Graduate Culture and Travel
Housing
On campus housing is available for graduate students. For more information, visit Housing Services.
Technology
Computer and network use must conform to USU’s existing policies and procedures regarding appropriate use of computing, networking, and information resources. If you are concerned that your legitimate research needs require something that is not compatible with these policies and procedures, contact the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) for guidance.
Check your university email regularly for all essential university communication. Colleagues, students, and faculty will use your USU email to contact you, particularly about USU related things. Do not use a private email for USU-related business.
Social Media Usage
While the department encourages online collaboration, particularly with the department via social media, it’s important to remember that anything you say and do online is available to others. Therefore, the following are guidelines for appropriate online conduct.
First and foremost, do not post anything personal about a colleague or student on any form of social media, and do not post anything criticizing USU, which could also affect your colleagues and students. If you have a complaint or concern, please contact the DGS, and they will do their best to advise you on whether or not to file a formal complaint or seek other action. Online can mean forever, and comments and posts can be forwarded or copied. Years from now current or prospective employers could find posts that you create now. This could not only affect you but your students, colleagues, and professors as well. So, above all else, respect others. Don’t infringe on the privacy of your friends, colleagues, and faculty.
Do not post about confidential or proprietary information on social media such as student grades or sensitive information. Use good ethical judgment and follow university policies.
Office Space
The office is a professional workplace and should be upheld as such; respect the working habits of your colleagues.
Travel
There are set travel funds available for graduate students who are attending academic conferences to give presentations.
You will need to complete an online travel authorization (TA) at a minimum of 2 weeks prior to your trip departure date (4 weeks prior for international travel). The dashboard for TA requests and travel reimbursement requests can be accessed by visiting the ServiceNow Travel dashboard. When you return from your trip, you will need to go back to the travel dashboard and complete a travel reimbursement for your travel expenses (do not exceed the amount of funding available to you). Be sure to upload itemized receipts that show a form of payment.
Please note the following policy travel funding:
- Graduate students are required to apply for matching funds from the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) in order to be eligible for English Department travel funds. However, they do not need to receive SGS funds in order to be eligible, only to have applied.
- When you submit your TA, you should attach both your acceptance letter for your presentation and a copy (a screenshot is fine) of your request for matching funds from the SGS.
- In the comment section of the TA, provide a few sentences to summarize your project and travel plans. For example, "I am presenting a paper on [interesting sounding paper topic] at the [impressive academic organization] Annual Meeting in [City, State]. I developed this presentation from a paper I wrote for [Faculty Member's] seminar."
- Please also include in the comment section the amount(s) and source(s) of any additional requested funding (whether from the SGS or others).
- Full time Master’s students are eligible for up to a total of $500.00 in departmental travel funding during the two years of their degree.
- Full time PhD students are eligible for up to $500.00 in departmental travel grant funding in each year of their degree, beginning in their second year.
Refer to the “Graduate Travel Funding” page for up-to-date information, including the relevant forms to apply for funding.