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Ph.D. Student Handbook
updated September, 2007

1. Academic Calendar, Stanford Bulletin and Time Schedules
2. Who's Who in IPERNation
A. IPER Staff
B. IPER Faculty
C. IPER Students
D. Student Leadership
E. SES Dean's Office
F. Computer Support
3. IPER Program Offices
A. General Information
B. Student Offices and Shared Space
C. Safety
D. Telecommunications
E. Mail
F. Recycling/Trash/Composing Facilities
4. Peer Resources
A. IPER “Buddy” System
B. IPER Mentoring Lunch Program
C. Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC)
D. Excom Representative and the Student Liaison Committee
E. “Brown Bag Lunch” Peer Presentation Series
F. SES Research Review
G. IPER Student Listserve
H. IPER Student Wiki

I. IPER Service Opportunities

5. General Resources
A. Libraries
B. Social Science Data and Software (SSDS)
C. Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
D. Stanford Writing Center (SWC)
E. Graduate Life Office (GLO)
F. Graduate Student Info Center (GSIC)
G. Seminar (WIE, Energy, Env Law, etc.)

H. Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation

6. Finances
A. Understanding your Stanford University Bill
B. Your Fellowship
C. Program Support Beyond Five Years of Eligibility
D. Getting Paid

E. Stanford Federal Credit Union (SFCU) and Other Banking Facilities

F. Summer Funding
G. Emergency Funding and Financial Aid Office (FAO) Resources
H. Leaves of Absence
I. Change of Degree Goal (Ph.D. to M.S.)
J. Conference Funding Policy

K. Funding Policy for IPER Student Research and Miscellaneous Expenses

L.Funding Policy for Dissertation Filing Expenses coming soon!

M. Reimbursements
N. Purchasing Card (P-Card)
7. Taxes
A. Tax Forms
B. Tax Help
8. Health
A. Cardinal Care
B. Coverage During Fieldwork

C. Coverage During Summer Quarter

D. Coverage Post-Graduation

E. Dental Insurance
F. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
G. Crisis Counseling
H. Childbirth Policy
9. Academic Policy for Stanford Graduate Students
A. Registration Requirements
B. Residency Requirement
C. Credit for Graduate Work Done Elsewhere
D. Axess
E. Registration
F. Registering for Individual Study Courses
G. Tuition
H. Academic Progress Requirements
I. Conferral of Degrees
10. Grades
A. Letter Grading Method
B. Letter and CR/NC Grading Method
C. Satisfactory/ No Credit Grading Method
D. Repeated Courses
11. Program Requirements for the IPER Ph.D.

APPENDICES
i. Guidelines for Good Practices in the Graduate Student-Faculty Advisor Relationship

ii. Advising IPER Students: A Guide for Students and Faculty

iii. Scientific Misconduct Policy
iv. Retention of and Access to Research Data
v. Academic Grievance Procedures

vi. Human Subjects in Non-Medical Research

vii. IPER Forms

1. Academic Calendar, Bulletin and Time Schedules

View the current University Academic Calendar.

The Stanford Bulletin, issued annually around mid-September, contains information about the University and its schools, departments, and programs, including courses taught during the current academic year and requirements for degree programs. The Time Schedule is distributed quarterly and lists class schedules. The paper version is printed well in advance so is often outdated at the time of distribution. You should always confirm course schedules through Axess

The 2007-08 Bulletin is distributed to students, faculty, and staff with a Stanford ID in the Registrar's Office at 630 Serra Street, Suite 120. You may also access sections of the Bulletin in PDF form on the Bulletin homepage.

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2. Who’s Who in IPERNation

A. IPER Staff
IPER is run by a small, dedicated team. Helen manages the academic side of the program, while Danielle manages program administration and student services. Gretchen Daily is our faculty director, and fearless leader!

Gretchen Daily

Faculty Director, Professor of Biological Sciences

3-9452

Herrin 427

Helen Doyle

Associate Director

4-3074

Mitchell 132

Danielle Nelson

Assistant Director

3-6117

Mitchell B-52

B. IPER Faculty

i. Affiliated Faculty
IPER does not have appointed faculty in the traditional sense; instead we have over 60 Affiliated Faculty from departments across campus. They are housed in and appointed to other departments (such as Biology, Engineering, Political Science, Economics, etc.) and on a voluntary basis, advise our students, teach IPER classes and provide leadership simply because they believe in our students and the program’s philosophy of interdisciplinary problem-solving. Be sure to visit the Faculty page of the IPER website for a list of our Affiliated Faculty

ii. Executive Committee
IPER is led by our Faculty Director together with the Executive Committee (Excom). Excom is IPER’s decision-making body and is composed of 5 faculty members, plus one student representative elected annually by the student body (see Section 4.D). Each of IPER’s established “focal areas” is represented by one committee member. At monthly meetings, your representative presents student items to the Committee and is responsible for reporting back decisions, developments and other Excom news.

2007-08 Executive Committee Members

Gretchen Daily

BioSci

Natural Sciences

Jeff Koseff

CEE

Engineering and Tech

Erica Plambeck

GSB

Culture and Institutions

Buzz Thompson

Law

Culture and Institutions

Donald Kennedy

CESP

NatSci/Policy Analysis

Carolyn Snyder

IPER

Student Rep

 

C. IPER Students

LAST

FIRST

Year

Lead Advisors

PhD  

 

 
Abhyankar Nikit

1st

Victor (Heller), Goulder
Cornelius Marilyn

1st

Root, Heise (Schneider)
Gould Rachelle

1st

Daily, Mancall
Pickering Amy

1st

Davis, Miller
Pizarro Rodrigo

1st

Naylor, Scott

Blaich Vaughan

Mehana

2nd

Vitousek, Thompson

Gerhart

Andrew

2nd

Naylor, Caldwell

Millard-Ball

Adam

2nd

Schneider, Goulder

Rao

Narasimha

2nd

Victor, Sweeney

Scruggs

Caroline

2nd

Ortolano, Luthy

Shilling

A. Kaitlin

2nd

Falcon, Naylor

Carl

Jeremy

3rd

Victor, Heller

Gaskell

Joanne

3rd

Falcon, Naylor

Honey

Kristen

3rd

Micheli, Monismith

Hooper

Michael

3rd

Ortolano, Weinstein

Leising

Adam

3rd

Sweeney, Goulder (Kieffel)

Perlstein

Andrew

3rd

Ortolano, Seto

Snyder

Carolyn

3rd

Field

Brauman

Kate

4th

Daily, Freyberg

Lukacs

Heather

4th

Ortolano, Powell

Schaffer

Hilary

4th

Ortolano, McAdam

Nicholas Cahill

 Kim

5th

Field, Durham

Goldman

Becca

5th

Daily, Thompson

Hwang

Rebeca

5th

Ortolano, Hillmann

Oleson

 Kirsten

5th

Goulder, Satz, Naylor

Shester

Geoff

5th

Micheli, Goulder

Warren

Justin

5th

Goulder, Fringer

Funk

 Jason

6th

Field, Matson

Richards

 Beth

6th

Ortolano, Sweeney

Srinivasan

 Veena

6th

Gorelick, Goulder

Zhang

Xuehua

6th

Ortolano, Thompson

Hayes

Mark

Graduate

Victor

Hummel

Holmes

Grduate

Weyant

Goldstein

Josh

Graduate

Daily, Naylor

Mastrandrea

Mike

Graduate

Schneider


Joint MS      
Abelon Dan MS/MBA tbd
Joseph John MS/MBA tbd
Mount David MS/MBA tbd
Wendt Emma MS/MBA tbd
Brandon Travis MS/Law tbd
Dietrich Edwin MS/Law tbd
Shillinglaw Brian MS/Law tbd
Zwillinger Rachel MS/Law tbd
Morgan Peter MS/Law
graduate
Daily, Caldwell

