August 26, 2009
MSI Orientation
Hello all,
Summer has really flown by, friends, but I feel like we've been through a lot. We've picked out classes together, found housing and jobs, put together our pre-school shopping lists. And as we wrap things up and get ready to head into the next school year, it's time for new SI student to get themselves oriented! Let me present to you, the final SI Summer Series post: MSI Orientation!
This one will be brief, since I'm working on my experiences of 2 years ago and my impressions of last year. Still, I've been hearing some chatter about what to expect during orientation, and how much of it to attend (re: optional events). Let me present to you my impressions of what I feel are the most useful parts, and the benefits to attending optional sessions.
Monday and Tuesday: Optional Sessions
Introduction to SI Research - Useful if you are strongly interested in exploring other specializations or working with faculty on research.
Math Skills Refresher Workshop - Resources from this were made available after the fact. Probably not that important for those not pursuing Social Computing, Incentive-Centered Design, or another programming- or math-heavy specialization.
International Student Meeting - As a Michigan native, I have nothing to offer here. I hear it's "strongly recommended," though.
U-M Library Resources and Services Session and SI Computing Session - Monday and Tuesday allow multiple opportunities to attend these session, the latter of which is (I believe) mandatory, but also offered later in the week. The former is a library orientation, especially useful for LIS students, but not absolutely necessary.
"Making Your Way in Graduate School" panel and Informal Outings - Since I think a huge part of orientation is meeting your new colleagues and learning from current students, I thought these sessions were very important. The first is a student panel, beginning with introductions then opening to questions. It is followed by an opportunity to go out into Ann Arbor with some current SI students, see the town and get to know some people (Visiting Days attendees, this may be familiar to you). A great way to identify people with similar interests and know a few faces and names before everything gets started.
Wednesday and Thursday: Mandatory Sessions
Wednesday will probably begin with a breakfast (they feed you a lot during this time-and these are good times to get to know people) and then a few sessions that are basically introductions to faculty and staff, to different specializations and general events/policies. I won't really comment on them because I'm sure they change a bit every year, and are useful any way you slice it.
Specialization Meetings - These will be one of many specialization-centered meetings. They allow for two so that you can explore a second specialization of interest. Tailored students should sit in on one with which their work will closely identify. The first sessions are mostly a chance to chat with a faculty member and current student about the specialization.
Chat Sessions with Faculty and Current Students - These are similar, but less about specializations and more about YOU. This is a good chance to get more general (or super specific) questions answered. If I remember correctly, the first session was a bit more of a presentation on the specialization, the second takes place around town-a professor takes you out to coffee in a small group, basically.
Course Registration and Peer Advising - If you still have questions about registering for classes, the DIAD will be open and current students will be there so you can get this sorted out.
Working in Groups - This is basically a chance to meet your 501 group (IMPORTANT!-you'll be working closely with these people all semester) and do some problem-solving activities to get used to working together. It was a little long, but fun overall and really got you into SI groupwork.
Academic Integrity and Professional Ethics and SI Academic Services and Support These sessions are mostly just a walkthrough of student services and policies you have to know about before you start school. We all know this isn't the most entertaining part of orientation, and last year they followed it with an ice cream social to end everything on a happy note.
A note on the Rackham Graduate School orientation
As someone who had lived in Ann Arbor for many years and was already familiar with the University from her undergraduate experience, I didn't think it necessary that I attend the Friday orientation sessions through Rackham Graduate School. Still, here are my impressions:
I've heard it through the grapevine that the Rackham orientation is a bit more general, talks more about getting settled in Ann Arbor and RSG or University-wide resources that may or may not be useful to you. Also, it's an opportunity to meet graduate students from outside of SI. I think it's a great idea for international students concerned about adjusting to life in Ann Arbor or students eager to know as much as possible about the University's resources. As for meeting other RSG students, there will be other opportunities. Rackham will find you and invite you to many events throughout these next two years. Still, if you have Friday free and want to learn a little more, it can't hurt.
Posted by messelti at 06:26 PM | Comments (0)
August 12, 2009
Finding a Part-Time Job
So...summer's wrapping up, you're packing up and getting ready to move to Ann Arbor. Congrats, and yay! Something I hear a lot of chatter about is part-time work: how to find it, how much to do, what to expect, and when to start looking. As a professional job-juggler, I'm happy to oblige all you information seekers with my handy-dandy blog of information dissemination power!
How much is too much?
A good rule for estimating your time is to assume that 4 classes will equal about a 40-hour work week. Some classes are heavier, some are lighter, and the workload will definitely vary a bit throughout the semester, but assume that 4 classes is about 40 hours, with each class at about 10 hours of time. That means that if you wish to work half time, you will be signing up for a 60-hour week. Some students start slow, getting their job in the first semester and only working 5-10 hours to start, and then either increasing their hours in winter or spring, or getting another 5-10 hour job later. I highly recommend starting slow, and adding hours as you become comfortable, everyone (and every job) is different.
I got my first PT job in October, and worked 10-15 hours there. In late December I saw a posting for another job that I really wanted, but since I didn't want to add many more hours to my week in my second semester, I started at 5 hours and waited until summer to increase my obligation there. I worked full-time throughout undergrad, so I was ready to juggle 25-30 hours a week my second year, but this may be more than some people want to do if they have heavy classes that semester.
