ACTION ITEMS:
Computer Account
Graduate Data Sheet
Parking On Campus
Final Transcript
Visa Information

Welcome to Pittsburgh, and to the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon. We are extremely pleased that you have decided to become a member of our department; we think it's a very special collection of people, and we hope you will too. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to write or call. We hope you have a good summer, and look forward to having you with us in the fall.

Following is some information which we hope will help you prepare for the coming year. I'll send email updates from time to time, but the information below should help you get started.

Deb Cavlovich

English Summer Program
Academic Culture and Communication: Preparing Non-Native English Speakers for Success at Carnegie Mellon. The Intercultural Communication Center offers an intensive six-week preparation and training program for students entering the Carnegie Mellon graduate community. This program is intended for non-native English speakers entering Carnegie Mellon in the fall, and is designed to prepare students for success by enhancing their proficiency in the areas of advanced academic speaking, listening, reading and writing. By honing these skills before the fall semester begins, students are better prepared to engage in academic work and take their place in the university community.

This program addresses an audience not served by traditional ESL programs. While most ESL programs are designed for students with TOEFL scores of 500/173 (PBT/CBT) or less, the ACC program is designed for students who have already achieved TOEFL scores higher than 580/237 (PBT/CBT), and many students in this program have scores of 600+/250+ (PBT/CBT). Students in this program should also have at least an intermediate level of spoken academic fluency (as measured by the pre-admission interview of the Intercultural Communication Center). The tuition cost for this program is $2,200, not including housing, meals or books. This cost is not covered by your fellowship, and must be paid from personal funds.

2009 Summer Program Dates: June 26 to August 6, 2009.

Immigration Course
The first day of the Immigration Course will be Monday, August 24, beginning at 9:00 AM. The schedule is not yet available, but last year's schedule will give you an idea of what to expect!

A general information packet, including information on the CS computing environment, will be available from Deb Cavlovich (Wean Hall 4216) any time on or after Monday, August 17.

Office assignments will be available on August 17 -- but NOT before. Until then you're on your own; just relax and get to know your new city :)

Graduate Student Data Sheet
The enrollment process will begin when you return the Graduate Student Data Sheet. Either return the form sent to you by email (preferred), or print the Graduate Student Data sheet from the web site and return by hard copy.

Computer Accounts
Once the Grad Data Sheet is received, and you are entered into the university Student Information System, you will be assigned two computer accounts -- one on the university Andrew network to view your student account, register for courses, sign up for health insurance, etc., and one on the CSD computing system, which you will use for your day-to-day activities and for your research. The account name is assigned randomly, and both accounts will have the same user ID, but will initially be assigned different passwords. You can find out your login by fingering yourfirstname.yourlastname@andrew.cmu.edu. The password for your CSD account will be forwarded to you by the CSD Help Desk; the Andrew password will be the first 8 digits of your US social security number, or your student ID number if you do not have an SSN. (International students should contact deb@cs by email to find out your student ID number.)

Please fill out the SCS Computer Account application, sign, and return to me for our records.

Billing Information
The Enrollment Services office will forward preliminary enrollment information to you during the summer, including an invoice showing the amount of your tuition for the fall semester. Please fill out the form as requested and return directly to the Cashier; write on the bottom tear-off section "tuition will be paid through payroll deduction". If all forms are filled out properly and returned on time, your registration will be completed by mail.

If you do not receive the invoice, you can complete a "late enrollment" form after you arrive. Go directly to The Hub/Cashier and ask for a duplicate invoice. Then complete as indicated and return to the Cashier.

Parking On Campus
Parking is at a premium on campus, and the deadline for application is absolute -- open enrollment begins April 1 and ends May 1, 2008. If you aren't sure whether or not you will want a parking permit, apply anyway. If no spaces are available you will be placed on a waiting list -- but if you don't apply, you won't get a space, or will be placed at the very end of the waiting list when you do finally apply. In any case, you are not obligated to actually accept/pay for the permit unless you pick it up. You may apply on-line at http://www.cmu.edu/parking/. Click on "Applying for an Annual or Universal Parking Permit" and follow the instructions. You will receive notification by email of the results of your request.