D. IPER Student Leadership (See Section 4.D. for more information)

Snyder

Carolyn

Excom Rep

Executive Committee

Gerhart

Andy

GSAC Rep

Graduate Student Advisory Committee

Millard-Ball

Adam

GSAC Rep

Graduate Student Advisory Committee

tbd

tbd

Candidate Rep

Student Liaison Committee

Gaskell

Joanne

Third Year Class Rep

Student Liaison Committee

Blaich Vaughan

Mehana

Second Year Class Rep

Student Liaison Committee

tbd

tbd

First Year Class Rep

Student Liaison Committee

E. SES Dean’s Office
The Dean’s Office is located in Mitchell Room 101

Dean

Pamela Matson

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Steve Graham

Associate Dean for Administration (financial, faculty,space)

Amy Balsom

Assistant Dean for Facilities (bldg manager, lab safety)

Felicia Morales

Project Coordinator (Facilities) Tom Koos

Assistant to the Dean

Margaret Timothy

Dean of External Relations (development)

David Voss

Dean of Strategic Planning David Gordon

Director of Communications

Cindy Gori

Director of Stewardship

Mona Tekchandani

Event Planner

Dorcas Hendershott

Academic Affairs Coordinator

Christina Sebastian

Financial Management Analyst

Hector Rastrullo

Accounting/ Admin Associate (reimbursements)

Sandie Garcia

Outreach Coordinator Jenny Saltzman

F. Computer Support

Network Administrator

Phil Farrell

Software Developer

Kai Lanz

Web Manager

Clay Hamilton

Computing System Info Analyst
(tech support)

HelpSu

Web Developer Pamela Stone

View the online University Directory. Update your personal information for this directory through the "Personal Tab" in Axess.

View the School of Earth Sciences Directory of faculty, staff and students. 

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3. IPER Program Offices

A. General Information
IPER has two administrative offices: Danielle's office in Mitchell B-52 and Helen's office in Mitchell 132. Danielle and Helen are generally in their offices between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and have an open door policy.

B. Student Offices and Shared Space
2007-08 will be a year of transition in terms of physical location. For Autumn Term only, IPER staff, first, and second year students will maintain their office space in the Mitchell building thanks to the generosity and flexibility of the SES Dean. In December 2007, IPER staff and students will move into the new Environment and Energy (E&E) Building where we will have 30 student cubicles available, enough to accommodate all IPER students. The Woods Institute for the Environment and the vast majority of IPER Affiliated Faculty will also be housed in that building, creating an environment of close student/faculty interaction, where interdisciplinary collaborations will be nurtured

Until this move occurs, 2nd Year and some 3rd Year IPER students will occupy Mitchell B-02 and B-54. The multipurpose room (B-54A) and all equipment and supplies are shared. The entry code for each room is the same and should be kept confidential as this code cannot be easily changed. You are advised to keep valuables locked in your drawers/cabinets. You will be given an “X” key to use while a building resident. This will allow you to enter the basement level through the external door after hours. The Mitchell Building remains unlocked during the Branner Library hours of operation: M-Th 9a.m.-9p.m.; F 9a.m.-5p.m.; Sat 1p.m.-5p.m.; Sun 4p.m.-9p.m. These hours change during summer and intersession.

As IPER office space is communal, please be considerate of your officemates.  Office areas should be a quiet place to work, while the multipurpose room or conference room in B-04 can be used for meetings, study groups, and socialization. You are responsible for keeping communal areas tidy (for example: empty recycling if you see it overflowing, don’t leave spoiled food in the refrigerator and put away scissors, paperclips, etc. after use). It is recommended that the Mitchell B-02 and B-54 occupants convene a meeting to discuss ground rules for this shared space.

IPER has two large printers, both of which are networked and available for your use. The printer in Mitchell B-54A is also a copier and scanner; the printer in B-02 is color-capable. Neither machine requires an access code. Please make every effort to conserve paper and toner! IPER provides communal office supplies such as copier paper, toner, staples, scissors, tape, paperclips, etc. which are kept in storage areas in both rooms. You are responsible for outfitting your personal cubicle with supplies.

IPER owns an LCD projector, which can be used for any academic or course-related work.  It is kept in Danielle’s office and must be checked out. The Dean’s Office also owns several projectors, which can be checked out from Margaret Timothy in Mitchell rm. 101.

C. Safety*To Dial 911 From A Campus Phone You Will Need To Dial 9-911!!
All employees and students have a personal responsibility for knowing what to do before, during, and after an emergency to protect their safety and their work. It is advised that you visit the Stanford University Department of Public Safety website, which provides information on crime prevention as well as the Stanford Environmental Health and Safety website, which provides information about disaster preparedness on and off campus.

You now live in earthquake territory. Small tremors do occur occasionally, though large earthquakes are quite rare. Nonetheless, it is important to be prepared. You are advised to review the USGS Earthquake Preparedness Handbook.

IPER has placed 2-person emergency survival kits in every other cubicle in both student rooms. Make sure you know where the nearest  kit is located. A first aid kit is kept in the multipurpose room in Mitchell B-54. Soon, you will be asked to provide information for IPER’s Emergency Contact Roster. In the event of an evacuation, Mitchell Building residents should congregate at our predetermined emergency assembly point (EAP), which is the South End of Lawn on Lomita Mall, between the Mitchell Building and GeoCorner.

Emergency Assembly Points shown on map.

The School of Earth Sciences holds a mandatory safety-training course in early autumn term. You are encouraged to add the distributed materials to this handbook for easy reference. IPER’s Safety Contact is:

Felicia Morales, Staff
Mitchell 101, ext. 3-5490

D. Telecommunications
On-campus telephone calls are made by dialing the last 5 numbers of the phone number (i.e. 3-6117).  Local, off-campus calls are made by dialing “9” and then the phone number (i.e. 9-723-6117).  *To Dial 911 From A Campus Phone You Will Need To Dial 9-911!! If a flutter tone is heard after a number is dialed, that number is outside of the local calling area (international, special toll calls) and a Personal Billing Number (PBN) is required (see below).

IPER pays for your shared telephone line and voicemail box. Coordinate rules for use (personal use, voicemail, etc) with your phone partner. Danielle can provide you with a PBN to use for work/research-related calls; we do track phone activity charged to this PBN. You may obtain a PBN for non-research related calls through Axess whether you live on or off campus. Select the My IT Services tab.

IPER’s fax machine, located in B-54, is available for you to send and receive messages. The fax machine operates in the same way as a campus phone line; a PBN is required for international faxes. IPER’s fax number is 650-725-4139.

E. Mail
IPER has a mailbox in the Dean’s Office entryway. If you arrange to have mail sent to IPER, this is where it will be delivered. We are not set up to receive large amounts of mail, so while it is appropriate for work related e-mail to be sent here, please use your home mailing address for personal mail. Incoming mail should be addressed as follows:  Your Name, IPER, 397 Panama Mall, Mitchell Building, Stanford, CA 94305-2210. Since our address will change in December 07, it is recommended that you distribute this adress on a limited basis. We will share the new address as soon as it is made available to us. Stamped, outgoing mail can be placed in the designated box in the Dean’s Office entryway.

