Graduate Handbook

​​​​​​​​​​​TABLE OF CONTENTS​​

For correcting problems or inconsistencies or requesting updates to this handbook, please contact the EBIO Graduate Student IT Representative, whose email can be found on the Graduate Committees page.

Welcome​

Welcome to 91's Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program (EBIO). The EBIO faculty and your fellow graduate students are glad you're here – so glad that our team has collaborated to compile this Handbook of policies and pointers to speed you along in your EBIO endeavors over the next few years. On that note, we want to make sure you know that the information in the following pages should be considered guidance only; this text is not an official articulation of EBIO policy, or even 91 policy, for that matter. Disclaimer aside, we hope this Handbook will be a valuable resource. At press time, it is the only place that EBIO enrollees can find a graduate-student-relevant synthesis of many important EBIO, Graduate School, and 91 policies and links to many of those policies in their online form.

Where to Begin?

  • For starters, your offer letter and admissions packet contain much information to which you should pay close attention. Address the required steps in those documents as soon as possible upon arriving in 91.
  • Also, see the document, which contains several resources for incoming (and current) students.
  • EBIO Graduate Regulations: includes degree requirements and exam formats specific to EBIO
  • 91 Graduate School Regulations: campus-wide graduate school degree programs and rules
  • 91 Institutional Structure ()

Program De​scription​

Descriptions of the EBIO Masters and PhD programs can be found here:

EBIO Graduate courses can be found in. Here is some info on how to search for classes:

EBIO Exams

There are several major meetings and exams that graduate students must complete over the course of their graduate work. provides information on the exams to be completed by graduate students.

  • Thelink explains exam deadlines and goals specific to the EBIO Department.
    • Ph.D. students, please note that the EBIO Graduate Committee has approved a 3rd-semesterexam length of 2 hoursinstead of the previous 3 hours dictated by our EBIO Graduate Regulations. This change will not be reflected in the regulations document on our website as we are still working on updating the file.
  • The 91 Graduate School Regulations delineates the regulations for campus-wide graduate programs.
  • The EBIO Program Forms dropdown menu within the EBIO's Policies and Procedures pagecontainsthe needed exams and semester meeting forms.
  • We highly recommend that you look at theduring your first semester as a graduate student(to view but not sign, type your own email in place of your advisor's and write 'TEST' in the name slot).This document is intended to serve as a yearly check-in between graduate students and their committee to determine if the student is making sufficient progress toward their degree. While you won't be required to submit this form until the fall of your 2ndyear, this document provides the most comprehensive explanation of the expectations that the department has of what progress graduate students in the department should be making about research, publications, conference presentations, and teaching. This document can also provide a good jumping-off point for a conversation with your advisor about how their expectations might align with or differ from those put out by the department.

Department Organization​

Hierarchy for EBIO Graduate Program

  • Chair of EBIO (Faculty member)
  • Associate Chair of Graduate Studies (Faculty member)
    • Graduate Committee (made up of faculty members)
  • Graduate Coordinator (Staff member)

Faculty meetings, Decision-making by faculty, Faculty Committees

I. Faculty meetings.

Faculty meetings occur on Wednesdays from 11:15 – 12. A graduate student representative attends these meetings unless it is a personnel decision (promotion or tenure; hiring). There are also notes taken by a faculty member at each meeting. These are posted on theonthe departmental Sharepoint site.

II. Decision-making by faculty.

1) General. Faculty vote on items brought to the faculty by various committees (e.g., they would vote on revisions to the classes required for the major, and those changes would be brought to the faculty by the Curriculum Committee). These votes require a 50% majority to pass.

2) Personnel decisions. Personnel decisions such as promotion or tenure require a 2/3 majority.

3) Hiring decisions. Described in detail in the EBIO by-laws (posted on SharePoint).

III. Departmental Committees

Executive Committee. As described in the By-laws, this committee is elected each spring for the following year. The Chair heads it and includes the two Associate Chairs (graduate chair and undergraduate chair) and four other faculty members, at least one of whom must be untenured. The Executive Committee deals with space issues, concerns of graduate students and faculty, election of adjunct faculty, departmental finances, relations with other departments/institutes, etc. A subset of items discussed in the Executive Committee are brought to full faculty meetings, but not all. The Chair uses this committee for input on a variety of issues.

Merit Evaluation Committee. As described in the By-laws, this committee is elected each spring for the following year and is headed by the Chair. There are eight elected members, one of whom must be an Instructor and one of whom must be an untenured faculty member. The rest are tenured faculty. This committee scores the accomplishments of each faculty member in terms of research, teaching, and service, and the Chair uses these scores to determine raises for faculty.

Promotion and Tenure committees.These are composed of three faculty members, and they are responsible for working with the faculty members up for reappointment, tenure, or promotion to put together their files.

Search Committees. These are typically three or four faculty members and a graduate student. This committee does the initial screening of applicants for jobs and develops a "medium list" of candidates for whom to get letters of recommendation and then submits a group of candidates (10 – 30) for the faculty to evaluate and vote on whom to interview. More info ongrad student involvementin this process.

Graduate Committee. Chaired by the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies with five other members. This committee oversees graduate student evaluations, admissions, and departmental grants.

