Academic Policies and Procedures
A Statement on Diversity and Respect
For Students with Disabilities
General Information for Graduate Students
Campus online Resources and Services
Campus Activities and Resources
Changes to policies and procedures
A Statement on Diversity and Respect
True learning requires free and open debate, civil discourse, and respect of many different individuals and ideas. We are preparing students to live and work in a world that speaks with many voices and from many cultures. Respect is not only essential to learning; it is an essential to be learned. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is built upon these values and will act vigorously to defend them. We will maintain an environment conducive to teaching and learning that is free from intimidation for all.
In its resolve to create this positive environment, the UW-Madison will ensure compliance with federal and state laws protecting against discrimination. In addition, the UW-Madison has adopted policies that both emphasize these existing protections and supplement them with protections against discrimination that are not available under either federal or state law.
Federal and state laws provide separate prohibitions against discrimination that is based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry, age, or disability. State law additionally prohibits discrimination that is based on sexual orientation, arrest or conviction record, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, military status, or veteran status. The application of specific state prohibitions on discrimination may be influenced by an individual’s status as an employee or student.
University policies create additional protections that prohibit harassment on the basis of cultural background and ethnicity.
Inquiries concerning this policy may be directed to the appropriate campus admitting or employing unit or to the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED), 179A Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, (608) 263-2378 or TTY (608) 263-2473.
[ top ]
For Students with Disabilities
The McBurney Disability Resource Center works with UW students with disabilities including learning, mobility, visual, hearing, attentional, chronic health, psychological and those with Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome. The Center provides classroom services and accommodations such as print conversion to audio/large print/Braille, notetaking, sign language interpreting, real time captioning, and early registration. In partnership with faculty and other student services staff, the Center also assists in the provision of test accommodations, mobility assistance, enrollment and financial aid assistance, accessible parking and transportation, and access to adaptive technology. Students interested in registering for services should contact the Center as early as possible to arrange for services. For assistance or more information, please visit the McBurney Center online at www.mcburney.wisc.edu. The McBurney Disability Resource Center is located at 702 W. Johnson Street, Suite 2104. The Center may be reached via telephone, (608) 263-2741 voice, (608) 263-6393 TTY, or email, mcburney@studentlife.wisc.edu.
[ top ]
General Information for Graduate Students
Student Campus ID Number
The campus ID number is an essential and permanent part of a student's record at UW-Madison. A student's campus ID number is a university generated ten digit number (e.g. 9000001234) assigned at the time of application. Students with questions about their student campus ID number may contact Enrollment Services at (608) 263-6612, or visit the Office of the Registrar, 333 East Campus Mall, room 10101.
Photo ID Card
The student ID card is an important piece of identification that students are expected to carry with them at all times. The initial card is issued at no charge. Replacement cards issued may incur a charge of $25 per card. The fee is subject to change without notice and is not refundable even though the original card may later be found or returned. To obtain a card, qualified students must present some form of valid photo identification; for example, a driver’s license or passport. ID cards are available in the WisCard Office, Union South, Room 149, 1308 W. Dayton Street. For more information, see wiscard.wisc.edu.
. For more information, see wiscard.wisc.edu.
Net ID
A student’s NetID is created when he/she activates the MyUW account and is the username and password combination that allows access to University services, such as web enrollment, student records, MyUW, WiscMail, WiscCal, payroll information, etc. The NetID will remain active for the entirety of a student’s time at the University. This username is not the same as your campus ID number. For assistance activating your NetID, contact the Help Desk at (608) 264-HELP (4357).
WiscMail
All accepted students are eligible for WiscMail, the university-assigned student email account. Students are responsible for activating their NetID and email account through the MyUW portal login page and for checking email on a frequent and consistent basis. WiscMail is the university’s preferred means of communication with all students attending the UW-Madison. Students are responsible for all information sent to them on their university-assigned email account and should recognize that certain communications are time-critical. If students choose to forward university email to another email account, they are responsible for all information, including attachments, sent to the other email account. Students who do not own computers can access the Internet at any InfoLab.
The Graduate School and the Office of the Registrar use WiscMail email addresses to communicate with students, and so it is vital that students check this account regularly or set up a forward.
Graduating or departing students, including those who are withdrawing, have access to their NetID services, including WiscMail accounts, for a short period following their departure. Deactivations take place two times a year. After the enroll/drop period for the semester has ended, DoIT staff will evaluate records to determine users who have left the university. The deactivation process takes place mid-semester (typically late March/early April and late October/early November). Students will receive email notification a few days before their account is deactivated. However, disabled accounts will be eligible for a grace period, lasting approximately three weeks from the date of deactivation; students may request a grade period via the NetID Deactivation Assistant at MyUW.