When to start looking
My experience has been that most job postings on campus, and even around town (at least, those seeking graduate students), come out in late August to early-mid September. Two reasons for this are 1)budgets and 2)employers getting settled with returning students before determining their hiring needs. So don't worry if you don't have a job before you arrive-many of you won't. And don't worry if you don't have one before school starts, allow some time for everything to post. As I said, I found my first job in October-and that gave me some time to just focus on starting school.
Now, if there's somewhere you would really like to work (a specific department, school or library/collection) you don't necessarily have to wait for a posting to make yourself known to them. Don't hesitate to contact someone you would like to work for, just to introduce yourself and express interest in working with them. It can help them recognize your name when a posting comes up and you apply, it may even encourage them to look into opportunities to take on an intern or hire a temporary assistant for a project. I know of one student who volunteered for a semester, while her supervisor crunched some numbers and eventually found room in the budget to hire her. So, to sum up: you can start contacting, looking early, but be prepared to wait until the first month of school to actually get started.
What's out there?
The general trend has been that any SI student that wants part-time job will find one, usually on campus. SI students have a great reputation around the University as great problem-solvers and innovators. Of course, the library system employs a large number of SI students (especially LIS and ARM specialists) but this is a very LARGE system, feel free to branch out and look into other opportunities.
My personal impressions (Kelly and Joanna, of course, have better data on this) is that most graduate-level part-time jobs pay between $10-15 per hour, with higher wages for project-based jobs such as website design that may only last a month or two. There are also GSI/GSRA/GSSA positions that offer more than just a bit of extra cash (see my blog post about these positions here). Once again, the more resourceful you are in your search, the better options you'll end up with. Don't be afraid to "think outside the box" a little when considering your options.
Also remember that part-time work is part of the practical-experience leg of your MSI experience, so when considering scheduling flexibility, wages and other thing also consider how the job may be expanded to teach you valuable skills for your future career-and don't be afraid to get creative with this. For example, if you want reference experience don't limit yourself to jobs on a reference desk-there are a lot of different ways to find out what someone is looking for and help them find it.
Where to look
There are a lot of places to look. There doesn't seem to be one single place that really catches all of the opportunities. A good way to search is to just take some time every few days and peek through all of these resources.
CTools - If you are part of a new-student CTools site (*here's looking at you, fall admits*) then you'll notice that Kelly, Joanna and the gang have posted quite a bit of information on upcoming opportunities and job-search strategies.
SI listservs - I found both of my jobs through the si.all.open email listserv. All SI students are originally signed up for it, and you can unsubscribe if you wish-some people choose to due to the large amount of conversation, non-relevant postings, etc. I, however, love using my "delete" option and don't mind sifting through some stuff to find the goods. It reaches a lot of people, so employers (specifically alumni) sometimes send postings to this list. Also, faculty and stuff often forward postings from professional listservs or other UofM contacts.
iTrack - SI students can register for a "monster.com"-type service through SI. iTrack lists openings for part-time and full-time positions, internships, etc. You can also upload a resume, cover letters and other job-search documents to send to employers. It's a good service for finding campus jobs. You'll learn more about this service during orientation.
department and institution human resources/websites - if you have a place in mind, you can contact their human resources or keep an eye on their website for postings. The Graduate Library has a human resources office on the 4th floor of the North building. You can go there during orientation and "register" with them, taking your resume and schedule.
Student Employment Office - the UofM Student Employment Office posts student jobs, mostly for University employers but also for off-campus businesses.
Craigslist, mLive, etc. - to find other local jobs, these websites can be quite helpful for off-campus employment.
Support around SI-
In seeking PT work, internships and professional positions I've always been incredibly impressed with the career services at SI. In addition to hosting/running some great professional development opportunities (including Kelly's award-winning management of the Alternative Spring Break program), Kelly and Joanna have always been around to answer any questions I've had about the job hunt/career dance, help me work on a cover letter, or pass on an email about an opportunity. (Kelly specifically works with first-year students, though both will be available to you.) Not only do they fill the year with employer visits and workshops, and keep a strong network of alumni and employers for you to tap into, they're incredibly accessible and generally ready to help whenever you need it (or within 24 hours, in my experience). They've proofread my application materials, answered my drop-in questions about interview/application etiquette, referred me to alumni at various organizations, even taught me to write a CV (because really, the concept of a new librarian CV mystified me).
You will also find that faculty are generally on the lookout for opportunities and like to forward emails about scholarships and job postings. Once you've built relationships with relevant faculty, you'll have an even larger network of people to turn to when trying to connect with opportunities.
Lastly, don't forget student organizations. In addition to passing on job postings from forums and listservs, some student groups will host resume or career panels, peer advising and other useful services. If your group of choice doesn't, try suggesting it to a board member.
Posted by messelti at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)
July 28, 2009
Settling In In Ann Arbor
So you're here, you've found that dream(ish) apartment but...it's kinda empty. How's a grad student to outfit their digs and get the stuff they need in a new city?
First and foremost, know that Ann Arbor is rife with second-hand marketplaces, way too many to name here. That initial shopping trip (the one where you find the dishes, furniture and other things you weren't able to fit into your hatchback and drag across the country) can cost a bit if you try to buy everything brand new. However, with a little resourcefulness you can lower your moving costs through smart second-hand shopping. Here are a few resources:
Craigslist - Of course. It's a win/win, right? You want things, people want to get rid of things, everyone's happy (given the price is right)! The University marketplace website has recently gone the way of the dodo due to the power of Craigslist, so take advantage of this resource and respond to an ad (or place one yourself).
The ReUse Center - Great for general housing goods, furniture, and the occasional bicycle. Some items need a little care, but they usually put a pretty fair price on things.