Curriculum Committee. Chaired by the Associate Chair of the Curriculum Committee, it is open to anyone but usually has six to eight members. Makes recommendations and decisions about undergraduate courses and course offerings.

Course Improvement Committee. Composed of three or four faculty, two graduate students, and two undergraduates. This committee makes decisions about course budgets and course improvement funds.

Aesthetics Committee.Works on classroom and building décor and some classroom enhancement.

Teaching Committee.Deals with teaching innovation in the department

Other Committees

  • Web Site Committee
  • General Biology Committee.All faculty who teach in General Biology
  • Greenhouse committee
  • Teaching Review Committee
  • Outcomes Committee
  • Post Tenure Review Committee

IV. Departmental Representatives (represent the department at college or university-wide groups)

EBIO Staff

Several full-time staff members are responsible for keeping the department running. They have offices in Ramaley N122. You will interact with them regularly for IT needs, financial tasks, Human Resources issues, graduate school paperwork, and building and teaching concerns, among others.

Here is a list of EBIO staff members, contacts, and responsibilities:

International Student Resources

Note that the following recommendations and checklists are suggestions from current and former EBIO international students, and you should double-check all requirements yourself. This is meant to be a general guide, and we cannot guarantee that it is fully complete or accurate. Also, you may find here the CU Official Admitted Student Checklist

Pre-Arrival Timeline and Documents

By April 15th

  • Accept the program offer (after paying the CU grad school confirmation deposit of $200)
  • Submit official transcripts, Duolingo / IELTS / TOEFL scores, and other documentation to the school (Admissions/ISSS)
  • Submit Proof of Funding (mention according to your offer)

Later in April

  • Wait for the I-20 from the department (likely from the Admission Office)
    • Check your personal information and pay attention to the details listed (especially the program description, program start, and end date
  • Visa Application (make sure passport is valid and hopefully new)
    • You will need your I-20
    • You need to pay the I-901 SEVIS Fee ( $350 for the F visa and$220 for the J Visa); if you were in the US as an undergrad or on OPT within six months of the start of the program, you may transfer your SEVIS ID to 91.
    • Schedule an interview with the embassy outside of the US
  • Apply for Graduate Housing as early as possible if you plan to stay in the University Graduate Housing (highly competitive, but likely most economical in 91). See the post-arrival section below for more details on finding housing and signing a lease.
  • Identikey + 91 Email Activation
  • Submit your BuffOne Card photo
  • Access your BuffPortal
  • Accept/decline CU Anthem Gold Health Insurance
  • Update your immunization record on the MyCUHealth Portal. You can get some vaccine shots here through your CU Insurance after arrival, so don’t spend money on getting shots in your home country if you need to pay
  • Complete the International Student Orientation and Community Equity For Graduate Students Canvas Course Online (on CANVAS) – explore CANVAS if you have spare time.
  • Join Whatsapp Arrival Group
  • Plan for flights. Note that you may only enter the U.S. up to 30 days before the program start date. You can fly into Denver International Airport and take the AB1 bus route to 91. See post-arrival below for more details.
  • Register for classes

No later than June (but recommended ASAP)

  • Start looking for accommodation/ housemates in 91 (see below for more info)
  • Look for mobile phone plans, check if your phone is compatible with US providers (), and banking services (ask current grad students). There are three phone carriers with stores in 91 - T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon, but you can also hire an online plan with Mint () or other online providers. You might be able to arrange for your sim card to be mailed to your PI, who will welcome you/pick you up at the airport. You want to ensure your phone is compatible with the US sim card or network type, especially for Android phones.
  • Talk to your PI about the following:
    • Semester vs. summer funding
    • Semester mentorship plan
    • Course Plans
    • Lab expectations
    • Lab communication styles (Slack, Discord, email?)
    • Setting up meetings even before arrival

To keep in mind

  • The climate in 91 and clothes to pack or buy once you are here.
  • Insurance enrollment periods
  • Tap water is potable in Colorado and generally everywhere in the US

Pre-arrival documents

  • I-20 – certificate of nonimmigrant student status (F1) or DS-2019 form (J-1)
    • Most important form
    • Needed for US visa application
    • Need a physical copy to show US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer(s) at the airport/any customs upon every (re)entry into the US.
    • Needed for I-9 and SSN application
    • Travel - Every time you leave the country, you need to get this signed by the ISSS (getting travel authorization). Print off and signagain to allow you re-entry to the US - apply for this on the ISSS platform; each travel authorization signature would be valid for a year before you need to get another one. Your travel authorization needs to be valid upon reenteringthe country. In other words, the expiration date should be a day after you return to the US.
    • Issued by the Admission Office contact person from the school, along with instructions for visa application.
    • You should always keep all of your old I-20and/orDS-2019 forms with your other immigration documents in order to be able to present your immigration history if needed (e.g., future H-1B application). You might be asked to present all of your I-20s every time you reenter the US, so have them all together and ready at hand.DO NOT PUT THEM IN CHECKED LUGGAGES.
  • Visa Application (SEVIS Registration)
    • Schedule a visa interview with the US embassy in your country.
    • A visa interview has to be done outside of the US; this applies to subsequent visa renewals, too. For example, if your visa expires two years after your first entry into the US (to start your CU journey), you will have to schedule an interview with an embassy or consulate outside of the US, travel outside of the US (even Canada, Mexico, or Dominican Republic is fine)
    • Make sure you have your I-20 and valid passport for the interview.
    • Pay I-901 SEVIS Fee (F visa $350; J Visa $220)