Financial Support
For those receiving support paid through CMU, monthly support checks will be distributed on the last working day of each month (September - May), beginning on September 30, 2008. In order to get "on the payroll" you are required by the Immigration and Naturalization Service to complete an I-9 Form, showing that you are either a U.S. citizen, or have permission to be employed. Citizens of the U.S. must show either a valid U.S. passport, or a state-issued driver's license PLUS an ORIGINAL Social Security Card or a birth certificate bearing a seal. Those who are not U.S. citizens must show their passport (with attached employment authorization Form I-9, which will be issued by the CMU Foreign Student Advisor during international student orientation.) Please be sure that you have these documents with you when you arrive.

Take-Home Pay

We can't say exactly how much "take-home" pay a student will get, since each individual case is different. What we can tell you about your "take-home" pay is:

• Your tuition will not be taxed on any level.
• Your stipend pay will not be taxed for social security.
• Your stipend pay will not be taxed for Pennsylvania.
• Your stipend pay will not be taxed for City of Pittsburgh. (but may be taxable in other municipalities, in which case you would need to deal with your local tax authority; such local tax would not be paid through payroll deduction).
• Your stipend will be taxed federally, based on how you complete the form W4 (Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate).

So, an unemployed student who has no dependents, and will not be dependent on his/her parents will most likely have a W4 form showing 2 withholding allowances. If that's the case, using the IRS 2009"Tables for Percentage Method of Withholding" (table 4), of the $2,265 gross stipend, federal tax would be approximately $237.00.

NOTE that this does not include a deduction for your health insurance. This cost must be paid separately by the student. The cost of health insurance premiums was taken into consideration when setting the monthly student stipend amount.

Fellowships

Deb Cavlovich (412 268-3789) is the contact at Carnegie Mellon for Ph.D. students who have been awarded external funding. She has prepared a summary of how much you will actually receive if you have been awarded an NSF or NDSEG fellowship.

If you have received other external funding which might qualify you for our Ph.D. student "bonus", you may apply the policy to your particular case to figure out what your stipend will be. Or, you may contact Deb to find out precisely what to expect for your particular case. Deb can also answer -- or get an answer from someone else -- for any questions regarding taxes.

Dependency Allowance
If your spouse is unemployed, or earns less than $200.00 per month, you are entitled to a dependency allowance.

Financial Aid
Additional financial aid (loan) is sometimes available to graduate students who have special needs. See http://www.cmu.edu/hub/fa/fa_grad.html for complete information.

The Carnegie Mellon Financial aid application can be completed electronically, once you have your Andrew ID. The steps for applying for financial aid can be found at http://www.cmu.edu/hub/fa/fa_app_link.html.

Visa Information
The Office of International Education website provides a wealth on information for students who are not U.S. citizens. Please see this site for information regarding what services are available to you.

If you are not a U.S. Citizen you will receive the I-20 Form, which will allow you to obtain the F-1 student visa. If you prefer the J-1 visa, that may be possible under certain circumstances, but is not recommended because of possible future consequences (2-year home stay rule).

The I-20 CANNOT BE ISSUED until your International Student Information Form has been received in the Office of International Education. This form was also part of your original acceptance packet. Fill out the form and return directly to the Office of International Education as soon as possible. This will begin the process of issuing the I-20 to you. DO NOT FAX THIS FORM to the OIE. They must have your original signature on the form before they can issue the I-20.

When you fill out the Student Information form, indicate that your full support will come from the Computer Science Department. The amount shown is sufficient, unless you have legal dependents (spouse and/or children) who will accompany you to the United States. In that case, depending upon the number of dependents, you may be required to show that you have additional funds available to support the dependents. Attach a brief letter explaining that you will receive your support from the CS Department, and that the additional support mentioned on this form will be used to support dependents only.

If you are already in the U.S. let Deb Cavlovich know your current school/employment and visa type; you will most likely need to request a transfer through your Foreign Student Advisor rather than receiving a new I-20 form.

Entering the United States:
Once both the Graduate Data Sheet and the International Student Information Form are received at Carnegie Mellon, we can begin processing documents to send you the F-1 student visa. There are very strict regulations you should be aware of regarding entry dates. If any of these apply to you please inform Deb Cavlovich AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, to avoid having to request new documentation later due to date changes.

Note that all students applying for the F-1 visa are now required to pay a SEVIS fee (currently $100) in addition to any other required filing fees. We will not be paying this fee in advance, but you will be reimbursed once you arrive in the fall if you save your receipt and bring it to Deb Cavlovich.

For additional information for international students "Coming to Carnegie Mellon" you may want to visit the Office of International Education website.

