Forms, Handbooks + Policies

SPG Number 1.42

Notes 

• Though variations of the word “moderator” will be used throughout the following policy, please note that MCommunity, where these email groups reside, no longer uses that term. Instead of moderation, MCommunity has settings that “restrict who can send emails to an MCommunity group.”
• PitE-related email groups will be added in Fall 2024.

Overview

The SEAS and PitE email groups serve as crucial communication channels to distribute important information pertinent to school and university operations, academic programs, research, and SEAS/PitE community engagement. To maintain the intended purpose of these communication channels, this policy describes email groups designated for official (from administration) and unofficial (from community members) communications. This policy exists to ensure that email works for everyone’s immediate academic and business needs.

Official university business refers to any communication directly related to the administration, functions, services, or academic/research endeavors of SEAS, PitE, or the university. This includes, but is not limited to, communications about:

• SEAS, PitE, or university events, workshops, or lectures.
• Administrative announcements (e.g., policy changes, operational updates, projects, and new program initiatives).
• Course-related information (e.g., scheduling, registration).
• Research and collaboration calls within the university.
• Career services or recruitment activities related to SEAS and PitE.
• Official SEAS, PitE, or university community engagement and outreach initiatives.

Emails that do not constitute official business include, but are not limited to:

• Personal messages or solicitations.
• Non-university affiliated advertising or marketing promotions.
• Political campaigning or messages regarding personal political views.
• Messages that endorse or solicit support for non-SEAS/PitE related causes or fundraisers.
• Content that violates the university's standards for professional conduct and communication.

A designated SEAS/PitE staff “moderator(s)” will review all messages sent to the email group for distribution to the official email groups only. Messages must be sent for review at least two (2) business days in advance of the desired distribution date (“moderators” will strive to pass along emails within 24 hours). “Moderator(s)” reserve the right to reject messages that do not align with this policy or refer senders to a more appropriate communication channel within the university.

SEAS and PitE community members are expected to comply with this policy when utilizing these email groups. Questions or concerns about this policy or specific “moderation” decisions should be directed to SEAS’ Chief Administrative Officer.

Official SEAS Email Groups

For Students

There are two official “moderated” email groups where current students receive messages from specific SEAS and PitE staff and Deans. These groups cannot be opted out of by students and are to be used for official SEAS and PitE University of Michigan business only. The group “moderator” reserves the right to decline any request to send to this group if it doesn’t fall under the category of official university business.

The two graduate-level groups are:

1. [email protected] 
2. [email protected] 

These email groups are “moderated” by Student Center staff. Only certain administrative staff and faculty can send messages to this group.

Specialization groups:

There are also eight specialization email groups that master’s-level students are added to based on their specialization. These groups are used by the students, staff, and faculty within that specialization to send targeted messages. These groups are set up to only allow messages to be sent by members of each group. These are used only for official university business. 

The eight specialization groups are: 

1. [email protected]
2. [email protected]
3. [email protected]
4. [email protected]
5. [email protected]
6. [email protected]
7. [email protected]
8. [email protected] 

For Staff and Faculty

There are several SEAS and PitE official staff and faculty email groups. These groups are for official SEAS, PitE, and university business only. Individuals cannot opt-out of these groups. These groups are “moderated” by SEAS and PitE staff and messages that are not related to official university business will not be forwarded to the group. Message senders should allow at least two (2) business days for the email to be approved by the group “moderator.” If you have an unexpected, urgent request that could not be foreseen or constitutes an emergency, please email the “moderator” directly (note: failure to plan will not constitute an emergency or urgent approval).

1. [email protected]  
   • This email group includes all current SEAS tenure-track faculty, clinical track faculty, lecturers, research fellows, research track faculty, visiting scholars, affiliated faculty outside of SEAS, and emeritus faculty. This email group is “moderated” by SEAS Administrative staff. 
2. [email protected] 
   • This email group includes all current SEAS tenure-track faculty, research faculty, professors of practice and research scientists. This email group is “moderated” by SEAS Administrative staff. 
3. [email protected]
   • This email group includes all current SEAS and PitE staff. Temporary employees are not automatically added to this group.  Contact [email protected] if you wish to have a temporary employee added to this email group. This email group is “moderated” by SEAS Administrative staff. 

For Postdocs

1. [email protected] 
   • This email group is used only for official university business related to postdocs. This email group is “moderated” by SEAS Administrative staff.

Unofficial (aka Open) Email Groups 

For Students

There are two unofficial student email groups that anyone at the university can use.

1. [email protected]
   • To opt out, email [email protected]
2. [email protected]
   • To opt out, email [email protected] 

In order to reach specific groups of students within SEAS or PitE, please see the list below of what email to use for the following:

1. SEAS Track Leaders
   • [email protected] 
2. SEAS Student Government
   • [email protected] 
3. PitE Club Eboard
   • [email protected]

For Faculty and Staff

There is one unofficial faculty email group and one unofficial staff group that anyone at the university can use.

1. [email protected]
   • This email group initially includes all current SEAS tenure-track faculty, clinical track faculty, lecturers, research fellows, research-track faculty, visiting scholars, affiliated faculty outside of SEAS, and emeritus faculty.  New employees will automatically be added to this group.  Members can opt to be removed from this group at any time by emailing: [email protected].
2. [email protected]
   • This email group initially includes all current SEAS and PitE staff. Temporary employees are not automatically added to this group.  Contact  [email protected] if you wish to have a temporary employee added to this email group. Members can opt to be removed from this group at any time by emailing: [email protected].

Use of Open (aka Unofficial) Email Groups

While open/unofficial email messages do not have formal content guidelines, we ask that participants understand that the audience of these groups are members of the SEAS and PitE communities (students, faculty, and staff). 

Emails must be aligned with the U-M Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities, the U-M Standard Practice Guide’s Freedom of Speech and Artistic Expression Policy, and reflect SEAS and PitE’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and policies related to non-discrimination and harassment. The listservs may not be used to either support or oppose a candidate or ballot initiative. 

SEAS/PitE constituents are, of course, free to create their own email communities using the university’s mail system or others.  This policy describes the rules and practicalities related to ‘official’ email forums created by SEAS/PitE administration.

Complaints should be submitted to [email protected]. Possible misuse will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the SEAS + PitE Student Center and/or the SEAS Dean’s Council.

Point of Contact: Jeff Keeler
Contact Email: [email protected]

A course lab fee should be considered for any new or existing SEAS or Program in the Environment (PitE) course that will incur expenses not covered by the regular instructional budget, which is funded by tuition.  Any references to SEAS in this policy are applicable to PitE. 

Expenditures may include special supplies, transportation, and specialized equipment fully consumed within the term period. The SEAS Course Lab Fee Policy is included below and should be reviewed annually. Course fees are assessed to students who are enrolled in classes which, because of their nature, require funding not provided by regular tuition. In order to include these non-standard activities in courses, fees must be established to cover their cost. Requests for funding activities for which no fee has been established must be made, depending on program, to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or Program in the Environment Chair for approval prior to incurring any expense.

SEAS will not use special course fees as a substitute for providing adequate regular budget support for a course. Reasonable support for SEAS courses includes funding for the instructor(s), GSI(s), routine copying, and incidental costs associated with running any class. University students may incur personal expenses by directly purchasing required, recommended, and optional instructional materials in support of their educational experience. These personal or incidental expenses do not qualify for institution of a course fee. Some examples of personal expenses include: textbooks and course supplies purchased from the university bookstore and individually arranged food, lodging, and incidentals on field trips.

Calculating the Fee

The lab fee amount per student is determined by estimating supplies and/or services needed for the course. It is based upon instructor recommendation and a look-back period of the previous semesters. SEAS Finance reviews expenditures made during this look-back period at the end of each semester and provides a report to the course instructor.

The initial fee proposal for any course should include a range as follows:

1. Establish the lower end fee: Calculate the minimum fee based on anticipated costs. Anticipated costs should include all allowable items and any gray area items that may be applicable (include justification for gray area items). Divide the total of anticipated costs by the estimated total enrollment. The result is the lower end of the fee range.

2. Establish the upper end fee: Increase the minimum figure calculated above by a 10% standard contingency; inflate the increased amount by an estimated three-year inflationary rate. The result is the upper end of the fee range. NOTE: Fees calculated to exceed $100 per student will require review by the Associate Dean for possible reduction in scope of required expenditures and/or subvention of costs. Factors involved in this discussion will focus on the curricular components of the course, type of course (field, experiential, classroom, etc.), and whether the course is required.

Activities Covered by Fees

Timeline

Last workday in February: Deadline for submitting fee proposals for fall term courses.

Last workday in October: Deadline for submitting fee proposals for winter term courses.

Once a lab fee has been established, instructors will be given a quarterly report on revenues and expenditures.  Over time a proposal for a new lab fee may be applicable if costs increase. The instructor can then petition for a new course fee based on the above deadline for each term.

Lab/Course Fee Process

On initiation of a new lab fee, the Assistant Director of Curriculum and Student Support will work with SEAS instructors to prepare the fee application.  The Director of Student Development and Support Services will work with PitE instructors for all undergraduate courses.  Each office will review their respective applications and work with instructors to finalize figures. Final applications will be reviewed and approved by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or PitE Chair with notification copied to the instructor (prior to submitting to UM Registrar's Office).  The Student Center will submit the approved fee application to the UM Registrar's Office. 

SEAS Finance will establish a project grant under the CORSE program to track revenues and expenditures related to each course with an approved lab fee. The Student Center will review published Registrar Office assessment and revenue reports to determine accuracy of course fee rates by term.  At the close of each financial quarter, SEAS Finance will generate a lab fee report that contains each course with approved fees for instructor review of revenues and expenses. A copy of the report will be distributed to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, PitE Chair and Director of Student Development and Support Services and Assistant Director of Curriculum and Student Support.

If applicable, the Student Center may propose any new course fee and distribute a financial report and proposed fee to the instructor. The instructor may accept the fee or recalculate costs and submit a new Course Fee Application for consideration as listed above.

All supply requests must be approved by the SEAS Finance prior to incurring an expense. Requests for purchases related to courses are made to the SEAS Procurement Office.

Point of Contact: Jennifer Taylor
Contact Email: [email protected]

Faculty are asked to provide a syllabus to all students on the first day of class. This should be a brief outline describing what students should expect from the class. This is an important document, as it sets the tone for the class as well as outlines the expectations. A copy of the syllabus should also be given to SSC each term that a course is taught. These are used for historical purposes and to assist when issues arise regarding course content or credit. An electronic copy is preferred and must include the instructor’s name, GSI names, course number, term and year. It is highly advisable to present the policy on grading (in writing) to students at the outset of the term. This avoids the possibility of future misunderstanding or grade grievances. Faculty also should list the dates of all deadlines for class work and exams. Faculty can find the scheduled time for their final exams from the Registrar’s Office website  The final exam policy is included in this handbook in the Final Exams section.  https://ro.umich.edu/calendars/final-exams

Point of Contact: Jennifer Taylor
Contact Email: [email protected]

All instructors are expected to administer course evaluations – regardless of whether the course is a graduate or an undergraduate offering. For graduate courses (numbered 500 and above), the School retains copies of the evaluations for use in preparing reports to the Provost, review of new courses, review of instructors, merit, and promotion reviews. SEAS uses course evalutaions administered by the Office of the Registrar - Evaluation Office.  These evaluations are reviewed by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and the faculty member. Evaluations provide useful feedback on the good and bad points of the current course offering.