Salvation Army - Ann Arbor has a huge Salvation Army center just south of campus, with a LOT of kitchen wares and furniture.
The Kiwanis Sale (Saturdays Only) - Open Saturday mornings (9am-noon) but full of great stuff! This resale center is a popular Ann Arbor scrounging spot for furniture, electronics, and whatever else you're really hoping to find somewhere for cheap.
Value World - Value World is a great resource for cheap housewares, clothing (or Halloween costume materials). They usually don't sell furniture, but I've found a few cheap kitchen appliances (blenders, crock pots and other things you may want as a self-sufficient grad student who cooks for his or herself.
UofM Property Disposition - Where does old UofM property go when it's been replaced by newer, sleeker editions? To property dispo, where the general public can grab it up at a reduced price. Worth a try if you're looking for home office gear, or even a computer or printer.
If you are looking to buy new, you can get some good deals at the Art Van Furniture and Clearance Center on Eisenhower, or the Ikea in Canton.
If you get here with enough time to explore, I recommend taking a day to ride around on the city bus, see what stops are closest to you and where those routes will take you-specifically, if there's anything useful along the way. Find out where the local post-office and public library branches are, also.
Also, find out where the grocery stores are. If you plan on cooking, and like things like fresh produce and meals with more than two ingredients, it helps to know what places are close, and what they sell. Ann Arbor is a town that very much caters to food enthusiasts, so it has a number of specialty markets and places with varying levels of quality and price. Don't get stuck shopping at an overpriced corner store if you don't want to/have to.
Kroger, Meijer, Busch's, etc. - Large chains that usually sell not only a LOT of different foods but household goods as well.
Arbor Farms, Whole Foods, Plum Market - Catering to those who are willing to shell out a few extra clams for a specialty item, high-quality produce/meats and a wide variety of organic or vegan options. Good for a special dinner, but sometimes out of fiscal reach for poor grad students.
Trader Joe's, People's Food Co-op, local farmer's markets, etc. - Still offer great organic and locally-grown options, but at a price more in line with shallower pockets.
Once again, there are way too many options to cover them all, but here are some rough categories to help you figure out which businesses offer what. For some people, a bus to the local Meijer will take care of some of their needs, but if you're concerned with finding specific foods (such as organic, vegan, or locally-produced options), it can help to know what your options are.
Posted by messelti at 02:36 PM | Comments (0)
July 24, 2009
Finding Housing
It's about that time again, when those Craigslist postings start popping up with fall move-in dates. Some of you may have already figure out your housing situation, but for those of you who haven't...
Northwood Apartments
Northwood Community Apartments are University apartments on North Campus. They're generally pretty nice, but not your only option for the price. If you're paying rent/utilities out of a scholarship/loan setup, this takes your money in one neat bundle instead of multiple payments to different parties. Cable and internet are included. Simplicity is nice. Economy 1-bedrooms start in the $700s. Rates are available on the NCA website.
Neighborhoods
When choosing neighborhood you should take stock of what is important to you: expense, proximity, quiet, etc. My favorite neighborhoods for these features are...
Expense - If money is the #1 thing on your mind, you may want to look a bit farther from campus, in the Ypsi-Arbor area. There are some apartment complexes in East Ann Arbor/West Ypsilanti that run a bit cheaper and are near a bus line to Ann Arbor. Your campus commute will be a bit longer but what you lose in convenience you'll gain in fewer student loans. Recommended for people with cars.
Proximity - If I were to live anywhere near campus or downtown, I would live in Kerrytown (East of Main Street, North of Huron Street). It's nice, somewhat affordable (compared to apartments and houses directly on campus or downtown), separated enough from campus and downtown that parking isn't impossible but close enough that one can live without a car and still have access to the bus station, a farmer's market, a first-class deli or two, and my favorite Sunday brunch location (the Aut Bar in Braun Court, Kerrytown). Of my top neighborhoods list, it is the most expensive, but also the closest to SI-and it will be even closer when North Quad is completed. While it is currently a 15 or so minute walk to SI, it will soon be about as close as you can get when SI moves to North Quad in 2010. Also, the residents are mostly graduate students and Ann Arbor townsfolk, so it's still quiet enough for graduate life.
Quiet - I may be biased, but I love the West side of town (West of Main Street). Though some students live here, it's far enough from campus (a 15+ minute walk, or a convenient bike ride) that prices aren't outrageous and most of your neighbors will be Ann Arbor townsfolk or perhaps graduate students. The houses are a bit nicer, and it's easier to find 1-2 bedroom apartments that aren't part of a 10-bedroom house. When it comes to finding privacy and quiet, the rule I use is this: If I can tell that a neighbor has had a party in the last week, it probably means they won't be considerate about "quiet hours," and it might not be for me.
What to avoid - living really close to campus is nice, but unless you have a benefactor footing your bills and really like the "Red Solo Cups on Lawn (2009)" aesthetic, you may want to avoid houses very close to central campus (especially just South and East of campus). Properties marketed primarily to undergraduate students can be overpriced and under-maintained-so even if you do play well with others you may find that the only way to afford something on East University and Hill is to have 12 roommates.
