Table of Contents

Table of Contents        1

Preface        4

University Statements and Policies        5

Department Websites        5

Directory        6

Industrial and Systems Engineering Program Administration        6

Industrial and Systems Engineering Faculty        6

Industrial and Systems Engineering Staff        7

Graduate School Offices        9

Department Listservs        10

Registration        12

Registration Steps: All new students        12

Registration Steps: Current/previous students        12

Registration Notes        12

More Registration Notes        13

Minimum Grade Requirement and Time to Degree        15

PhD Program        16

PhD degree in ISyE        16

PhD in ISyE        17

Degree Progress Steps        18

PhD Degree        18

Declaring a Minor        20

Graduate Faculty Advisor        23

Degree Plan Instructions (GPAS Planner)        24

Timeline        24

GPAS Planner Submission Instructions        24

Important Notes        25

Financial Support        27

Fees        27

Fellowships        27

Research Assistantships        28

Teaching Assistantships        28

Appointment Scope        30

Appointment Calendar        30

Tuition and Benefits of a Graduate Assistantship        30

Instructions for Required CITI Research Ethics Training        32

Thesis Credit Registration        34

For PhD Candidates        34

Swapping Pre-thesis credits to Thesis Credits        34

Doctoral Examination Procedures        36

Qualifying Examination Procedure        36

Preliminary Examination Procedure        37

Oral Preliminary Examination        39

Final Thesis Examining Committee        41

Annual Reviews of Graduate Student Progress        42

Resources for International Students        43

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)        43

Reduced Course Load        43

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)        44

Optional Practical Training (OPT)        44

Appendix A: Graduate Program Coordinator        45

Appendix B: Mail and Department Correspondence        46

Appendix C: Building Access        46

Appendix D: U Card        46

Appendix E: Computer and Technical Support        47

Appendix F: Thesis Binding Information        47

Appendix G: Library Resources        47

Appendix H: Department Spaces Available to Reserve        47

Appendix I: GLU-UE Website Directory Release Form        48

Appendix J: Disability Resource Center (DRC)        48

Appendix K: Housing        48

Appendix L: Parking and Transportation        49

Appendix M: Textbooks/Course Materials        49

Appendix N: Printing        49

Appendix O: Healthcare        50

Appendix P: Mental Health & Well-Being Resources        51

Appendix Q: On Campus Dining        51

Appendix R: Food Insecurity        51

Appendix S: Microwaves for Student Use        52

Appendix T: Travel Grants        52

Appendix U: PhD Privileges        53

Appendix V: Gopher Way (Tunnels and Skyways)        54

Preface

This publication supplements information provided in the University of Minnesota—Graduate School Catalog (available online at: https://umtc.catalog.prod.coursedog.com/). 

You are responsible for all information contained here and in the catalog that is pertinent to your graduate study and to your specific field. The information in this handbook and other University catalogs, publications, or announcements is subject to change without notice. University offices can provide current information about possible changes.

The faculty and staff of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering wish you a rewarding experience in your graduate study, and we look forward to working with you during your enrollment here. For additional assistance, please consult any of the following people:

Graduate Program Coordinator

210 Lind Hall

207 Church St SE

Minneapolis, MN 55455

(612) 625-4909

isyegradinfo@umn.edu 

Dr. Kevin Leder

Director of Graduate Studies

240F Lind Hall

207 Church St SE

Minneapolis, MN 55455

kevin.leder@isye.umn.edu 

lede0024@umn.edu 

University Statements and Policies

Graduate Education Catalog:

https://umtc.catalog.prod.coursedog.com/

Equal Opportunity Statement:

http://eoaa.umn.edu/policies

Mutual Roles and Responsibilities for Faculty and Graduate Students: https://policy.umn.edu/education/doctoralperformance-appd 

Code of Conduct: https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2020-01/policy_student_conduct_code.pdf 

Academic Freedom and Responsibility: https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2019-09/policy_academic_freedom_and_responsibility.pdf 

Diversity Statement:

https://grad.umn.edu/diversity

Department Websites

Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Website: https://cse.umn.edu/isye 

Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Intranet Link: https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/isye-intranet 

ISyE Graduate Student Resources (PhD) Webpage: https://cse.umn.edu/isye/graduate-student-resources-phd 

ISyE PhD Curriculum Webpage:

https://cse.umn.edu/isye/phd-curriculum 

Directory

Industrial and Systems Engineering Program Administration

Department Head

Dr. Archis Ghate

215 Lind Hall

Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)

Dr. Kevin Leder

240F Lind Hall

Director of Masters Programs

Dr. Krishnamurthy Iyer

240C Lind Hall

(612) 624-2488

Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC)

210 Lind Hall

(612) 625-4909

Industrial and Systems Engineering Faculty

Industrial and Systems Engineering Staff

Graduate School Offices

Department Listservs

The ISyE Department has a number of listservs to help facilitate communication to large groups within the department.

