Academic Guidelines 2008-2010
Introduction

The information, policies, and rules contained herein are subject to change. No part of this publication should be construed as a contract or offer to contract.

Students are responsible for knowing current university regulations.

© 2007 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

• A Statement on Diversity and Respect
• For Students with Disabilities
• About Graduate School Academic Guidelines
• Campus Online Resources and Services
• Graduate School Resources
• Tips for Achieving Success in graduate school
• Graduate School Guidelines
  • Index
  • Appendicies
  • Resources

A Statement on Diversity and Respect

True learning requires free and open debate, civil discourse, and respect of many different individuals and ideas. We are preparing students to live and work in a world that speaks with many voices and from many cultures. Respect is not only essential to learning; it is an essential to be learned. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is built upon these values and will act vigorously to defend them. We will maintain an environment conducive to teaching and learning that is free from intimidation for all.

In its resolve to create this positive environment the UW-Madison will ensure compliance with federal and state laws protecting against discrimination. In addition the UW-Madison has adopted policies that both emphasize these existing protections and supplement them with protections against discrimination that are not available under either federal or state law.

Federal and state laws provide separate prohibitions against discrimination that is based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry, age, or disability. State law additionally prohibits discrimination that is based on sexual orientation, arrest or conviction record, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, military status, or veteran status. The application of specific state prohibitions on discrimination may be influenced by an individual’s status as an employee or student.

Department of Defense personnel policies governing enlistment and commissioning of armed forces personnel and awarding of Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarships to UW-Madison students do discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and UW-Madison faculty, staff, and student governance groups have registered their strong opposition to this discrimination and urge the Department of Defense to change its policy.

University policies create additional protections that prohibit harassment on the basis of cultural background and ethnicity.

Inquiries concerning this policy may be directed to the appropriate campus admitting or employing unit or to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 179A Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, 263-2378 or TTY 263-2473.

For Students with Disabilities

The McBurney Disability Resource Center provides academic support services (disability management advising, note taking, sign language and oral interpreting, alternative testing, reader/taping services, access to large print and Braille materials, mobility assistance, and access to adaptive technology); disability-related program access services (specialized orientation, enrollment and financial aid assistance, accessible parking, liaison to university, federal, state, and community agencies, academic adjustments, physical access evaluation, advocacy, and in-service training for faculty and staff); and information and referral services.

Students are encouraged to contact the center as early as possible to arrange for services and to contact their local Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) office. For assistance or more information, contact the McBurney Center, 1305 Linden Drive Avenue, 263-2741 or TTY 263-6393, FrontDesk@mcb.wisc.edu, www.mcburney.wisc.edu.

About Graduate School Academic Guidelines

The Graduate School Office of Admissions and Academic Services developed the Guidelines to help answer questions about Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures. This is the seventh printed edition of Graduate School Academic Guidelines (formerly known as the Graduate School Student Handbook). The online version of the Guidelines is the official document of record.

We appreciate feedback regarding the organization and content of this document. To comment or to receive updated Graduate School Academic Guidelines information, contact us at the Graduate School Office of Admissions and Academic Services, 217 Bascom Hall, 262-2433, gsacserv@bascom.wisc.edu

The topics in the Guidelines are listed alphabetically. Entries are cross-referenced. Also included are tables (see the Appendices) to illustrate payroll benefits and other important information. After the Appendices are lists of Frequently Used Telephone Numbers, E-mail Addresses, and Web sites.

This publication addresses only academic issues. The Guide to Graduate Student Life, produced by the Graduate Student Collaborative, offers advice about the university and community from a students’ perspective, particularly for new graduate students. The Graduate Student Collaborative, part of the Office of Outreach and Graduate Student Professional Development, is located at 408 Bascom Hall, 262-0201, gsc@bascom.wisc.edu.

We hope you find your graduate experience at UW-Madison enjoyable, productive, and rewarding.

Note: For all Madison phone numbers, the area code is 608.

Campus Online Resources and Services

Students at the UW-Madison have access to a growing collection of online computing and networking resources and services.

UW-Madison’s Web site, www.wisc.edu, provides links to many sources of information, ranging from local campus resources to national and international topics.

The Graduate School’s Web site, www.grad.wisc.edu, defines three main areas of responsibility within the Graduate School (graduate education, research, and centers and facilities) and is designed for a diverse audience, including students, prospective students, faculty, and program administrators.

The Electronic Library, www.library.wisc.edu, includes a powerful library search tool, MadCat, among other resources.

Everything you need to connect to the Internet is available from the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) at www.doit.wisc.edu/students/index.asp.

All students are responsible for activating their university network ID and their e-mail account through the My UW-Madison portal login page and for checking e-mail on a frequent and consistent basis. The university-assigned student e-mail account is the university’s preferred means of communication with all students attending the UW-Madison. You are responsible for all information sent to you via your university-assigned e-mail account, and should recognize that certain communications are time-critical. If you choose to forward your university e-mail account, you are responsible for all information, including attachments, sent to any other e-mail account. If you do not own a computer, you can access the Internet at any InfoLab.

My UW-Madison, my.wisc.edu, allows students to view and update selected information regarding their student records. It is important for you to maintain current contact information via My UW-Madison.

Use of information technology must be consistent with the university’s mission and with its role as a public agency. Each member of the university community is expected to protect the integrity of these resources and to know and adhere to university rules, regulations, and guidelines for their appropriate use.

For more information, see Guidelines for Appropriate Use of University of Wisconsin-Madison Information Technology Resources, www.doit.wisc.edu/security/policies/appropriate_use.asp.

Graduating or departing students will be able to use their WiscWorld accounts until shortly after the last day to add of the fall and spring semesters each year. To determine who is eligible for an account, see www.doit.wisc.edu/WiscWorld/index.asp and select "About WiscWorld."

For information describing these services and dial-in access in detail, contact the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) Help Desk, 1210 West Dayton Street, 264-HELP (4357), help@doit.wisc.edu. The DoIT Web site is www.doit.wisc.edu.

A new Timetable is available each semester and summer online at registrar.wisc.edu/timetable.

Graduate School Resources

The Graduate School Catalog is an overview of all the programs at UW-Madison that offer graduate degrees, graduate minors, and certificates.
The Graduate School Catalog will only be available online beginning summer 2008 at www.wisc.edu/grad/catalog/

The Graduate School also produces a number of documents to help students prepare for and complete their degrees:

A Guide to Preparing Your Master’s Thesis

Expecting Your Master’s Degree? Procedures to Help

A Guide to Preparing Your Doctoral Dissertation

The 3-D’s: Deadlines, Defending, Depositing Your Ph.D. Dissertation

Tips for Achieving Success in graduate school:

• Give careful consideration to your choice of advisor, who will be making important decisions about the acceptability of your proposed research and the quality of your work. Talk to other graduate students about choosing or changing advisors.
• Get to know your department’s graduate student coordinator, who probably will be the person most familiar with deadlines, forms, policies, protocol, and administrative procedures.
• Pay attention to deadlines. Failure to meet deadlines can cost you time, money, or both.
• Read the department’s bulletin boards for notices from the coordinator and from the Graduate School. If you do not understand how something might affect you, ask.
  
• Check with your department about their specific requirements for satisfactory progress. Departments and programs often have requirements that are more demanding than the minimum requirements monitored by the Graduate School. Individual department satisfactory progress criteria are in the Graduate School Catalog, and in department student handbooks.
  
• Open an e-mail account. University offices, departments, and faculty send essential information by e-mail to your university-assigned student e-mail account. See the section Online Resources and Services for more information about My UW-Madison and e-mail.

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