If students set up a forward on their WiscMail accounts, the forward lasts for 6 months after they are deactivated. Within this time they no longer have access to their WiscMail account, but any mail sent to their WiscMail address will be forwarded to a selected account.
Additional information about NetID and WiscMail eligibility is available at kb.wisc.edu/helpdesk/page.php?id=1538.
MyUW-Madison
MyUW, my.wisc.edu, provides students secure and easy-to-use access to personalized campus information and services. Students gain access to MyUW after they activate their unique NetID.
Web Enrollment
Through MyUW students search for and enroll in courses, view their current class schedule, access textbook information, make changes to enrollment, view and print unofficial grade reports, access student financial account information, and much more. It is important for students to maintain current contact information, including telephone and home mailing address, via MyUW.
The Schedule of Classes is available each semester online at registrar.wisc.edu/schedule_of_classes.htm and in the Student Center of MyUW. Class Search is the real-time, online listing of course sections offered each term. Students can click on course sections to add them to their enrollment shopping cart.
Course Guide
Course Guide is an online, searchable catalog of courses providing a broad spectrum of course information including the ability to browse course sections offered each term. It is updated six times per day. The public can access Course Guide at mycourseguide.wisc.edu, and students, faculty, and staff can access Course guide via MyUW, Course Guide tab.
[ top ]
Campus online Resources and Services
Students at UW-Madison have access to a growing collection of online computing and networking resources and services. UW-Madison’s Web site, www.wisc.edu, provides links to many sources of information, ranging from local campus resources to national and international topics. The Graduate School’s Web site, www.grad.wisc.edu, defines four main areas of responsibility within the Graduate School (graduate education, research, administration, and centers and facilities) and is designed for a diverse audience, including students, prospective students, faculty, and program administrators. The Electronic Library, www.library.wisc.edu, includes a powerful library search tool, MadCat, among other resources.
Information Technology
Everything students need for successful computing at UW-Madison is provided by the Division of Information Technology (DoIT). DoIT provides expert advice on software or hardware, repair & installation, network connection, and more. Free services include software training for students, sales advice, and tech help (sponsored by student fees). For more information, please contact the DoIT Help Desk, 1210 West Dayton Street, (608) 264-HELP (4357), help@doit.wisc.edu. The DoIT Web site is www.doit.wisc.edu.
Use of information technology must be consistent with the university’s mission and with its role as a public agency. Each member of the university community is expected to protect the integrity of these resources and to know and adhere to university rules, regulations, and guidelines for their appropriate use. For more information, see Policy for Appropriate Use of UW-Madison Information Technology Resources, www.cio.wisc.edu/policies/appropriateuse.aspx.
Wireless UWNet
The UW-Madison campus wireless network service provides laptop users with fast and convenient access to email and Web-based services, including MyUW, at many locations across campus. For more information about wireless internet on campus, please visit doit.wisc.edu/network/wireless.
WiscVPN
WiscVPN is a way to remotely access some campus network resources while at home or traveling. Dynamic WiscVPN is available for anyone with a valid NetID. For more information about WiscVPN, please visit doit.wisc.edu/network/vpn.
MyWebspace, WiscCal, WiscList, and Learn@UW
MyWebSpace is a web-accessible file storage system, and students use it to store and share files, collaborate with fellow students, and publish Web sites. Beginning in January, 2010, MyWebSpace may be used to build and maintain a wiki, a collaborative Web site where a community of users can share information. For more information, please visit doit.wisc.edu/mywebspace.
WiscCal is a campus-wide calendar and scheduling application. WiscList is a self service e-mail distribution list system.
Learn@UW is an online system that allows students to keep up to date on course news, access course materials through the content tool, participate in discussions, take quizzes, submit assignments through the dropbox, view grades online, and more.
[ top ]
Tuition and Fees
Students go to their MyUW Student Center to view their tuition charges and payments; financial aid, loans and scholarships received; and refunds issued on their Tuition Account Summary, and to access links to set up an "Authorized Payer" and view, print, and pay eBills.
The tuition bill is provided as an eBill which is published to view, print, or pay on-line on the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment secure website.An email is sent to notify students and their Authorized Payers each time a new eBill is published. If students want their parents to have access to the website, students must first set them up as Authorized Payers. Detailed Authorized Payer information and FAQs are available at www.bussvc.wisc.edu/bursar/echeckfaq.html.
Tuition and fee charges must be paid by the due date indicated on the tuition and fee statement to avoid a $100 late fee. (Late fee is subject to change.) UW-Madison does not accept debit or credit cards for tuition payment. Detailed payment options and information are available at www.bussvc.wisc.edu/bursar/tuitpay.html. For tuition account questions, contact the Bursar’s office via email, tuition@bussvc.wisc.edu (include the student name/ID in the email), or by phone: (608)262-3611, 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., CST M-F. Bursar’s website offers a variety of information at www.bussvc.wisc.edu/bursar/bursar.htm.