If you have an announcement that you need to send to many members of the department at the same time, please use the following listservs to reach out to the appropriate subset of the ISyE community.

ISyE Department: isye-all@umn.edu 

Members: All ISyE tenure-track faculty, teaching faculty, adjunct faculty, staff, and graduate students

ISyE Grads: isye-grads@umn.edu

Members: All currently enrolled ISyE graduate students, Director of Graduate Studies, Director of Masters Programs, Graduate Program Coordinator, staff

ISyE PhD: isye-phd@umn.edu 

Members: All currently enrolled ISyE PhD students, Director of Graduate Studies, Director of Masters Programs, Graduate Program Coordinator, staff

ISyE Masters: isye-ms@umn.edu 

Members: All currently enrolled ISyE MS students, Director of Graduate Studies, Director of Masters Programs, Graduate Program Coordinator, staff

ISyE Grad Women: isye-gradwomen@umn.edu 

Members: All currently enrolled female-identifying ISyE graduate students, Graduate Program Coordinator, staff

ISyE Staff:  isye-staff@umn.edu 

Members: All regular administrative staff in the ISyE department

ISyE Faculty: isyefac@umn.edu 

Members: All ISyE tenure-track faculty and teaching faculty

ISyE Adjunct Faculty: pa-isye@umn.edu

Members: All ISyE adjunct faculty, staff

ISyE Undergraduates: isye-undergrads@umn.edu 

Members: All currently enrolled ISyE undergraduate students, Director of Undergraduate Studies, staff

ISyE Alumni: isye-alumni@umn.edu

Members: All undergraduate alumni, Director of Undergraduate Studies, staff

ISyE Post-docs and Visiting Scholars: isye-intlscholar@umn.edu

Members: all current ISyE post-docs and visiting scholars

Registration

Registration Steps: All new students

1. Obtain a student ID card (U Card): https://ucard.tc.umn.edu/ 
2. All new international students—check in with the International Student & Scholar Services Office: https://isss.umn.edu/new-students/welcome 
3. Consult with the Director of Graduate Studies or an appropriate faculty member to establish your first semester’s courses.
4. Register for classes, following the registration procedures on One Stop.

1. https://onestop.umn.edu/academics/classes 

Registration Steps: Current/previous students

• Register online via your MyU profile (https://myu.umn.edu).
• Course registration instructions are available on the One Stop website here: https://onestop.umn.edu/academics/enroll-class
• You can view course offerings and plan your registration through Schedule Builder: https://schedulebuilder.umn.edu/ 

Registration Notes

• You will be charged a late fee if you register for a semester after classes have begun. If you do not register for a given semester during the first week of the term, special permission will be needed for you to register for that term. For more information on deadlines, see the One Stop Dates and Deadlines page: https://onestop.umn.edu/dates-and-deadlines 
• You must register every Fall and Spring term in the Graduate School in order to maintain active graduate student status. If you have not registered in the Graduate School and lose your active status, you must apply for readmission and must register before you can resume work on a doctoral thesis, written/oral examinations, or file for graduation. The ISyE Department reserves the right to reject a readmission application based on enrollment load and the quality of academic history.
• On rare occasions, there may be a hold placed on your account that prevents you from registering for classes. Please consult the following page for additional information about this policy, possible reasons for the hold, and how to go about removing a hold from your account: https://policy.umn.edu/education/registrationhold 
• The University requires that graduate students holding appointments as teaching assistants, research assistants, and administrative fellows must register for at least 6 credits during each term for which the student holds an appointment of greater than 12.5%. (This does not apply to summer terms if you were registered the preceding spring semester.) If you have to satisfy other criteria for full-time status (i.e., some student loan deferrals may require 7-credit registration) you should check with that individual entity.