Mail sent from one department to another is referred to as Interdepartmental (ID) mail.  Stanford tracks ID mail by using a 4-digit Mail Code, which is also used in conjunction with Stanford’s US Zip Code to signify individual departments when sending regular US mail. The IPER ID Mail Code is 2210.  To send an item through ID mail, write MC: XXXX, and place it in the ID Mail box in the Dean’s Office.

When changing campus offices or your home address, please update the University Directory listing AND the School of Earth Sciences Directory. Also,  provide a “Change of Address” directly to businesses.  The Post Office will NOT forward mail sent to a department even if a Change of Address Form is filed.

F. Recycling/Trash/Compsoting Facilities
Recycling bins can be found all over campus and throughout the Mitchell Building for mixed paper and beverage containers (i.e. glass, #1 and #2 plastics, cans, and aluminum). Note that cardboard must be taken to the green dumpster located on the south side exterior of Mitchell for recycling. New this year, composting bins are stationed in front of Mitchell rm. 138 and in the Dean's Office kitchen (Mitchell rm. 101). If you are organizing a meeting or work gathering where food will be served, please tell the caterer that disposible serveware is not needed-- you can pick up compostable serveware from Danielle.

ABM Facilities empties trashcans in the evenings Sunday through Thursday each week. They do not pick up miscellaneous trash lying on tables, chairs, etc. A large black dumpster is located next to the cardboard recycling dumpster on the south side exterior of Mitchell.

If you notice a facilities problem, please contact Felicia Morales, the Facilities Manager, to report the problem.  For facilities emergencies after hours, call 3-2281, then press 2.

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4.  Peer Resources

A. IPER “Buddy” System
Each year, we match incoming students with a second year "buddy." This person is available to answer any and all "student life" questions you will have during your first year and can serve as your "confidant."  You’ll have the opportunity to return the favor to an incoming student in your second year!

B. Mentoring Lunch Program

C. Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC)
The Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) is comprised of students in the School of Earth Sciences (Geophysics, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Energy Resource Engineering, IPER, EEES and Earth Systems) who are committed to making the school a better environment by providing a forum for student concerns, promoting integration of the disciplines within the school, and developing programs that will benefit the greater Earth Sciences community. Each spring, the IPER student body elects two students to represent IPER on GSAC during the following academic year. For academic year 07-08, IPER’s representatives are Andy Gerhart and Adam Millard-Ball. GSAC reps attend quarterly meetings with GSAC and one with the Dean. They are responsible for organizing/facilitating quarterly town hall meetings with the IPER student body. In these meetings, the reps report SES developments as well as solicit questions/concerns/feedback from IPER students to present back to the Dean.

D. Excom Representative and the Student Liaison Committee (StuCom)
IPER's Executive Committee (Excom) is the faculty board that makes decisions about IPER policy. A student rep has held a seat on Excom for the past 4 years, attending all monthly meetings. During these meetings, student input is sought on agenda items that have direct impact on student life, such as requirements and funding, so it is the Excom rep’s responsibility to communicate student perspectives and concerns to Excom. The Excom rep is responsible for communicating Excom discussions and decisions back to IPER students. Each spring, the IPER student body elects a new representative for the following academic year.  The Excom rep for Academic Year 07-08 is Carolyn Snyder.

The Student Liaison Committee (StuCom) is a newly formed committee comprised of one representative from each IPER class (Years 1-3), and one representative from the more senior contingency of candidates (Years 4-6). This (soon-to-be) 4-person committee works on special projects of interest to IPER students. We envision this committee working closely with the GSAC reps and the Excom rep to ensure that the concerns and needs of all students at varying stages in their graduate career are communicated to IPER staff, the Executive Committee and the School of Earth Sciences.

E. “Brown Bag Lunch” Peer Presentation Series
Each quarter one student volunteers to coordinate the peer presentation series, known as Brown Bag Lunches (BBL). These sessions are held weekly (scheduled at the beginning of each quarter by the volunteer coordinator). Students sign up in advance to present their research, or to practice a quals presentation or conference talk. The weekly speaker arranges for lunch for the group, using the IPER P-card (see Section 6.K.). Regular attendance is strongly encouraged as this is a great way to become familiar with your peers’ research as well as to keep in touch with IPER students who you may not interact with regularly due to office location or lack of research overlap.

F. SES Research Review
The Research Review is a symposium of talks and posters that displays the breadth and quality of current research within the School of Earth Sciences. It is an opportunity for students and faculty to develop interdepartmental relationships and to exchange ideas for interdisciplinary research. The Research Review is hosted by the Dean’s Office and organized by GSAC. Attendance is open to everyone.

Presentation of talks or posters is encouraged from all students and post-doctoral fellows within the school. Abstracts are generally due in March and the Review is held in April. Faculty, staff, and research groups are also encouraged to present posters describing the research or resources available within their groups. An award is given for the talk and poster that best represents excellence in research to a multidisciplinary audience.

G. IPER Student Listserve
All incoming IPER students are automatically subscribed to IPER’s student listserve. By sending a message to iperstudent@lists.stanford.edu you can reach all IPER PhD students.  This list is used to communicate all things IPER, including: social/academic events, lectures, course information, program admin info, funding opportunities, etc. Please keep this list professional and refrain from sending political commentary, jokes, etc. Danielle and Helen are subscribed to this list, but the faculty director is not. The joint MS students have their own listerve. To reach that population, send an e-mail to: iperMSstudent@lists.stanford.edu. To reach IPER aiumni (for defense dates, publications, relevant events, etc.) send an e-mail to: iperalumni@lists.stanford.edu.

H. IPER Student Wiki
The student-developed wiki is an informal forum where students can post thoughts, suggestions, questions and experiences on a wide array of topics including course/instructor reviews, draft proposals, good places to visit on weekends, etc. This site is password protected and for students only, so you should feel free to communicate openly. You can opt to log in so that your name is attached to your contributions, or you can remain anonymous. To access the Wiki, request the URL and password from any IPER student.

I. IPER Service Opportunities
You get out of IPER what you put into it! IPER relies on students to contribute to the high quality and smooth running of the program, and expects participation from each student. Your efforts benefit the Program and your peers, as well as IPER’s visibility on campus and beyond. Plus, many of these activities will provide you with experience and skills you will need in your professional careers. A partial list of service opportunities follows:

Committee Service

 
  •Excom (one slot per year, elected)
  •StuCom (one slot per cohort per year)
  •GSAC (two slots per year, elected)
  •Other Stanford-wide committees (i.e. SIG, ASSU, Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW), etc.)
  •Students for Sustainability at Stanford)
  •Committees in the Woods Institute, including faculty search committees
  •Conference committees (i.e. New Scholars Conference)
Organization  
  • Brown Bag Lunch
  • Hosting Environmental Forum Speakers
  • Leading Research/Journal Groups
  • Social “Chair”
  • IPER space in E&E Building
  • SES Research Review
Mentoring  
  • Host mentoring lunch, may include faculty
  • One on one mentoring
  • Topical Mentoring – i.e. tutorial on use of PowerPoint
  • Mentoring/Advising Masters students
Communication  
  • Public web site
  • Wiki
  • SES education and outreach
Program Development  
  • Course/Curriculum development
  • “Conversation about Careers” organization
  • Methods course database development
  • Annual Retreat program development
  • Annual Retreat logistics


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5. General Resources

A. Libraries
Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources (SULAIR) develops and implements resources and services within the University libraries and academic technology units that support research and instruction.

