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At the University of Tulsa, a student’s academic responsibilities always come first, but assistantship duties are vital to the successful administration of department programs, classes, and research projects. In addition to regular Orientation events, the Graduate School sponsored a new Life Skills Workshop on Tuesday, August 15 in the Formal Lounge of the Allen Chapman Activity Center titled Managing Your Graduate Assistantship. Geared towards new graduate assistants, this workshop is meant as a supplement to current departmental training programs and prepares new graduate assistants for common situations and responsibilities they may encounter.

Dr. Janet Haggerty, Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, and Dr. Richard Redner, Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, spoke with 60 new graduate assistants about job duties, responsibilities, and academic expectations. They also reviewed basic terms of assistantship appointments and provided some helpful hints for dealing with common situations encountered by graduate assistants in academic departments and administrative offices. Payroll procedures and paperwork were also addressed by a visiting member of TU’s Personnel department to help get payment schedules set up properly before the start of the term.

Following the workshop was a Welcome Luncheon in the President’s Lounge from 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM for new graduate assistants and departmental supervisors. This gave everyone a chance to socialize, as well as meet some of the Graduate School staff that will be helping manage graduate assistantship awards over the following academic year. Many took this opportunity to speak with their departmental advisors and supervisors about issues related to policy or procedure required of them once classes start.

The Assistantship workshop opened the schedule of Life Skills workshops during the 2006-2007 academic year. Please keep an eye out for any workshop you might be interested in attending and feel free to suggest workshops you might like to see added in the future.

Since their inception in 1997, the Graduate Orientation programs have significantly increased in size and scope as the Graduate School strives to help new graduate students adjust to life at the University of Tulsa. This year was no exception and was by far our most successful and well-attended Orientation ever. Over 100 new graduate students received a warm welcome on Wednesday, August 16 from faculty, staff, and the student body. Attendees met with key personnel from a variety of TU departments and took a tour of important student service facilities that included McFarlin Library, Alexander Health and Counseling Center, the Center for Student Academic Support, and Career Services. They learned about a variety of student services including how to navigate the library, how to get an Internet hookup, and some free health services. Those that were able to attend during the morning portion also got to meet with President Steadman Upham, who welcomed the newest members of our graduate community to campus.

Following the campus tour, attendees were able to relax and socialize at a Welcome Reception with faculty and continuing TU graduate students. As everyone mingled, new graduate students had the chance to win some great items that had been donated by numerous area businesses, from gift certificates for free nights stays at local hotels to inflatable beach balls. Participating businesses included: Hideaway, Java Dave’s, Doubletree Hotel, Second Sun Tanning, Tulsa Therapeutic Center, Bill and Ruth’s, Subway, Gilcrease Museum, the Renaissance Hotel, Te Kei’s, P.F. Changs, Tulsa Ballet, and many more. During the reception, representatives from the Graduate Student Association were also available to answer questions about activities available to, focused on, and organized by our graduate students. Those that were interested in becoming involved with the organization signed up to receive additional information about upcoming officer elections and calls for volunteers to help with, and participate in, future GSA activities and events.

After a brief lunch break, almost 120 new and returning graduate students attended the first two installments of this year’s Life Skills Workshops: Research Integrity and Harassment: Defining It, Avoiding It, Reporting It. The University of Tulsa recognizes the unique pressures that graduate students encounter during their academic studies and the LifeSkills series helps to address some of these issues. The Research Integrity Workshop included an overview of the responsibilities of researchers in conducting research, interacting with colleagues, and complying with University policies and regulations of external sponsors as it relates to ethics and responsible conduct of research. The purpose of the Harassment workshop was to educate graduate students about the various types of harassment they may encounter or need to avoid, as well as inform them about TU policies regarding harassment and how those policies affect or apply to a person as a student, colleague, or graduate assistant. Both workshops are required of all of TU graduate students and those that missed the Fall offerings will have the opportunity to attend them on January 6, 2007 during Spring Orientation.

We look forward to working with all of our new graduate students and encourage anyone who has questions or problems to visit the Graduate School Office anytime. If you were unable to attend, please contact Hope Geiger at hope-geiger@utulsa.edu to arrange to pick up the materials distributed during Orientation.