Post-arrival checklist

  • Fly into Denver International Airport. A few options for getting to 91 are:
    • Your advisor may be interested in greeting you and giving you a ride from the airport. Coordinate directly with them if this is the case.
    • You can reach out to the EBIO GSA international student rep (for 2023-2024, this is Katie Kariatsumari Katherine.Kariatsumari@colorado.edu ) to be connected with a current grad student who can greet you and give you a ride.
    • Take the RTD bus route AB1. Buses run every 30-45 minutes, depending on the day and time you arrive. You can purchase a ticket at theRTD's airport kiosk, on the RTD MyRide App, or pay $10.50 in cash when you board the bus. The Airport bus stop is on the first floor of the Airport; walk toward the southern entrance of the building and take two flights of electric stairs down to the RTD station. You can ride to the first stop in 91 (Table Mesa park-and-ride), to campus (Broadway and Euclid), or to Downtown 91. Once in 91, you can connect to other local bus routes.
    • RTD bus can be found on Google Maps.
    • CU students, including grad students, get a free transit pass paid for by student fees. You will pick this up after arriving in 91 at the same time as your BuffOne card.
  • Staying in 91 while you look for housing or before your lease starts
    • Reach out to the EBIO GSA international student rep (for 2023-2024, this is Katie Kariatsumari Katherine.Kariatsumari@colorado.edu ) to connect with current graduate students who may be able to host you for a short period until you arrange for a permanent living situation.
  • Get a US phone number.
    • Do this as soon as possible after arriving. Many other processes (applying for housing, SSN, bank account)
    • Check which mobile carriers are compatible with your current phone (see pre-arrival checklist)
    • Visit the mobile carrier office in 91 to sign up for a plan and set up your phone number.
    • Signing up with multiple people in a family plan is often more economical. Try reaching out to other incoming international students to set this up. One person will be listed as the main manager of the plan and will get the bill from the carrier. Others can then pay the plan manager for their portion. Make sure you trust your plan manager as you may need their help in the future to change your plan or details of your network services/device.
  • Housing
    • Leasing
      • Places to look: Ralphie’s List, Craigslist, Facebook Market Place, Apartments.com, Zillow, 91 Property Management
      • It may be best to contact other incoming graduate students (through provided whatsapp chat), and see about potentially living as flatmates.
      • Living in your own apartment is becoming less and less affordable; expect to live with others.
      • Try to avoid applying to places with application fees and background checks. Being an international student puts you at a severe disadvantage in renting these places.
    • Graduate students have priority for graduate student housing (/living/housing/graduate-and-family-housing)
      • This is likely the ideal option, it is cheaper than avg. Rent, and living with other graduate students may be easier, particularly as one transitions to living in the US.
      • Co-op housing (): Need to interview and income qualify. Live with ~10-15 housemates for $650-800 and food costs.
      • Thrift stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.) are excellent ways to buy used furniture, clothes, and other household items for a fraction of the price of new items.
      • Security deposit - Before you rent, you may be required to pay a deposit. This is a charge (often equal to a month of rent) taken when your lease is signed and kept by your landlord. It is kept in case of damages to your housing and will be refunded at the end of your lease (if there is no damage).
      • Signing a lease (?)
        • Signing a lease is a binding agreement and typically CANNOT BE UNDONE (If signed, you will be obligated to pay for the whole year/lease term), even if you vacate the premises.
        • The lease will contain all the necessary information about the payment of rent (amount, due date, and location)
    • Finding roommates
      • Raphie’s List )
        • We recommend to send messages to others who seem to be a good match.
        • You can filter for only other graduate students (recommended rather than living with undergraduates)
      • You can also send a message to Bugs List, the informal listserv for current EBIO grad students, to see if anyone is looking to fill a room or find a roommate.
  • Get a social security number (SSN)
    • An SSN is required for all students employed by the university. All new students should receive an email from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) with detailed instructions and updated links to all necessary forms. To apply for an SSN, international students need a letter from ISSS and an official university employment offer letter (different from an admission offer). To receive the required letter from ISSS, F1 status students will need to complete the online International Student Orientation Course available through Canvas. Then, all students will need to complete the Immigration Check-In Form. Once these requirements are completed, students can submit an SSN Letter Request Form to receive their SSN letter from ISSS. The SSN application can be completed , and documents can be brought to the . If you think a document could be needed, bring it with you, just in case! The U.S Social Security Administration states that once your application is approved, you should receive your Social Security Card within 14 days.
  • Set up a US bank account.
    • In order to receive any payment from the University, students should apply for a U.S. bank account. It is best to talk to current international students for recommendations on good accounts for international students. Application details and requirements will vary depending on the bank (often required: proof of local mailing address, forms of ID, income information, U.S. phone number, and/or email). When in doubt, bring any documents you have, even if they might not be necessary. Some banks will require a social security number (see SSN section above), but there are options that do not require one (for example, Bank of America and Chase).
    • Note that Credit Union Banks won't charge a fee for account maintenance. At standard banks, you might have to pay an annual fee or maintain a minimum. Do your research before deciding.
    • If you do not have a local mailing address when you are setting up your bank account, you can list your department mailbox.