Visa Denials:
During the past year one or two international students' initial visa requests were denied. However, when re-submitted, all were approved and were able to arrive on time. Should you encounter problems with your visa application you may want to contact the CMU Graduate Foreign Scholar Advisor:

Cortney Stewart
Office of International Education
Third Floor, Warner Hall
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 268-5231 Phone
(412) 268-7832 Fax
www-oie.studentaffairs.cmu.edu

Graduate Student Orientation
Carnegie Mellon conducts a Graduate Student Orientation program for all entering graduate students. This year that program will be held August 10-13. International students are expected to be present beginning at 8:00 AM on August 10. The program for domestic students begins with the Ice Cream Social / Mixer at 7:00 PM.

It is strongly suggested that all students attend this program. International students are expected to attend, especially if you have not previously resided in the US; if you are not able to attend during this period, you will be required to attend an orientation session before the end of the first week of the semester in order for your enrollment to be complete, and to maintain a valid visa status.

Health Insurance
NOTE that your stipend does not cover payment of your health insurance premiums. This cost must be paid separately by the student. The cost of health insurance premiums was taken into consideration when setting the monthly student stipend amount. Complete information about health insurance plans and coverage is available on-line at http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/HealthServices/insurance/ -- you can find out the various plans, the costs, and enroll on-line from this site.

Students who have families, and may be unable to afford the cost of the family plans, may want to consider Special Care, adultBasic and CHIP to insure their spouse and children. These are low cost options avialable through Highmark and the State of Pennsylvania for low income families.

The phone numbers for checking on CHIP coverage for children and adultBasic for adults is 1-800-543-7105. The number for SpecialCare is 1-800-791-2583. Please note that while these programs are appropriate for family members, students are not eligible for coverage under these programs because they do not include mental health benefits. Mental health benefits are required for waiver from our insurance program

The student health insurance options at Carnegie Mellon are provided through Student Resources. Student Resources underwrites over 475 student health insurance programs nationwide. Students have access to a large provider network located throughout the United States and outside of the country. All of the local hospitals including UPMC, Magee-Women's Hospital, and Children's Hospital are included in the plan. There are three options for coverage. Student Health Services has also contracted with Highmark BC/BS for the vision and dental benefit programs.

All full-time students are required to purchase student health insurance through the university or provide verification of coverage through a government or employer-sponsored plan that meets certain minimum criteria. Students are charged for the basic plan, Plan III, on their student invoice, and are required to take one of three actions.

1. Complete the application for Plan III, or
2. Upgrade to Plan II or Plan I, or
3. Complete the waiver application.

The charge for Plan III will be removed from the student invoice if their current insurance coverage meets the standard set forth in the policy.

Full text of this policy is available online: Insurance Plans.

Immunization Requirements
Carnegie Mellon requires all incoming full-time students to demonstrate immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. Additionally, all students residing in university housing must be vaccinated against Hepatitis B and meningitis.

International students must also have a tuberculin skin test (PPD) within one year of enrollment. Students will not be considered fully matriculated until they have met the applicable requirements. Failure to comply by the first day of classes will result in a hold being placed on the student's Fall registration and the assessment of a $50 late fee to the student's account. Students can apply for a waiver from vaccination for medical and religious reasons. The vaccination schedule and waiver are part of the Health History form students receive in the mail. They will also be able to complete the form online and submit it electronically.

While we hope that most students will arrive on campus already having been vaccinated, we recognize that some students may not be able to do so. In order to assist students in achieving compliance before the first day of classes, the Health Service will hold vaccination clinics during the orientation period in August. Students can charge their student accounts or use credit or debit cards to pay for vaccinations offered through the Health Service.

Full text of this policy is available online: Immunizations. .

In order to qualify for use of the student medical services provided by the University, you will receive a Report on Medical History which should be completed and returned to the Department of Health, Carnegie Mellon, prior to your arrival on campus. Don't panic about the June 30 deadline on the form. Just make sure you get it back before the fall semester begins, since your registration will not be considered complete until this form has been received.

Graduate Housing

Transitional Graduate Housing
Transitional Housing is operated by Housing and Dining Services during the first two weeks of August. This service allows graduate students to rent an affordable space in a Carnegie Mellon residence hall while getting acclimated to the Pittsburgh area and finding a permanent housing arrangement. An application for transitional housing is available at http://www.housing.cmu.edu, Summer Housing icon.