Finding Roommates
Of course, the cost of housing will vary widely depending on your luck and standard of living, but a good rule of thumb is this: One bedrooms may start around $500 and go up from there. $600-800 seems to be a good range. Studio apartments may be cheaper, but probably won't go below $400 without some serious concessions. Two-bedroom apartments start closer to $700. If you're moving here with a partner, a one-bedroom may be the obvious choice. If you're on your own, however, you may want to look into getting a roommate. Depending on your comfort with such arrangements, you can try wide-ranging methods like Craigslist, but a good way to go may be to start right here at SI. If you've already met some future classmates (though Visiting Days or Facebook connections, etc.) send them an email. Even if they aren't in need of a roommie, maybe their friends are. You can also put a call out on the new student CTools site (some people have already done this).
Where to look
Craigslist - Good for finding rentals through individuals, the most interesting places, in my opinion. I've had good experiences in the past with this method of house-hunting, but it helps if you have a chance to check them out in real life, or at least ask for updated pictures.
Rental Agencies - They can help you find a place fast and walk you through the process. In this economy there are more "for sale" homes that are "for rent" in the meantime, so realtors are becoming rental agents. However, be wary of places that restrict access to information (such as info on who you are renting from-this can play out poorly when a pipe bursts over a holiday weekend) or appear inflexible about tiny things. Cross-reference these agencies through yelp.com and other review sites.
MLive - Ann Arbor News classified ads online. Similar to Craigslist in scope and function, but without the potential for pictures. Still, worth a try.
Stusview.com - This site can be useful in seeing where grad students live on a University campus. Can give you an idea about location and reputation of certain companies. I get the impression, however, that certain companies are planting posts about their own properties, so take great reviews with a grain of salt. This is a good secondary resource.
Apartmentfinder - This is a good resource for cross-referencing companies. Usually the reviews left are negative, but consider: if all the bad stuff you read is tolerable, then you'll be able to handle the good stuff beautiful. If the words "infestation" or "flood damage" come up, back to the drawing board. This can also help you compare prices of certain apartment complexes around Ann arbor/Ypsilanti to give you direction for your search if you're looking off-campus.
UofM Housing - A good resource if you're considering Northwood or other on-campus options (even rental agencies on campus).
Some other blogs on the topic
I'm not the only one to write on this. In fact, this isn't even my only blog on the topic! Since variety is the spice of life, check out these other student blogs on finding housing:
Krystle Williams
Wei Chen
Cassie Schmitt
Posted by messelti at 07:53 PM | Comments (0)
July 17, 2009
Getting To Know Ann Arbor
So you're here-now what? What to do, what to do? Ann Arbor is a small city. "Small" may be the operative word for transplants from major cities, while "city" may bring major changes for those used to small-town life. Personally, I call it "just my size." I'm a city-dweller at heart with a small town background, so Ann Arbor is nice because it is small enough that you can own a car and get around in it, but big enough to offer a wealth of culture and resources. Just my size.
Either way, once you're here I recommend taking some time to get to know your fair city. As a full-time resident with UofM roots I've met a LOT of people who center their lives on campus and never look beyond Main Street (or Washtenaw, or Packard...look at a map and you'll get my drift). Still, Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas have a lot to offer.
Make sure to spend a day walking around campus and downtown. See what resources are walking-distance on a nice day. Give the city bus system a trial run. Those of you with a car (or a roommate with a car): take a drive on a sunny day. Drive North, South or West and you'll get to see to Ann Arbor's small town neighbors (Chelsea, Saline, South Lyon) via a beautiful drive through the country.Drive East to Ypsi for music and drinks at the Elbow Room or Pub 13, get dinner or play pool in Depot Town. Walk through Riverside Park or hit up a festival. It's a great city with a lot to offer. When you get back to town take the long way back-check out some of the neighborhoods. See what the city is like outside of the University.
Things to Do
There are two big movie theaters (and a few smaller ones), multiple theater companies, and a lot of chances to hear live music. The public library has some great programming, and branches all over town. As a foodie-I must mention that Ann Arbor has a lot of great restaurants (diners and dives, too). You can use city guides like Yelp or Arborweb to find good places to eat or things to do, but I recommend just asking around on the CTools site, on facebook, etc. Heck, I bet if you asked a few people on the street you'd probably get some good feedback on where to go and what to do. Also, there's a great free guide to entertainment called The Current. It has a website but it's not very useful (could use an SI overhaul)-find a print copy. You can often find them near the door of any coffee shop or store that has a pile of free papers. It has listings and descriptions of regularly scheduled events and special events, often by day so you can just look up the date and find something to do. Great stuff.
Connecting with SI Folks in Summer
Since there are no classes in the spring/summer semester (May through August), most SI students use this opportunity to complete an internship, work full- or part-time, or both. While many students travel to other states, or even other countries (following a dream internship, or just saving some cash by living with their parents for four months), a good number of SI students stay in Ann Arbor for the summer. To keep in touch and plan the occasional get-together, they for email lists and Facebook groups. If you get here before orientation, I recommend joining these in case you want to get a head start on meeting your future classmates.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=89990259344&ref=mf
Email: sisummer2009@umich.edu (go to directory.umich.edu to join the list)
There are also some student groups that continue into the summer when most members are around-I know that the Community Information Corps has potlucks once a month, and the YASL book club is still active during summer. If you're interested in either you should find them on Facebook/email (check the SI Student Groups page to find email contact info) to get involved early.