[your name]

Ramaley N122

Campus Box 334

91

91, CO 80309-0334 USA

  • Attend the FIRED UP program
    • As of 2022, this is an EBIO cohort program held at the Mountain Research Station near Nederland, CO. Participation in the program comes with a stipend, so it is important that you get your SSN and bank account set up BEFORE attending FIRED UP if at all possible. This will allow you to receive the stipend payment as soon as possible after the program completion.
  • Attend International Student Orientation through ISSS
  • Attend EBIO orientation/teaching orientation (generally the week before classes start)
  • Resources for teaching
    • The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) offers teaching workshops during their Fall Intensive the week before classes begin. In 2023, the fall intensive is happening Aug 17-19, and covers various topics like planning your first day teaching, how to use Canvas, etc.
    • Keep an eye out for specific workshops about being an international TA and navigating the US higher education system. CTL offers a variety of workshops throughout the year.
  • Resources for English as a Second Language
    • ISSS has a page for ESL resources, including official 91 courses, plus courses offered through the International English Center (IEC)
    • Most IEC courses charge a fee, but you can look into applying for a scholarship.
    • IEC also leads a series of free workshops for graduate students called “Confident Conversations”. Check out their events calendar to find upcoming sessions.
  • Connect with cultural affinity groups on campus.
    • Find affinity groups by searching the BuffConnect page: . Filter by category “Cultural and International”
  • Getting a US driver's license
    • This is governed by the
    • ISSS provides some basic guidelines (PDF) for international students
    • TAs for some lab courses like Ecology need to have US driver’s licenses to operate University vehicles for class field trips
  • Filing taxes for international students
    • 91 has an that assists with international taxes.
    • You can also check out some and explanations put together by current EBIO international students regarding taxes.

Grad student voice in the department

EBIO Graduate Student Association (GSA)

The newly-formed Graduate Student Association (GSA, established in Spring 2023) is intended to consolidate the various organizing and service roles that EBIO graduate students hold in EBIO and across 91. We know how confusing universityprocesses can be and how challenging communicating across power levels can be. We hope to work togetherto alleviate all these difficulties. See the current GSA Bylaws and Mission Statement . The GSA holds monthly meetings open to all EBIO grad students, and are a forum to discuss grad student issues and brainstorm solutions. We send representation to the 91 Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) meetings and work closely with the Grad Rep (below) so everyone can stay involved and up to date on the broader organizing initiatives at CU. The GSA leadership consists of two co-chairs, a secretary, a GPSG representative, the EBIO Grad Rep, plus appointed roles of International Student Rep, First Year Rep, and IT Rep. See who currently holds these positions on the Working Groups page. This is also where you can find the GSA meeting schedule and locations. We hope to see you at our next meeting! Reach out to the GSA at gsa.ebio@gmail.com

One of our core plans for 2023-2024 is to develop infrastructure for advisor accountability and feedback in our department. We are also planning to help first-year students settle into our department—what is SharePoint? What is a P card?—and to make resources for international students more accessible—so much paperwork! So many horrible tax laws!—etc. We also coordinate among the various service groups that graduate students in our department hold (see the Working Groups page). Graduate student committees are responsible for running many of our department's regular events. We hope to facilitate communication and planning between all of these groups.

EBIO Graduate Representative

EBIO's graduate representative is a graduate student who liaises between the graduate students and faculty. Graduate students vote for the graduate representative who servesfor an academic year.The graduate representativeis able to attend faculty meetings and bring up any concerns that EBIO's graduate students have expressed.

Faculty hiring

When the department hires new faculty members, they all vote on hiring decisions in a closed faculty meeting (the grad rep is absent). The faculty does, however, solicit graduate student input throughout the process. First, a graduate student is invited to serve on the search committee. The graduate students vote for this position. Second, graduate students are invited to all job talks given by candidates, and each candidate has lunch with the graduate students on the day of their talk. Graduate students are also given online access to the applications of the candidates who make the shortlist (except for letters of recommendation, which are confidential). Lastly, the graduate student on the search committee solicits feedback on the candidates from the graduate students and presents the results of this feedback to the faculty before voting.

Town hall meetings

Once or twicea year, the department Chair and Associate Chair of the Graduate Committee hold town hall meetings with the graduate students. All students are invited, and these meetings aim to discuss departmental issues and give the students a forum to voice concerns to the Chair and Associate Chair. These meetings are also facilitated by the Grad rep, who can set agenda items in advance based on feedback from graduate students. These meetings differ from the monthly GSA meetings, which consist of students only, with no faculty present.

Relationship with Faculty Mentor​

The relationship between a graduate student and their mentor can set the tone for a graduate school experience. If you plan to stay in academia, this relationship will ideally last for the rest of your career. Below, we have included some resources to help you make the most of this relationship. In addition to these resources, we encourage you to talk with your peers, particularly more senior graduate students, about how to build positive and healthy mentee/mentor relationships, what is ok for you to expect and ask for, and how to address issues when they arise.

