Environmental & Molecular Toxicology

Student Information

Welcome to the On-line Edition of the Toxicology Graduate Student Handbook. This handbook was developed by the Toxicology Student Advisory Group (composed of students in the Toxicology program) for new toxicology graduate students. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the Toxicology program at OSU it has been difficult for new students to get information they need. This handbook was created to fill this need. The handbook will be updated annually, so please let us know how it can be improved. If you have questions or comments about this handbook, please feel free to call, write or email any of the members of the Toxicology Student Advisory Group listed below.

• Registering for Classes
• Student Housing
• Establishing Residency
• Student Services
• Transportation
• Parking
• Taxes
• Campus Directory
• Research Rooms at the Valley Library

Registering for Classes

Registration at Oregon State University can be done via the OSU Homepage or by telephone by dialing 737-CLAS. It is not necessary to fill out any forms or get an adviser's signature.

Schedule of Classes is necessary to register. A schedule of classes for Fall term is generally available the first week of May. New graduate students may register following admission during any registration period. See the schedule of classes for registration periods. The schedule of classes can be accessed on-line.

To receive a hardcopy call the Registrars Office at (541) 737-4331. There is a $3.00 charge for mailing costs. If you are on campus, they can be picked up at the Registrars Office in the Kerr Administration Building or in the OSU Bookstore.

The schedule of classes contains registration instructions. The schedule of classes for Winter, Spring, and Summer quarters is usually published about half way through the previous term. Other information contained in the schedule of classes includes the academic calendar, fee schedule, academic regulations and procedures, and the final exam schedule.

The OSU General Catalog contains course descriptions of all courses offered. The General Catalog is very helpful in deciding which courses to take since the schedule of classes only provides the class titles and meeting times. A General Catalog is available on-line.

Another source of important information is the OSU Graduate Catalog. It contains descriptions of the graduate degrees offered at OSU, rules and regulations that apply to graduate students, and degree requirements. The Graduate Catalog is also found on-line.

Student Housing

Housing information can be obtained in the OSU Guide to Student Life and the OSU General Catalog. Another source of housing information is the Renter's Guide published by the Student Involvement Center. The Renter's Guide can be obtained, at no charge, upon request from the Student Activities Center, MU East, Corvallis, OR 97331 or by calling at (541) 737-2101. The Renter's Guide, which is updated annually, lists apartments and houses available for rent, their costs, landlords' phone numbers and addresses, and contains a map of the Corvallis area.

The classified section of the local newspaper, Corvallis Gazette-Times, also lists apartments and houses for rent and can also be accessed online. If you are looking for a roommate check the Corvallis Gazette-Times and bulletin boards located in Valley Library, Kerr Administration building, the Memorial Union, and the Toxicology Departmental bulletin board in the Agricultural and Life Sciences (ALS) building.

Establishing Residency

If a person is in Oregon primarily for the purpose of obtaining an education, that person will be considered a nonresident student at OSU, even when state residency has been established. This issue is important because resident tuition is much less than nonresident tuition.

An Oregon resident (as defined by OSU) is a financially independent person who, immediately prior to the term for which Oregon resident classification is requested:

1. Has established and maintained a domicile in Oregon for not less than 12 consecutive months and
2. Is primarily engaged in activities other than those of being a college student.

See the General Catalog for further details or talk to the Office of Admissions.

Student Services

Information about many campus services (housing, computers, health insurance etc.,) is available in the OSU Guide to Student Life.

Transportation

Corvallis Transit System provides bus service to most areas of Corvallis including campus. OSU students ride free by showing their student ID card. Route maps and schedules are available online and in the Memorial Union (MU) Business Office. For more information call the Transit System at (541) 757-6998.

Corvallis is a bicycle friendly city. More people primarily use bicycles for transportation in Corvallis than in any other Oregon City (8.2%, US Census). Corvallis has one of the best bikeway systems in the nation. Bike lanes are striped on 95% of the city's arterials and major streets. In addition, several miles of multi-use paths (formerly called "bike paths") form a community trail network. A map of Corvallis and Benton County Bikeways is available, free of charge, at display areas in the OSU Bookstore and at the Memorial Union Business Office. To receive a free map by mail, write to: City Traffic Engineer, P.O. Box 1083, Corvallis, OR 97339-1083.

A shuttle from Corvallis to the Portland airport is available. For information about this service visit Hut Airport Shuttle or call 753-7831.

Parking

Parking on campus is available, but sometimes you have to walk a long way, so you may want to consider walking, riding a bike, or taking the bus.

Parking permits are required to park in most of the lots near campus. Student permits cost $120 per year and may be purchased from the Parking Services located behind the Kerr Administration Building.

There is a $15-20 fine for parking without a permit. The campus parking officers are not shy about issuing tickets.

It is important to know that a student parking permit allows you to park in student lots only, not the staff lots. Check signs carefully before parking.

Campus maps showing student parking lots are available from the Parking Services Office.

Taxes

Graduate research assistants (GRAs) must pay federal and state taxes on wages and stipends. State and federal taxes are deducted from GRA wages based on deductions claimed on a W-4 form.

Students from other states or countries should check with the Oregon State Department of Revenue at (503) 378-4988 to determine your residency status (e.g. resident, part-time resident, or nonresident). Note: residency status for tax purposes is not necessarily the same as residency status for tuition purposes at OSU.

Tax forms can be found at the Valley Library, the Corvallis Public Library, and at post offices.

Campus Directory

The campus phone directory may be purchased at the OSU Bookstore or you can find anyone at OSU using the online Campus Directory.

Research Study Rooms at The Valley Library

Research study rooms are available in The Valley Library for a 90-day loan period for doctorate students who have passed their preliminary oral examinations. Doctoral students must present a letter from their department confirming their status when requesting a research study room hold at Circulation. Additional information regarding the research study rooms and the regulations for use is available from Circulation at The Valley Library.