Entomology - Graduate Student Handbook

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Employment

Wage Payroll

Hourly employment is sometimes available with faculty in the department. Employment in other departments is also often available. The Office of Student Aid maintains a list of wage positions available to students.

Assistantships

The department has a limited number of assistantships for graduate students. These are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, area of interest, and availability. Each Spring Semester graduate students are asked to complete an Assistantship Award/Renewal Request. This should be completed, with input from your faculty advisor, and returned to the Administrative Assistant.

Assistantships in the Department of Entomology are half-time. The Assistant is required to schedule 9-12 credits per semester, receives a stipend plus a tuition grant-in-aid, and is assigned activities requiring an average of twenty hours of service per week. Eligibility is usually limited to two calendar years of study for an M.S, four years for M.S. to Ph.D., and five years for B.S. to Ph.D.

General Conditions of Graduate Assistantship Appointments.

Fellowship and Scholarship Awards

The Graduate School annually offers University Graduate Fellowships to entering degree-seeking graduate students of outstanding ability. In selecting fellowship recipients, scholarly excellence is a major consideration, but need is frequently considered. The graduate application and accompanying materials are used for fellowship consideration at the department level. Our department submits fellowship nominations to the college for their consideration.

Information on funding opportunities for current students can be found at The Graduate School’s website. The College has a web page devoted to fellowship opportunities as well.

Loan Programs

Any prospective or currently enrolled graduate-degree candidate may seek aid from loan programs directly through Penn State’s Office of Student Aid.

MISCELLANEOUS

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances (physical, verbal, visual), requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

• submission to such conduct is a condition for employment, promotion, grades or academic status;

• submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting an individual;

• such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering unreasonably with the individual’s work or academic performance or creates an offensive, hostile, or intimidating working or learning environment.

Sexual harassment of faculty, staff or students will not be tolerated at Penn State. The University takes an active role in providing information and/or training to students and employees on the seriousness of such behavior and the importance of ensuring an educational and work environment in which all individuals are respected.

Any member of the University community who experiences sexual harassment should bring this problem to the attention of appropriate individuals. Sexual harassment contacts in the Department of Entomology are the Department Head and the Administrative Assistant. In addition, you can contact the college’s resource officer in the Office of Human Resources (863-3452).

Professional Ethics

The University has established general standards of professional ethics to serve as a reminder of the variety of obligations assumed by all members of the academic community. These professional ethics are set forth in the University Policy AD47. An additional policy, RA10, establishes a means of handling inquiries and/or investigations into questions of ethics in response to Federal regulations.

Statistical Consulting and Computing Services

Penn State’s Statistical Consulting Center is a team of faculty, staff and graduate students in the Department of Statistics with expertise in statistical methodology and applications. They welcome the opportunity to work with Penn State faculty, research staff and graduate students working on research leading towards a thesis or dissertation. Two short-term consultations are offered to graduate students for research directly related to a M.S. or Ph.D. degree to be conferred by Penn State. The assigned consultant is a statistics graduate student enrolled in the Statistical Consulting Practicum course.

Request consulting services on their web site, or call them at 863-0281 if you have any questions. The Statistical Consulting Center is located in 323 Thomas Building.

Group Medical Insurance

Penn State’s Student Insurance Office is responsible for administering the following health insurance plans for Penn State students:

The Graduate Assistant and Graduate Fellow Health Insurance, which is available as a benefit to Graduate Assistants and Graduate Fellows;

The Penn State Student Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan, which is available to undergraduate and graduate students who have no health insurance coverage, who need supplemental insurance because their current plan does not provide adequate coverage while they are at Penn State, or who are international students and must comply with Penn State’s Mandatory Health Insurance Requirement.

All Graduate Assistants and Fellows will be automatically enrolled in the Penn State Graduate Assistant/Fellow Plan (MEGA) but can elect to decline this coverage by completing a declination form and submitting it to the Student Insurance Office at the beginning of fall semester.

Effective Fall Semester 1990, newly enrolled international students, their spouses and children are required to have health insurance that meets certain criteria established by the University Student Insurance Committee. These students must show proof of health insurance at the Student Insurance Office, or they may purchase the Penn State Plan.

Questions about student insurance should be directed to the Student Insurance Office, 208 Boucke Building, 865-7467.

Transportation In and Out of the Community

The University Park campus is located at the geographical center of Pennsylvania (view map and directions from nearby cities). Access to the campus is available by car, bus and air.

University Park Airport. The University Park Airport is located approximately five miles from campus. Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways Express provide commercial flights connecting the Airport to Cincinnati, Detroit, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. Alamo, National, Avis and Hertz car rental companies are also located at the Airport. The phone number for the Airport is (814) 865-5511.

Out-of-town Buses Greyhound Bus Lines has connections to all major cities. The bus terminal is located at 152 N. Atherton Street, (814) 238-7971.

Local Buses

The LOOP and the LINKare local bus systems providing fare-free service around the Penn State campus and downtown State College. It consists of four integrated routes—two LOOP routes and two LINK routes. The BLUE LOOP operates clockwise around campus serving downtown via College Ave. while the WHITE LOOP provides counter-clockwise service around campus serving downtown via Beaver Ave. The RED LINK operates along Curtin Road between the Jordan Center and Stadium West Parking lots and West Campus. The GREEN LINK provides extra daytime weekday service during Fall and Spring Semesters along that same route but only as far as Allen Road. The LINK runs along Curtin Road between the Bryce Jordan Center Parking Lot and West Campus.

For exact times and routes see the Loop and Link Service Schedule.

Town Buses ( CATA--Centre Area Transit Authority). CENTRE LINE is a fixed-route bus system providing regional service between downtown State College, the Penn State campus, the borough of Bellefonte, the village of Pleasant Gap, suburban shopping centers, apartment complexes, residential areas, governmental offices, and many special points of interest.

CATA Ride Guides are available throughout the community and individual schedule brochures for all CENTRE LINE routes are available at both CATA offices (2081 Whitehall Road and 127 S Fraser Street) and on all CATA buses.

Other transportation needs

Amtrak 800-872-7245

Handy Delivery Taxi Service 814-353-6001

Centre County Taxi For Less 814-238-7900

Nittany Express Airport Shuttle 814-867-4646

CAMPUS ACTIVITIES

Unions and Student Activities information is available from the Division of Student Affairs website.

Sports and recreational activities information is available in Room 2 Intramural Building, or the recreational sports website.

Information on Campus Religious Activities can be obtained from the Center for Ethics and Religious Affairs website.