• International students should check with ISSS to verify that you are registered for enough courses to maintain your visa status, because other requirements may supersede the above requirements in the case of international students.  

More Registration Notes

• Doctoral students must register for 24 doctoral thesis credits (IE 8888) at the University of Minnesota beginning either the semester that they have passed their preliminary oral examination or the semester after.
• The requirement of 24 doctoral thesis credits cannot be reduced by transfer of Master's thesis credits, or thesis credits taken at another institution.
• You are permitted to register for thesis credits during the current semester if you pass the preliminary oral examination within the first week of the semester. This allows time for the online preliminary examination form to finish processing (usually within two business days) so that you may request a permission number to register for the thesis credits course (IE 8888) before registration closes (two weeks after the start of the semester). Please also keep in mind the general registration deadlines and fees listed under the Registration Notes header above.
• There is also a way to register for thesis credits retroactively, if you do not pass your preliminary oral examination within the first week of the semester but would still like to register for thesis credits that semester. This process involves swapping pre-thesis credits for thesis credits and is outlined in greater detail later in this document.
• PhD students who have completed their course credits, passed their preliminary exam, and completed all 24 doctoral thesis credits may register for a special one-credit option and still be counted as a full-time student. This registration will satisfy the full-time requirement for federal student loan deferrals as well as fulfill the assistantship registration requirement. You may register for this one-credit course (IE 8444, FTE: PhD) in the semester after you complete the thesis credit requirement. As a part of this process you must fill out the “Advanced Doctoral Status” form found here: https://onestop.umn.edu/forms/application-advanced-doctoral-status 
• International students must check with ISSS and apply for a reduced course load before registering for this one-credit course, due to the impact that registering for only IE 8444 could have on an international student’s visa status.

Minimum Grade Requirement and Time to Degree

The university has policies regarding minimum grade requirements, S/N grades for courses, and time to degree.

You must meet the minimum grade requirement in order for a class to count towards your degree.

Additionally, there is a limit to the number of classes that you can take S/N vs. A-F.

Finally, you must complete your degree within a certain time frame or you will not be able to receive your degree.

Please consult the following for more information about grade and time to degree requirements:

Doctoral Degree: Performance Standards and Progress:

https://policy.umn.edu/education/doctoralperformance 

PhD Program

The Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) offers a PhD degree. A brief description of the PhD degree can be found below.

PhD degree in ISyE

The PhD degree is a research intensive degree consisting of coursework and a doctoral thesis. Exceptional students may apply directly to the PhD program.  The PhD degree requires 44 course credits and 24 thesis credits.

All PhD students take the three core courses listed below. Subject to approval, students may replace core courses with more advanced courses if they have already taken the equivalent of the core course elsewhere. A list of acceptable replacements is shown below (possible replacement courses are indented). All PhD students must also take 2 seminar credits (typically IE 8773 and IE 8774), at least 8 additional credits of 8000-level IE coursework, and at least 12 credits of graduate-level non-IE coursework.

IE 8521 Optimization

• IE 8531 Discrete Optimization
• IE 8534 Advanced Topics in Operations Research

IE 8532 Stochastic Processes and Queueing Systems

• IE 8533 Advanced Stochastic Processes and Queueing Systems
• IE 8534 Advanced Topics in Operations Research

IE 8554 Advanced Production and Inventory Systems

• IE 8552 Advanced Topics in Production, Inventory, and Distribution Systems

PhD in ISyE

The PhD degree program develops advanced research competence. Close affiliation between you and your advisor is pivotal at all stages of the program.

Degree Progress Steps

The Graduate School approves certain steps as you progress towards your degree, which are listed on the following pages. As an overview, it is important for you to know the two principle academic units involved in your Industrial and Systems Engineering graduate education:

• Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Graduate School

Submit your degree plan (GPAS Planner) electronically for faculty and staff approval. You should plan to submit material with adequate lead time for approval (which may take up to two months).

