Graduate School
Graduate OfficeGuggenheim Hall, Room 125
303-273-3247
contact us
The Office of Graduate Studies is open for walk-in consultations during the following hours;
- During the first week of classes
- Monday through Friday: 8 am to 5 pm
- All other times
- Monday: 9 am to 5 pm
- Tuesday: 8 am to 5 pm
- Wednesday: 10 am to 4 pm
- Thursday: 8 am to 5 pm
- Friday: 9 am to 5 pm
Letter from the Dean
Dear Students,
We in the Office of Graduate Studies hope that you had a great break and that you will find the upcoming semester rewarding and productive. Please let us know if you have questions about the upcoming year. If you are an applicant please contact the Graduate Office staff with your application questions: Graduate Office Staff.
If you are a new student, welcome to CSM! We are very pleased that you have chosen our school to further your education, and the Graduate Office will do everything possible to make your program a rewarding one. CSM has a great tradition of educational and research excellence. We are confident you will add to this tradition.
I've put together a brief listing of items of which you should be aware. If you have any questions about these, please do not hesitate contacting me or the Graduate Office.
Priority Registration - If you have already registered for Spring 2012 classes, remember the last date to drop or add courses without incurring a tuition charge is January 26.
Graduate Student Orientation - If you are a new student, remember graduate orientation is held on Tuesday, January 10 and you should plan on attending as we cover many of the policy and procedures you will need, and you will have the chance to meet many of the School's staff who are here to help you. Orientation will be held in the Student Center Ballroom B at 10:30 am. We look forward to seeing you there.
Student Health Benefit Plan Changes - Starting Fall, 2011 the cost structure of participation in the School's Student Health Benefit plan has changed significantly. Cost to individual students is now dependent on your age. Information on the new structure can be found at,
Questions should be directed to Ron Brummett (rbrummet@mines.edu)
Organizational Changes - At the beginning of August, the School adopted a revised organizational structure for some of its academic departments. A new college has been formed to house activities that were previously done through the Division of Engineering, the Division of Environmental Sciences and Engineering and the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences. These three departments have been realigned into four new departments: Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, and Mechanical Engineering; and the four new departments have been grouped into an as yet unnamed new college with Dr. Kevin Moore as Interim Dean.
This change is driven by the degrees that we currently offer, how these degrees must evolve in order to address the needs of our future graduates, and the need to address structural imbalances in resource allocation across the campus. The Engineering Division has represented over 1/3 of the undergraduate student population and we expect this trend to continue. Environmental Science and Engineering has been a premier graduate and research unit that will provide even more to our students a more robust experience by more strongly embracing an undergraduate degree-granting mission through its combination with civil engineering. Mechanical engineering, which counts for 2/3 of the Engineering Division’s majors, will benefit from the autonomy associated with becoming its own department. We see many potential synergies between Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and we want to unite these disciplines to allow the synergies to thrive. Finally, a strong engineering university needs a strong mathematical program, which we plan to build by developing a stand-alone department. We believe that this consolidation and reorganization into a college structure is necessary to take all of these disciplines to the next level to meet not only our student expectations but also to ensure the future growth and continued vitality of Mines.
If you are currently enrolled in a degree program that was housed in the Division of Engineering, the Division of Environmental Sciences and Engineering or the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, please rest assured that this structural change will not impact your degree program or, in the short term, the administrative resources you have utilized in any way. Your degree programs are still very much active and supported by Mines and its faculty. New students will be enrolling into these programs this Fall. Your Advisor and/or Thesis Committee will not change. As we transition to a new departmental structure, your administrative contacts may change, but at the current time you should still utilize your existing administrative contacts.
We know some have been asking about whether this organizational change will lead to new discipline-specific graduate degree programs. New degrees are likely to ensue as a result of the new organizational structure. However, the process for deciding to develop new degrees, plan them, and get them approved will require some time and it is not clear today what the outcome of such a process will look like. Be assured, however, that the process will give full consideration to the impact a transition to a new degree structure will have on new and existing and new students. We will make sure that these impacts are only positive.
Research Ethics Requirement - All students who started their degree programs after the Spring, 2010 semester and who are supported at any time in their graduate career through the National Science Foundation (NSF), as research assistants, hourly employees or fellowship awardees, must complete training in the responsible conduct of research (RCR). This requirement is in addition to all other institutional and program requirements. To satisfy the RCR requirement students must complete the one credit hour course; SYGN502, or an equivalent. Students and advisors are required to certify successful completion of the NSF-RCR requirement as part of the Admission to Candidacy process.