There are (16) Stanford University Libraries:
• Cecil H. Green Library, the main research library with collections in the humanities, social sciences, area studies, and interdisciplinary areas;
• Henry Meyer Memorial Library, which houses Academic Computing and the East Asia Library;
• (13) research branch libraries serving the sciences, engineering, education, art, music, and East Asia studies; and
• the Stanford Auxiliary Libraries, which house infrequently used materials from the collections of Stanford University Libraries.

In addition, Stanford has (5) Coordinate Libraries:
• Hoover Institution Library and Archives,
• J. Hugh Jackson Business Library,
• Lane Medical Library,
• Robert Crown Law Library, and
• the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center Library.

For further information about individual libraries, you can contact the Green Library General Information Center by e-mail, telephone (650) 725-1064, or the reference staff in any library.

Subject Specialists are available for advanced research consultation. Your first stop for research should be the Information Center, though you can also send your reference questions electronically. View the list of specialists arranged by general subjects (ranging from African Studies to Statistics).

SULAIR’s Academic Information Resources units support academic technology on campus and consist of Academic Computing, the Humanities Digital Information Service (HDIS), and Social Science Data and Software (SSDS). More information about these units

B. Social Science Data and Software (SSDS)
Social Science Data and Software (SSDS) is a group within the Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources (SULAIR) that provides services and support to Stanford faculty, staff and students in the acquisition of social science data and the selection and use of quantitative (statistical) and qualitative analysis software. SSDS staff provide these services in a variety of ways that include consulting, workshops and help documentation. SSDS supports the following resources and services:

• Consulting and Workshops
• Quantitative and Qualitative Software
• Software Consultants
• Data Extraction Web Interface (DEWI)
• Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) & -The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research
• Data on CD-ROM and Diskette
• SSDS Reference Library
• Computing and Social Sciences
For information about computing for the social sciences in general, contact Pat Box, 650-723-9328.

C. Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
CTL promotes effective teaching, learning and speaking for faculty, teaching assistants and students by providing a variety of complimentary services. Since IPER requires all students to TA at least one quarter, you will encounter CTL through the mandatory Orientation for TA’s at the beginning of the quarter during which you will TA. However, you are encouraged to take advantage of the other services offered:

• Small Group Evaluations
• Videotaping Classes
• Classroom Observation
• Teaching at Stanford Handbook
• Departmental or Small Group Workshops, Lectures and Reading Groups
• Library of Books and Videotapes
• TA Student Evaluation Questionnaires
• Teaching Orientations
• Speaking of Teaching Newsletters
• Assistance with Teaching Portfolios
• Handouts on Teaching
• Information on Teaching and Technology
• Oral Communication courses
• Tutoring/Academic Coaching

D. Stanford Writing Center (SWC)
SWC is dedicated to helping Stanford students and faculty develop rich and varied abilities in all aspects of writing and communication. The Center offers individual meetings (by appointment or drop-in) with our expert writing consultants, workshops on a variety of important topics related to writing, Writers' Nights which feature students, staff, and faculty reading and performing their work, and other special events.

E. Graduate Life Office (GLO)
GLO is a division of the Dean of Students Affairs Office. Its purpose is to serve the needs of graduate students and student families who live on and off campus. GLO serves as a comprehensive resource for information and advice regarding all aspects of graduate student life, such as residential programs, helping students to manage personal difficulties, working closely with graduate student organizations, and participating in campus-wide initiatives that address graduate student needs and concerns.

GLO helps students who experience personal difficulties, relational issues, health problems, or crises. It assists and supports students by helping to problem-solve, offering support, consult and coordination with your academic department, and connecting you with helpful offices or resources on campus. The GLO deans are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days week through an on-call pager (723-8222, ID# 25085) to respond to graduate student crises or emergencies.

The GLO office is also responsible for responding to reported incidents of University policy violation by investigating the alleged incident, offering support and resources to the students involved, and taking appropriate administrative actions to address the violation.

The GLO staff is knowledgeable about most aspects of graduate student life, and if they can't answer your question, they’ll find out who can.

F. Graduate Student Info Center (GSIC)
This center is in operation during the opening month of school from Tuesday, September 4 to Friday, September 28, 2007. The center provides general information about administrative, academic, and student life issues. The purpose of GSIC is to make the opening days of autumn term a little easier for new students.

G. Seminar Series
IPER students are encouraged to engage in the environmental community at Stanford by attending the various lecture series offered across campus. As you know, the IPER 310 Seminar, a required core course for all first year students, takes advantage of these existing forums. Each week, students and faculty instructors attend a lecture of interest and then meet the following week to discuss the lecture in detail, addressing such issues as the conceptual framework of the topic, the approaches used in analysis, and the validity of conclusions from an interdisciplinary viewpoint.  We hope you’ll attend these public lectures regardless of whether attendance is required for IPER 310. Lecture announcements and/or quarterly schedules will be disseminated to you by Danielle or the series organizer via e-mail. Below is a list of lecture series regularly attended by IPER students:

Environmental Forum, hosted by the Woods Institute for the Environment; contact: Brenda Pascual; when: Thursday 3:30-5:00; where: CESP Conference Room, Encina East 4th Floor (unless new location in E&E is announced)

Environmental Workshop Seminar, hosted by the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program (ENRLP); contact: Meg Caldwell; when: Mondays from 3:45 to 5:25 p.m.; where: Room 272, Crown Quadrangle, Stanford Law School

Carnegie Institute’s Department of Global Ecology (DGE) Seminar Series; contact: DGE; when: 4:00 usually weekly, though day of week changes; where: Global Ecology Main Conference Room, Carnegie Institution, 260 Panama Street

Energy Seminar, hosted by the Woods Institute for the Environment’s Energy Committee; when: Wednesday 4:15-5:15; where: Building 420, Rm. 040

•Earth Sciences Seminar, hosted by The School of Earth Sciences and required of all first year graduate students; contact: Margaret Timothy; when: Wednesday 4:15-5:30 during Autumn Quarter only; where: Building 320, Rm. 105

Seminar on Science, Technology and Society, hosted by the Program in Science Technology and Society;contact: Julie Widman; when: Fridays 12:00-1:00; where: Encina Hall East

Colloquia in the North American West, hosted by the Bill Lane Center for the Study of the North American West; contact; when: Wednesday 12:00-1:15; where: Bldg. 200 Rm. 307 (History Corner)

H. Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation, 725-4591 Arillaga Family Sports Center, Campus Drive East
The Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation provides facilities for faculty, staff, and students to participate in aquatics, conditioning, and sports for general recreation. Stanford is also rich in curricular and extracurricular classes in martial arts, aerobics, dance, climbing, golf, yoga, spin and many other recreational activities. P.E. classes offered for credit are listed in the quarterly Time Schedule under Athletics.

Club Sports (badminton, ultimate frisbee, rugby, polo, etc.) is coeducational and provides additional competition, instruction, and recreation for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff for an array of sports not funded through other areas of the Stanford Athletic Department. Graduate students are also invited to participate in Intramural Sports (soccer, volleyball, tennis, etc.). The program, which runs autumn, winter and spring quarters, includes formal competition in league and tournament play for many different sports.

Stanford has extensive athletic facilities. See the Athletic Department's website above for a complete list, and for the hours, amenities, and activities supported by each facility.