PhD Degree

1. Obtain admission into the PhD program. Admission into the PhD program usually requires a B.S/B.E degree in an engineering, science, or mathematics field.
2. Follow orientation and onboarding instructions from the ISyE Graduate Student Support Office.
3. Course study.
4. Choose a thesis advisor. An advisor should be chosen no later than the end of the second semester in the PhD program.
5. Verify your One Stop Degree Completion steps:

https://onestop.umn.edu/academics/degree-completion-steps 

6. Submit your GPAS Planner. See the Degree Plan Instructions (GPAS Planner) section below in this handbook for the complete instructions on submission.
7. Define your thesis topic/thesis research with your advisor. This is optimally done concurrently with course work.
8. Take your qualifying exam (see the Doctoral Examination Procedures section of this handbook) within one semester of completing core course requirements.
9. Submit preliminary exam committee members with the Graduate School via the following link: https://onestop.umn.edu/academics/examination-committees

1. If circumstances require a change of a committee member, simply resubmit your new committee request at the link above.

10. Schedule your preliminary examination within two semesters of passing the qualifying exam (see Preliminary Examination Procedures). The preliminary exam has two parts: a written part and an oral part. The written part is also your PhD thesis proposal. The same committee will evaluate both written and oral parts.
11. Distribute your preliminary written exam (thesis proposal) to your committee members. Your advisor will inform the Director of Graduate Studies of the result of the written preliminary exam, to be reported to the Graduate School. This step must be completed before step 13.
12. Schedule the preliminary oral exam as soon as possible after successfully completing the preliminary written examination.

1. https://onestop.umn.edu/academics/doctoral-oral-exam-scheduling 
2. You must have an approved GPAS Planner on file with the Department and the Graduate School before this step can be executed.
3. The Graduate School will then send the electronic Preliminary Oral Exam form to your committee chair.

13. Take your oral preliminary exam.

1. Your committee members will fill out the oral examination evaluation form electronically and you will be informed of the results via email.

14. Conduct your thesis research and take the required 24 thesis credits.
15. Submit your “Advanced Doctoral Status” form after you have completed your 24 thesis credits. Information about the form can be found below:  https://onestop.umn.edu/forms/application-advanced-doctoral-status 
16. Submit your Final Exam Committee:

https://onestop.umn.edu/academics/examination-committees

17. Apply to graduate at the following link: http://z.umn.edu/degreeapplication. The Application for Degree must be submitted by the first day of one’s expected graduation month.
18. Submit your thesis to your reviewers. (Check with your reviewers to ascertain their required reading time frame—usually a minimum of two weeks.)
19. Initiate your Reviewers’ Report at least one week prior to your exam: https://z.umn.edu/ReviewersReportForm. Ensure that all committee members electronically complete the Reviewers’ Report before your final oral exam.
20. Schedule your final oral exam at least one week before your exam date: https://onestop.umn.edu/academics/doctoral-oral-exam-scheduling
21. Submit the electronic Final Oral Exam form to your committee chair at least one day prior to the oral exam: https://z.umn.edu/FinalExamForm 
22. Take your final oral exam.

1. Your committee will complete the electronic Final Oral Exam form with the result of your exam.

23. Complete the final edit of your examined thesis.
24. Prior to the last business day of the month, initiate your Thesis/Dissertation Approval & Deposit Agreement at: https://z.umn.edu/thesis-dissertation-approval-deposit 

1. Advisors must submit their approval no later than the last business day of the anticipated month of graduation.

25. Submit your dissertation to ProQuest no later than the last business day of the anticipated month of graduation.

1. Ensure your dissertation meets University formatting guidelines and is free of errors prior to submission: https://z.umn.edu/thesissubmit 

26. Bind your thesis, if desired by you and your committee (See Thesis Binding Information appendix).
27. Check out and distribute the thesis.

1. Complete an ISyE Departmental Check-Out Form prior to departure to confirm that you have handed in all keys and borrowed textbooks.

Declaring a Minor

If you would like to declare a minor in addition to your major degree program, please consult the following website for instructions on how to formally declare a minor: https://onestop.umn.edu/academics/grad-and-professional/add-or-remove-graduate-minor 

You must also inform the ISyE GPC that you will be adding a minor so that you can work together to process any GPAS exceptions that may be required in your GPAS audit.

Keep in mind that:

1. Classes cannot count for credit towards both your major and minor. You must apply a course to either one degree or the other in GPAS.
2. You cannot graduate until you have completed the requirements for both your major and minor program, unless you choose to drop your minor.
3. You will have to work with the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) of your minor program in order to submit your GPAS Planner for your minor. ISyE’s GPC cannot assign courses to your minor or move courses from your minor to your major program.
4. There are no restrictions on how many minors you can declare, however, each minor requires its own set of unique credits, and if you are a PhD student, each minor also requires a unique representative on your exam committee.
5. For PhD students, you must declare any minors before taking your preliminary exam. You cannot declare a minor after you have taken your preliminary exam. If you have a minor, a faculty member from that minor program must be on your preliminary exam committee.