Course evaluations will be ordered for each course currently taught (except independent study courses). Evaluations are also requested for discussion sections and labs taught by graduate student instructors. Every class uses the same set of questions, with the exception of GSI evals and Masters Project courses, Instructors may add additional questions from the question catalog as long as the instructor has no more than 12 questions total.  SSC will order all evaluations. Students will receive notifications directing them to Canvas, where they can fill out the evaluations for the classes in which they are enrolled. The forms will ask students for both teaching ratings and comments. Faculty can access course evaluations after the grades have been successfully entered via https://umich.bluera.com/umich/. Summary sheets, which include a summary of the quantitative rating data and images of rating sheets with student comments, will remain as a link next to the course listing for multiple terms. SSC retains a copy of the summary sheet on the secured network drive.

The Program in the Environment (PitE) also collects course evaluations for courses 400-level and below. 

Point of Contact: Jennifer Taylor
Contact Email: [email protected]

Final Examination Schedule

• Final Examination date and time is determined by the regular meeting time of Lecture, Recitation and Seminar classes during the term. Exam times are not based on Discussion, Independent Study, Laboratory or other class components.
• Special examination periods that differ from the regular exam schedule are arranged for certain courses
• Courses that do not have a lecture, recitation or seminar meeting on Monday or Tuesday or that begin at 5:00 pm or later are not included in the regular exam schedule.  The examination date and time for these courses will be determined by the mutual agreement of the instructor and the students in the course.
• Students who have more than three final examinations on the same day may request exam relief by contacting the Office of the University Registrar at least two weeks prior to the start of the examination period. The University Registrar will arrange an alternate date for one of the student’s exams.
• All exams will be administered in the regularly assigned room unless otherwise indicated by the instructor.

Final Examinations Policy

The Final Examination Period and Study Days are determined by the University Calendar Committee and approved by the Regents.

• No allowance is made and no approval is given for final examinations prior to the Final Examination Schedule.
• Approval will not be given for any examinations during Study Days.
• Final examinations scheduled for one date and time within the Final Examination Period may not be moved to another date without prior approval of the Office of the University Registrar.
• Conflicts with regard to the published schedule will be reviewed by the Office of the Registrar. A written request should be filed with the Office of the Registrar, LS&A Bldg Suite 5000 or via email to [email protected], at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the Final Examination Period.

Take-home exams should be scheduled so that the exam is due on the final examination date for the course.

Point of Contact: Jennifer Taylor
Contact Email: [email protected]

In accordance with federal law, papers or exams may not be left in the hallway or outside faculty offices for pick-up. Students have no privacy in such cases, and there is always a risk that unsupervised material will be subject to misuse or plagiarism. It is preferred that instructors return the papers and exams in class, during office hours, or by making arrangements through SSC.

Instructors are required to keep all course material for one full year after the end of the semester so that students will have every opportunity to review and learn from it. Having the papers will also protect instructors from possible grade grievances or other disputes.

The grade change process is online via Wolverine Access. After the grade roster for a class is posted to the students’ records, a grade change can be requested using a link from the grade roster available in Faculty Center.

Acceptable reasons for changing a grade

• Completion of work for an Incomplete,
• Re-evaluation of a student’s work, and
• Clerical error.

The Assistant Director of Curriculum and Student Support can be contacted for assistance completing the change if necessary.

Effective Summer 2012, instructors are required to record a student's level of participation in a class or the date a student last participated in a class for the University's various failing grades and the administrative grade "NR". Additionally, staff performing late drop transactions that results in a "W" grade will be required to record the last participation. This change will be present in Wolverine Access on the Grade Roster and Grade Change pages used by instructors, as well as the enrollment pages used by staff. When one of the pertinent grades is entered, the instructor will be prompted to enter a "Level of Participation" of either Fully, Partially, or Never. Further, if Partially Participated is entered, the instructor will be prompted to enter the student's last date of participation.

Participation: Participation includes any contact between the instructor and student relevant to the course; including class attendance, participation in a discussion in Canvas, a paper, an examination, written and verbal conversation between the instructor and student about the course. It is important to note that participation for these purposes is defined not by the quantity of participation, but by the student's last participation. For example, a student could never attend class, but if they take the final exam, the Level of Participation is "Fully Participated."

Point of Contact: Jennifer Taylor
Contact Email: [email protected]

Instructors are expected to set fair and consistent grading procedures for their respective courses. The following policy provides students a means to contest a final course grade received in a credit-bearing course if a student believes fair and consistent grading procedures have not been followed. A final grade is only subject to review when 1) a procedural error has been discovered in the calculation or recording of a grade, or 2) there is a concern that the grade was not fairly given. Disagreeing with grading policies or an instructor’s assessment of work is not a basis for a grade grievance.

Occasionally, the basis of a student’s grade grievance is that the student was subjected to harassment or discrimination. It is not the function of the Grade Grievance process to evaluate claims of discrimination or harassment. Please contact the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI), and the Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies (ACUS) or Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) in the department in question will evaluate whether the grade grievance should be paused until the OIE matter is resolved.

The steps for the grade grievance process are outlined below:

Step 1: Seek Resolution with the Instructor

As the first step in the grade grievance process, the student should inquire about the accuracy of their final grade to the lead instructor of the course. This initial inquiry should take place within the first 15 university business days of the beginning of the following winter term for courses taken during the fall semester, and within the first 15 university business days of the beginning of the following fall semester for courses taken during the winter, spring, or summer sessions. In the case of an incomplete or a grade that is submitted after the start of the next full term, the initial inquiry should take place within the first 15 university business days after the official posting of the grade.

If, after this inquiry, the student is not satisfied with the instructor’s response, the student may choose to initiate a formal grade grievance. If the lead instructor has left the University, is on approved leave, or does not respond to the student after a reasonable effort (within 10 business days), the student may also proceed directly to Step 2 and initiate a formal grade grievance.

Step 2: Submit a Formal Grade Grievance

To begin the formal grade grievance process the student must submit to the Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies (ACUS) or Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) [refer to the LSA Grade Grievance Department Contact list] a written statement that includes the following information:

1) the basis for the allegation of arbitrary grading, including specific evidence (e.g. course syllabus, graded work) that supports the allegation
2) a summary of the outcome of the initial inquiry to the course instructor, indicating what aspects are in dispute and any documentation to support the initial inquiry with the instructor
3) the desired outcome for the grievance

This written statement must be submitted within the first 30 university business days of the beginning of the following winter term for courses taken during the fall semester, and within the first 30 university business days of the beginning of the following fall semester for courses taken during the winter, spring, or summer sessions. In the case of an incomplete or a grade that is submitted after the start of the next full term, the written statement must be submitted within the first 30 university business days after the official posting of the grade.

If any of the above deadlines are not met by the student, the grievance will be considered invalid and closed, unless, due to extenuating circumstances, the office of the LSA Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Academic Affairs grants an extension of time. If you believe there was an extenuating circumstance (i.e. hospitalization, extended leave from health reasons) please contact the Office of the LSA Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Academic Affairs ([email protected]) for more information.

Upon receipt of the written complaint in Step 2, the ACUS/DUS will notify the office of the LSA Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Academic Affairs of the complaint within 5 business days of receipt of the complaint. The ACUS/DUS will then ask the instructor to provide a written summary explaining how the final grade was determined and responding to the specific claims made by the student. After receiving the response from the instructor, the ACUS/DUS will  determine if sufficient evidence exists to convene the Department’s Grade Grievance Committee. If the ACUS/DUS determines that there is insufficient evidence for the grade grievance, the matter is considered closed, and the original grade stands. The ACUS/DUS will communicate this in writing to the student within 15 university business days from receipt of the complaint. A copy of the response should also be sent to the office of the LSA Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Academic Affairs at the same time.

Step 3: Formal Grade Grievance Hearing

If the ACUS/DUS determines that the grade grievance should proceed, an appropriate Departmental Grade Grievance Committee will be selected, and a date for a formal hearing with the Grade Grievance Committee will be set. The hearing should occur no more than 60 days after submission of the complaint. All parties (student, instructor, and committee) will be provided with copies of the written student complaint and the instructor’s summary in advance of the formal hearing. During the formal hearing, the student will be asked to first present the basis of their complaint; the instructor will then be asked to present their explanation for how grades were determined. Following an open period of questions to all parties, the formal hearing will be adjourned.

The Grade Grievance Committee will then have ten university business days to determine its recommendation and submit a written report to the ACUS/DUS. 

If the Grade Grievance Committee decides that a grade change is not warranted, the ACUS/DUS will convey this in writing to the student and the instructor. The original grade will stand and the matter is considered closed.  

If the committee recommends a grade change, the ACUS/DUS will communicate that decision directly to the instructor. The instructor will then be asked to respond in writing within five university business days to the ACUS/DUS indicating whether or not they will abide by the Grade Grievance Committee’s recommendation.

If the instructor agrees to a grade change, the ACUS/DUS will in writing inform the student of the instructor’s decision and the student’s final course grade will be changed. The matter is considered closed.

If an instructor does not accept the Grade Grievance Committee’s recommendation to change the final grade, the original grade will stand. A final course grade rests solely with the instructor and, as such, a course grade cannot be changed without the instructor’s consent. When this occurs, the ACUS/DUS will convey in writing this decision to the student. The matter is considered closed. There is no appeal beyond the Department.

A report stating what procedures were followed and what decision was reached will be sent to the office of the LSA Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Academic Affairs by the ACUS/DUS within 5 business days after the conclusion of the review process.

Point of Contact: Jaime Langdon
Contact Email: [email protected]

These grievance procedures apply to academic matters that may include, but are not limited to, all aspects of the degree process involving grading, evaluation, or status; allegedly unprofessional conduct toward students; and allegedly unfair or discriminatory treatment of students.

A graduate student who feels that he or she has been unfairly graded or subjected to unfair or unprofessional conduct on the part of an SEAS instructor should first consult with the instructor within three weeks of the occurrence of allegedly unfair or unprofessional conduct and attempt to resolve the disagreement.

If the student is not satisfied by the explanation offered by the instructor, the student should consult with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and provide any appropriate documentation in support of the grievance. The Associate Dean will consult with the instructor. 

If, after consulting with the instructor and the Associate Dean, a resolution still has not been reached, the student may discuss the matter with the Rackham Graduate School. Rackham’s Academic Dispute Resolution Policies can be found in the Rackham Graduate School Academic Policies, here. The SEAS grade grievance policy and form can be found here. For questions or clarification of the School’s grade grievance procedures, please contact the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in SEAS.

Point of Contact: Jennifer Taylor
Contact Email: [email protected]

Every effort should be made to protect each student's right to privacy. When posting grades, use a numeric identifier, such as the student’s UM ID (this is not a social security number). Do not list students by name or in alphabetical order.

Grades are entered directly into Wolverine Access via the Faculty Center Tool. Grades from an instructor’s spreadsheet are uploaded from the instructor’s machine into Faculty Center/Grade Roster. 

Grades need to be in Wolverine Access within 72 hours of the end of the final exam or due date of a final work/project for the class. The course instructor (not the GSI) is responsible for accurately approving all grades for the course by the published deadline each term. Staff does not have access to your Faculty Center pages to upload grades unless you have asked beforehand for grade entry proxy. Questions regarding grading letters and codes should be directed to the Assistant Director of Curriculum ad Student Support. Each student must receive a letter grade or code. Ongoing master’s capstone work (project, practicum and thesis) students should receive a grade of ‘Y’ until the final project is submitted. ‘Y’ grades submitted in prior terms will be changed to letter grades.

