Memorandum

To: Incoming Physics Graduate Students
From: Archie Paulson, Lead Graduate Teacher
Subject: General Information on Moving to Boulder
Date: May 25, 2001

Welcome! I am the Lead Graduate Teacher for Physics. My primary job (outside of my physics research) is to work with new and continuing teaching assistants (TAs) to develop the skills and resources necessary to become effective teachers. I will also organize and run a large portion of the Fall Orientation for incoming Physics grad students. This letter contains some general information for your move to Boulder this fall. This letter can also be found on-line (with active links where the URLs are) at http://physics.colorado.edu/education/grad/incoming.html.

In case you do not read through the entire letter there are three important things to note:

1. Orientation will be held on the week of August 20-24 (classes begin August 27). Attendance is mandatory. Please keep this in mind when making travel plans. We will be sending more detailed information to you in the forthcoming months.

2. You must check in with Julie Sonnenberg-Klein, the Physics Graduate Secretary, when you arrive in Boulder. She will start the paper work so that you can get paid on time. Foreign Teaching Assistants must also check in with Allan Franklin, our Associate Chair, upon arrival.

3. You will get a paycheck on the last day of every month via direct deposit. You will receive your first paycheck at the end of September. Budget your money accordingly.

Foreign Students

• There is a Foreign Student Office on campus to provide you with information and assistance. This office is located in campus building ENVD (Environmental Design) in room 1B01. You can call them at 303-492-8057 or http://www.colorado.edu/OIE/fsss.

• You must obtain a Social Security Number in order to be paid by the University. The Social Security Office is located at 665 South Broadway, Boulder. You can call them at 1-800-772-1213. The packet that you receive from the Foreign Student Office should contain more information about this.

Graduate School Information

• General Information can be found at the following web sites: http://www.colorado.edu or http://physics.colorado.edu. Directory Assistance can help direct your phone call to the right place on campus; their number is 303-492-1411.

• Paycheck: You will be paid on the last business day of every month via direct deposit into your bank account. This is the only option so you need to have an active bank account. As an incoming student, expect to receive your first check at the end of September. Plan your finances accordingly. You need to register with the Graduate Secretary, Julie Sonnenberg-Klein, when you arrive in Boulder so that she can start your paperwork to insure that you get paid on time. You can expect to receive a little over $1000 per month after taxes.

• Banking: Opening a bank account in Boulder is recommended since banking locally is much more convenient than doing it long-distance. Your current bank may have branches in Boulder. If not, there are plenty of commercial banks to choose from. For example, there is the University of Colorado Federal Credit Union, which has a branch right on campus in the University Memorial Center (UMC) and 2 more in town. Most people I know do their banking with the Credit Union and are happy with it.

• Financial Aid/Loans: There is financial aid, typically in the form of loans, available to graduate students. Part of the loan process requires that you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid which is available on-line. Up to $2,500 of the federal student load may be used for the purchase of a computer. For more information visit http://www.colorado.edu/finaid. Some banks and financial institutions also offer student loans.

• Office Space: Research Assistant (RA) offices are usually the responsibility of the advisor. If you are a TA, the Associate Chair (Allan Franklin) will assign you an office. TAs will be placed in offices with two or three, depending on the size of the office. TA offices do not come with phones. Each TA office is furnished with a computer. RAs will have computer/phone access either in their office or another room operated by their research group. You will get your office assignment and building keys during orientation.

• E-mail/Computer Accounts: If you not yet received your invitation to register, it should come within the next few weeks. This information from the Registrar's Office should include your ID number and a 4-digit PIN number. You need both of these numbers to get computer accounts. To open an account on the UCSU or UCSUB you need to access CU's Personal Look Up Services (PLUS) at http://www.colorado.edu/plus. Once there, link to Computing Account, enter your ID number and PIN. Follow the instructions and create an account. Please let Julie Sonnenberg-Klein know your e-mail address so she can communicate with you. You should take some time and log onto the PLUS system, it is a very convenient way to find out your personalized information, such as grades, schedule, and bill. (People working at JILA or NIST can get a computer account on their machines.) There are two computer labs in the building with 24hr access. These are the PC lab next to the library and the Hollywood lab next door. The Hollywood lab is a UNIX platform scientific computing facility. Hollywood accounts can be opened through the PLUS system. If you have problems, e-mail trouble@bogart.colorado.edu. We will assign PC lab passwords when you arrive.

• Student ID Card: The Student ID Card is called the Buff One Card. It is necessary to obtain a card to obtain admittance to the Rec. Center, to check out books from the library, to ride the bus for free, etc. If you bank with the Credit Union the Buff One Card will also be your ATM card. I suggest obtaining one as soon as you can. There is mass distribution of cards during orientation, however, the lines are extremely long and the wait can be in excess of an hour. To obtain a card you need to have paid your $200 deposit (which is waived for international students). Once you have done that you may go to UMC Room 25 (downstairs from the first floor, near the bookstore) to get your picture taken and your card made. This office is also where you get the validation sticker that allows you to ride the bus for free. The card is free but replacement cards are $15. If you need more information about obtaining an ID card please call the Buff One Office at 303-492-0355.