If you are an ISyE PhD student who is pursuing a minor, you can waive up to 6 credits of elective and/or outside coursework that is normally required to obtain your major degree.

This means that instead of 44 credits of coursework plus 24 thesis credits to obtain your major degree, you must take 38 credits of coursework related to your major degree program, 24 thesis credits, plus 6 or more credits of coursework in your minor degree program.

The 6 credits that you waive cannot be required coursework in your major degree program. You can only waive credits that would be applied to the elective and/or outside coursework sections of your GPAS audit for your major program. You must obtain approval from the DGS regarding which credits you are waiving.

These credit waivers will not automatically be applied in GPAS. You will need to work with ISyE’s GPC in order to process the GPAS exceptions necessary to waive these credits in your major degree program.

Please contact ISyE’s GPC well in advance of your preliminary exam in order to ensure that there is time to process all of the necessary GPAS exceptions that will allow you to select your prelim exam committee.  

Essentially, any student who pursues a minor in addition to their ISyE PhD degree will still be taking the same amount of credits that they would to pursue the PhD degree alone. The only difference is which courses are allocated to the major program versus the minor program in GPAS.

In some cases, a minor program may require more than 6 credits to complete. In this instance, you will need to complete the required number of credits in order to obtain the minor, even if this raises the total number of credits that you need to graduate to more than 44 credits of coursework plus 24 thesis credits.

If you drop your minor, then the normal requirements to earn your PhD degree will be reinstated and you will no longer be allowed to waive 6 credits of elective and/or outside coursework.

If you would like to pursue more than one minor, please consult the Director of Graduate Studies about what additional exceptions, if any, can be applied to your major degree program. Please convey the information from this discussion to ISyE’s GPC.

Graduate Faculty Advisor

The Director of Graduate Studies initially serves as the faculty advisor for all incoming PhD students.

PhD students must subsequently find a permanent advisor to oversee their research. It is the student’s responsibility to do this.

PhD students should select an advisor by the end of the second semester in the PhD program.

Degree Plan Instructions (GPAS Planner)

You will use the GPAS system and will need to submit a GPAS Planner. 

Timeline

PhD students: Your GPAS Planner must be fully approved and processed before you can assign a committee or schedule your preliminary oral exam. Allow yourself at least a month to complete the PhD Student Degree Planning Form, submit the GPAS Planner, and wait for GPAS Planner approvals.

GPAS Planner Submission Instructions

PhD students:

1. Before you submit your GPAS Planner, fill out the ISyE PhD Student Degree Planning Form, get your advisor’s signature on that form, and send it to the ISyE DGS.

1. Form found here: https://cse.umn.edu/isye/graduate-student-resources-phd 

2. If you plan on adding a minor to your PhD, you will need to submit that request before your GPAS Planner is submitted and approved.

All students (admitted Fall 2020 and later):

1. Before you submit:

1. Inform the ISyE GPC of any transfer courses or courses taken as an undergrad or non-degree seeking student that you will use towards your ISyE degree.
2. Check with the ISyE GPC if you took any electives that required DGS approval, as those courses may need to be moved in GPAS.

2. Access GPAS via MyU (https://myu.umn.edu).

1. Log into MyU.
2. Go to the Academics tab in the left sidebar.
3. Click on the Degree Progress tab.
4. Click on the GPAS link at the bottom of the page.

3. Click on the Plan by My Requirements button to view your degree requirements.
4. Click on the Expand All button at the top of the page to view all degree requirements and confirm the courses fulfilling those requirements.

1. Please do not add courses via the Course Catalog unless you are taking those courses in a future semester.

5. Click on Return to GPAS System to go back to the main GPAS page, and click on the Submit button.

After submission, your GPAS Planner will be approved by the ISyE DGS and the GPC. You will receive an email notification when your GPAS Planner has been fully approved and processed.

If your coursework or degree plan changes after your GPAS Planner is approved, please contact the ISyE GPC to adjust your GPAS accordingly.