The date a course is dropped determines eligibility for a tuition cost adjustment when a student drops a course or withdraws from the university. For tuition and fee adjustment and assessment questions, contact the Office of the Registrar at (608) 262-4031 (7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., CST M-F). Find class drop deadlines and cost adjustments plus other tuition and fees information at www.registrar.wisc.edu.
[ top ]
Campus Activities and Resources
For information about libraries, athletics, parking, housing, city of Madison, student organizations, leisure activities, and more, please read the Guide to Graduate Student Life. This helpful guide is produced by the Graduate Student Collaborative (GSC), a student organization that focuses on outreach, professional development, and social programs for graduate students.
Campus Libraries
Campus libraries include Memorial Library, the principal research library for humanities and social sciences; the undergraduate research facility, College Library, and more than 40 special purpose libraries. For a complete listing of UW-Madison Libraries, their hours and location, holdings, and other information, visit library.wisc.edu/libraries.
Graduate students must present a valid UW-Madison photo ID card to access campus libraries. For students who are enrolled in courses, their record will be valid in the library system, and they will have access to library facilities. For students who are not enrolled, their library privileges are suspended, with the exception of May graduates, who maintain library privileges through the summer.
Recreational facilities
A portion of the segregated fees that graduate students pay fund their recreational sports membership. In order to gain access to each recreational facility, students must present a valid UW-Madison photo ID card upon entrance. Students who are not enrolled will not be permitted access to the recreational facilities, except during the summer semester when non-enrolled students may purchase a summer membership.
[ top ]
Graduate School Resources
The Graduate School Catalog
This is an overview of all the programs at UW-Madison that offer graduate degrees, graduate minors, and certificates. The document contains the general rules and regulations that govern graduate degree programs, including policies for admission, course work, the awarding of degrees and certificates, and the general criteria governing satisfactory progress in a degree program. The catalog is only available online.
A Guide to Preparing Your Master’s Thesis
grad.wisc.edu/education/completedegree/mguide.html
This serves as a guide to preparing a permanent document of quality appropriate for a major graduate institution. Master’s degree students may choose to deposit their theses in Memorial Library, and many programs may require that they do so.
Expecting Your Master’s Degree? Procedures to Help
grad.wisc.edu/education/completedegree/mdegree.html
This is a resource for students completing a master’s degree. Topics include minimum requirements for graduation, as well as information about warrants, the completion fee, the window period, and commencement ceremonies. This document also lists degree deadlines.
Guidelines for Electronic Deposit of PhD Dissertations (instructions for electronic submission only)
grad.wisc.edu/education/completedegree/etd.pdf
Beginning in spring 2012, doctoral students may deposit their dissertations electronically by following the instructions in this PDF. The electronic option allows for a better quality final publication and use of color graphics if desired. Electronic publication is less expensive for students and more environmentally friendly.
A Guide to Preparing Your Doctoral Dissertation (instructions for paper submission only)
grad.wisc.edu/education/completedegree/pguide.html
These guidelines help students prepare dissertations that constitute permanent documents of quality appropriate for a major graduate institution. Formatting requirements are explained in detail, and templates and examples of required forms and pages are provided. Publication of the doctoral dissertation is required. All Ph.D. dissertations are reviewed and deposited in the Graduate School Office of Admissions and Academic Services.
The 3-D’s: Deadlines, Defending, Depositing Your Ph.D. Dissertation (instructions for paper submission only)
grad.wisc.edu/education/completedegree/ddd.html
This document describes the warrant process, pre-checks, scheduling the final review appointment, required materials to bring the final review, and deposit and copyright fees, as well as information about commencement ceremonies. It also contains a list of degree deadlines.
Office of Fellowships and Funding Resources (OFFR)
This office provides information and assistance to graduate students, staff, and faculty on campus-wide funding issues, primarily internal and external fellowships. The funding Web page, www.grad.wisc.edu/education/funding/index.html, is a resource for additional information about assistantships, traineeships, concurrent appointments, and other funding information.
Office of Professional Development and Engagement (OPDE)
The office of Professional Development and Engagement coordinates, communicates, and promotes learning opportunities to foster the academic, professional, and life skills of the graduate education community and to promote the Wisconsin Idea. The office is located at 333 Bascom and may be reached via phone at (608) 262-1044.
Office of Engagement for Inclusion and Diversity (OEID)
The Office of Engagement for Inclusion and Diversity plays a central role in helping to create an inclusive and multicultural graduate education landscape through increasing the numbers of targeted minority and low-income first generation college students who obtain graduate degrees.
[top ]