FITNESS CENTERS:
Arrillaga Family Sports Center Campus Dr., between Galvez St. and Bonair Siding Rd. 725-7637
Roble Gym Complex 375 Santa Teresa St. (at Morris Way) 723-7686
Tresidder Fitness Center Tresidder Memorial Union, 1st floor 723-1228

GOLF FACILITIES:
Golf Driving Range Campus Dr. West, between Santa Teresa St. and Junipero Serra Blvd. 323-0944
Stanford Golf Course 198 Junipero Serra Blvd. (at Campus Dr. West) 323-0944

SWIMMING POOLS:
Baker Recreation Pool/Avery Aquatic Center Between Nelson Mall and Campus Dr. 725-0725
Roble Pool 375 Santa Teresa St. (at Morris Way) 723-8136

TENNIS COURTS:
Encina Courts [Under construction]
Taube Tennis Stadium Campus Dr., between Galvez St. and Bonair Siding Rd.
West Campus Courts Campus Dr. West and Electioneer Rd.

OTHER FACILITIES:
Stanford Stadium/Stadium Track Galvez St. and Nelson Rd.
Cobb Track/Angell Field Campus Dr. and Galvez St.
Maples Pavilion Campus Dr., between Galvez St. and Bonair Siding Rd. 723-3332
Ford Center/Burnham Pavilion Serra and Galvez Streets 723-1118
Climbing Wall at Arillaga Family Sports Center

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6. Finances

A. Understanding your Stanford University Bill 
All charges and credits from offices within the University are aggregated in a student's individual account and presented on the University Bill. The Bill may include tuition, housing, food service, ASSU fees (special student approved association fees set by the ASSU Senate), health insurance, and any miscellaneous charges incurred such as cleaning or re-key charges, etc.

You are NOT responsible for paying tuition. You ARE responsible for paying fees such as housing, health and ASSU that may appear on your bill. Depending on the source of your fellowship, your stipend will likely be issued as a “standard charge” from which most fees will be automatically deducted.

Bills are electronically presented to students and their authorized payers on the 20th of each month with payments due on the 15th of the following month. The Stanford ePay system will notify you when your online bill is available and allows you to make online payments 24 hours a day using a credit card (no Visa) or electronic check. You’ll be instructed to login to Axess and click the Stanford ePay link. See more information.

Graduate students with fellowships or assistantships providing at least $2000 per quarter who are enrolled in Cardinal Care are eligible for a subsidy, which pays 50% of the quarterly health insurance premium of $684. The subsidy is applied directly to your account in the THIRD week of the quarter. In the interim, please do not prepay the portion that will be paid by the subsidy. It is okay for the subsidy amount to remain on your bill as an unpaid charge, though you are responsible for paying the balance of the Cardinal Care premium ($342) to the Office of Student Financial Services by the published quarterly deadline (October 15, 2007 for Autumn Term).  If you do not wish to enroll in Cardinal Care for any given quarter, you must complete the waiver through Axess by the posted deadline. For Autumn term, this deadline is September 15, 2007.

How To Pay:
It is advised that you use Stanford ePay, the online billing and payment service. Stanford ePay’s secure website provides a convenient way for students or other authorized payers to view and make payments to student accounts 24 hours a day. With Stanford ePay, students can:

•Pay their University Bill via
-electronic checking (eCheck)
-credit card (MC, AMEX, or Discover)- cardholder incurs a 2.75% convenience fee
•Authorize parents and other payers to view and pay university bills online
•Schedule recurring payments
•View billing history
•Make deposits to their StanfordCardPlan

Alternatively, bills may be paid: a) in person at the Cashier's Office (632 Serra Street, Suite 150), b) by mail (Commerce & Banking Services, Maude Modular 632 Serra Street, Suite 150 Stanford, CA 94305-6036) or c) dropped in the after hours payment slot located to the right of the Student Financial Services main entrance (632 Serra Street, Suite 160).

How to Get Help:
Use the HelpSU system to file a help request.
• Point your browser to
• Enter your contact details
• Choose Request Category: Student Services
• Request Type: University Bill/Student Account
• Enter the details of your request (and your Student ID number) in the Request Description field and click “submit’
Your Account Management Specialist will respond to your request, generally within one business day. If you do not have internet access, you may call  (650) 723-2181.

B.  Your Fellowship
When admitted, IPER Ph.D. students receive a commitment of five continuous years of eligibility for Program support from the date that they enter Stanford as graduate students, contingent upon remaining in good academic standing and making satisfactory progress toward their degree goal. This support provides four quarters of stipend each year plus 10 units of tuition support during the three academic quarters (sumer excluded). IPER will cover 11-18 units of tuition during the first year and thereafter IF your advising team believes that a larger course load is beneficial to your degree progress. Please note that the fellowship carries the obligation of one quarter of teaching which correlates with the program’s teaching requirement. Please see Section D.i. below for information about how this affects your stipend disbursement. Students admitted to Stanford with their own support (e.g., NSF fellowship, job-related fellowship, etc.) may be eligible for IPER Program support should their own support be less than or end prior to the support package offered by IPER.

Although IPER makes a commitment to support all entering Ph.D. students, if every student depended on support from the Program for five full years, IPER would quickly find itself in the position of being unable to admit new students as all resources would be used by current students.  We depend on students and faculty obtaining outside funding and removing students from Program support within three years from entry, if not sooner, to keep the program financially robust.

For the 2007-08 academic year, you may be receiving the Graduate Fellowship in Environment and Resources. This is a program fellowship funded by various sources within SES. Although it is not a named fellowship in most cases, it may be funded in part by one or more named donations made to SES, which has in turn generously allocated that support to IPER. Because of this, you may be contacted by Mona Tekchandani, Associate Director of Development, and asked to write a thank you letter to a specific donor(s). We thank you in advance for responding promptly to Mona and for helping us to maintain an excellent rapport with SES and its development team. 

C. Program Support Beyond Five Years of Eligibility
We recognize that Ph.D. students may not finish their dissertation within the 5 years they are eligible for Program support.  Built into our funding model is the expectation that beyond the period of committed support, individual faculty advisors or the students themselves will find other sources of funding. Students should discuss requests for additional funding with their advisors. Requests for a funding extension from students who have previously made light use of program resources (e.g. have been on a NSF fellowship or have been supported by his/her advisor’s grants during the committed-support period), or who have diligently sought out and applied for external funding, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

D. Getting Paid
Fellowship stipend checks are paid quarterly and are mailed to the MAILING ADDRESS in Axess on the first day of the quarter. However, if enrolled in direct deposit (see Section D.iv), your stipend is automatically deposited into your account, generally 2-3 days before paper checks are mailed. Non-tuition charges such as housing and ASSU fees will likely be automatically deducted from the stipend check if issued as a standard charge (see Section A). To ensure disbursement by the first day of the quarter you must be enrolled in a minimum of 8 units by a communicated deadline, generally the last day of the prior quarter. The tuition portion of a fellowship appears as a credit on the University Bill.

i. When on a Teaching Assistantship
Serving as a TA for a minimum of one quarter is a program requirement. The teaching opportunity you accept may or may not be paid by the department in which the course is taught. If paid, the IPER Fellowship will supplement the TAship to the standard level, but will not be additional support. If it is unpaid, your funding for that quarter may be paid by an SES TAship allocated to IPER.  In either scenario, your stipend, although the same amount, will be disbursed as assistantship salary through payroll.  You will receive 6 payments of approximately $1231.00 on the 7th and 22nd of each month during the quarter, beginning 2-3 weeks after the start of the quarter.  Your tuition will still appear as credit on your University Bill.