Point of Contact: Jennifer Taylor
Contact Email: [email protected]

All faculty hold a responsibility for the advising and mentoring of graduate students. Rackham Graduate School has developed a mentoring guide for faculty, which can be found at http://www.rackham.umich.edu/downloads/publications/Fmentoring.pdf.

Faculty advising assignments are determined before the start of the fall semester; advisor assignments may be reallocated throughout the year based upon the departure/addition of faculty and class structure/size. Advisors should provide students with guidance on their degree progress and encourage students to consult with appropriate OAP staff members. Typical advising questions revolve around changing fields of study, changing opus types, and waiving/substituting of courses. SEAS students require advisor signatures on documents for these types of changes. At times, students have personal issues they wish to discuss with an advisor. Remember that CAPS (Counseling and Psychology Services) http://caps.umich.edu/ is a free UM resource for enrolled students. Other resources include the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the OAP Director.

From “View My Advisees” via Wolverine Access in the Faculty Center, you can see your advisee’s program, class schedule, unofficial transcript, contact information, and more. You can also view your advising role for each advisee. Questions concerning students can be directed to SEAS Registrar and/or OAP Director.

For masters advisees, your Advisor Role could be:

• GEN General advisor
• PRAC Practicum advisor
• PROJ Project advisor
• THES Thesis advisor

For doctoral Advisees, your Advisor Role could be:

• GEN Chair/CoChair of IGC or Prelim
• Dissertation Committee, depending upon the students’ progress towards degree.

If you have an appointment with another school, that school may assign other Advisor Roles.

Please note: Membership on PhD committees will not be tracked using this feature.

Students can change advisors. They must complete the ‘Change of Advisor Form, and obtain both the old and new advisor signatures.

If you notice an error in Advisee names, please contact the student to have the appropriate paperwork completed. Once OAP obtains the signed form, the advising assignment can be adjusted. If you have any questions, please contact OAP via [email protected]

Point of Contact: Kim Elliott
Contact Email: [email protected]

Students interested in enrolling in a course with full enrollment should attend the first class meeting to request permission for an override from the instructor. For classes 500-level and above, instructors can email the School Registrar with class permission requests. Processing could take 24-48 hours.

As required by LSA, all Program in the Environment (ENVIRON) courses (400-level and below) will have electronic waitlists in effect at the beginning of registration. Students interested in enrolling in a course that has filled should add their name to the appropriate waitlist through the on-line registration system (Wolverine Access). During early registration and prior to the beginning of the term, PitE staff will issue permissions to students on each waitlist as seats open using the priority classifications described in the PitE Waitlist Policy.

Once the term begins, enrollment in all ENVIRON classes is by permission of faculty only. Permissions may be submitted to the instructor or can be submitted by email to PitE's Academic Advisor Chris Pozza. Permissions are issued within 24-48 hours of Program staff receiving them from the instructor. 

Point of Contact: Chris Pozza
Contact Email: [email protected]

There are many expectations regarding teaching. It is expected that all faculty members be involved in both undergraduate and graduate courses. Additionally, teaching requirements and expectations may change over time. This means that all faculty members should be willing to become involved in introductory courses, larger courses, and required courses. Decisions on actual teaching will be mutual, if possible, but it is expected that faculty should be willing to engage fully in the teaching of SEAS Masters and PitE.

Responsibilities of an instructor include: providing lectures, arranging for guest lecturers when necessary, preparing exams, grading exams, counseling students, and all other activities related to the teaching of a course. Occasionally, faculty members seek GSI or other support to assist in grading. In small courses, grading must be handled by the faculty member. In larger ones, especially those that involve major written assignments, this may be impossible. It is difficult to state an exact cut-off point where the course is large enough and requires enough assignments to allow a faculty member to seek assistance with grading. However, the spirit of this idea is that normally grading would not be supported by GSIs, while very large courses, or those with extraordinarily difficult grading, could have such support.

Most GSIs are allocated to instruct discussion or lab sections of a course. The use of discussion sections as a means to break down a very large course into smaller and more reasonably sized groups for discussion is important. Allocation of GSIs to instruct small discussions in a larger course is a sensible use. For courses that have less than thirty students and also include a discussion section, the faculty member should be expected to lead that discussion as part of the class. Allocations for discussion sections are that a student teaching three, one to two hour discussion sections would receive a 50% GSI appointment.

The use of GSIs to teach labs and studios is also important. Lab and studio sections often meet for 3-4 hours and require a significant time commitment. This is true whether an individual course has one or multiple lab sections. Expectations for a faculty member to teach a three credit hour lecture plus another three contact hour lab or studio for one full unit is unreasonable. Therefore, it is common to utilize GSIs in these sections for many courses. In some cases, faculty may also be involved in the instruction of those sections, particularly those that are field-oriented and require their expertise during field trips. Teaching of the lab or studio is not considered as a second unit of teaching unless there is not a GSI assigned to that duty. A student teaching two, three-hour labs or studios per week would normally receive a 50% GSI, while teaching one lab or studio would normally equate to a 25% appointment. This must depend on the nature of the work. Labs with extensive field trips, weekend trips, or similar duties are more time consuming and may require larger GSI fractions. While it is expensive to teach such courses, it is important in our curriculum, and SEAS will make every effort to accommodate such courses.

Point of Contact: Jeff Keeler
Contact Email: [email protected]

If students contact you about learning problems or any special arrangements for testing or grading, they should be sent to the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) for counseling, professional testing, and assistance. Any students having letters from OSSD regarding special instruction or testing needs must be accommodated whenever possible. Any questions should be addressed to Kim Elliott (734.615.4332)  in OAP, or SSD at: G664 Haven Hall http://ssd.umich.edu/ Phone 763-3000 Fax 936-3947

Point of Contact: Kim Elliott
Contact Email: [email protected]

A clear sense of academic honesty and responsibility is fundamental to our scholarly community. To that end, the University of Michigan expects its students to demonstrate honesty and integrity in all their academic activities. However, students pursuing graduate education are being educated not only in a substantive field of inquiry but also in a profession. Although there are many common values, specific standards required of professionals vary by discipline, and this policy document has been written with respect for those differences. Below is a short list of academic misconduct topics;  the Rackham website has more details and explanations of each type of misconduct.

Academic Misconduct Includes:

• Plagiarism
• Research Misconduct
• Dishonesty in Publication
• Abuse of Confidentiality
• Misuse of Computer Facilities
• Misuse of Hazardous Substances Used in Research-Related Activities
• Fabrication, Falsification, or Unauthorized Modification of an Academic Record
• Obstruction of the Academic Activities and Scholarly Research of Another
• Illegal or Unauthorized Use of University Resources
• Other Forms of Academic Misconduct
• Attempted Academic Misconduct
• Professional Misconduct

Who Conducts Investigations into Allegations of Academic and Professional Misconduct?

When a faculty member determines that a student has engaged in academic misconduct, the faculty member may exercise his/her authority with regard to assessing the student's performance in that course, such as assigning a failing grade, issuing an incomplete, or assigning additional course work for evaluation. The first step in determining the sanction should be conferring with the student either in person or in writing, expressing your concern, and exploring/evaluating the student’s response to your concern. If after your conference you wish to pursue the matter further or wish to gain a second opinion as to the appropriate sanction, contact the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and/or the Director of Academic Programs. Faculty members are strongly suggested to inform the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of all cases of academic misconduct that they resolve independently.

Point of Contact: Kim Elliott
Contact Email: [email protected]

The Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship (RCRS) is part of the University of Michigan’s commitment to foster and uphold the highest ethical standards in the conduct of research and scholarship, as well as following all federal and state guidelines regarding RCRS training compliance.  The University requires RCRS training for all employees and students engaged in any facet of research and scholarship, regardless of project funding.  Failure to comply with RCRS training may result in a loss of funding or sanctions for U-M and SEAS.  Training compliance is expected to be 100% across applicable SEAS employees, all SEAS graduate students, undergraduate students enrolled in certain Program in the Environment (PitE) courses, and faculty mentored undergraduate students.

RCRS training is hosted online under the Program for Education and Evaluation in Responsible Research and Scholarship (PEERRS) and through instructor-led courses.  Examples of subject areas included in RCRS training are research misconduct, responsible publishing and foundations of good research practices.  Certification in the online course is valid for 3-years from the last successful course completion date.  The training module can be found within Wolverine Access under the MyLINC tile and takes approximately 2 to 3 hours to complete.

In addition to PEERRS-RCRS online training, a minimum of eight instructor-led contact hours is required for all SEAS PhD students, before advancing to candidacy, and any persons engaged in or holding a Project Investigator status to certain National Institute of Health (NIH) projects*. 

*D43, D71, F05, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F37, F38, K01, K02, K05, K07, K08, K12, K18, K22, K23, K24, K25, K26, K30, K99/R00, KL1, KL2, R25, R36, T15, T32, T34, T35, T36, T37, T90/R90, TL1, and TU2 grants.

Faculty with applicable NIH projects are required to take in-person training at least once during each career stage, and no less than once every 4-years. This instructor-led training must be completed within 1-year of being awarded or added to a qualified NIH grant.

SEAS PhD Students

All SEAS first‐year PhD students will be required to complete 8-hours of instructor-led RCRS training and online PEERRS-RCRS training.  PhD students will be notified at the beginning of their first term in the program to complete the online and instructor-led training. Students will be expected to complete online training within 30-days after notification. The instructor-led sessions will take place during their first year in the program. Students can enroll in EAS 677.158 “RCRS” to receive credit for this training.  While official enrollment is not required; completing the instructor-led training is required.

SEAS Masters Students

All SEAS Masters students are required to complete PEERRS-RCRS online training.  Masters students will be notified at the beginning of their first term in the program to complete this training.  Students will be expected to complete the online training within 30-days after notification.

Program in the Environment (PitE) Courses

All undergraduate students enrolled in the following ENVIRON courses are required to complete PEERRS-RCRS online training, with an exception to ENVIRON 300:

• ENVIRON 398 - Env Internship Program (a.k.a. MILE)
• ENVIRON 399 - Junior Honors Sem
• ENVIRON 300 - Special Problems Research-Undergraduate (only students enrolled in this course intending to complete a research project as part of their practical experience requirement will be expected to complete the online RCRS training).

It is expected the majority of students in these classes will be students with a declared major or minor in PitE. Regardless of major or minor declared, students enrolled in these classes must complete the online RCRS training. At the beginning of each term, students in these classes/categories will be notified by advisors or course instructors to take PEERRS-RCRS online training.  Students will be expected to complete training within 30-days after notification.

Undergraduate Students Mentored by SEAS Faculty

Undergraduate students enrolled in any U-M school or college, who are mentored by a SEAS faculty member as part of their participation in any research scholars program, are required to successfully complete PEERRS-RCRS online training.  Research scholars programs include, but are not limited to, the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and Michigan Research and Discovery Scholars (MRADS).

At the beginning of each term, SEAS faculty will be responsible to notify the SEAS Research Administration Senior Manager of these students under their supervision. Training compliance communications will be sent to students who need to complete this training.  SEAS faculty should also encourage mentored students to successfully complete PEERRS-RCRS training.  Student certification is required within 30-days after notification from the Research Administration Senior Manager.

Point of Contact: Shelly Baczkowski
Contact Email: [email protected]

How many years of support are included in the fully funded doctoral program?

Five years.

What level of support is guaranteed to each student?

Five academic years (2 pre-candidate and 3 candidate) equivalent to a 50% GSI/SA/RA appointment (stipend, tuition/mandatory fees waiver, and benefits), plus benefits and a $7,500 stipend for the four intervening summers. Students must remain in “good standing” as deemed by the Ph.D. Timeline and Handbook to be eligible for continuing in the fully funded program.