EBIO Mentoring Policy

Best Practices in Graduate Mentoring in EBIO- (draft document)

The role of the advisor is diverse and may include several areas of guidance, advising, and supervision. The advisor is also a role model for students, helping them learn norms in academic behavior and performance.

Advisors develop their own mentoring style based on experience, which determines what works best. In addition, it is important to recognize each student is different and that the style of mentoring will vary. Student's needs may change over time, with adjustments in advising facilitating student progress to reflect the increasing responsibilities of the graduate student. Students should recognize that their capacity should increase across graduate school and that an important role of their advisor is to push them to help them build their abilities in order to meet their goals.

Start early in the mentoring process and establish the norms for communication, expectations, and requirements. This can be an important part of interviewing new graduate students, benefiting both faculty and students. Determine the best ways for the advisor and student to communicate with each other and how frequently they will meet. Discuss what the expectations of the advisor for the student are in terms of performance (e.g. chapter/ manuscript preparation), and what the student expects from the advisor in terms of assistance and advice (e.g. help with thesis topic, reading the literature) in making progress toward their degree. It can be helpful to regularly revisit expectations of one another as student needs change over time. Review together the requirements for obtaining the degree, including coursework, exams, teaching, and documents (thesis, dissertation) (seefor reference). Establish a strategy for setting goals, evaluating progress, and identifying challenges on a regular basis (e.g., monthly, once/semester).

Both advisors and students should understand their rights and responsibilities, as outlined in the Professional Rights and Duties of Faculty Members () and the Graduate Student Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.

Best Practices: how to enhance mentoring and the graduate student experience:

Graduate students are encouraged to:Faculty mentors are encouraged to:

Meet with faculty advisors during their first semester to:

* Discuss how often and in what manner they will communicate to share progress and concerns; these practices of communication should be revisited as often as needed. Regular meetings with your faculty advisor are strongly encouraged.

* Review the requirements of the degree and determine a timeline for meeting those requirements

* Identify effective strategies for regular communication so that the student can receive feedback and direction as needed

* Provide graduate students with ways to directly and honestly communicate their concerns and needs for assistance while also providing encouragement and constructive feedback on student progress.

* Explain the support network available to the student and their role in the student's education (e.g., labmates, post-docs, committee members, EBIO staff)

* Understand the student's long-term goals and incorporate appropriate training opportunities into the student's education plan (e.g., teaching, research, outreach)

Determine the expectations of their advisor and committee for the formulation of a research project, execution of the work, and final presentation to the advisory committee (final plan presented at the comprehensive exam for Ph.D. students and third-semester exam for MA students).Share with students their expectations of student progress and the steps needed to successfully execute a thesis or dissertation, teach effectively, and participate in appropriate outreach activities. Provide students with an indication of research support you can provide and your expectations for the student for receipt of that support.
Express their career goals to their advisor and committee on a regular basis to solicit advice about the best way to achieve those goals (opportunities to solicit advice from committee members are available during the first and third-semester committee meetings).Assist students in their intellectual development and establishing and achieving their career goals by discussing possible career tracks, suggesting appropriate courses, encouraging students to read the research literature regularly, enhancing their writing and speaking skills, and attending meetings and seminars. Be aware that student goals should supersede faculty goals for the student.
Determine the timeline for completing their degree and discuss their progress toward this goal with their advisor on a regular basis (at least once/semester is recommended), emphasizing possible bottlenecks and areas where help may be most needed.Work with the student to establish reasonable goals for completing milestones that need to be achieved for them to complete their degrees. Help the student overcome possible impediments to meeting goals the advisor and committee set forth. Be clear about your expectations for lead times to receive drafts of documents for comments and letters of recommendation.
Facilitate networking and professional development opportunities for the student.

Worst Practices (things to avoid doing)

Asking students personal questions that don't relate to their work or performance as a graduate student.

Remaining silent when inappropriate behavior is observed (may be governed by the University's policy on discrimination and harassment: http://www.colorado.edu/policies/discrimination-and-harassment-policy-and-procedures)

Using unreasonable threats in order to get students to complete assignments or goals.

Placing a student in the middle of a dispute, including disputes between faculty members or between other members of the lab group.

Pressuring students to do things they are uncomfortable doing that are not required as part of their education. These could include personal favors or work unrelated to university-related teaching or research.

Encouraging unhealthy behavior (e.g., excessive drinking, lack of sleep, work-life imbalance).

Resources Available for Assistance

  • Professional Rights and Duties of Faculty Members:
  • Graduate Student Bill of Rights and Responsibilities:
  • University's policy on discrimination and harassment:
  • Counseling and Psychiatric Services:
  • Graduate School Resources:
  • Ombuds Office:
  • Graduate Advising:
  • EBIO Grievance Policy:

Faculty evaluations for tenure

When a faculty member comes up for tenure, their graduate students may be asked to write feedback letters forthe faculty member'smentorship.