ii. English Proficiency For TAs
If your first language is not English, you must take an English proficiency test to receive certification to become eligible to serve as a TA. For information, please contact: Tracey Fowler at the English for Foreign Students Office, 723-1310. Please note that your assistantship salary will not be disbursed until Tracey enters your certification in the payroll system.

iv. Enrolling in Direct Deposit
Employees and students who receive payments from Stanford are encouraged to enroll in direct deposit. Payments disbursed via direct deposit are generally transferred 2-3 days earlier than paper checks, plus it saves paper! You enroll through the Direct Deposit link in Axess, which prompts you to enter the following information: 
• Direct Deposit Account Type: Indicate whether your account is Checking or Savings.
• Routing Number: Your routing number is exactly 9 digits in length and is generally the first number in the lower left of your check.  The first 2 digits of your routing number will begin with 01 through 12 or 21 through 32.
• Account Number: After identifying your routing number, identify your check number at the bottom of your check.  The remaining digits are your account number.  Do not include dashes, spaces or other special characters when entering your account number.
• Deposit Type and Deposit/Percentage Amount: These fields cannot be edited as Stanford policy allows only one direct deposit account per payee.

*Please note that direct deposit profile information is used for all payments processed by Stanford University. This includes student refunds, payroll, monthly fellowship stipends and reimbursements.

iii. Verification of Employment Eligibility (1-9)
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires that Stanford verify employment eligibility of all employees, including students holding fellowships or assistantships.  An INS Form I-9 with appropriate documents must be presented to Danielle before the issuance of a stipend check.  Acceptable documents for U.S. citizens include a U.S. passport, OR a driver’s license with a Social Security card or birth certificate.  Acceptable documents for non-U.S. citizens include an unexpired foreign passport with an I-94 card or I-20, a DS-2019 showing employment authorization.  Permanent residents need to provide their resident alien identification card.

iv. ITIN and Social Security Number
An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) or U.S. Social Security number is required for all students who receive any form of funding from Stanford.  An (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). ITINs are for federal tax reporting only, and are not intended to serve any other purpose. An ITIN does not authorize work in the U.S. nor provide eligibility for Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit. ITINs are not valid identification outside the tax system.  The IRS issues ITINs to help individuals comply with the U.S. tax laws, and to provide a means to efficiently process and account for tax returns and payments for those not eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN).

To apply for an ITIN, you must:
• Prior to going to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Office, you should complete Form W-7 (Application for IRS Individual Tax Identification Number)
-Check box "a" (in reasons for submitting form W-7) if tax treaty applies. You will need to provide (in the space immediately below box "h") your treaty country and treaty article number
-You must complete all information in points "1a" thru "6g"(excluding "6f" in most cases). You will be expected to include in "6d" your passport information. 
-For further instructions you should speak directly with the IRS Officer in San Jose.
• Take the following documents to the IRS Office:
-Completed W-7 form (signed and dated)
-Passport with a valid U.S. visa (Canadians exempt)
-I-94 card (arrival / departure record)
-I-20/DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for F-1/J-1 Student Status)

The local Internal Revenue Service Office is located at:
55 S. Market St.
San Jose, CA 95113
Hours: M-F  8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
(408) 817-6747

International students who do not yet have a SSN are eligible to apply for one while on an assistantship (considered employment) through a Social Security Administration (SSA) Office at:

21121 Broadway Suite 200  438 South Murphy Ave
Redwood City, CA 94063  Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Hours: 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.  Hours: 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

F-1 students should take their passports and I-20 ID cards; J-1 students should take their passports, I-94 cards and DS-2019.  The SSA website includes maps and directions to all locations.

E. Stanford Federal Credit Union (SFCU) and Other Banking Facilities
SFSU is a full service financial institution owned and operated by the more than 46,000 members of the Stanford Community, including Stanford University, Stanford Hospital, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. SFCU has 4 branches (1 on campus in Tressider Union) with 23 local ATM locations, 15 of which are on campus (and 25,000 Surcharge FREE CO-OP® network ATMs nationwide). SFSU offers online banking, a Visa Check Card for purchases and cash withdrawals, and loans. Major banks (Wells Fargo and Bank of America) also have ATMs on campus and local branches nearby.

F. Summer Funding

i. Summer Stipend
While the Graduate Fellowship in Environment and Resources provides a additional quarter of stipend for the summer, we expect that students seek this funding from external sources, including their advisors when possible. All students who receive stipend or research money from IPER or SES will be required to enroll in Cardinal Care health coverage during summer term (See Section 8.C for details). Please note that enrollment in summer courses is not required and thus IPER does not provide summer tuition. Your summer            stipend is disbursed in the same manner and on the same schedule as the academic year (by the first day of the quarter). The stipend is to cover all living expenses (i.e. meals, lodging, local transportation, utilities, IT/communications, etc.) associated with the summer, including those that are incurred while staying in a research location. Please note that the summer stipend will be disbursed upon receipt of the student’s Annual Review form, including all milestones and associated forms due from the current academic year (see Section XXX for more information)

ii. Summer Research Funds
Most students will require summer research funds in addition to their stipend. Be sure to follow IRB (Institutional Review Board) protocols for Human Subjects in Non-Medical Research BEFORE initiating your research. A description of two possible funding sources is below.

a. McGee Summer Grant
The School of Earth Sciences administers the McGee Summer Grant progra annually. Call for proposals are sent out by Christina Sebastian in the Dean’s Office in March or April of each year. McGee funds are to support student research, ideally used as seed money for pioneering work that may lead to continuing support from other sources, or matching funds. Students may receive a McGee grant twice during their Stanford career. Most awards are in the amount of $2000 or less. Please note that McGee funds cannot be used for summer language courses. At the conclusion of your summer work, a summary report describing how the funds were used, and the research progress made over the summer will be required All IPER students are expected to apply for this award, as eligible, if also applying for IPER summer funding (see below).

b. George Rudolf Summer Research Grant for IPER students
Thanks to the generosity of SES donor, George Rudolf, IPER is able to provide modest summer grants (less than $5,000) to students in need of supplementary research funds. It is expected that students will seek primary research support from other sources, including their Stanford advisors. The Rudolf Summer Grant is intended to support, in part, summer research activities such as travel, field expenses, supplies, and equipment. A formal proposal is required (including a research summary, budget, other funding contribution, advisor signatures), and the solicitation is generally distributed in March or April, with a due date in April and award announcement in May. View the 2006 Rudolf solicitation and proposal requirements.

At the conclusion of your summer work, a summary report describing how the funds were used, and the research progress made over the summer will be required. Please note that those not participating in summer research activities related to the degree will not be eligible for Rudolf research funds.

G. Emergency Funding and Financial Aid Office (FAO) Resources
If you find yourself in financial trouble, please inform us! We can usually find a solution, such as giving you an advance on a quarterly stipend. You should know that the Financial Aid Office (FAO) offers a no-interest cash advance program and a loan program, which carries a reduced interest rate, deferment of interest or principal payments, and long-term repayment provisions after degree completion (or withdrawal). In addition, the Grants-in-Aid Program assists doctoral candidates whose financial circumstances have changed significantly since beginning their doctoral studies at Stanford.