What does SEAS contribute toward the funding package?

SEAS provides up to four academic terms of fellowship support equivalent to a 50% GSRA appointment, as well as benefits and a $7,500 stipend per summer for two summers. This is typically during the first two years of the program.

What responsibilities does the faculty advisor have in contributing toward the funding package?

The advisor is responsible for providing support for six academic terms and two summers, either in the form of GSI, GSRA, and/or assisting the student in obtaining external fellowships, e.g., Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship, Rackham One-Term Dissertation Grant, NSF-GRFP, NSF-Dissertation Grant, etc. This is typically during the third, fourth, and fifth years of the program.

Can a student who was not offered a fully funded package, be admitted if a faculty has support and wants to bring him/her to SEAS?

A funding offer is possible if:

1.  the student applied by the application deadline
2. the student is approved for admission by the PhD committee
3. the faculty has:
   1. at least 2 years of support at the 50% GSRA level in hand
   2. a firm commitment and prior evidence of obtaining student support
   3. a history of quality mentoring
   4. a history of students graduating on time e. committed to funding all 5 years of the student’s program
4. the faculty and Associate Dean meet to clarify a plan to obtain funding to cover the remaining years

What happens if the advisor is unable to obtain funding?

If the faculty advisor has made a good-faith effort, but was unsuccessful in obtaining funding for any term, SEAS will provide the support. Faculty advisors should make the associate dean immediately aware of this situation and should seek approval of a formal plan for future student support.

Can the student receive other summer support in addition to the SEAS $7,500 stipend?

Yes. A student may work hourly up to 12 hours per week, or have a Sp/Su GSI/SA/RA appointment up to 30%, or receive up to $6,000 from a separate fellowship source and still receive the $7,500 SEAS Sp/Su stipend.

The student is working 14 or more hours per week as an hourly employee during the Sp/Su term—is s/he still eligible to receive the SEAS Sp/Su stipend?

No.

The student has a 35% or greater GSI/SA/RA appointment stipend for the Sp/Su term—is s/he still eligible to receive the SEAS Sp/Su stipend?

No.

The student has a separate fellowship stipend (over $6,000) for the Sp/Su term— is s/he still eligible to receive the SEAS Sp/Su stipend?

No.

What happens if a student is determined to be not in “good standing”?

The package funding eligibility is forfeited for any term that the student is not in “good standing”.

What needs to happen for the Ph.D. package support to become active again once a student returns to “good standing” status?

Once the student returns to “good standing”, the student should inform their faculty advisor. The associate dean then needs to review and approve the student’s eligibility to resume funding support and will notify the SEAS financial aid coordinator to make sure appropriate funding is in place.

If a student takes longer than 5 years to complete the program, are they still considered to be in “good standing”?

No. The PhD program should not take longer than 5 years to complete.

If the student takes longer than 5 years to complete the program, what are his/her funding options?

The student would not be eligible to apply for GSI positions within SEAS. The student may be eligible to apply for GSI positions across campus and apply for fellowship support outside of SEAS.

If the student takes longer than 5 years to complete the program, is s/he eligible to be nominated by SEAS for Rackham fellowships?

No. SEAS would not consider the student eligible for nomination for any Rackham fellowships to fund past the fifth year.

Are there any exceptions to the 5 year completion requirement?

Yes. If the student takes one or more terms as a leave of absence, those terms would not be eligible for funding support and would not be counted in the 5 year time limit.

Point of Contact: Mark Romanowski
Contact Email: [email protected]

DEFINITION OF A SPECIALIZATION

A Specialization is a cohesive group of faculty and students whose mission is to provide a strong curricular focus for Master’s Degree students. Specializations comprise the primary organizational subunits of the School for Environment and Sustainablity for the Master’s Degree program. They provide leadership in: (1) the development and implementation of academic curricula; (2) recruitment, admissions and servicing of students; and (3) faculty matters, including staffing issues and faculty identification and discussion. Each Specialization is characterized by an intellectual agenda that is core to SEAS's mission (and manifested in courses and ongoing scholarship), and maintains links to external reference groups including disciplines and professional societies.

In order to have critical mass to accomplish these functions, a Specialization must have at least five faculty members associated with it, with three for whom it is their primary designation. It should also have at least ten Master’s degree students enrolled in the field. Because these numbers must consider longer term changes in enrollment and faculty interests, they will be determined on a three-year rolling average.

Decisions about anticipated sabbaticals, leaves, and other changes in teaching assignments will be made by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in consultation with the Specialization coordinator to assure that core teaching assignments are addressed. In addition each Specialization will update the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs annually with respect to any anticipated curricular changes and staffing requirements. Changes in the Specialization structure require a vote of the Governing Faculty.

CRITERIA FOR ADDING A SPECIALIZATION

A Specialization needs to demonstrate the following characteristics:

1. A clear and compelling intellectual agenda anchored in disciplines, fields and academic communities. These are evidenced by the scholarship of faculty associated with the field and the intellectual direction established in a well-articulated graduate-level curriculum.
2. An important element of SEAS's mission, as agreed upon by the faculty and administration, and reflected in the School's mission and strategic planning documents.
3. A market niche linked to external groups, including research opportunities, pools of potential students, professional associations, and funding possibilities.
4. A critical mass of faculty, a strong student demand, and a curriculum with 9-12 credits in specific course offerings that builds on the strengths of SEAS.

PROCESS FOR ADDING A NEW SPECIALIZATION

The steps in establishing a new, revised, or reconstituted Specialization are the following:

1. A proposal to authorize a five-year initiation and development phase for a new Specialization is presented to the Executive Committee The proposal must include a description of how the new Specializationsatisfies each of the above criteria, and include a plan (hereafter, the plan) indicating how and in what time frame the Specialization will acquire necessary resources -- expertise, staffing, etc. -- including obvious opportunity costs to the School.. It also must include a discussion of how the new structure will contribute to the mission of the School, and the anticipated impact on other Specializations. The Executive Committee reviews the proposal and either returns it to the proposer(s) for more information, or forwards it with their endorsement to the Governing Faculty.
2. The proposal is presented to the Governing Faculty, students, and other relevant and affected groups within the School. This is followed by an open discussion period of at least three academic months between the time of the presentation of the proposal to the faculty and a faculty vote to initiate a new Specialization.
3. The Governing Faculty votes by written ballot, counted and reported as with other faculty ballots. In order to proceed, the proposal must receive a majority of the votes cast. The vote is to be reported back to the faculty prior to any formal administrative action by the Dean on the proposal.
4. Each new Specialization will undergo a review and assessment by the School in its fifth year. The Specialization will provide a written report on progress toward realizing its plan and meeting the School criteria for meriting permanent status in the School. The Dean will appoint a review committee in consultation with the Executive Committee, with members drawn from across the School to assess progress made toward realizing the field’s plan and the criteria for being a Specialization. The review will be shared with the faculty.
5. Following issuance of the review, the Governing Faculty will vote (as in #3 above) on granting permanent status to the Specialization.

CRITERIA FOR ELIMINATING A SPECIALIZATION

1. A Specialization may propose merging with other Specializations at any time by 1) announcing their intent to merge to the Governing Faculty at a faculty meeting; 2) presenting a proposal for merger to the Executive Committee for review and endorsement; and 3) finalizing the merger by a vote of the Governing Faculty, no sooner than one academic month from the time that the intent to merge was announced to the Governing Faculty.
2. A Specialization may also be reviewed for merger with another Specialization or elimination if it fails to demonstrate the following characteristics on a three-year rolling average:
   1. A clear and compelling intellectual agenda that is anchored in disciplines, fields and academic communities and is relevant to SEAS’s intellectual mission.
   2. A critical mass of faculty or of students enrolled in the Specialization.

Recommendations for such mergers or elimination may be initated by the Specialization(s) or by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, based on the annual reviews of the affected Specialization(s). Proposals for merger or elimination are made to the Executive Committee, who reviews the proposal and forwards it with its endorsement to the Governing Faculty for vote.

Point of Contact: Susan Koehler
Contact Email: [email protected]

All incoming SEAS students are required to have a laptop.

Initial Considerations for Laptop Purchases

• Budget: Plan to buy a new system every three to four years. No matter what you spend on a computer initially, after three or four years it's going to be much slower and less capable than current offerings.
• Mac vs. Windows: A 64-bit Windows 10 system is strongly recommended to run software that may be required in NRE classes. Macs are great provided you take responsibility for compatibility issues. You may be able to use virtualization software to run Window and MacOS simultaneously. Keep in mind that you will also need to purchase the Windows operating system (currently around $20 from the Computer Showcase) if you plan to use Boot Camp or Parallels. Note that PCs are a de facto standard at SEAS and it'll be up to you to ensure that you can run the software required for your coursework.
• Laptop Size: Laptops range from ultra-small 2 lb. models to hefty 8 pounders; in general, you should avoid the extremes at either end. Smaller laptops usually save weight by compromising on power and screen size. Laptops with screens larger than 15" are going to be tough to lug around campus all day.

Recommended Laptop Specifications

• Memory: 8.0 GB RAM is required, 16 GB or more is recommended. Extra RAM can make more difference than the processor you choose and will give you more bang for your buck.
• CPU: There are lots of CPU options, and these options change rapidly. Skip the most expensive option (usually a very high premium for a small step up in performance), then buy the next fastest you can afford.
• Network: Built-in Wireless 802.11n is essential. Built-in wired ethernet is recommended but not essential.
• Hard Drive: 256 GB or larger hard drive. Opt for a larger drive if you plan on loading many large programs, storing big project files, or collecting lots of photos, GIS images, or music. You should also strongly consider getting an external hard drive for backing up your files. Drives fail and you will lose your data if you don't have backup copies. Solid State Drives (SSD) are typically much more expensive and much smaller than traditional drives, but they are noticeably faster and can speed up your computer considerably.
• Additional Drives: DVD +/- RW drive is not essential
• VGA connection: An HDMI video connector or adapters that work with it is important for connecting to classroom projectors. This is becoming standard on nearly all PCs and macs. Most SEAS classrooms also have HDMI adapters if you don't have them. Macs requires an adapter to connect to projectors. This must be purchased separately from Apple (~$30).
• Warranty: 3 year warranty, preferably with coverage for accidental damage.
• Don't forget a carrying case, or protective sleeve if you plan to carry the laptop in your backpack.

Software Requirements

The U-M Computer Showcase has some of the best pricing around for academic versions of these software packages.

• Anti-Virus Software: We recommend Microsoft Security Essentials for PCs and Sophos for Mac. Both are available free of charge to all UM students at the U-M Virus Busters website.
• Microsoft Office: essential for all students (~$50 at the Showcase)
• Adobe Creative Suite: highly recommended for landscape architecture students (~$350)
• AutoCad: very useful (and expensive) for landscape architecture students. Checkout Autodesk's Student Engineering & Design Community web site for lots of resources, including free student versions of some software

Other Recommended Software:

• Stella, from ISee systems, will be useful for students enrolled in SEAS's core courses; purchase is optional. See your instructor for additional details.
• Sketchup Pro is highly recommended for landscape architecture students. Buy directly from Sketchup.

Getting Help With Your Computer

For problems with your personal computer, you have a couple of options.

• SEAS IT staff can help you get connected to our AV equipment, SEAS shared network drives, and UM wireless networks.
• For help with email, IFS space, uniqname or password problems, contact 4-HELP (764-4357).
• The Computer Showcase in the basement of the Union offers a fee-based repair service for faculty, staff, and students.
• You could also contract with an SEAS IT Consultant to work on your computer outside of work hours. Fees for this service will be negotiated between the consultant and the user.