Important Notes

• 4xxx-level courses cannot be placed on the GPAS Planner.
• CPT credits cannot be used to fulfill the credit requirements for any ISyE graduate degree.
• Two graduate-level seminars are required for doctoral students. Seminars may be taken in other departments or technical disciplines, subject to advisor and DGS approval.
• Students in the PhD program may not use IE 5531 or IE 5532 on their GPAS Planner.
• You must take all IE (major) courses on an A/F basis, with the exception of departmental seminars. You are expected to take the great majority of non-IE (non-major) courses on an A/F basis. If you request to include a non-major course on an S/N basis, you must clear it with your advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.
• Courses on the GPAS Planner must meet a minimum GPA requirement. For PhD students, the minimum overall GPA for courses on your Planner is 3.0.
• Transfer credit is allowable, subject to departmental approval and according to University policy.

• If questions exist on the caliber of graduate courses taken elsewhere, you will be asked to demonstrate that such courses contain sufficient academic rigor and appropriate subject matter for transfer to your current degree program. You may also need to produce course syllabi and class notes for courses in question.

• You may place courses from departments outside of ISyE into your major course category if they can be defended as central to the major concentration, subject to departmental approval.
• You are encouraged to include 8000-level courses in your plan of study.
• Do not confuse Industrial Engineering Research courses with thesis credit registration: (IE 8777 / 8888).
• All students are required to take the online CITI training to meet the Graduate School’s requirement for Research Ethics training. See instructions for this training under “Instructions for Required CITI Research Ethics Training”.

Financial Support

Financial support opportunities available to students include:

• Fellowships
• Research Assistantships
• Teaching Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are financial aid academic appointments reserved for graduate students. The ISyE program offers appointments for teaching assistant and research assistant positions. If you accept an offer of financial aid, you are entering into a contract, which cannot be terminated unless both parties consent, in writing, to terminate the contract. Refer to the Registration Notes section to review the registration requirements for students who are receiving financial assistance. If you receive an appointment or fellowship, be sure to view the Graduate Student Employment Website at:

https://humanresources.umn.edu/find-job/graduateemployment 

Stipend rates are set by the Industrial and Systems Engineering Graduate Faculty each spring for the following fiscal year. PhD candidates will receive an increase in their stipend once they pass their preliminary oral examination and complete 24 credits of thesis registration. The stipend is increased by 10%, or up to the maximum rate the University may set, whichever is lower.

Fees

Please keep in mind that although the ISyE Department offers financial support opportunities to its graduate students, students are still responsible for paying certain fees collected by the university. If you do not pay these fees in a timely manner, a hold can be placed on your account. For a list of typical fees that graduate students are responsible for and their estimated amounts, please consult the following page: https://graduate-school.d.umn.edu/typical-fees-graduate-students 

Fellowships

This handbook does not present the full range of fellowship opportunities available at the University of Minnesota. Please consult the following for further information:

Graduate School Fellowship Office

321 Johnston Hall

(612) 625-7579

gsfellow@umn.edu

ISyE Graduate Student Services

Lind 210

(612) 625-4909

isyegradinfo@umn.edu 

Graduate fellowships are awards based on academic merit and are available to new and currently enrolled graduate students. Consult the Graduate School Catalog for more details. Fellowships are offered on a competitive basis and require excellent academic records for consideration. Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships are also available for qualifying doctoral candidates.

Fellowship competitions follow strict timetables and guidelines, and students are advised to obtain information early in the fall semester. Typically, the Fellowship Committee offers fellowships early in the school year following their deliberations. You can apprise yourself of these timetables from the above sources.

Research Assistantships

Research assistantships are typically obtained from faculty members who hold research contracts and grants. These appointments usually materialize through direct discussions with individual faculty where the research assignment, required expertise, and expectations are addressed. Faculty may also offer research appointments to students prior to their arrival on campus. Faculty providing support may expect to serve as your academic advisor and can be expected to indicate over what time period a research assistantship will be made. Periods vary, depending on the availability of grant funds and your progress. Maintain communication with faculty to update them on your needs and interests. Research assistantship assignments are made at any time in the calendar year depending on funding and other factors.