Students applying to Grant-in-Aid must meet the following criteria:
• admitted to study for a doctoral level degree: Ph.D., D.M.A, Ed. D.
• experiencing an unexpected financial hardship, associated primarily with health (medical/dental costs) and/or family emergencies
• cannot reasonably be expected to alleviate the financial difficulty through fellowship or loan sources
• must have basic support covered from another source.

Contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information:
financialaid@stanford.edu
355 Galvez Street
650-723-3058

H. Leaves of Absence
Graduate students are required to register for all terms of each academic year (autumn, winter, and spring quarters) from the admission term until conferral of the degree. The only exception to this requirement is if an official leave of absence is granted.  Students may request a leave of absence with the approval of their advisor and the Faculty Director.  International students must also secure approval from the Bechtel International Center to ensure that visa requirements are met.  Leaves may be granted for a period of up to one year, with possibility of extension.  University policy states that leaves of absence taken during Ph.D. pre-candidacy may be considered in determining the timetable for admission to Ph.D. candidacy; those taken during Ph.D. candidacy do not extend the candidacy period. Please note that in most cases, you will not be eligible to receive an IPER Program Fellowship, University fellowship, or external fellowship during a leave of absence.

I. Change of Degree Goal (Ph.D. to M.S.)
In exceptional circumstances, IPER students who have been admitted to the Ph.D. program may opt to complete their training with a M.S. degree instead (see the IPER Requirements Document for more information).  Normally, IPER will endeavor to provide a student with one additional quarter of funding following acceptance into the M.S. program. Thereafter, program funding will be terminated.

J. Conference Funding Policy
IPER encourages students to begin attending professional meetings by the middle of the graduate career.  Normally we expect that conference / workshop participation will be covered by funding sources external to IPER, through grants to students and their faculty mentors. If needed, IPER will offer doctoral students up to $2,000 in funding (total, over one’s graduate career) for attendance at professional meetings.  Funding will be issued in the form of reimbursement for expenses incurred. To qualify for reimbursement, the student must be delivering a talk or a poster. Expenses eligible for reimbursement are:

• Transportation to and from the conference location and Stanford (i.e. airfare, or vehicle if more appropriate)
• Lodging
• Conference registration.
(Please next section for information about how to process a reimbursement.)

K. Funding Policy for IPER Student Research and Miscellaneous Expenses
IPER has a relatively modest pool of unrestricted funds that we can use for limited support of students’ research and other expenses related to the IPER student community.  In general, it is expected that students’ faculty advisors support their research as much as possible and in some cases, students’ own fellowships include a research allowance.  And, of course, for summer research expenses, dedicated funds such as McGee and Rudolf are available on a competitive basis.  IPER also supports program-wide activities like the Brown Bag Lunch, the Mentoring program, and other IPER community events.

Recognizing that there are circumstances in which IPER would be the appropriate or only available source of funds for certain expenses, such as software for data-analysis not available elsewhere and refreshments/support for student research symposia, we ask that a request be submitted in writing for evaluation and record-keeping purposes. View application details. This is not meant to be arduous for the student but allows us to ensure fairness, equity, and accountability in how we allocate funds. Typically expenses of up to $300 will be considered through this process. Specifically, for software deemed necessary for a student’s research and not available elsewhere, IPER will cost-share with the student, covering up to 50% of the purchase price.

L. Funding Policy for Dissertation Filing Expenses
Coming soon!

M. Reimbursements
IPER will issue reimbursements for PRE-APPROVED expenses you may incur while planning and executing an IPER event, or delivering a talk or poster at a professional meeting. You may also incur expenses related to serving as a mentor, or hosting a speaker, though the IPER P-Card should be used for these purposes in most cases (see Section N). Please note that reimbursement checks will be disbursed in the same fashion as your fellowship stipend-- if you receive your stipend through direct deposit, you will also receive reimbursements through direct deposit.

To process a reimbursement, submit all original receipts to Danielle, noting on the receipt:
• the purpose of the expense
• the names of attendees
• any alcohol charge (the line item must be highlighted or underlined)

For conference reimbursement, submit the following to Danielle:
• the original invoice for airfare; if an electronic ticket, submit e-ticket receipt showing payment received (i.e. visa XXXXXXX1234).
- if traveling by personal vehicle please see the ‘Travel Expenses’ section of the Stanford Administrative Guide for the current policy.
• the itemized hotel bill indicating a zero balance. If necessary, have the hotel fax it to you.
• the conference invitation or letter of acceptance
• the conference registration invoice, indicating a zero balance
Note: The current turn-around time for Stanford's central reimbursement offices are 20 working days.

N. Purchasing Card (P-Card)
IPER students have access to a departmental credit card, which can be used for purchasing refreshments for course meetings, WIE Forum speaker lunches at the Faculty Club, Brown Bag Lunches, etc. Always check with Danielle before making a purchase to make sure it is appropriate and authorized. A volunteer serves as the P-card “custodian” for the academic year and is responsible for having a general sense of its whereabouts at all times. An original receipt for every purchase must be on file. After making a purchase, please write the following on the back of the original receipt:
• the purpose of the expense
• the names of attendees
•  be sure to highlight/underline any alcohol charges
Put the receipt in the zippered compartment of the P-card holder and return the card to the storage site (usually the desk drawer of the custodian).

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7. Taxes

Current U.S. regulations for taxation of graduate student funding are as follows (accessed August 2, 2006):

• For degree-seeking students, the tuition portion of fellowships and assistantships is exempt from tax. Non-degree students are subject to tax on any tuition support.

• Fellowship stipends and assistantship salaries are subject to tax. The amount of tax varies according to the student's total income, dependency status, treaty status for international students, and individual circumstances.

• Assistantship salaries are subject to tax withholding.

• Tax is not withheld from fellowship stipends paid to U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents. Students are responsible for making any estimated tax payments.

• Fellowship stipends paid to international students are subject to a 14% withholding, regardless of the number of dependents. International students may claim only the single person deduction regardless of family size

• International students are subject to U.S. federal tax laws, but with modifications depending on treaty agreements with some foreign governments.  The Stanford Payroll Office has information on tax treaties and forms for students who may be eligible for treaty agreement benefits.  Regardless of tax treaty agreements, all international students are required to submit form 1040NR to the IRS.

• Scholarship money used to pay for tuition, books, and fees, which are required for registration, may be excluded from the scholarship income reported. Money used to pay for these items may not be subtracted from TA or RA wages.

• Students will receive a W-2 form covering Stanford salaries, including assistantships. They will not receive a tax statement of fellowship stipends. The check stubs are the student's record of these payments.

A. Tax Forms

i. (W-4)
All students and fellows receiving financial support from Stanford must have a U.S. social security number or I.T.I.N. (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) and a tax data form (W-4) on file with the University Payroll Office.

ii. To File at Calendar Year End
• For U.S. citizens and residents, the federal Form 1040 and the state Form 540 should be filed.
• For non-resident aliens, the federal Form 1040-NR and the state Form 540 should be filed.  Non-resident aliens are considered residents by the state of California (The 1040-EZ or 1040-NR-EZ may be used when      circumstances permit).

iii. To Expect from Stafford at Calendar Year End
• For wages (paid twice a month), a W-2 will be sent by the Payroll Department at the end of January
• For prizes and awards, a 1099 will be sent by the Office of Student Financial Services by the end of January.
• For scholarships (paid once per term), nothing will be sent to U.S. citizens or residents, but the non-tuition portion is still reportable.  Non-resident aliens will receive a 1040-S by mid-March.
• For fellowship stipend (paid once per month), U.S. citizens or residents will receive a 1099-misc by the end of January; non-resident aliens will receive a 1042-S by mid-March.
• For Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning tax credit eligibility, a 1098-T statement will be sent by the Office of Student Financial Services in February for students enrolled in the prior calendar year.