Student Groups
Once school starts, you'll also have opportunities to meet people and socialize through student groups. These groups not only help you with professional development activities and other enrichment, it can be a nice way to connect with other students outside of class and build social relationships. Involvement in student groups at SI occurs at two levels: There are those who take an active role in running a student group-running for a position on its board and planning events, etc. Others attend meetings and events, but don't participate in leading the group in any one direction. Though most people only participate in one (maybe two) groups at the first level, you can easily get involved with many groups on the second level. Simply sign up for their email lists and attend whatever events suit you-you can drop into your first happy hour in March if that's the first chance you get. It's a great way to let off some steam of take part in a good discussion on things that matter to you.
Football
With Fall comes football-if you live anywhere near campus or the stadium (and I use "near" loosely) you will notice that Michigan Football is very important in Ann Arbor. If you don't love it you will learn to coexist, because it's not going anywhere-and neither are you if you get stuck in it's awesome traffic. Schedule driving on game days (at least the big ones-State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, etc.) so that you're not driving on roads that lead to/away from the stadium in the two hours before the game starts and after it lets out. Just trust me on this. The upside to this is...well...Michigan Football. People love it for a reason, and they don't call it "The Big House" for nothing. Season tickets are about $200-which is what some people pay for a big game ticket when we host Ohio State. Krystle Williams wrote a pretty good post on the topic-I'll let her explain: http://mblog.lib.umich.edu/~krosalia/archives/2007/10/um_football.html
Posted by messelti at 06:39 PM | Comments (0)
July 07, 2009
Getting Around in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is a small city, where getting around with or without a car are both viable options, depending on where you live and how public-transport friendly you happen to be. So, for those of you without a car, you can use the resources in the city to get around just fine-while moving here with your car is also no problem. So here, dear readers, I will present you with a guide to getting around Ann Arbor with or without your car.
For you road warriors out there, the only real problems you may run into with your car center on where to put it when you're not driving. For the most part, as long as you live more than a block or two from central campus or downtown you should not have much of a problem parking your car at your home. However, campus and downtown do not offer free and easy parking during business hours, so students who drive to campus but don't have a rich benefactor to pay for their parking must find a way to get from their car to class. Check out your options:
Parking close enough to walk - This is more or less possible if you find street parking in any of the neighborhoods adjacent to campus. This is a nice option, but a gamble. This free parking is already in demand by students living in these neighborhoods, as many of these houses have more residents than parking spots, and also desirable to pretty much every university commuter. Also, in the winter street parking spots can be filled with plowed snow and are subject to "snow emergencies", which restrict parking to one side of the road or the other to allow for snow plowing. So, at best you may have to drive around for a while to find a spot and walk 10-15 minutes to class, while at worst you may not find anything because all the nearby spots are taken or filled with snow. If you opt for this option, it's best to have a backup plan.
Commuter Lots - As a UofM student you are able to ride all Ann Arbor city buses for free with their student ID, and Ann Arbor has a few places around town where you may park your car and take a shuttle to downtown or campus. From any of these locations (State Street near I-94, Pioneer High School and Miller Road north of M-14) you can take a bus to somewhere near campus for free. It's free and more reliable than parking on campus, but does require the extra time of taking a bus. Check out the AATA website for details and locations.
Student Parking Permits - Once you are registered for classes and have your MCard you can purchase a parking permit from the University. The University has its own version of commuter lots, but they're a bit closer to campus and have busses that run to and from them every 10 minutes during the day (15 later in the evening). Graduate students can buy a yellow or orange permit, which allow you to park in yellow and/or orange lots. You can also add the "After Hours" Blue option, which allows you to park in the totally sweet blue structures after 3pm only. Details on parking permits are available on the Parking and Transportation Services website.
If you don't have a car-no worries! Many people come to SI without a car and use a combination of the public transport options to get where they need to go. Check 'em out:
Walking/Biking - Depending on where you choose to live, you may find most of what you need within walking or biking distance. Ann Arbor is a pretty bike-friendly town, so many students live within a short bike ride to campus, and get to/from class that way during the year, supplementing their transportation methods with city buses during bad weather. The City requires you register your bike in case of theft, and purchasing a quality lock is recommended.
Buses - As a student you can ride both city and campus buses for free. City buses cover a much larger range of routes, while campus buses run later in the evening and run more frequently. You can find campus and city routes online and decide which route will get you where you need to go when you need to get there. This can also be useful when looking of housing.
Zipcars - When you absolutely need to get somewhere and can't find some kind soul to drive you around, with a yearly membership you can utilize the University's Zipcar system to rent a vehicle by the hour.
Taxicabs - Not much to say here...Ann Arbor has a few taxi companies, so if all else fails you can pay someone to drive you somewhere if the need arises.
So there you go-getting around in Ann Arbor isn't all too difficult, you just need to know what the resources and restrictions. As a small city the downtown and campus area are the "nougat" of the city, with a suburb-y coating. Whatever neighborhood you choose will probably have most of what you need, and there are a lot of options to get you to campus or downtown. Enjoy!
Posted by messelti at 05:27 PM | Comments (0)
June 29, 2009
Funding After FAFSA
Hello all,
Between the bummer state of the economy and the rising cost of education, I'm sure many of you are concerned about paying for grad school, so I thought I'd post some resources that might help out. Sure, for many of us enough loans are available to take care of everything, but for those of us already in debt from undergrad, or coming in from out of state (or BOTH) a little help would be nice.
Scholarships
It seems like a lot of students hope to be considered for a scholarship when they apply (which you all should) but are then disheartened when they are not offered one upon admission. DO NOT GIVE UP-SI is not the only source of scholarship for MSI students. In addition to the endowment scholarships that SI offers to a portion of incoming students throughout the year, there are also scholarships available through the Rackham Graduate School and the University of Michigan, some of which are automatic considerations, and some for which you will need to apply.
