, Graduate Admissions Committee Member)

 

10:30 a.m.

Fellowships for Graduate Students (Matt Fhaner, Orientation Committee Co-Chairman)

10:45 a.m.

Department of Chemistry Photos Taken (Room 481W Chemistry)

Noon

Lunch with Orientation Committee Members,  Meet outside Room 481W Chemistry

(Students will buy their own lunch)

 

1:30 p.m.

Council of Graduate Students (Matt Fhaner)

 

1:40 p.m.

Younger Chemists Committee (Matt Fhaner)

 

1:50 p.m.

Association for Women in Science (Amanda Gehring)

 

2:00 p.m.

Biomedical & Physical Science Library (Judy Matthews, Librarian)

2:30 p.m.

Graduate Employee Union (Elizabeth Pellerito)

2:45 p.m.

 

Health Insurance Coverage (Benefits Office Representative Ann Eure)

3:15 p.m.

 

Break

 

3:30 p.m.

 

Computer Enrollment Instructions (Steve Halpin)

4:00 p.m.

Employee Assistance Program (Lisa Davidson)

4:15 p.m.

Health 4U Program (Nancy Allen)

Wednesday,  August 26

 

9:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m.

YCC Welcome Breakfast; Graduate Lounge 585 CEM

8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Advising Appointments in your Initial Advisor’s office

Some Advising Appointments may be held during the noon hour.

 

1:00-4:30 p.m.

Advising Appointments in your Initial Advisor’s office

7:30 p.m.

Graduate Student/Faculty Social Gathering at Reno’s East (Sponsored by Younger Chemists Committee)

 

Thursday, August 27

 

8:45 a.m.

Refreshments

9:00 a.m.

TA Training

10:15 a.m.

Break

10:30 a.m.

TA Training, Continued

11:00 a.m.

Small Group Discussions

12:00 noon

Lunch with Orientation Committee Members at Individual’s expense

 

1:15 p.m.

TA Assignments and TA Meetings (Debbie Roper and Dr. Gary Blanchard)

1:30 p.m.

General Chemistry Courses  (Paul Hunter)

 

2:00 p.m.

Organic Chemistry Labs (David Voss, Assistant Safety Officer)

 

2:20 p.m.

AP Labs (Kathy Severin)

 

2:40 p.m.

Break

 

2:50 p.m.

Mass Spec Facility (Professor Dan Jones)

 

3:10 p.m.

NMR (Dr. Dan Holmes); XRD (Richard Staples); Glass Shop (Scott Bankroff); Machine Shop (Glen Wesley)

 

3:30 p.m.

Sexual Harassment Issues at MSU (Dr. Jayne Schuiteman, The Women’s Resource Center)

 

 

 

Friday,      August 28

 All Teaching Assistants must receive ORCBS certification in order to teach a lab course.

 

7:45 a.m.

Refreshments

8:00 a.m.

Computer Useage, MSU Mail Accounts & Enrollment (Tom Carter, ITT Support)

9:00 a.m.

ORCBS (Office of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Safety),

Lab Safety, Hazardous Waste Removal, and Fire Extinguisher Training

12:30 p.m. Noon

End of Orientation Program

7:00 p.m.

Wine & Cheese Social; 481 E

 

Saturday, August 29

1:00 p.m.

Department of Chemistry Orientation Picnic will be provided at Patriarch Park in East Lansing