B. Tax Help
• If you have questions about your W-2, or do not receive one, contact Payroll (723-2259) or submit a HelpSU ticket:
• If you have questions about your 1098-T, 1099 or 1042-S or do not receive one, contact the Office of Student Financial Services (725-0345)
• The Bechtel International Center (3-1831) offers a number of tax workshops each year for international students. 

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8. Health

A. Cardinal Care
(650) 723-2135
Cardinal Care is a comprehensive health plan specifically designed for Stanford students. Coverage is worldwide, and includes medical, surgical and mental health care, hospitalization, emergency care and pharmaceuticals. Cardinal Care is administered and insured by The Chickering Group, an Aetna Company, for medical benefits, and ValueOptions for mental health benefits.

When seeking medical care, Cardinal Care enrollees may choose one of three options. Your costs, in the form of co-payments and deductibles, will vary considerably depending on the option you select. Choices include:

1. On campus care, receiving treatment from a Vaden clinician as a primary care provider with Stanford University Medical Center providing specialty services by authorized referral
2. On- and off-campus care, receiving treatment from any Aetna Open Choice PPO network clinicians, preferred doctor or hosptial in California and nationally (including Stanford University Medical Center)
3. Off-campus care, receiving treatment from medical providers not affiliated with the Aetna Open Choice PPO network.

Mental health care is through ValueOptions local and national network of mental health clinicians.

Receiving care at Vaden Health Center's Medical Services or Counseling and Psychological Services (See Section D) will result in the lowest cost to the student.

Students should follow the directions on their individualized ID card when accessing care off campus.
Call (877) 626-2319 for medical benefits information (The Chickering Group)
Call (800) 667-7374 for mental health benefits information (ValueOptions)

Stanford students are required to have health insurance coverage either with Cardinal Care, billed with Stanford registration fees, or with an external carrier.  If you have an external policy, you should review it carefully to determine whether the coverage is adequate.  To waive the Stanford plan, submit an online form via the Axess system. Students seeking a waiver must provide the name and policy number of their current insurance carrier.  If you do not waive Cardinal Care coverage by the published quarterly deadline (Aut: Sept. 15; Wtr: Dec. 15; Spr: March 15), you will be automatically enrolled and will be responsible for paying the insurance premium for that quarter.

Graduate students with assistantship appointments or those receiving at least $2000 per quarter in stipend payments are eligible for a subsidy to pay part of their Cardinal Care insurance premium. Read additional information about this health insurance benefit. See Section 6.A for more information about Cardinal Care rates and payment procedures Note to NSF Fellows: your Cardinal Care premium is paid in full.

i. Emergencies
For life threatening emergencies, call 911 (or 9-911 from an on-campus phone or use a blue emergency phone) or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

When Vaden Health Center is open and it is practical to do so, go there. It is advised that you call ahead at (650) 498-2336 ext. 1. When closed, you should go to the Stanford University Medical Center Emergency Department. Remember, Vaden does not cover visits to the Emergency Department; they are billed to your insurance. If you are not sure whether or not you should go to the Emergency Department, call the Medical Services advice nurse or physician on call at (650) 498-2336 ext. 1. The Stanford University Hospital Emergency Department is located near the intersection of Campus Drive and Quarry Road and can be reached by calling (650) 723-5111.

B. Coverage During Field Work
Cardinal Care coverage is effective worldwide, and covers you while traveling abroad for fieldwork or conference attendance. Your enrollment packet will include an “Assist America” card, which lists special numbers to call while abroad when in need of services ranging from doctor recommendations to emergency service such as medical evacuations back to the U.S. When traveling, always carry your Cardinal Care card together with the Assist America card.

C. Coverage During Summer Quarter
Because you are not enrolled in classes during summer quarter, you will not be automatically enrolled in Cardinal Care during this term. If you were enrolled in Cardinal Care during the spring quarter, you may apply for summer coverage before the start of the term by calling the insurance office at (650) 723-2135. If you receive a summer stipend or any research money through IPER (Rudolf) or the School (McGee), you are required to enroll in Cardinal Care for summer term. Because you are not enrolled in courses and not eligible for the subsidy, IPER will cost-share your health premium so that you pay the same amount in summer quarter as you do during the academic year ($342 per quarter for 07-08). Please note that if you are required to enroll in units during the summer to comply with fellowship requirements (NSF, SGF, EPA STAR), you WILL be automatically enrolled in Cardinal Care and eligible for the subsidy.

D. Coverage Post-Graduation
As long as coverage is continuous, a graduate may extend Cardinal Care coverage through the remainder of the academic year (through the end of summer quarter) in which they graduated. Rates, coverage and policies are the same, though the graduate must register for coverage in person at the Vaden Heath Center Insurance Office located at 866 Campus Drive. Graduates are not eligible for the subsidy and will be required to pay the full premium.

E. Dental Insurance
(650) 498-2336
Stanford University and Vaden Health Center now offer Vital Savings by Aetna. This is not an insurance program, but rather, a new way to receive significant discounts on a wide array of dental services, as well as vision care services. Vaden Health Center endorses this program as an inexpensive and convenient way to receive discounted dental care. More information is provided on the Vital Savings webpage: http://vaden.stanford.edu/vital.html

The Insurance Office also distributes information about voluntary individual preferred provider dental plans. For a dental resource packet, email: healthinsurance@stanford.edu with your name and address so that a packet can be mailed to you. Vaden Health Center maintains a list of local dentists who give discounts to students, though this list of discount dentists is also included in the dental resource packet.

F. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
(650) 723-3785 (24 hours a day)
Vaden Health Center, 2nd Floor M-F 8:30-5:00p

CAPS staff, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers, is available to help students who experience a wide variety of personal, academic and relationship concerns and offers evaluation and brief counseling, including personal, couples and group therapy. Any registered Stanford student is eligible. There is no fee for an initial evaluation or short-term counseling. Students requesting or requiring longer, ongoing therapy incur fees.

Other services include:
• crisis counseling for urgent situations, 24 hours a day (see Section E)
• couples services: If you request services as a couple, only one partner needs to be a registered student.
• evaluations of the need for medication (there is no fee for the initial evaluation)
• workshops and groups that focus on students’ social, personal, and academic effectiveness
• consultation and outreach to faculty, staff, and student organizations

G. Crisis Counseling
(650) 723-3785 (24 Hours)
Sexual Assault (650) 725-9955

A CAPS on-call clinician may be contacted for urgent situations at any time, including evenings and weekends. In an urgent situation a clinician will speak with you within 20 minutes, and if needed, will see you the same day. The on-call clinician will assess your situation and offer recommendations for follow-up. Calls placed Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. are answered directly by CAPS staff.  After hours calls are forwarded to an answering service, which will page the CAPS on-call clinician.

i. Sexual Assault
(650) 725-9955
The YWCA Sexual Assault Center at Stanford offers immediate individual counseling and referral to students who are affected by sexual assault, sexual harassment, and violence in relationships.
***Remember: For life threatening emergencies, call 911 (or 9-911 from an on-campus phone, or use a blue emergency telephone) or go to the nearest hospital emergency room***

H. Childbirth Policy
Read the Complete Ch