Point of Contact: Kim Elliott
Contact Email: [email protected]

Purpose

The Dana Building is home to the SEAS community and also reflects our shared culture.  It is important to showcase our work in the building and at the same time maintain a professional appearance.  Bulletin boards (including display cases) are a primary means for showcasing our work to those visiting the Dana Building.  These spaces are ideal for promoting events and initiatives, as well as for disseminating research findings and other information of interest to the community.

Faculty and Center Bulletin Boards

All materials on display in hallways must be affixed to a bulletin board.  Faculty and centers are not permitted to hang their own bulletin board, create other types of hallway displays, or attach signs to the exterior of doors.  All bulletin boards must be in compliance with building safety codes.

Each October, requests for adjustments to faculty and center bulletin board assignments will be solicited by SEAS Facilities.  These requests will be matched to an inventory of bulletin boards and available space for new bulletin boards.  Decisions for any adjustments will be made by SEAS Facilities.  The standard bulletin board assignment will be one board per faculty and one board per center, although exceptions may be granted.  The standard size bulletin board is 6 feet by 3 feet although dimensions vary.

Assigned boards must be kept up-to-date and professional in appearance by their owners.  Underutilized or unkempt bulletin boards may result in reassignment of the board.  The content of bulletin boards is expected to be refreshed on at least an annual basis.  Bulletin board owners should be mindful of the appropriate types of visual displays that are suitable for bulletin boards.  Bulletin board content should provide information regarding the work of the faculty, work of the center, or upcoming events that are worthy of advertisement. Please email [email protected] for any questions or concerns.

Public Bulletin Boards

Various public bulletin boards throughout the Dana Building have been designated for public use by student organizations as well as administrative offices. Keep in mind there are other boards throughout Dana but they have been assigned for Research or Administrative purposes.  Officially recognized SEAS, PitE, or UM student organizations, as well as SEAS administrative staff and SEAS, PitE, or U-M students may place posters and advertisements on any public bulletin board within the Dana Building. All postings must list the name of the sponsoring organization and contact information (such as a group or contact person's email address). Posters that do not include identifying information will be removed.  

No posting may exceed 11 inches by 17 inches in size. Posters are limited to one per bulletin board on public bulletin boards only. Posters should be affixed to bulletin boards with thumbtacks or push pins only. Staples, nails, or other metal fasteners are not allowed. Posters placed on walls, doors, windows, or any other non-approved location will be removed.

Posters should be placed so they do not block or otherwise interfere with adjacent posters. Posters should not run for more than two weeks. Undated or outdated posters will be removed from the bulletin boards at the end of every week. Please email [email protected] for any questions or concerns.

Please review the File Attachment link listed below for the locations of the public-use bulletin boards.

Bulletin Boards for Research and Administrative Use Only

Please note that there are some bulletin boards that are not designated for public use in the building. SEAS, PitE, or U-M student organizations and SEAS, PitE, or U-M students are asked to refrain from placing posters on any board designated solely for administrative announcements or faculty research. Postings added to bulletin boards or sign holders that are not marked as “public posting boards” may be removed, and undated or outdated materials will be removed.

Office Doors

For occupants in an exterior office with a window in the door, we ask that you avoid blocking natural light from passing through the hallway through the window in your door.  Allowing natural light into the hallways can help save energy for lighting and also help the building maintain an open and inviting atmosphere.  If privacy is a concern, the Dean’s Office will install a privacy film on the window that allows light to pass through to the hallway.

Point of Contact: Alexa Starnes
Contact Email: [email protected]

Research involving human subjects, including that funded and not funded by an external sponsor, dissertation research, and research done by undergraduate or graduate students in connection with a class, requires Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Such approval must be obtained before the human subject’s portion of the research starts; grant funds will not be released without it.

The IRB application process is Web-based; to learn more go to http://research-compliance.umich.edu/irb-application-process. You may call the IRB at 936-0933 for assistance. Upon initiation of an electronic proposal, be sure to grant access to the School’s Administrative Services Office so that they may facilitate the application process. The normal turnaround time for IRB approval during the school year is two to three weeks when subjects are not considered “at risk”. When subjects are regarded as being at risk, the Review Board closely examines how the investigator will protect subjects’ health, safety, and/or confidentiality, and may ask for revisions or additional materials.

Research involving animal use is very similar to the human subjects review. Proposals involving animal use are reviewed by the University Animal Care and Use Program, ACUP. For details on policies and procedures visit the ACUP at http://animalcare.umich.edu/.

Point of Contact: Teresa Herrick
Contact Email: [email protected]

A Graduate Student Research Assistantship (GSRA) is an appointment which may be provided to a student in good standing in a University of Michigan graduate degree program who performs personal research (including thesis or dissertation preparation) or who assists others performing research that is relevant to his or her academic goals.

Note: Graduate Student Research Assistantships are not subject to the provisions of the university's collective bargaining agreement with the Graduate Employee's Organization (G.E.O.).

GSRA requests to hire a student can be made online here.

Enrollment Requirements

The Graduate Student Research Assistantship program is a vehicle to provide financial support for the academically-related research activities of active University of Michigan graduate students. In order to hold the title "Graduate Student Research Assistant," an individual must be:

Term I and II: In good standing as a student in a graduate degree program and registered for not less than six (6) credit hours each term or, with the written approval of the student's faculty advisor, not less than five (5) credit hours consisting of not less than two (2) courses relevant to the student's degree program.

Term III: In good standing as a student in a graduate degree program with no specific enrollment requirement.

Stipends

The minimum amount for stipends associated with GSRA appointments is announced annually in a late-summer memorandum from the Office of Academic Human Resources to Deans, Directors, and Department Heads.  See the SEAS intranet site at https://intranet.seas.umich.edu/finance for current rates on GSRA stipends, tuition and benefits for fall/winter.

Grant of Contract Support

A stipend which is made available as a result of an externally-funded grant or contract may be contingent on continuation of that grant or contract and must be subject to all of its terms. A GSRA appointed under such circumstances should be made aware of this fact at the time of appointment. In the event that external sponsor support is reduced or terminated resulting in an impact on the funding of a Graduate Student Research Assistantship, the affected GSRA should be notified as soon as possible. In such cases every effort should be made to maintain an equivalent amount of financial aid from other sources for not less than the stated period of appointment.

Period of Appointment

GSRA appointments will typically be made for periods coinciding with academic terms. An appointment end date must always be specified. Appointments may be structured to begin or end during the course of a term, as the result of unanticipated needs or variations in external grant or contract support. It should be noted appointments of less than a full term are not accompanied by some of the benefits described here.  In all cases the appointment period should closely coincide with the period of personal research or services rendered.

Once a commitment has been made to provide a given level of funding for a specific period to a student, this support would not normally be reduced during a period of appointment, nor would an appointment normally be terminated prior to the originally processed end date, unless the appointee fails to meet the stated program enrollment requirements at the University of Michigan.

If it is determined the appointee is not making satisfactory progress towards a degree, or when appointment performance is unsatisfactory (including cases involving misconduct), the appointment duties may be reduced and the appointment fraction and stipend may be reduced correspondingly or terminated. Prior to initiating a termination, the matter should be discussed with the GSRA in an effort to correct the problem. Where efforts at correction are inappropriate or prove to be unproductive, the proposed termination of appointment and support should be reviewed and approved in advance by SEAS Human Resources. In addition, the Academic Human Resources Office should be made aware of the pending action.

Fraction of Effort

In that appointment fractions represent a commitment on part of the school to a given level of support for a graduate student, normally they will not change during the appointment period. Any changes proposed during the course of a previously processed appointment should be explained.

Where GSRA activity is funded by external sponsors, it is particularly important to ensure that effort during the appointment periods is not less than indicated on the appointment. Effort certification may be required.

A GSRA should not normally be appointed at a fraction over 50 percent during a term of academic enrollment. In no case should the appointment fraction of effort interfere with the progress towards a degree or exceed 100 percent. Fractions of 75 percent or higher during the fall or winter terms should have the approval of the SEAS Office of Academic Programs Director.

For General questions about GSRA appointments contact the SEAS Financial Aid and External Funding Coordinator within the Office of Academic Programs. 

Questions regarding the preparation of proposals, or project budgets involving GSRA participation, should be directed to your assigned grants support staff member within the SEAS Business Office. 

GSRA Benefits

Group Health and Life Insurance

A GSRA with a one-quarter (25 percent) or greater appointment fraction for four or more continuous months are eligible to participate in the university's grad care health insurance program and group life insurance consistent with the terms of each plan. Coverage is not automatic. Application for Grad Care should be made by the GSRA online using Benefits Self Service within thirty (30) days of the effective date of an eligible appointment or during the annual designated "open enrollment" period.

Dental Insurance

Group dental coverage is effective with the beginning of a term in which an appointee has a 25 percent or greater appointment fraction for an appointment period of not less than 4 continuous months.

Travel Accident Insurance

Graduate Student Research Assistants who travel on university business (other than trips to and from their regular work site) are covered by the university's Travel Accident Insurance plan.

Summer Insurance Coverage

Individuals who are appointed during Term II of an academic year and who will be re-appointed with a 25 percent or greater fraction during Term I of the following academic year may be eligible for continued university contribution to premiums for health and dental insurance during the summer. In order to assure proper handling, the Benefits Office must be alerted to the Term I appointment by no later than April 10.

Tuition Waivers

A Graduate Student Research Assistant who holds a 25 percent or greater appointment fraction throughout not less than an entire academic term is eligible for a tuition waiver, which eliminates the appointee's responsibility for tuition payment for that term.

In the term that a graduate student finishes all the requirements of a Ph.D. program, eligibility for a tuition waiver will be based on the appointee holding a GSRA appointment at 25 percent or greater fraction of effort that is effective at the start of the academic term through either the date of final defense, or for a two month period, whichever is longer.

All questions regarding the taxability of tuition waivers under provisions of the Internal Revenue code should be directed to the Internal Revenue Service.

Vacation and Sick Leave

GSRA appointments do not provide for paid vacations or holidays. However, remuneration is not reduced during the term of the appointment for class recess or holidays. Graduate Student Research Assistants are eligible for sick pay not to exceed three (3) weeks in a consecutive twelve (12) month period, beginning on the first day of the initial appointment period when unable to meet appointment obligations because of personal illness or injury. Pay during such periods is subject to approval of the GSRA's supervisor or mentor, as appropriate.

Leaves of Absence without Salary (FMLA)

In general, due to the limited term nature of GSRA appointments, no leaves of absence are available during the course of the appointment period. However, if an individual has been appointed by the university, in any capacity, for 12 months or more and has worked at least 1250 hours during the 12 months immediately preceding the request for leave, a federally mandated Family Medical Leave may be available. In no case can an FMLA leave extend beyond the previously-processed appointment end date. The University complies fully with the Family Medical Leave Act.

Other Benefits

A GSRA responding to a subpoena may serve on jury duty or as a witness without loss of compensation.

Other benefits include use of the Credit Union, the University Club, instructional staff library privileges, and bereavement time.

Complaint and Grievance Resolution

A GSRA with questions or concerns about any aspect of his or her appointment should be encouraged to raise the concerns with his or her mentor, supervisor and/or SEAS Human Resources.