Changing Principal advisors

There is no official policy on changing advisors in EBIO. Ideally, students and advisors have determined their compatibility prior to the student's arrival. However, due to a variety of factors such as a change in a student's research interests or personal differences between the advisor and the student that cannot be overcome, students may seek to switch labs. These switches need to be done with careful communication among all parties involved. A student's ability to switch labs depends on many things, including but not limited to the availability of advisors in the student's research area and the willingness of faculty to have additional students in their lab, which could potentially compromise their ability to recruit new students. If you are considering changing labs, it is highly recommended that you speak with the Graduate Chair, a member of the Graduate Committee, or the Departmental Chair. This discussion will be held in strict confidentiality. It is important to remember that graduate students in EBIO must have a major advisor, and if you leave a lab, you must find a new advisor within one semester or petition the Graduate Committee for more time, citing the reasons for the delay in finding a new advisor. Failure to find a new advisor within the time permitted by the Graduate Committee may result in the student being dismissed from the graduate program.

Grievances​ ​

The internaldepartmental grievance processof the graduate program in EBIO can be found here:

The Associate Chair for Graduate Studies handles grievances for graduate students in EBIO. Grievances include but are not limited to, conflicts with advisors, faculty members, other students, or any other members of the department or issues with department policies or norms. For issues particular to discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct, please see below. Grievances may also be brought to the Chair of the department. Generally, the faculty members in these positions have an open-door policy and have handled issues confidentially. This may vary by individual, so check with the current faculty members in these positions regarding their policies.

Academic grievances that are not resolved in this manner may be brought to the Graduate School.

For more information, see:

Reporting and Assistance for Sexual Misconduct:

Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures:

Ramaley Resources

Office Space, Mailboxes, and Copies

  • Offices: Most EBIO graduate students have office space in Ramaley. Others are housed in CIRES, SEEC, or MCOL. If you are placed in an office shared with graduate students from other labs, the office policy is generally to forbid meetings with undergraduate students to take place in this office (to protect the quiet workspace of other graduate students). Check with your new office-mates and any posted documents regarding the policies of your office.
  • Mailboxes: Located on the first floor of Ramaley next to the main office (N118). All EBIO graduate students (and faculty and staff) have a mailbox here. According to EBIO policy, you may not have students drop off assignments to this mailbox, as the mail room is off-limits to undergraduates.
  • Copies: If you are TAing or teaching, you can make copies in the EBIO office (N122 ) and in the copy room (N114). You will be given a copy code specific to your course by the Faculty/academic support & Building proctor staff person (). Printing for research purposes can be done in your lab or the grad student computer lab in the bullpen (see below). Printing multiple copies for courses should also be done on the department copy machines and never in the bullpen.
  • Computer lab:EBIO has 4-5 desktop computers in the "bullpen." All graduate students can acquire a key to this computer lab from the Building proctor. For the security of these computers and the graduate student offices beyond this computer lab, the door to the bullpen is to remain locked and closed at all times. Please be respectful of the graduate students who have offices thereand work quietly when using the computer lab.
  • Meeting rooms: Ramaley has three rooms that can be reserved for meetings. This includes meetings of student groups or committees, lab meetings, and meetings or exams with your committee. These rooms are N240, C388, and N191. To reserve any of these rooms, email the Building Proctor.
  • Keys: Keys to offices, labs, etc., can be requested through the Building Proctor. A request will be sent to Access Services (located under the Folsom Field Stadium, Gate 8, Room 1B11; enter from the East side and follow signs to the office). Be sure to bring your BuffOne card when you pick up your keys. Access Services website:
  • Card Access: After-hours access is crucial since buildings on campus (including Ramaley) are generally closed on weekends and in the evening. For Ramaley, contact the building proctor and provide them with your name and student ID (at a minimum) when requesting access. You can also request access for undergraduate research assistants if they need to perform research tasks on evenings or weekends. For other campus buildings, contact the building proctor of that building for after-hours access.

Mailing address: (use for ordering supplies or anything mail you want to be delivered to the department)

​University of Colorado EBIO

1900 Pleasant St.

Ramaley N122, Campus Box 334

91, CO 80309

Loading zone and parking on campus for work

  • Loading zone: Near the northwest corner of Ramaley, there are five parking spots. The spot closest to the building is reserved as a loading zone to be used to load research supplies in and out of the building. You can only park here for 30-minute increments. Do not park in any of the other spots, which are reserved for service vehicles. The university is very strict about its parking policy and graduate students generally are held responsible for paying their own campus parking tickets, to contest a parking ticket, please see below.
  • Metered parking: There are several areas with metered spots that are close to Ramaley, includingand. Be sure to pay the meters and observe all time limits.
  • Transportation services: Campus parking is aggressively patrolled by Transportation services. To contest a parking ticket, you can appeal here:

Borrowing Equipment

  • Projectors: Some of the meeting rooms (C388 and N191) do not have projectors installed. To borrow a projector for a meeting or class, sign one out in the notebook in N122 and retrieve it from the black metal cabinet. Each projector should have all the power cords necessary.
  • IT equipment: See thefor equipment that may be borrowed.

Department resources

  • Greenhouses
    • EBIO maintains several greenhouses for research use and housing a teaching plant collection. Greenhouses are located on the roof of Ramaley, next to Macky Auditorium, and on 30thStreet near East Campus and are available for graduate students to use for a fee.
    • See theResourcestab for Greenhouse policies, the application form for greenhouse space for research, and information about greenhouse user fees.
    • See theContactstab for Greenhouse staff.