Teaching Assistantships

Positions are available each academic semester for graduate students to assist in departmental course instruction. Students must register in the semesters they hold teaching assistantships (except during the summer session providing they were registered the preceding spring semester). All students interested in teaching assistantships are advised to complete the online TA application. An announcement is sent out before each semester with a link to the application.

Teaching appointments outside the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering may be available.

TA offers will be made only to students who have documented adequate English skills. Current University of Minnesota policy requires that all nonnative English speaking TAs or prospective TAs who are or will be assigned to teaching, tutoring, or advising duties (including office hours) must comply with the following.

• All nonnative English speaking applicants must have an English Language Proficiency (ELP) rating of 1 or 2 on file with the University of Minnesota at the time of application. In addition, prospective TAs with an ELP other than 1 are required to enroll in GRAD 5105 prior to the start of classes. See “Language Proficiency Requirements for Teaching Assistants” page for further information: https://policy.umn.edu/hr/language 

Teaching assistantship appointments are usually made before the beginning of each new academic term; the assignments are typically one semester in duration, but can be for one academic year. Teaching appointments hold no guarantee for continuation unless stated in the departmental offer. Once notified of a teaching assistantship opportunity, it is your responsibility to complete paperwork that will allow the Department to process your appointment. Contact the ISyE Payroll Office to begin that process. Academic progress and duration of study toward a degree are considered as appointment rosters are generated. The faculty member responsible for the course is consulted when appointment recommendations are developed. Teaching assistantship assignments naturally require demonstrated expertise in the course subject matter to which assignment is made.

Teaching assistant responsibilities vary with course assignments. They may involve grading, recitation lecture, laboratory, homework problem solution, office hour consultation, or a mix of these. The teaching assistant is not ultimately responsible for course grades; that is a faculty responsibility. A very modest number of teaching appointments may be available in the Extension Division and in the summer programs. Consult the department head for information.

Appointment Scope

Whereas teaching assistantship appointments are typically of one semester duration, after which a new assignment can be made, it is possible to hold simultaneous teaching and research assistantships within any academic term. If simultaneous appointments are made, then each is typically a 25% appointment. Appointments are occasionally combined at other than 25% levels to total 50% overall.

Maximum appointments to teaching assistantship and/or research assistantship positions are 50% (twenty hours per week), except in unusual cases where graduate students who have qualified for doctoral candidacy may receive 75% appointments if a distinct service need exists.

Appointment Calendar

The ISyE Department attempts to assign all teaching assistantships with ample lead time to permit students to receive their initial paychecks on schedule.

If yours is a last minute appointment, verify your first paycheck date with the ISyE Payroll Office, (isyepay@umn.edu). Also contact this office if you have recently been made an assistantship offer to supply all required appointment information.

Tuition and Benefits of a Graduate Assistantship

For a full list of graduate assistant benefits, including tuition and health insurance, consult the following pages on the OHR website:

https://humanresources.umn.edu/graduate-assistant-employment/ga-tuition-benefits

The tuition benefit policy described on the Graduate Assistant Website above describes the tuition benefits policy in relation to course credits and assistantship appointments. Also refer to the registration classification chart on the Tuition Benefits page.

As described in the link above, ​​the Graduate Assistant Health Plan (GAHP) provides medical and dental coverage to eligible graduate assistants working 195 hours during the official semester payroll dates. For more information, view the GAHP website:

https://shb.umn.edu/health-plans/gahp-home 

New PhD students who hold a Graduate Assistantship need to fill out and submit the "Graduate Assistant Health Plan Enrollment and Change Form" in order to be enrolled in the Graduate Assistant Health Plan (GAHP) as opposed to the Student Health Benefit Plan (SHBP). GAHP is significantly cheaper than SHBP, so you will want to enroll within 30 days of your appointment start date if you qualify for GAHP. For more information about how to enroll in the Graduate Assistant Health Plan (GAHP), please consult the following page: https://shb.umn.edu/graduate-assistants/gahp-enrollment 

Instructions for Required CITI Research Ethics Training

All ISyE graduate students must complete the following steps to complete the required online CITI Research Ethics training within their first semester in the ISyE Department. Once completed, please email the ISyE Graduate Student Support Office (isyegradinfo@umn.edu) with your certificate of completion. The certificate will be added to your graduate student file.

Completing this online training module is a requirement for graduation. 