Point of Contact: Mark Romanowski
Contact Email: [email protected]

1. Personally owned device: any object wholly owned by an employee, or for which the employee receives a stipend, with “the ability to engage in computational operations, including accessing or storing of electronic data.”  This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, cell phones, laptops, desktop computers, tablets, mp3 players, external hard drives, or flash drives.
2. Sensitive Institutional Data data that satisfies one or more of the following criteria:
   1. It is relevant to planning, managing, operating, controlling, or auditing administrative functions of an administrative or academic unit of the University;
   2. It is created, received, maintained, or transmitted as a result of educational, clinical, research or patient care activities;
   3. It is generally referenced or required for use by more than one organizational unit;
   4. It is included in an official University administrative report;
   5. It is used to derive an element that meets the criteria above;
   6. It is generated by a University workforce member or agent using any of the above data.

For a more comprehensive tool for assessing what is considered sensitive institutional data, visit the “Search” found at http://safecomputing.umich.edu/dataguide/

This data is considered sensitive if its unauthorized disclosure may have serious adverse effect on the University’s reputation, resources, services, or individuals. It includes information protected under federal or state regulations or subject to proprietary, ethical, or privacy considerations.  This includes, but is not limited to, student academic or financial information, social security numbers, credit card information, health and HIPAA-protected information, human research subject data.

3. Data Access Incident is any inadvertent or intentional loss or exposure of sensitive institutional data.  This includes the loss of any device that the data was stored on, a device being hacked, infected with malware, or accessed by someone other than the employee.

SEAS’s Policy

1. Access, use, and storage: SEAS employees and designated appointees can access sensitive institutional data only for use in the conduct of university business after compliance with appropriate university procedure.

Users shall delete sensitive institutional data maintained on personally owned devices immediately upon completion of use of those data, or upon request from the University. The Employees shall take all required actions to ensure the security of the data and device-appropriate security safeguards pursuant to SPG 601.33.

Please contact Moe Daraiseh in SEAS IT ([email protected]) if you have questions or concerns about the safety and compliance of your access.

If a research group within SEAS (and its affiliates) needs access to research related sensitive or regulated data from personally owned devices, there must exist a security policy and procedure document that outlines the access compliance rules. This document must be in place prior to such data access and must be approved by SEAS IT and the research group’s data manager.

2. Incident reporting

If an employee believes there has been a violation of this policy, that employee or his or her supervisor must report the incident to SEAS IT immediately.  SEAS IT will then escalate the matter to SEAS Dean, Information and Infrastructure Assurance (IIA), UM User Advocate, and the UM General Counsel’s office if appropriate.

The University reserves the right to inspect an employee’s personal devices if an incident does occur.

3. University Discipline Policy: Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including restricting the ability to use a personally owned device for work-related activities, non-reappointment, discharge, dismissal, and/or legal action.  Disciplinary action for faculty and staff, if any, for violation of this policy shall be consistent with the University Standard Practice Guides and the Bylaws of the Regents of the University.

Point of Contact: Moe Daraiseh
Contact Email: [email protected]

SEAS IT provides basic connectivity support for personal computers.  For problems with your personal computer, you have a few options.

• SEAS IT staff can help you get connected to our AV equipment, SEAS shared network drives, and UM wireless networks.
• For help with email, IFS space, uniqname or password problems, contact 4-HELP (764-4357).
• SEAS IT staff can not trouble shoot or repair personal owned equipment.

The Tech Shop in the basement of the Union offers a fee-based repair service for faculty, staff, and students.

Point of Contact: Moe Daraiseh
Contact Email: [email protected]

SEAS Classrooms support is provided by LSA Technology Services Sight and Sound Operations

LSA Technology Services incident support is available Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.by calling 734-615-0100. Spring/Summer support is available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Incidents reported outside of these hours will be addressed the next business day. Service requests are based on staff and room availability. 

Training

LSA Technology Services will provide regular training and will be available to SEAS throughout the year, coordinating schedules for efficiency. Training will include functionality of classroom capabilities, function of the podiums and “bring your own device” spaces, as well as basic user issues and basic troubleshooting for the classrooms. Training for these classrooms is provided from a technical perspective, focusing on use and control of the equipment, rather than best practices from pedagogical and research perspectives. 

Dana Building Classroom Audio and Visual Service Details

• Rooms 1028,1040, 1046, 2024, 2520, and 3556 each have a permanent video/data projector, a permanently installed desktop computer, connection for a laptop, and sound system.In addition, these rooms have a permanently installed desktop computer and an audio/video lecture capture system which can record the instructor's computer output, and audio and video of the instructor. These rooms is also equipped with live video streaming equipment and assisted listening devices.
• Room 3038 has a large flat-panel display, connection for a laptop, and a DVD/VCR.
• Room G554 is a special teaching lab equipped with projector and connections to devices at the lab benches

Dana Building Classroom Audio and Visual Service Details

• Conference room 2026 is a zoom room equipped space
• Conference room 2560 is a zoom room equipped space
• Conference room 4315a has a large flat-panel display, built in computer, connection for a laptop, and a conference phone,  and video conferencing equipment.
• Conference room 4325 has a large flat-panel display, built in computer, connection for a laptop, and a conference phone,  and video conferencing equipment.

Portable Equipment

Some equipment might be loaned from LSA Technology services depending on the class and the usage

SEAS Classes Outside of Dana

Please contact SEAS IT Services to make arrangements for equipment for NRE-only classes (those not cross-listed with any LSA courses or other schools' courses) which meet outside of the Dana Building. 

Computer Classroom

Please contact Classroom Reservation & Instructional Software Submission (CRISS) at http://webapps.ccs.itcs.umich.edu/criss/classrooms/schedules/, to schedule time in SEAS' computer classroom. If needed, they can also assist in making reservations for other computer classrooms on campus. When not reserved for a class, the room is available for general campus/student use.

Point of Contact: Moe Daraiseh
Contact Email: [email protected]

SEAS Currently does not house a media library.  Please use the Shapiro Library Room 2002.  Phone number for resources is 734-764-5360.

Another valuable resource is the Askwith Media Library. The film list may be searched by title or keyword here. Faculty need to make their own arrangements to pick up and return all materials to the Media Library.

Point of Contact: Moe Daraiseh
Contact Email: [email protected]

SEAS provides the following computing facilities for SEAS faculty, staff, and students:

Campus Computing Site

SEAS' campus computing site, located on the 2nd floor of the Dana Building, Room 2315; includes 25 Windows PCs. The computing site is supported by the ITCS Campus Computing Sites group, and provided by a partnership between ITCS and SEAS. Problems with computers in the lab should be reported to SITES at 647-4837.

Computer Classroom

SEAS' computing classroom in 3325 includes 22 PCs and an instructor's workstation linked to an LCD projector. The computers in this room are supported by ITCS Campus Computing Sites, while the audio-visual equipment is supported by SEAS IT. The classroom can be reserved through the CRISS website.

Multimedia Classrooms

A number of SEAS classrooms are equipped with Laser projectors and other audio-visual equipment, supplied and supported by SEAS IT Services.

Faculty & Staff Computers and Printers

SEAS IT Services provides desktop computers for regular faculty and staff. Computers for research staff and fellows are generally funded and provided by the faculty's research project/grant. We also provide shared color and black and white printers throughout the Dana building.

Point of Contact: Moe Daraiseh
Contact Email: [email protected]

Campus Computing Sites provides poster printing on campus. SEAS IT Services no longer handles Poster Printing.  For details and more info, please contact ITS HelpDesk.

The Poster Printing Process

1. Sign in to the web portal with your uniqname and password.
2. In the Choose a Product section, roll your mouse over the poster icon and click the green Start Order button.
3. A new window will appear.
4. Click attach files, navigate to file and choose to upload.
5. In the Details section, enter a title, and the number of copies of the document you would like printed.
6. Enter in a size for the poster. Maximum width is 40” but length can be longer. If this poster is for UROP, the dimensions are 32” x 40”.
7. Choose an account to charge to.
   1. If you wish to charge to a shortcode, you must first add the shortcode to your account using the account provisioning page. Most shortcodes will be applied to accounts instantly. If the shortcode has a specific dollar amount allocated to it, allow 24 hours for processing.
8. Select a due date (must be at least 24hrs in advance.)
9. Add any additional comments or instructions. If you are a UROP student you must let us know this in the additional comments section.
10. Hit submit.
11. The Tech Consulting team will email you once your poster is ready for pick up at the Fishbowl (Angell Hall Computing Site).

Make sure to budget enough time for the poster printing process.  While most jobs take 15-20 minutes to submit, preview, and print, in some cases the process can take more than an hour.  Keep in mind that the printer may be in very high demand for several days before class assignments are due.

Also remember that SITES Poster Printers do not accept cash, checks, credit cards, or shortcodes as payment for printing.

Other Places to Print

FedEx

Point of Contact: Moe Daraiseh
Contact Email: [email protected]

SEAS IT Services incorporates sustainable practices into our daily operations, and encourages all faculty, staff, and students to help us out and adopt these practices in your everyday lives.

Conservation

Most SEAS computers are set to shut down the monitor and spin down the hard drive after 15 minutes of inactivity, and go into sleep mode after 30 minutes.  If you need to be excluded from these settings, please send us an email.

We make smart power strips, which cut power to all devices when not in use, available to faculty and staff

SEAS public printers are set to print double-sided by default in order to conserve paper.

SEAS IT purchases Energy Star compliant equipment whenever possible.

Re-use

Within SEAS, older equipment is rotated to lower-demand uses, ensuring that we get the longest possible useful life out of our equipment.

Obsolete equipment is transferred to U-M's Property Disposition for re-sale and re-use, or proper and safe disposal.

Recycling

SEAS-IT purchases 100% recycled paper for use in the school's public printers.

We purchase recycled toner for our printers and return empty toner and ink-jet cartridges to the manufacturer for re-use and recycling.

We send old batteries to UM-OSEH for recycling.

We turn over old digital media to U of M Waste Management for proper disposal and recycling.

We send old writing utensils away for recycling

How You Can Help

Turn off your computer when you'll be away for more than a day. If possible, turn your computer off when you leave work for the night as well.

Turn off your monitor overnight or when you're away for more than a few hours.

Limit non-essential printing. Only print items to the printers when having a hard copy is necessary.

Recycle your old, unwanted materials in room, 2315 Dana:

• Drop off empty printer cartridges. We'll ship them off for recycling.
• Drop off used batteries in the for recycling/disposal by U-M's OSEH.
• Drop off electronic media: CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, floppy disks, zip disks, and jewel cases for recycling by U of M Waste Management & Recycling.
• Drop off old writing utensils: Pens, pencils, markers, erasers.

Recycle your old posters -- our poster printer uses recyclable paper; recycle it with your office paper.

Computer and Peripherals Recycling

Local Ann Arbor Programs

• Ann Arbor Reuse Center - 2420 S. Industrial
  Accepts computers 5 years old or younger in good working condition and offers them for resale. They do not take printers, scanners, or faxes.
• Ann Arbor Drop-off Station - 2950 East Ellsworth
  Accepts computers, monitors, printers, and fax machines for recycling at no charge.
• Kiwanis Club Resale Shop - Corner of First and Washington
  Accepts "New tech" computers(486 Pentium PC's >1000 Mhz, iMacs or newer) for resale.