Community Housing
To assist graduate students looking for housing, the University provides a Community Housing Registry service. The Community Housing Registry can by accessed by visiting http://www.housing.cmu.edu/communityhousing/. This registry can be very helpful in locating suitable apartments or houses for new students. They can provide computerized listings of spaces available to match your specific needs. They also provide the opportunity to participate in a Roommate Registry.

To access the Community Housing website, use these instructions:

First time access and you DO NOT have a Carnegie Mellon email address:

1. Access the password request form at http://pr.housingregistry.us/cmu/ (If this doesn't work, add a . after cmu/ in the web address and it should take you there.)
2. List all information requested. The starting date is the day you will arrive on campus.
3. You will be prompted to list the department/college you will enroll and your advisor. Put "Deb Cavlovich" there.
4. Your password will be sent to your email address and you will be able to use it access the vacancy listings. The first time you enter the database you will be asked to change your password. Passwords expire monthly so you will have to request another password if you need additional time to search the database.
5. Re-enter the community housing web page and select "Search for a Listing in the Housing Registry" to access the listings.

These lists are private and for the Carnegie Mellon community only. Various parts of the list are password protected for use by community members.

If you will be looking for an apartment before you arrive, the best times are either early May or mid-July. Most leases are for one year, ending in May or August. You can sign a lease any time if the space is available - but tenants don't always let the landlords know whether they'll be renewing until 30 - 45 days before the end of the lease. There is usually a little overlap in August -- old leases not over until the end of August, but you need a place by mid-August. In addition to the Transitional Housing option, i1qt is sometimes possible to "bunk in" with older students for a few days until your place comes available. Usually if you get in touch with the person who was your student contact s/he can be helpful in the transition.

Final Exams
Fall 2008 classes end on December 5, and final exams will be scheduled through December 16 (last exam day).

I'm afraid I cannot yet tell you when your fall final exams will be scheduled -- only that we try to get our CSD finals scheduled as early in the exam period as possible (so we have the grades before the BF meetings). The CSD Black Friday meetings will be on December 18-19 (you probably don't need to be here for those meetings -- but you will want to talk with your advisor to be sure). We won't have the final exam schedule until ~October 1.

CMU Calendars for the next couple of years are available now.

Registering for Courses
You may want to look at the list of CSD Ph.D.-level courses planned for the next few years to get a hint of what's in store for you. These are subject to change, of course, since professors come and go, change their minds, etc. -- but it gives you an idea.

You are not required to enroll for fall classes until after you arrive, but given that spaces are sometimes in short supply for certain classes, when you have a good idea of which *star course(s) you will want to take in the fall let me know and I'll go ahead an enroll you just to make sure you have a space. The tentative schedule of CSD courses for Fall 2009 is available now. Once you have your CMU computer accounts working, and after pre-registration in mid-April, you can use your Andrew account to register yourself by going to the on-line registration page of The Hub. You must have an Andrew user ID and password to access this page.

Please note the following "rules" regarding registration:

1. EVERY CS PhD student must be enrolled for a for a TOTAL of at least 48 units, and a MINIMUM of 24 units of Reading and Research (15-997A).
   • If TAKING 2 courses, enroll for the courses plus 24 units of 15-997(A).
   • If TAKING 1 course, enroll for the course plus 36 units of 15-997(A).
   • If NOT taking specific courses, enroll for 48 units of 15-997(A).
2. In addition EVERY new student must be enrolled for 6 units of 15-996(A) Immigration Course, so your first semester registration will total 54 units.
3. For the first semester only, If you do nothing, you will be automatically enrolled for 48 units of 15-997 and 6 units of 15-996. If you register for courses you must drop the R&R units and add course units to reach the total of 54 units. After the first semester, you will be expected to register for your reading and research units according to your course load. I will send a reminder for you to do so in a mass mailing to the students.

Information regarding the star courses and their prerequisites is available in the document titled The PhD Program at Carnegie Mellon, a hard copy of which was mailed with your acceptance letter.

There is currently no complete list of frequently used textbooks/references. If you're really interested in this you could search the course schedules for past semesters; the home page/syllabus from the last time the course was taught is still linked to the course schedule for that semester.

Final Transcript
If you are currently enrolled in a degree program, please have a copy of your final transcript sent to Deb Cavlovich once you complete your program.

Please notify Deb Cavlovich if/when your email or physical address changes.