But really, do we end here? Not if you're serious about finding a scholarship. This is when your research skills will really come into play. Look into outside groups that may be interested in funding your education, such as professional groups (the American Library Association, for example, has quite a few on their website at http://www.ala.org/ala/educationcareers/education/scholarships/index.cfm and doesn't necessarily limit to prospective librarians-ALL SI STUDENTS receive ALA accreditation), minority groups, even businesses. Of course, the web is full of aggregators and scholarship search sites-just stick to the free ones and don't give anyone your social security or credit card number. :) SI has a list, too!
Another great resource-A blog written by a fellow SI student. This is a DO NOT MISS! She includes a few sample scholarships and resources for finding more.
Scholarship matching!!!
Do not forget that SI has limited funds for matching outside scholarships. Students who have not received an SI scholarship and are awarded a scholarship from an outside scholarship may receive up to $10,000 in matching funds (while supplies last and all that).
Assistantships
Now, in the event that a scholarship just doesn't happen, there are ways to decrease the amount of loans you may need through work. SI students have a great reputation and generally have no problem finding part-time work on campus-which is good for international students who may not be allowed to work anywhere off of campus. Having a workstudy allotment helps, but isn't absolutely required. Most importantly, the right job can offer a lot more than $12 an hour-and by "the right job" I mean "a Graduate Student Assistantship." At UofM, Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA) or Graduate Student Staff Assistant (GSSA) positions offer compensation past an hourly wage, often in the form of tuition waivers and stipends-even health insurance!
So, depending on what you'd like to do (teaching, research or administrative work) there are three options:
GSIs-Although a lot of PhD programs may be fully-funded, us Masters students aren't so lucky. At SI, the way the school is set up (with small enough classes to require very few GSIs, enough PhD students to cover this need, and a budding undergraduate program) leaves very few opportunities for MSI students to teach within SI. Nonetheless, each program has its own balance, and so some schools and departments DO hire outside students to assist with large undergraduate classes (while some do not). I recommend starting with your undergraduate major and branching out from there. A resourceful student will take careful stock of what skills they have and do the research to find out what positions are being offered and what they must do to apply, since this is not handled by one office, but individually by each school or department. A pain in the butt, I know, but totally worth it and there IS a listserv you can get onto which will help with this process.
GSRAs-For students more interested in performing research, the GSRA program is a research appointment that provides support for graduate-level research. This should not be confused with other hourly postings for research assistants. More details on this program can be found on the Academic Human Resources website at http://www.hr.umich.edu/acadhr/grads/gsra/what.html.
GSSAs-Graduate Student Staff Assistants support University programs and staff without teaching-normally through administrative work such as coordinating a student program. Information about postings for GSSA and GSI positions can both be found on teh Academic Human Resources website at http://www.hr.umich.edu/acadhr/grads/postings.html.
Posted by messelti at 04:16 PM | Comments (0)
June 19, 2009
Choosing Your First-Semester Courses
Hello all,
As promised, here's a little ditty about choosing classes for your first semester. I'm dedicating it to all our incoming students out there. You know who you are...
Registration for new students won't happen until late July, I believe, so this is something to chew on until that time comes.
Full time students normally take 4 full courses for a total of 12 credits. Some SI courses are 1.5 credits and last 7 weeks instead of the full semester. Most of those classes have at least one other 1.5 credit class that matches it (often in time and location). Since all students are required to complete 48 credits of coursework and a full-time summer PEP internship can account for 6 of those credits, some students take fewer courses either their first semester (to ease in to grad school) or their last year/semester (to focus on finding a job. I personally recommend waiting for your second year in case a full-time, for-credit internship isn't an option.
Your first fall semester is when you will get your "foundation" courses out of the way. This includes SI-500 (Information in Social Systems: Collections, Flows, and Processing) and SI-501 (Contextual Inquiry and Project Management). These courses are required for every SI student, and lay the groundwork for a lot of the work you will do in other courses. Of course, they're also prerequisites for a lot of other classes, so taking them in year 2 isn't really an option.
SI-500 is a basic information theory course. Each section of the course reviews key readings in information science the explore the discipline from different perspectives, from cognitive science to economics. SI-501 is a project-based course, in which teams of students work with an outside client to review information flow and help them improve their communication and information storage processes. Neato.
For part-time students, these are the two classes you should take your first fall. Full-time students will have two more slots to fill.
The third foundation course is SI-502: Networked Computing: Storage, Communication, and Processing. This class introduces the basic technological concepts that will allow you to chitter-chat with other information professionals about key issues in the industry, like digital rights management or net neutrality; understand why your computer is running slow or why the Netflix challenge had a $1 million prize; or just enjoy an issue of Wired magazine. For those of you out there with a significant tech background, you can test out of this course later in the summer and in the early part of the semester. The test will be posted on CTools.
Anyhow, for people taking four classes, you have two spots taken up by the core foundations, and 1-2 slots left. SI-502 is offered in both Fall AND Winter, so you can wait until Winter if you have two courses you need to take care of your first semester. This is recommended for students strongly considering a dual specialization. Conversely, those interested in a lot of tech courses might want to squeeze it in, as it's a prerequisite for classes like SI-539 (Design of Complex Websites).
In general, most classes are offered in EITHER Fall or Winter (course schedules from past semesters are available on the http://www.si.umich.edu/courses/ page), so while I don't recommend getting TOO panicked about getting all your courses in, do be aware of when the classes you're eyeballing will be offered next.
