• See the main office Paige Lab room 208 for how to get a key to your building (Paige, Bowditch, and Fernald) and the lab you will primarily be using.
• International students: Contact the International Programs Office (IPO) as soon as you have arrived on campus, and make an appointment to meet with an IPO advisor.
• Get a “UCard” campus ID from Whitmore Room 168. Start at the UCard website.
• You will receive a "NetID" and password from OIT (Office of Information Technologies), Log into SPIRE, our student information system, where you can change your password and update your personal information, including preferred first name and pronouns. Class rosters and other important documents use your SPIRE information, so it is a good idea to make corrections to your personal information before joining our campus.
• Share your email address with Sara Kelley, the Graduate Program Director Assistant in Paige Room 201, and with your faculty advisor. You will want to check your UMass email address daily as all official University correspondence will be sent there.
• If you are receiving a stipend, see Sara Kelley in Paige 201 to sign paperwork so you can start getting paid.
• IMPORTANT: Payment of your stipend may be contingent upon the University receiving a complete record of vaccination, including for TB. Contact University Health Services: https://www.umass.edu/uhs/ and provide your proof of vaccination or make an appointment to receive vaccination as soon as you arrive on campus.
• Sign up for and attend a lab safety training session with Environmental Health and Safety. For more information please contact Samantha Glaze-Corcoran.
• Discuss planned courses and timing for your degree with your advisor.
• More places on campus you may want to check out:
  • Campus Center for UMass Store and Blue Wall Café
  • UMass Dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner commons
  • Peoples Market for snacks and coffee
  • Recreation Center for gym membership
  • Mullins Center for hockey, basketball games and shows
  • University Health Services for doctor appointments.
• Useful University links:
  • Campus Map
  • Accessibility Campus Map
  • Parking Services
  • Graduate Student Handbook
  • Tuition and Fee Payment Information

Major Advisor/Professor

You should know upon entry into your degree program who your major advisor will be since students are not admitted into the graduate program without a faculty member having first agreed to serve as their advisor (also called major professor). This person will play a major role in the many academic decisions you will face while enrolled. Your major professor will chair your examination/advisory committee (see “Examination/Advisory Committee”) and be responsible for supervising your graduate work. Schedule regular (weekly or monthly) meetings with your major professor to discuss your research and your courses, and other professional interests and concerns.

Each major professor will have a slightly different way of keeping track of project or other expenses, so it is necessary to check with her/him, even for small amounts, before purchasing or ordering items. Be sure you are aware of the specific requirements from our bookkeepers regarding purchases, too.

Also, it is better to ask early about expectations regarding work hours, methods of data collection and handling, etc., before a problem arises. Note: there is no assumed vacation time for graduate students, except as negotiated by the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO), which amounts to 4 hrs. per month for a 20 hour/week appointment. If you are receiving a 52- week stipend, you are expected to be working full-time on the project that is paying you. Again, each major professor will have his/her concept of what constitutes reasonable "flex" time. It is prudent to ask questions before rather than after a problem arises, so clear any proposed time-off with your advisor well ahead of time.

At times, emergencies arise, and it may be essential to contact you quickly. Please make it easy for your major professor, the Graduate Program Director, and Graduate Program Assistant to find you by filing your cell and home phone numbers with each of them. If you move, be sure to update the listing. Also, check your mailbox and email daily if possible.

Graduate Program Director (GPD)

In the eyes of the University, the Program is a single graduate program with a single Graduate Program Director (GPD); thus, all official correspondence between the Program and the graduate school must be via the GPD. Most of the paperwork for the Graduate School will require the GPD signature.

The GPD can serve as a sounding board if you have a problem you are reluctant to raise with your major professor, and the GDP can help you resolve any serious conflicts you are having with your major professor or any aspect of the graduate program. Remember, the GDP is the graduate student advocate and is there to help you succeed in the program. Problems regarding money ultimately should be resolved through discussions with the Department Head, the GPD, your major professor, and you.