Point of Contact: Moe Daraiseh
Contact Email: [email protected]

All of the following steps must be completed before your Work-Study employee can begin working:

1.The faculty advisor/hiring manager completes the Temp Hiring/Change Form located on the SEAS Intranet, SEAS Temp Hiring Form, whether hiring a new temp or changing an existing appointment.  When completing the Temp Hiring/Change Form:

Work-Study / SEO Job ID #. You can use the following SEO Job ID #s, or any you have already created:

If you need a job title that is not listed above, you can create a new SEO Job ID directly on the Student Employment Office website (https://studentemployment.umich.edu/), or contact SEAS HR to assist. Please note that the the job title can only be from the U-M list of Temp Jobs: Temp Job Titles & Descriptions

2. Allow 5 business days for processing. Once budget approved, HR will process the appointment details and provide the necessary docs/info, HR will send an appointment confirmation email to the Student and will cc the Supervisor and requestor.  The Student should not start working until the appointment is confirmed.

Recruiting Work-Study Students

If you would like to actively recruit students for a Work-Study position:

Under this program the Dean will provide one-time annual funding support for up to two work-study students for each Faculty member each academic year.

Upon request from the faculty member via the Temp Hiring/Change Form (see 'Hiring Instructions' below) the Dean’s Work-Study program will transfer up to $2,000 into the faculty member’s discretionary account to cover the cost of two work-study students (this will be $1,000 if only one student is hired).  A faculty member can only cover up to two work-study students per year ($1,000 per student), but multiple faculty can pool funds to cover a single student beyond the $1,000 of support to the individual faculty member.

The Dean’s Work-Study program is to be used in conjunction with the student’s Federal Work-Study program and only available as support in the Fall and Winter terms.  The Federal dollars are combined with SEAS dollars in the funding package for the student:

• The Federal Work-Study covers 60% of the student’s total wages.
• The Dean’s Work-Study covers the remaining 40% of the students’ total wages up to $1,000. Wages earned over $1,000 are the responsibility of each faculty member.
• Per Student : $1000/Dean's Work Study + $1500/Federal Work Study = $2500 total per student.  In other words, each student can perform up to $2,500 worth of work for the faculty member under the program.

The identified student (preferably an SEAS student) must have a Federal Work-Study award. Please confirm this with the student prior to offering the Dean's Work-Study position.

Requests for support from the work-study program must be made before February 1st of the current academic year in order to be eligible to request additional funding from the program in the following year.

It is expected that 100% of the funds will be used to support salary for work-study students.  At the end of each academic year, total earnings for each work-study student will be assessed to determine if funding should be returned to the Dean’s Work-study program to provide funding to other work-study students.

Please note that only general fund discretionary accounts may be used for the Dean’s work study program. Sponsored Funds and internal awards/ grants cannot be used. Unfortunately we are unable to allow any exceptions to these rules. The shortcode that is approved for this program upon initial request will be the only account to receive the Dean’s work study funds.

Work study appointments can only be back dated 10 business days. This is a university system restriction and no exceptions will be granted.

Please note that work study and the Dean’s work study are not applicable for the summer months of May through August. Faculty will be responsible for the student’s wages in full during that time frame.

In June of each fiscal year, the business manager will review payroll data between September 1st and April 30th for each Dean’s Work Study appointment to determine if transferred funds were fully utilized. Any unused funds will be returned to SEAS.

• Use the faculty member's general fund discretionary shortcode.
• Provide a description of the duties in the Summary of Duties.
• Ensure that you are selecting an appropriate title and compensation rate for the duties that will be performed.
• You must include a Work-Study/Student Employment Office (SEO) Job ID # in the relevant section—see list below.
• Indicate in the Comments field that the appointment is Dean’s Work-Study.
• 38952 - Administrative Assistant
• 38955 - Assistant in Research
• 38954 - Editorial Assistant
• 38949 - Grader I
• 38951 - Laboratory Assistant
• 38953 - Media Assistant I
• 38692 - Office Assistant
• 38956 - Research Assistant I
• 38957 - Research Assistant II
• 38958 - Research Associate I
• 38959 - Research Associate II
• 38947 - Student Services Assistant I
• 38948 - Student Services Assistant II

Go to the Student Employment Office website.

Go to the “University and Work-Study Employers” section

Login with your Student Employee Office ID & password if you already have one, or go to the section below the login to request permission and get a password.

Once you can log in, create a Work-Study job posting. IMPORTANT:  You must indicate that this is a Work-Study position from the drop down menu.

Remember, you must use a job title from the U-M list of Temp Job Titles: Temp Job Titles & Descriptions

When completed, you should print the job post details for your reference.  An email will be sent to you from SEO once the Work-Study job has posted to the Student Employment Office website.

Contact the SEO directly if you have questions or need help posting the Work-Study job, or have questions on the Federal Work Study program (734) 763-4128, [email protected]

Point of Contact: Joshua Wright
Contact Email: [email protected]

School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) recognizes that postdoctoral research training is a valuable educational path for scholars in certain academic fields and provides opportunities for individuals to be appointed to such fellowships. This document outlines the procedure for and conditions of appointment of postdoctoral fellows in the SEAS.

Research Fellows must

Have an earned PhD or have documentation stating they’ve completed all of the requirements of the PhD program at an accredited college or university.

Work and conduct their research under the mentorship of a SEAS faculty member.

Research Fellow guidelines

Fellowships should be for one year (or less) with the possibility of renewal in subsequent years.

A University posting is not required. If the faculty member would like to post the position, the paperwork should go through SEAS’s HR Office.

Minimum Research Fellow full‐time rate is $40,000

Incremental space is not provided for research fellows and therefore, they should be accommodated in the faculty sponsor’s existing space.

The SEAS Dean authorizes these appointments.

Covering relocation expense is a decision made by the faculty member.  The faculty member is also responsible for funding the relocation expense.  In some cases, relocation expense may be allowable on sponsored funds, otherwise these cost will be covered by the faculty member's discretionary funding.  Total reimbursement is not to exceed one-twelfth of the postdoctoral fellow's annual salary.  

Appointment process

Once a candidate has been identified, the SEAS faculty member will send an email requesting to hire a research fellow to SEAS’s HR Office ([email protected]) outlining the details of the offer to the candidate.

The request should include:

• the salary
• the start and end date of the appointment (if the start date should change, notify SEAS HR immediately)
  source of funding
• the space/equipment to be assigned to the fellow
• a formal request for approval of the appointment and the terms of the appointment (i.e. effort, if the candidate will be working outside of Ann Arbor)
• the chosen candidate's CV
• name of the faculty mentor
• (Required if the candidate needs to be sponsored to work in the county.) What is the program objective? Describe the purpose for the exchange visitor's visit and provide details about what they will be doing in support of that; include cultural and educational exchange objectives.

The SEAS HR Office will review research fellow requests regularly and will forward requests to the Dean for final approval. Upon approval from the Dean, SEAS’s HR Office will prepare and email the offer letter to the candidate with the faculty member carbon copied. Information about benefits and other pertinent information will be included in the offer letter. Should the request be denied, the faculty member will receive notification with justification for the denial from the Dean or the SEAS HR Office.

Annual Review for Research Fellows

As with all employees, a written set of expectations is recommended. Since these are typically one‐year terms (with the possibility of renewal in subsequent years), expectations should be framed around this type of appointment. The research fellow should have an annual performance evaluation. Salary increases can be requested by the faculty mentor/superivor to SEAS HR, normally when the employee is re-appointed, and should be consistent with the funding agency's guidelines and the performance evaluation.

Vacation and Sick Allowance

Fellows who are compensated through their appointments may be eligible for an annual vacation balance of twenty-two (22) days of paid vacation, up to three weeks per year of paid sick leave and up to six (6) weeks per year of paid extended leave. Fellows who are either part-time (i.e. less than 100% effort) or who are appointed for at least six months but less than one year shall receive a pro-rata vacation allowance. Supervisors / Faculty Mentors must maintain records related to attendance and usage of vacation, sick leave and paid extended leave allocations.  See the university's SPG website for more information.

Point of Contact: D'Shaundra Payne
Contact Email: [email protected]

Prospective Graduate Student Instructors (GSI) are encouraged to attend a GSI forum that will be held each semester as the first step in the process. This mechanism will ensure that students are familiar with the selection process and expectations.  Postings will be made on the SEAS website to improve access to GSI opportunities for all SEAS students. For more details regarding student eligibility for SEAS GSI positions refer to https://seas.umich.edu/student-services/financial-aid

Faculty will receive a copy of their selection criteria along with the GSI applications for any course they offer.  Faculty should update GSI criteria each semester. Students are encouraged to contact faculty with whom they are interested in teaching.

Faculty will review applications and rank up to four candidates for each GSI position.  In addition to selecting their top applicants, faculty can list those applicants whose qualifications are not sufficient to serve as a GSI in the course.  The Associate Dean of Academic Programs (ADAP) or his/her designate will review GSI assignments based on faculty and student preferences.  Faculty preferences should be heavily weighted in the GSI selection process in order to satisfy course needs.  The ADAP or designated administrator will be responsible for matching faculty and student preferences.  If such matching materially changes the rank of students being selected (especially for courses with multiple GSIs), then the faculty member responsible for the course will be consulted about these changes.  After this, a final review of allocations will be made by the ADAP.

Where there are similarly qualified candidates, the faculty member and the ADAP should be race and gender sensitive in selection of the final candidates.

Unsuccessful applicants will be retained for consideration in the event that there are last minute openings.  Upon request, an unsuccessful applicant will receive, within fourteen (14) calendar days, a written explanation of the reasons for denial of employment, or an in-person interview if preferred. [02-05 UM-GEO Contract, Article IX, Section A, item "e".]

Each year before GSI decisions are made, the faculty and the ADAP will be responsible for reviewing the progress of SEAS PhD students towards their degrees.  Students judged to be making inadequate progress will not be eligible for GSI positions.  Progress will be determined by the PhD milestones and timeline.

PhD students will be limited to ten terms of General Fund tuition support, including such support received at the master's level. General Fund tuition support is defined as GSI/GSSA/non-sponsored research GSRA positions and Rackham fellowships such as the RMA, RMF, MELDI, and Regents.  MS-level students will be limited to four terms of eligibility, and three-year MLA candidates will be eligible for six terms. Term limits will be enforced; students who have reached these limits will not be eligible for subsequent GSI positions.  Students are required to disclose all General Fund support.

All GSIs are required to participate in the Examinations and Evaluations (course evaluation) process. The ADAP will review course evaluations at the end of each semester for both faculty and GSIs. If a problem with teaching performance is identified, the ADAP and responsible faculty member should make recommendations to help students enhance their skills.  Steps for improving student teaching may involve: 

1. Enrollment in CRLT workshops where students learn teaching techniques including lectures, guided group discussions, and the effective use of instructional technology.

2. Direct feedback on student's teaching performance and plan of action.

3. Independent feedback and a plan of action from CRLT.

4. A combination of the above strategies. 

Students with poor teaching performance who do not carry through on plans of action to improve their skills will not be eligible for subsequent GSI positions.

The University will not discriminate against any employee for employment because of age, race, color, gender, religion, disability, height, weight, marital status, national origin, political persuasion or affiliation, sexual orientation, parental or pregnancy status, HIV antibody status, veteran status, membership in any social or political group or any other factor where the employee is otherwise qualified.  The University of Michigan agrees to abide by the protections afforded employees with disabilities as outlined in the rules and regulations that implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact information for the Office of Equity and Diversity Services, phone: 734/763-0235. [02-05 UM-GEO Contract, Article IX, Section A, item "c".]

Point of Contact: Mark Romanowski
Contact Email: [email protected]

911 Fire, medical emergency, theft in progress, actual or immediately threatened violence (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Please notify them that you are in the Dana Building on the Central Campus of the University of Michigan.