So, depending on whether or not you test out of SI-502 (or decide to put it off until Winter semester), you'll have 1-2 more courses to select. Based on your interests and goals, this is a good time to take 1 or 2 courses in your specialization and a specialization that interests you.
Based on the advice of faculty and former students, I've put together this list of recommended first-semester courses (full course descriptions can be found on the SI website):
LIS: SI-647 (Information Resources and Services).
SLM: SI-624 (Media for Children and Young Adults). I took this-great course if you're at all interested in any sort of youth services work. However, SLM requirements are a big strict, so specialists should chat with another SLM student or their advisor when choosing courses.
PI: SI-581 (Preserving Information). This is a 1.5-credit course, so you can match it up with another 1.5 credit preservation course.
ARM: SI-580 (Understanding Records and Archives: Principles and Practices).
CI: SI-575 (Community Information Corps Seminar). This is a 1.5 credit course with no matching course. I also highly recommend SI-645 (Information Use in Communities) as it is currently not scheduled for 2010, and is really useful for anyone interested in community non-profits or outreach work.
IAR: SI-508 (Networks: Theory and Application) or SI-531 (Human Interaction in Information Retrieval).
HCI: In addition to SI-508 and SI-531, SI-539 (Design of Complex Web Sites), SI-658 (Information Architecture) and (for the brave who fear no wealth of group projects) SI-682 (Interface and Interaction Design).
SC: SI-508 and SI-539.
ICD: SI-562 (Microeconomics for Information Professionals) and SI-563 (Game Theory). Both are 1.5-credit classes, so you can take them together.
IPol: SI-508, again, and SI-539, too.
Tailored students: As a tailored student, you are combining classes from different areas of SI, so research the different areas and see which intro classes may help you most.
If you have any other questions, chat sessions with current students and staff will be held throughout the summer, with sessions covering course recommendations and registration. You can also email me or any other contact you have at SI, or log in for one of the open chats and see if anyone has any suggestions. Happy hunting!
Posted by messelti at 08:09 PM | Comments (0)
June 15, 2009
Things You May Need...
Hello all, sorry I didn't get this posted sooner! Big fail on my part! Anyhow, this one's going to be (somewhat) short and sweet-a little bit of a teaser before a bomb you with my big fat entry on choosing classes for your first semester! Exciting-but wait for it!
Anyhow, in recent years SI has put out an official statement on whether or not students should purchase laptops before coming to SI. The official word is: "Yup." You can find the official policy online at http://www.si.umich.edu/computing/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=146*Itemid=41 but it boils down to this-
You're going to want one. PC or Mac, it doesn't matter. Between group project meetings and in-class assignments, being able to drag your computer around with you is a pretty useful thing. They've posted some minimum requirements, generally in line with standard specs in the last year or two. Also, I'd add that if possible, opting for a battery with a 3+ hour lifespan isn't a bad idea.
Of course, all SI students have access to computers on campus in the DIAD computer lab-which is open to SI students only and require the swipe of your student ID to enter. Within you'll find a LOT of computer stations (my guess is around 40) each with one monitor and both a Mac and a PC. Yay choice! There are also a few printers, a scanner or two and even some video editing equipment.
Still, having portable access to all of your stuff is useful. I also found having a USB memory stick was also really valuable, for times when someone's wireless card isn't working but you have to share files. You don't need a big one, I had a 128MB one that worked just fine-cost a few bucks in the old days, but they probably come in cereal boxes now.
If you're a coffee/tea drinker, investing in a decent portable mug/thermos is wise because some local coffee shops give you a break for bringing in your own cup. You can wash it in the student lounge if you ever forget to at home.
I learned the importance of packing a lunch after my first year-it's cheaper and much healthier. Space-savvy, inexpensive tupperware is a good buy (ziplock, glad, etc.) for SI students with morning classes, mid-day work schedules and/or evening meetings.
Last but not least, you will need a student ID, better known around these parts as the "MCard." Once you've accepted admission and your status changes to "matriculated and term activated" in the UofM system you can take a photo ID into the MCard office (there are a few on campus, but the main one is in the Student Activities Building (http://www.mcard.umich.edu/center.htm) on Maynard Street, near the Michigan Union). They'll take your picture and I'm pretty sure you can pick it up a few minutes later. There are a lot of things the MCard can do (it can be an ATM card, and I've heard rumors it can cure Restless Leg Syndrome-ok, I kid on that one-but the full list is on the website-http://www.mcard.umich.edu/overview.htm) but the most important is that you an swipe it to gain access to certain rooms/buildings on campus-and the DIAD is one of them, so you'll need it to go to your computing orientation. So if you're on campus before orientation, walk (don't run) to the SAB. Otherwise, go when you get the chance, but try to do it before your computing orientation.
So, that's all for today, kids. Tune in later this week for info on figuring out what classes to take...
Posted by messelti at 08:57 PM | Comments (0)
May 30, 2009
Summer Reading, SI-Style
Hello all!
For those of you just biding your time until you can stroll the halls of West Hall with other SI'ers and chitter chatter about the ins and outs of information science, I present to you a list of books and websites recommended by current and recently-graduated SI students (and one former faculty member-gold star if you can guess who!). You may note an HCI-theme to the list, due to the group of HCI students who sent me whole lists of useful design books, but there are a lot of good books on the list. I went ahead and added my personal favorite for LIS students at the bottom (Don Borchert's Free for All).