Sexual Harassment Prevention Training - All students on RA/TA (research or teaching assistant) contracts must complete Sexual Harassment Prevention Training. If you have not done this in the past at Mines, Human Resources will be offering two training sessions: Thursday, January 19 at 10 am in and Monday, January 23 at 3:00 pm. Please register for the training on the Human Sources Web site (http://www.is.mines.edu/training/Categories.asp). If you have difficulty registering, please contact Nancy Cummings (ncumming@mines.edu).
Environment and Safety Training - All new graduate students other than those who will study economics, liberal arts and international students and mathematical and computer sciences must attend an introductory environmental health and safety seminar. Spring, 2012 sessions are scheduled for January 18, 2012. Please register for one of these sessions at
http://www.is.mines.edu/EHS/gsss/default.aspx
Faculty Oath Requirement - Colorado Revised Statute 22-61-104 requires all US residents and US naturalized citizens employed by the School who have teaching responsibilities to sign, and have notarized a Faculty Oath. This requirement extends to all US resident and US naturalized graduate students who are employed by the School as Research and Teaching assistants. A copy of the required Oath may be found at
http://www.is.mines.edu/hr/Forms/FacultyOath.pdf
This requirement, and the exact wording of the Oath are part of Colorado State law - Mines has no flexibility over the enforcement of this requirement or the wording of the Oath.
All students on RA/TA contracts must sign the Oath before starting their contracts. At the end of the student orientation session on January 10, you will have the opportunity to sign a copy of the Oath and have it notarized by Mines staff.
Required Background Checks - All new Mines employees are required to undergo a background check. This includes research and teaching assistants. The policy under which these background investigations are conducted may be found at
http://inside.mines.edu/UserFiles/File/policies/HUR/HRS_Background_Investigation_Policy.pdf
Background checks are conducted through the Office of Human Resources. Employment through Mines is continent upon successful completion of the background investigation. If you are going to be a new RA/TA this semester, please contact the administrative assistant in your home department or Debbie Trujillo (dstrujil@mines.edu) about how to get the process started. Refusal to participate in background check will eliminate the applicant/student from further consideration for employment or appointment.
Gaining Colorado Residency - All new nonresident, US citizens are encouraged to apply for Colorado residency as soon as possible. Once you have gained residency you will be eligible for resident tuition. Unfortunately, non-resident aliens are not permitted under Colorado Statute to gain residency within the state.
At our Orientation Meeting, the Registrar will discuss the steps you will need to go through to gain residency. Please begin completing these steps as soon as possible. If you start collecting the required material you are eligible for residency after one calendar year.
Graduate Student Association - Lastly, I want to encourage all of you to become involved in the Graduate Student Association (GSA). Founded in 1991, the GSA exists to serve the interests of Mines graduate students. The GSA addresses issues of concern to graduate students at Mines, and organizes various social and academic functions. All registered graduate students are automatically members of the GSA and are welcome to attend all events and meetings. The Association meets every other Monday afternoon in the Coolbaugh House. The current officers of the GSA are as follows.
President - Zach Aman
Please feel free to contact Zach for more information on the Association, or if you have concerns/ideas you would like to bring to the attention of the Association.
GSA Family Assistance Grant - GSA Family Assistance Grant - In the 2005-2006 academic year, the GSA created the GSA Family Assistance Grant, in order to help graduate students defray the costs of child care or health insurance. The amount of the award is $625 per semester. More information on the program and application materials may be found at
http://organizations.mines.edu/GSA/grants.html
Alongside the current Family Assistance and Travel Grant programs, the GSA is pleased to introduce two new grant programs: Lecture Series Grants and the Graduate Continuance Fellowship. More information on these programs will be provided in the coming weeks. Please feel free to contact Zach for more information on the Association, or if you have concerns/ideas you would like to bring to the attention of the Association.
Good luck...
Tom
Important Events and Deadlines
Spring 2012 Semester
January 10
Graduate School Orientation
January 11
Classes Begin
January 13
Graduate Student Late Fee
January 26
Graduation Application
March 22, 23
Graduation Salute
April 9
Final Thesis Format Approval
April 13
Check-out card
Work Completion Form
May 2
Graduation Practice
May 11
Commencement
August 1
Reduced Registration Application Deadline
Fall 2012 Semester