EBIO IT

The contains important documents and information about Travel, Accounting Resources, Teaching Resources, as well as general Graduate Resources. To access the EBIO Sharepoint, you will need a CU Identikey.

Grants and Fellowships

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  • EBIO research grant and summer fellowship.The department awards funding for research to all graduate students and summer fellowships to Ph.D. students who have advanced to candidacy.
    • The Graduate Coordinator sends out forms each year
    • Applicants for these grants and fellowships are required to have applied to a funding source outside of the university at least once before applying for the EBIO grant. Applying for an NSF GRFP is one way to meet this requirement. This does not apply to first-year students.
  • Visit the page, which includes deadlines for EBIO grants and links to other granting sources at CU and nationally.
    • Keep in mind that this list isn't exhaustive in any category and that other significant funding sources exist. It's up to you to search far and wide for the awards that might apply to you.
    • EBIO perpetually funnels grant and scholarship information to students via email, so keep an eye on your inbox for upcoming competitions and awards.

Graduate School

  • The Graduate school awards several small research grants, travel grants, and Dissertation completion fellowships (for students writing dissertations). The travel grants are non-competitive and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Graduate students may receive these small travel grants twice during their grad careers.

  • Students can apply for competitive travel grants up to $300. Students can receive these only once.​

Award spending

While conducting your research, you will likely need to buy supplies or pay travel expenses from funding awarded to you or your advisor. Every award is assigned a speedtype, a number the university uses to keep track of a particular "bucket" of money. Be aware that multiple awards may be assigned the same speedtype, which provides an additional challenge for EBIO's accounting technician to keep track of spending and balances. As such, you need to keep track of your own award balances. Information on the methods below can be found on the. Sign in () and then look under the Accounting header.​

The department's Sharepoint site is developing into a communication hub for procedures, archives, and department-specific policies. Financial guides, forms, and some secure documents are also stored on our Sharepoint site.

There are several ways to access the department's SharePoint site:

  1. Direct URL:
  2. From the EBIO website:

To log into the Office 365 and Sharepoint, use your campusidentikey@colorado.edu

There are four ways to purchase supplies from an award.

  1. Acquire a Procurement card and/or a travel card for purchasing from a speedtype. See EBIO's P-Card guide.
    1. Pro: You do not have to spend money out of your own pocket on most purchases you make with your award funding.
    2. Note: If you obtain a card, you are responsible for full compliance with CU-procurement policy, including ensuring that all purchases are tax-exempt and allowable and turning in documentation forms and receipts for every purchase in a timely manner.
    3. Download the SAP Concur App to immediately take pictures of receipts and associated expenses within the card. This will make the expense report more easily after shopping or traveling.
  2. Become a marketplace shopper (or request purchases from the marketplace shopper in your lab) to purchase from a speedtype. See EBIO's Marketplace guide.
    1. Pros: You can log on to see special CU pricing negotiated by the University, which can be cheaper than what is available otherwise, and no taxes are assessed.
    2. Notes: Shipping costs are not always accurately calculated at the time of purchase online, and shipping cannot be expedited. Also, online training is required to gain "Marketplace shopper" access.See the Marketplace guide linked above.
  3. Use your personal credit card to purchase supplies and request a reimbursement. See EBIO's Personal Reimbursement guide. When you have turned in your receipts and documentation, you will be reimbursed in a timely manner.
    1. Pros: No special training required, Amazon often has comparable pricing and faster shipping than Marketplace, All shipping costs are apparent.
    2. Cons: Some supplies (particularly chemical reagents) are hard to find outside of the Marketplace and cost significantly more.
  4. Purchase supplies on campus (Chemstores or MCDB store). See EBIO's "On Campus Purchasing" guide.
    1. Pros: Purchase directly from your award, convenience of buying in person on campus rather than online
    2. Cons: Often more expensive than buying online, limited stock available
    3. (Map of locations and inventory [This is a good place to buy Liquid Nitrogen or Dry Ice])

Expiration Dates: Awards also generally come with expiration dates. You must spend all of the available funds by this date, or they will no longer be available.

Awards as Income: Some small agencies (and some larger ones such as National Geographic) will fund researchers directly by checks made out to the researcher. These organizations generally report these funds to the IRS as income (despite stipulating that you can only use the funds for research purposes). While we cannot provide tax advice for legal purposes, you can contact the IRS about reporting these funds as work-related expenses.

Travel policies and procedures​

You may travel for conferences or research trips. For any travel paid for by a grant administered by CU, there are policies that need to be followed, including pre-approvals and flight-purchasing procedures. See EBIO's Travel/Travel Card guide.You can also find information at the travel link above regarding acquiring and using a CU Travel Card.

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Many grad students get financial support through working as a TA. For more information about TA pay and teaching appointments, see details in section 18. Financial Resources, Campus Funding Sources

Contact the EBIO GSA if you are interested in accessing TA materials from previous years (gsa.ebio@gmail.com). These can be especially helpful if you are teaching a course for the first time.