A list of books recommended by SI students, for SI students…
• The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman (HCI)
• Scientific Collaboration on the Internet by Olson, G.M., Zimmerman, A., & Bos, N. (eds.) (HCI)
• A Canticle For Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. (ARM)
• More Product, Less Process: Pragmatically Revamping Traditional Processing Approaches to Deal with Late 20th Century Collections by Greene Meissner (ARM)
• Everything Is Miscellaneous by David Weinberger (LIS, ARM, HCI)
• Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything By Steven D. Leavitt (ICD)
• Prisoner's Dilemma by William Poundstone (ICD, IPol)
• Advancing Knowledge and the Knowledge Economy by Brian Kahin and Dominique Foray, eds. (All SI)
• Thinking Strategically: The Competitive Edge in Business, Politics, and Everyday Life by Avinash K. Dixit (ICD, IPol)
• Struck by Lightning: The Curious World of Probabilities by Jeffrey S. Rosenthal (ICD, HCI)
• Chance: A Guide to Gambling, Love, the Stock Market, and Just About Everything Else by Amir D. Aczel (ICD, HCI)
• Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell (HCI)
• The Social Life of Information by John Seely Brown (All SI)
• About Face 3: The Essentials of Interaction Design by Alan Cooper, Robert Reimann, David Cronin (HCI)
• Designing Interactions by Bill Moggridge (HCI)
• Morten T. Hansen, "When Internal Collaboration is Bad for your Company." HBR: April 2009 (IPol, HCI and ICD)
• Designing for Interaction: Creating Smart Applications and Clever Device by Dan Saffer (HCI)
• Designing for People by Henry Dreyfuss (HCI)
• Envisioning Information by Edward R. Tufte (HCI, IAR)
• Graph Design for the Eye and Mind by Stephen Kosslyn (HCI)
• Powers of Ten by Philip Morrison, Phylis Morrison and the office of Charles and Ray Eames (HCI)
• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte (IAR, HCI)
• While You’re Reading, Gerard Unger (IAR, HCI)
• How to Lie With Statistics by Darrell Huff and Irving Geis (HCI, IAR, SC)
• Global Networks by Robert Hobbs, Mark Lombardi and Judith Richards (HCI,IAR, SC)
• Building Accessible Websites by Joe Clark (HCI)
• Don’t Make Me Think! by Steve Krug (HCI)
• The Trouble with Computers: Usefulness, Usability, and Productivity by Thomas Landauer
• The Magician's Book by Laura Miller (LIS)
• Life on the Screen by Sherry Turkle (SC, HCI)
• Why Things Bite Back by Edward Tenner (HCI)
• Code by Lawrence Lessig (IPol)
• Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam (CI)
• Free Culture by Lawrence Lessig (CI, IPol)
• Designing for the Social Web by Joshua Porter (HCI, SC)
• Sketching User Experiences by Bill Buxton (HCI)
• Subject to Change: Creating Great Products and Services in an Uncertain World by Peter Merholz, Todd Wilkens, Brandon Schauer and David Verba (HCI)
• Designing for Interaction by Dan Saffer (HCI, SC)
• Mental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior by Indi Young
• Memory's Library: Medieval Books in Early Modern England by Jennifer Summit (LIS)
• Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks and Gangstas in the Public Library by Don Borchert
Recommended websites
• Boxes and Arrows – http://boxesandarrows.com
• Adaptive Path – http://adaptivepath.com/blog/
• Johnny Holland – http://johnnyholland.org
• IXDA – http://www.ixda.org (discussion board)
• A list of recommended readings for interactive designers - http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/cliff-kuang/design-innovation/required-reading-interactive-designers
• Recommendations resulting from the IA Summit and Interactions conferences -
• http://www.likewowonline.net/web/ued/ixda-ia-recommendations.html
• Top 10 must-read IXD articles - http://www.ixda.org/discuss.php?post=41955
So, happy hunting! Remember, these are all suggested reading but, of course, you can always wait until you get here to start working through your own personal to-read list. Some of these are downright fun reads, while others are more useful than entertaining (this is why we read book reviews, friends, to avoid wasting precious slacktime). Ain't nothing wrong with enjoying a magazine in the sunshine on a nice summer day. :)
Posted by messelti at 12:24 AM | Comments (0)
May 27, 2009
Getting Ready for SI-Where Do I Start?
Hello all,
Now that school is out and the second deadline for fall admission has passed, I can't help but get a bit nostalgic for this time two years ago, when all of graduate school was ahead of me and I was SO FRIGGIN' PUMPED! Of course, I'm kind of a nerd and really like school, so after two years of slinging jazz and cocktails for teeny wages I was eager to start flexing my brain muscles again. Anyhow, it is with this in mind that I begin my summer blog series: "Getting ready for SI." My goal is to cover the various questions and concerns that may pop up between getting your notice of admission and walking into your first class.
Over the summer I'll give you some suggestions for SI-related reading, how to get around Ann Arbor once you're here, when/where to look for a part-time job, how to choose your first-semester courses, and probably a few other things.
The summer reading list should be up very soon. If you're a newly-admitted student and there's anything in particular you'd like to hear about, feel free to shoot me a line at messelti@umich.edu.
SI knows that choosing the right program is a big decision so new admits are given all the time they need to decide if SI is right for them. If you are newly admitted and have any questions, you can email si.admissions@umich.edu to begin correspondence with a member of the admissions staff, or arrange for a campus visit.
Oh yeah, and congrats!
Posted by messelti at 11:26 PM | Comments (0)