734-763-1131 (from campus phone 3-1131) Department of Public Safety & Security (for non-emergency assistance) Report vandalism or theft, suspicious persons, request for security personnel, escort, etc.

734-764-9316 (from campus phone 4-9316)   For any building related maintenance, custodial services, repairs, etc. Contact: Sucila Fernandes [email protected]

734-647-2059 (from campus phone 7-2059) In the event of an after hours or weekend critical building issue (for example a flood) contact the Facilities Operation Call Center after you've first attempted to contact SEAS Facilities

Point of Contact: Sucila Fernandes
Contact Email: [email protected]

SEAS Faculty, Staff, and Students are all able to reserve conference rooms through Google Calendar, except for the Dean’s Conference Room (2026), which is scheduled by the Dean’s Office. For instructions on how to reserve conference rooms, please click on the following link. For any questions regarding reserving conference rooms please email [email protected]. Please allow 24 hours for a response. 

To schedule the Dean’s Conference Room 2026, email Susan Koehler [email protected]

Reservations of the Ford Commons and Dow Commons require approval by the Chief Administrative Officer. Use of a Dana building common area is reserved for events organized by SEAS Faculty or Administration.

For information about the classrooms and conference rooms in Dana, visit this link: https://seas.umich.edu/about/facilities-locations/room-directory

Point of Contact: Jeff Keeler
Contact Email: [email protected]

Alcohol and substance abuse is an important issue deserving the attention of the School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), as well as the University of Michigan. The effects of such abuse can be counterproductive to the educational process and to community wellbeing. The School shares the University's commitment to promoting a healthy and secure learning environment. It is in this context that these policies and procedures are adopted regarding the use of alcohol at SEAS events.

In accordance with University policy, the Associate Vice President for Facilities and Operations (AVPFO) is delegated authority to review and approve or deny requests for liquor-serving events on University property outside of a licensed facility. Such events at SEAS, or the properties under its control, therefore require the approval of the AVPFO.

1. This alcohol policy applies to the Dana Building and all other properties under the control of the School for Environment and Sustainability including, but not limited to, Saginaw Forest, Stinchfield Woods, Newcomb Tract, Harper Preserve.

Exceptions to this policy include private and personal use of alcohol by the caretakers within their places of residence.

2. With the approval of the AVPFO and the SEAS Dean’s Office, alcohol may be served at appropriate, non-public, on-site School events under the following conditions:

Whenever possible, event planners are encouraged to utilize licensed facilities for their events at which alcohol is served. For a list of these facilities, see: https://ogc.umich.edu/frequently-asked-questions/alcohol/#licensed

For events not held in a licensed facility, the State of Michigan Liquor Control Commission allocates special liquor licenses for University-wide activities to the University for its use in any one calendar year. Requests for approval to apply for special liquor licenses in the name of the Regents of the University of Michigan must be sent to AVPFO.

A special license is not required if all of the following conditions apply: 

i) The event is free of charge 
ii) The event is by invitation only (not open to the public) 
iii) No regular liquor inventory is kept 
iv) The event must be monitored by a designated responsible individual 
v) All servers are trained and certified in techniques of alcohol management. Here again, the specific University policy must be consulted: https://ogc.umich.edu/frequently-asked-questions/alcohol/#licensed

3. With the approval of the AVPFO and the SEAS Dean’s Office , alcohol may be served at appropriate, non-public, off-site School events such as donor recognition and alumni functions only if:

Service is by licensed authorities in compliance with any and all applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations including University policies and practices, local ordinances, state laws, and State of Michigan Liquor Control Commission Regulations.

The control of consumption, age limitations, and safety considerations are assumed by the serving facility.

4. If event planners desire to serve alcohol at a School-related event per sections 2 and 3 above, an application for permission must be submitted to the Dean of SEAS at least 2 weeks prior to the event. This application should provide details of the event including, but not limited to: the purpose of the event, the anticipated number of attendees, the process by which the requirements of sections 2 or 3 above will be met, the hours and location of the event, and the name of a faculty representative who will serve as sponsor of the event and be present during the event. Approval of permission is at the discretion of the Dean. No alcohol may leave the designated area or be served outside the time listed in the application.

5. Alcohol may not be served at on-site, off-site or licensed facilities where:

Any attendees are underage;
Admission is not controlled and, therefore, public;
SEAS and/or University image may be negatively perceived (such as at student recruiting events)
Concurrent or subsequent activities would put participants at risk (such as driving at or from the event, using dangerous equipment, etc.).

6. Alcohol is not permitted at outdoor student-sponsored events.

7. Be mindful that the individuals hosting or serving at an event where alcohol is served may also have personal liability, not just the University.

8. SEAS funds which originate from State, federal, or other public sources, may not be used directly or indirectly for the purchase of alcoholic beverages.

9. If a violation of SEAS policies regarding sale or service of alcohol at student events occurs at an event sponsored by a faculty member, an administrative office, staff member, or student organization, the Dean’s Office will investigate the violation and work with the faculty member, administrative office, staff member, or organization to ensure that the violation will not occur in the future. Previous violations will be considered when approval is sought for future events.

10. Interpretations of these policies will be made by the Deans, in consultation with appropriate university offices.

11. Proposed Amendments to these policies may be offered to the Executive Committee of the School for Environment and Sustainability

12. Students, faculty, and staff may inquire to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, or the Director of the Student Center about assistance and referrals or direct concerns related to this policy or the issues it seeks to address.

13. Supporting information may be found at the following websites:

Serving Alcoholic Beverages at Events on University of Michigan Campuses, Office of the Vice President and General Counsel. https://ogc.umich.edu/frequently-asked-questions/alcohol/#licensed

Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy for Students, Faculty, and Staff, (which includes information on Counseling and Treatment Programs) Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, http://alcohol-drug-policy.umich.edu/

Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy, The University of Michigan Faculty Handbook, http://www.provost.umich.edu/faculty/handbook/18/18.D.html

Point of Contact: Jeff Keeler
Contact Email: [email protected]

When entering into a laboratory, it is necessary to take the required training necessary to do work in that lab. Depending on the work that you plan to do in your lab and what specific hazards (chemical, physical, electrical, etc) you will face, the training may be different. OSEH provides several courses, mostly online, that you can take. Further lab-specific training is also required and will be handled by the staff or faculty that oversee the lab.

OSEH classes can be registered via My LINC. Go to Wolverine Access -> Faculty & Staff -> My LINC. Search for courses by number and register. Once these courses are completed, the completion certificate should be printed and included in your labs Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) Blue Binder, Section 4.

The General Laboratory Safety Training, class BLS025w, is a basic requirement for laboratory work (see chapter 7 in CHP) and will often be the bulk of lab safety training in SEAS. Other potential hazardous situations could arise during lab work, so other courses may be necessary. A few typical lab hazards and their course are listed below. All OSEH training should be renewed annually.

Equipment hazards

Centrifuge safety, BLS023w
Autoclave safety, BLS013w

Shipping safety

Dry ice, BLS204w
Chemical preservatives, BLS206w

Each lab is also required to provide laboratory-specific training. In general the lab specific training will be included in the CHP Blue binder, including the CHP and MSDS locations, the lab-specific SOPs and any additional lab specific operations. These procedures must be discussed with new lab personnel and the records that show the acknowledgement of this training go into Section 4 of the CHP Blue Binder.

PEERRS certification is a multi-module training program provided by the University to ensure responsible conduct as it relates to research. This webpage: http://my.research.umich.edu/peerrs/ provides the specifics for who should take which courses by the University’s standards. Each lab may require that their lab personnel to take further courses depending on the research that lab does.

It is also necessary to understand your role within not only your lab, but as a member of the research community as a whole at the University of Michigan. In keeping with that, all lab personnel are required to read the Academic Laboratory and Research Safety Policy to better understand their role and responsibilities as a researcher at the University.

Point of Contact: Sucila Fernandes
Contact Email: [email protected]

SEAS grants MCard access to the Dana Building’s exterior doors to all regular administrative and research staff, regular faculty (non-dry appointments), active emeritus faculty, students enrolled in an SEAS master’s program, students enrolled in the SEAS PhD program and student enrolled in the undergraduate Program in the Environment.  All other groups and guests to the building are granted access through the following process.

Requesting Special Access

Special requests for MCard access to the Dana Building outside of normal business hours must be submitted by a hiring manager or person of rank significant enough to vouch for the business need for granting special access to an individual.

All access requests must be sent as an email to [email protected].  The request must include the name, UM ID and start and end dates of the person requiring access.  A general description of the business need for having access to the Dana Building outside of normal business hours is also required. If applicable, the room(s) the individual will be working in should also in included in the request.

The SEAS Facilities Manager will review the request and grant access if approved.  Once access has been granted, the requestor will receive a message from [email protected] informing that access has been granted.  Please allow 3 business days for a request to be reviewed and processed.

In some circumstances, building access may be granted to an individual who is organizing a one-time event to be held in the Dana Building.  For these situations the event organizer will be notified through the room reservation process to contact [email protected] to request access.  The email with instructions will serve as justification for granting access and should be forwarded to SEAS Facilities.

Removal of Access

SEAS Facilities reviews building access on a regular basis and may remove access without notifying the individual.  If the end date for special access to an individual has past, it is up to the individual and supervisor to notify SEAS-Facilities that access needs to be extended.

Building Hours

In general, the Dana building is unlocked from 7am to 9pm.  There are several circumstances throughout the year that lead to modified hours for the building to be locked.  A email notice is sent to all faculty, staff and students at most one week in advance of the temporary change in the hours for the building to be locked.

Point of Contact: Sucila Fernandes
Contact Email: [email protected]

Advertising and selling items or fundraising for non-SEAS sponsored events and initiatives are not allowed on SEAS property. No employee or student shall sell, solicit or promote subscriptions, pledges, memberships or other types of support for any drives, campaigns, causes or organizations on SEAS property for unauthorized events.  tems sold as part of fundraising for SEAS departments or university registered student clubs or organizations are allowed as long as university protocols are followed. Any monies raised on SEAS property must be in line with the school's Development mission.  Personal endeavors for fundraising should be held off campus and not require support from SEAS Administration.  

Students may not operate multi-level marketing/businesses, sell merchandise or solicit subscriptions/services anywhere on SEAS property. Individual students, or groups of students not recognized as official clubs or organizations by the university, may not use a UM name, address, logo, signature, seal, any other university marks, letterhead or business cards.

Point of Contact: Shelly Baczkowski
Contact Email: [email protected]

SEAS is committed to providing members of its community with a private space for purposes related to religion, medical conditions and lactating parents. The SEAS Privacy Room (room 3527) is available to staff, students and faculty who need a private space for one of these reasons.

Supervisors are expected to allow time during work hours for employees who need to use the privacy room.  Managers are encouraged to work with employees to establish break times that are mutually convenient and support both the employee and department operations.  Breaks should not exceed 30 minutes and not more than three times per day.  If more time is needed, please connect with your supervisor or admin front desk for more information.

Process for reserving the Privacy Room:

• The person who is using the Privacy Room (Room 3527) is required to check out the room key.
• The check out form and key pickup are located in room 2038. The key is found on the bulletin board next to the supply room in room 2038.
• Return the key to room 2038 immediately when finished using the privacy room

Any questions should be directed to the Admin Services Front Desk attendee in room 2038 or email Jane Parish ([email protected]). 

The key can be signed out Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.

To find additional locations on campus for reflection rooms or lactation rooms, please visit https://hr.umich.edu/benefits-wellness/work-life/lactation-resources/lactation-room-locations-across-campus-michigan-medicine

Point of Contact: Jane Parish
Contact Email: [email protected]