Resources

  • Center for Teaching and Learning (formerly Graduate Teacher Program, GTP)
    • The Graduate Teacher Program is a division of the Graduate School that works with graduate students from all departments in all schools and colleges on the 91 campus. They offer comprehensive college teacher training, support research skill development, and provide academic and nonacademic career preparation opportunities through conferences, workshops, and individual consultation. Some of their most popular events are their Fall Intensive and Spring Conference, as well as teaching and professional development seminars that are held on an almost daily basis during the semesters.
    • The GTP offers a variety of teaching and professional development certificates that students can earn while they are enrolled in a graduate program. While these certificates are not officially earned through credits or recognized by other institutions, many academics and professionals are familiar with these certificates and claim that they hold weight when hiring a candidate for a job. See the GTP website () for more information on these certificates and the other services that the GTP offers.
    • Each department also has a Lead Graduate Teacher (GTP Lead). Leads are graduate student instructors who have a strong interest in teaching at the college or university level, have had three or more years of teaching experience, and have maintained a minimum score of 3.0 or better on their FCQs. They are hired as Administrative Interns and paid by the Graduate Teacher Program (different than a Lead TA for a course, though the same person may hold both roles). Leads serve as liaisons between the GTP and their home departments and assist with teaching assistant preparation in their home departments. Basically, this person has gone through extensive teacher training and is meant as a resource for you regarding all things GTP (including videotaping your classes to fulfill certificate requirements, leading workshops, giving you teaching advice, helping you navigate the GTP website, etc.). Please contact your Lead whenever you feel necessary and keep an eye out for GTP-related emails.
  • Center for Stem Learning
    • The mission of the Center for STEM Learning (CSL) is to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at the 91 and to serve as a state, national, and international resource for such efforts. Theirprovides info on events, teaching resources, and more.
    • The CSL also runs a seminar series on Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER), which is research that focuses on teaching practices and measures learning outcomes.
  • EBIO Courses on teaching. The following courses have been offered in EBIO:
    • Best Practices in Science Education
  1. Instructor: Nichole Barger and Jennifer Knight
      • Pedagogy (cross-listed with Environmental Studies and Geography departments)

Instructor: GTPs from EBIO and the other two departments

  • Gender and sexuality center
    • This center can help you to learn to create a welcoming and inclusive classroom environment for all, including how to discuss personal pronouns.
  • Disability Services
    • Theoffice of Disability Serviceson campus can provide assistance to your students who may benefit from it. This office addresses disabilities of all kinds. They can also provide you, as a teacher, with information and advice on how best to accommodate students as well as on how to be proactive about making your course content and course materials accessible for all people.
    • Your students may make you aware of any special accommodations that they require and will often present you with an accommodation form from the office of Disability Services. Find more informationon how to provide the best environment for those students.
    • Information on Universal Design and how to request a consultation can be found.

Helping a student in need

  • Concerns About a Student
    • Students will sometimes behave in a way that causes concern. In these instances, there are resources available to assist you in guiding the student towards the proper help.
    • The University has a Student of Concern Team (SOCT) to provide intervention for students that are struggling. .
    • If you would like to discuss concerns about a CU student that cannot wait until business hours call the Counseling and Psychiatric Services emergency line at 303-492-2277 24/7. Students in need can also call this emergency help number to speak to a therapist.
  • Reporting issues with students (and keeping yourself safe)
    • If a student makes you feel unsafe, you can reach out for help to several offices on campus.
      • For immediate threats, contact the CU Police Department (Dial 911 for emergencies or 303-492-6666 for non-emergencies)
      • Student Support and Case Management can help graduate students who feel threatened to figure out next steps.
      • You can also report sexual misconduct or harassment here:
  • Victim's Assistance
    • The Office of Victim's Assistance can help students (or teachers) cope with trauma. You can refer your students to their office or seek their help in supporting your students. Know that students can talk to this office confidentially.

Teaching Requirements

EBIO PhD students are required to teach 2 semesters at some point before graduating. Masters students have no teaching requirements. Consult thefor more details.

Faculty Course Questionnaires (FCQs)

  • Every term, students on the 91 campus evaluate each of their courses and instructors using a questionnaire called the Faculty Course Questionnaire (FCQ). The FCQ program is managed within the (ODA) at 91.
  • FCQs are monitored by faculty, grad committees, and administrators
  • When your FCQs are returned to you, look at them closely as soon as possible. Sometimes the FCQ office makes a mistake, such as asking students to evaluate the Lab Coordinator or the Lecturer on the FCQ assigned to your lab or recitation.
  • FCQs can be used to support various awards on campus (such as the UGGS Top TA/GPTI Award).
  • Some academic employers will request your FCQs or other teaching evaluations when you apply.
  • You may view FCQ results at: /fcq/boulder-fcq-results

EBIO events, groups, and committees

Colloquium

  • EBIO's colloquium is the social heart of the department. Every Friday there is a talk given by either an invited speaker (Professors or researchers from other institutions) or an exit talk. Exit talks are given by EBIO PhD students who are completing their degree and are a great chance to see what research other students have done for their dissertations. Both types of colloquia are followed by a reception where food and beverages are provided by the lab hosting the speaker (or the lab of the PhD student). Receptions provide opportunities to network with professors and other graduate students.
  • Co