Fall 2011 Graduate student orientation

Below is the Fall 2011 Graduate Student Orientation Schedule. During orientation you will receive information about courses and curriculum, meet faculty and fellow graduate students, tour the Department's facilities, learn how to use our computer lab and other campus computing resources, meet your faculty advisor, and meet your faculty supervisor (if you have been awarded an assistantship). You will be able to register on Banner (computerized course registration) any time following the orientation.

Specific activities on the schedule are still subject to change (as of 2 August 2011). However, the dates are firm, so you may plan your travel accordingly.

Things To Do Before Fall Semester Begins

PLEASE NOTE: If you have been awarded a teaching or research assistantship, you should arrive in Urbana-Champaign no later than one week prior to the start of classes in order to report to your supervisor and begin your assignment. At the end of the semester, you should depart Urbana-Champaign no earlier than three days after the last day of finals, unless you obtain special permission from your supervisor to leave campus on an earlier date. Graduate assistants arriving late or departing early without advance permission from their supervisors (and an agreement to make up hours during the semester) will have their appointment periods and associated stipends adjusted accordingly. Please make your travel arrangements with these guidelines in mind.

Orientation Schedule

Date/Time	Event/Location	Required?	For who?
Thursday, 8/11	Welcome to DURP, 9 am - 2 pm Temple Buell Hall Room 223 Orientation and Introductions	Required	All entering graduate students
	SPO Happy Hour - 9 pm Blind Pig Brewery, 120 N Neil St, Champaign http://blindpigbrewery.com/brewery.html	Recommended	All graduate students
Friday, 8/12	A Software Introduction: MS Access, 9-11:00am, Rm 227	Required	All entering MUP students
	Overview of MUP Program and Lunch, 11:00am - 1:00pm, Room 223	Required	All entering MUP students
	Discussion of Concentration Areas, 1-2:30pm, Rm 223	Required	All entering MUP students
Saturday, 8/13	Market at the Square Urbana Farmers Market: 7am-12pm	Optional
Sunday, 8/14	CU Bike Tour -- TO BE RESCHEDULED Temple Buell Hall, 10:00am	Optional	All graduate students
Monday, 8/15	A Software Introduction: MS Excel, 9-11:00am, Rm 227	Required	All entering MUP students
	Meet with Faranak Miraftab - 11:10-11:40am, rm 223 re: Transnational Planning Stream	Required	All entering graduate students
	Using the Arts to See the World - 5:00-8:00pm Meet at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, in lobby 500 S Goodwin Ave, Urbana	Required	All entering graduate students
Tuesday, 8/16	Graduate Academy for TAs Foellinger Auditorium, 9:30am-4:30pm	Required	All students with teaching or research assistantships
Wednesday, 8/17	Graduate Academy for TAs Foellinger Auditorium, 9:30am-5:00pm	Required	All students with teaching or research assistantships
Thursday, 8/18	Graduate Academy for TAs Microteaching, 8:30am-6:00pm, location TBA	Required	**For those attending the Graduate Academy on Tuesday and Wednesday, be sure sign up for a 90 minute microteaching session that DOES NOT overlap with MUP Orientation activities on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday**
	Writing Workshops for TAs 9:00am-4:00pm	Required	TA will be notified by instructor/supervisor
	A Software Introduction: Making Maps, 9:00am-12:00pm, Rm 227	Required	All entering graduate students
	Lunch and Learn at the Y: Student Leadership and Community Engagement 1001 S Wright St, Champaign 12:00-2:00 pm	Required	All entering graduate students
	Resources at Funk Library 2:00-3:00pm, 1st Flooer	Required	All entering graduate students
	Farmers Market on Historic N 1st Street, 3-7:00pm	Optional
Friday, 8/19	Graduate Academy for TAs Microteaching, 8:30am-6:00pm	Required	All students with teaching or research assistantships
	Writing Workshops for TAs 9:00am-4:00pm	Required	For invited TAs
Saturday, 8/20	Graduate Academy for TAs Microteaching, 8:30am-6:00pm	Required	All students with teaching or research assistantships
	Need something for your new apartment? UI YMCA Dump & Run Sale, Stock Pavilion (just south of TBH) -- 8:00am-4:00pm	Optional
Sunday, 8/21	Need something for your new apartment? UI YMCA Dump & Run Sale, Stock Pavilion (just south of TBH) -- 11am-2pm, 2:30-4pm	Optional
	Quad Day (info about student organizations) -- 12-4pm	Optional
Monday, 8/22	First Day of Instruction	Required	All students
	Graduate College Welcome Reception Illini Union Room 314 - 4-6:00pm	Optional
Friday, 8/26 & Saturday, 8/27	Urbana Sweetcorn Festival (music and food) , Downtown Urbana, 5-11pm on Friday and 11-11 on Saturday	Optional
Tuesday, 8/30	Graduate Assistant Employee Orientation Illini Union General Lounge, 3-4:30pm	Optional	All students with teaching or research assistantships. Also being held Wednesday, Sept 7, 9-10:30am, same location
Wednesday, 8/31	Planners Picnic Buell Hall Atrium, 4:00pm	Recommended	All DURP students, families, faculty, & staff
Thursday, 9/15	Graduate Student Resource Fair Illini Union Rooms A, B & C 11am-2pm	Recommended	All graduate students