• Health Services: Comprehensive outpatient medical care is available on campus at the Wardenburg health center. In addition to primary care and psychiatric services, Wardenburg has specialty clinics and educational programs to enhance your health and well-being. You will be mailed a packet containing information about Wardenburg Health Insurance. You can also go to http://www.colorado.edu/StudentAffairs/healthcenter for more information. If you have a minimum of a 20% appointment from the school (TAs and RAs typically have 50% appointments), the school will cover half the cost ($262) of health insurance option B. If you opt for Plan A the school will still only pick up $262 of the cost.

• Residency: If you are a domestic student, you will need to start establishing residency immediately upon moving to Boulder. The first steps are establishing a place to live, getting a license, registering to vote in Colorado and registering your vehicle. You must pay Colorado State Income Tax for all income you have accrued after moving here, regardless of the source. There is a form that you will need to fill out to get residency. The deadlines for submitting this form occur during the spring semester and early summer of your first year here. You will need to take all the necessary steps to get residency; your assistantship will not pay out-of-state tuition after your first year. This will be discussed more once you are here but if you have questions you can talk to a Tuition Classification Officer at 303-492-0907 or look at their website, http://registrar.colorado.edu/Support/Residency/Residency.htm.

Car/Driver's License/Bus information/Voter Registration

Get these things done soon after you move to Boulder--they are crucial to applying for state residency.

• Drivers License: Driver's License Division, 2850 Iris Ave., Boulder Phone: 303-442-3006. New residents have a 30-day grace period to obtain a driver's license. The process is relatively harmless, though there can be a long line if you go at the wrong time.

• Registering to Vote: When you apply for a Colorado Driver's License you can also register to vote. You can call Voter Registration at 303-411-3516 for more information.

• Vehicle Registration: Boulder County Clerk and Recorder, 2020 13th St., 303-441-3510. Vehicle operators relocating to Colorado may obtain state license plates and registration by bringing the following items to the appropriate county office: An emissions sticker from a state-approved emissions station, verification of vehicle identification number (VIN), current vehicle title and registration, proof of Colorado Motor Vehicle Insurance, and payment in the form of cash, check, or money order. Note that regulations require the operators of a vehicle to register the vehicle in Colorado, whether or not they own the vehicle.

• Insurance: Most insurance companies have branches in Colorado. Remember that you need Colorado Motor Vehicle Insurance in order to register your vehicle.

General Information About Boulder

• A lot of information about Boulder can be accessed at http://bcn.boulder.co.us. This site has links to most resources that Boulder has to offer. Another useful site is for Boulder's yellow pages, http://yp.uswest.com.

• Bus fares are $.75 each way on most local RTD buses. With a valid CU ID, you ride the bus for free. Bus schedules are located on campus in the police station, in the UMC by the information desk, and at the Recreation Center. For more information call RTD at 303-299-6000 or go to their website at http://www.rtd-denver.com. Note that the Boulder routes are numbered in the 200's or are lettered. The bus that runs from Denver International Airport to Boulder is route AB and costs $8 each way (free with your student ID).

Finding a Place to Live

Housing is your responsibility, not the responsibility of the Graduate Secretary.

• On-Campus Housing: Space is limited. If you are interested in on-campus housing make your reservations now! For Family housing: 303-492-6673. For the Residence Halls: 303-492-6871. You may also check out http://www-housing.colorado.edu.

• Off-Campus Housing: Typical off-campus rent runs about $450/mo if you live with people to an average of $650/mo if you opt to live alone (i.e., it will be about half of your after-taxes paycheck). Classifieds run in the Colorado Daily (the campus paper) and the Daily Camera. Both papers are accessible through http://bcn.boulder.co.us/media/medprbld.htm or you can order a few issues of the Daily Camera by calling 303-442-1202. Housing Helpers 303-545-6000, http://www.housinghelpers.com, located at the corner of 28th Street (US 36) and Baseline Road) will, at no cost, provide you with a list of rental properties that fit your needs (though you'll be limited to the properties who have hired them). Off-Campus Student Services, an office whose purpose is to help CU students find good housing, deal with landlord-tenant concerns, etc., can be very helpful; they are located (temporarily) in the University Memorial Center (UMC) Room 227, at 303-492-7053, an on-line at http://www.colorado.edu/OCSS.

Once you have a place

• Phone Service is available from USWest (1-800-244-1111). I might also recommend looking into the option of cellular service as your primary phone.

• Utilities are available from Public Service (outside Metro Denver Area call 1-800-772-7858, in Metro Area call 303-623-1234)

• Recycling Information can be obtained by calling the Recycle Boulder Hotline at 303-441-4234 or checking the yellow pages under recycling services.

• Remember to have your mail forwarded. You can get the forms in every post office.

• Dogs must be licensed if you are living within the following city limits: Boulder, Broomfield, Louisville, and Lafayette. A license can be obtained from the Humane Society of Boulder (303-442-4030, Main Office located at 2332 55th St.). To get a license you must verify your dog's last rabies shot. Also, Boulder has strict leash laws. Find out where your dog can be off leash within the city.

I hope this information is helpful to you. I look forward to meeting you at the Fall Orientation. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best of luck!

 

Archie Paulson (archie.paulson@colorado.edu)