• Follow this link:

https://about.citiprogram.org/en/series/responsible-conduct-of-research-rcr/

• Click on the “Register” button.
• Type “University of Minnesota” in the “Select your Organization Affiliation” box and select “University of Minnesota (SSO).”
• Agree to the Terms of Service and affirm that you are an affiliate of the University of Minnesota.

• Click on “Continue to SSO Login/Instructions.” If you are already logged in to your University of Minnesota student account, you will automatically be generated a CITI account. Otherwise, you will have to log in.
• CITI will send an email to your UMN account with your login information.
• Once logged in to your account, click on “View Courses” under the “Institutional Courses” heading.
• Click on “Add a Course.”
• In the list of questions that come up, you only need to complete Question 4: Responsible Conduct of Research Course Enrollment.

• You will be “Research staff (non-PI) required to take RCR by USDA-NIFA or NSF requirement”

• Click “Submit” to enroll in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course. You will now see the course in the “Courses Ready to Begin” list in your account.
• Click “Start Now” to begin the RCR course.
• Complete the RCR course.
• Download the certificate of completion upon finishing the course.
• Email the certificate to the ISyE GPC who will track your completion.

Thesis Credit Registration

For PhD Candidates

Students completing a doctoral degree are required to enroll for 24 doctoral thesis credits (IE 8888) before receiving a degree (students may register for a maximum of 14 while holding an assistantship appointment). Doctoral students may retroactively register for thesis credits during the semester that they have passed their preliminary oral examination. Thesis credits cannot be transferred from M.S. programs.

Swapping Pre-thesis credits to Thesis Credits

Doctoral pre-thesis (xxxx-8666) credits may be swapped and added as doctoral thesis (xxxx-8888) credits only during the same semester in which a graduate student has successfully completed their preliminary oral examination. This only applies to fall and spring semesters. Such credit conversion must occur no later than the official last instruction day of that semester. Conversion of doctoral pre-thesis (xxxx-8666) credits taken in previous semester(s) is NOT allowed and will be denied by the GSSP office.

Instructions

• Go to onestop.umn.edu

• Forms
• Registration
• Graduate Registration Exception Request
• Log in with your x.500 and password

• Choose swap
• Input term you want to change pre-thesis to thesis credits
• Check the course you want to swap (IE 8666)
• Find the 5 digit course number for IE 8888 on onestop class search
• Take as non-graded
• Add the new course load credit – you may add up to 14 credits in total for all registered classes. If only taking pre-thesis credits – you may add up to 14 thesis credits. If you are registered for more than pre-thesis credits – for example 3 other course credits, you can then only add 11 thesis credits for a combined total of 14 credits. You need to take a total of 24 thesis credits to graduate with your PhD.
• Add justification - Justification can be "I passed my preliminary oral exam on xx/xx/xxxx date"

See the “More Registration Notes” sections under the “Registration” header above for additional notes on thesis credit registration.

Doctoral Examination Procedures

All PhD students will be required to take two exams: a Qualifying Examination and a Preliminary Examination. Procedures for each exam are described below.

Qualifying Examination Procedure

The qualifying exam will consist of a single examination for each student covering two areas represented by the student’s choice of core courses. Students may not choose the areas in which they will be tested.

Timing: Students are required to take the exam within one semester of completing the core course requirements.

Committee composition: The exam committee for each student consists of two members, one of which must be a full member of the ISyE graduate faculty. The committee may not include the student’s advisor. However, exceptions may be made if the advisor is the only faculty available to represent a specific subject area.

Form of the exam: The exam has two parts: one written and one oral. The written part is an in-class exam of 5 hours, covering both areas. The written exam is open-book and open-notes. No electronic devices are allowed in the written exam. The oral exams will be typically scheduled within a day or two after the written exam. In the oral exam, the examining committee members will ask additional questions related to the written exam.

Evaluation of the exams: At the end of each oral examination, the committee deliberates and writes a short summary of their deliberations with a pass/fail recommendation. A final pass/fail decision is taken in a meeting of the entire ISyE graduate faculty which is then communicated to the student. The ISyE graduate faculty meeting takes place soon after the completion of all oral exams. The ISyE graduate faculty also decide whether the student will be permitted to retake the qualifying exam, if the student does not pass.

Preliminary Examination Procedure

For additional instructions on planning and completing the Preliminary Exam, refer to the “PhD Prelim Exam Overview” document posted on the ISyE website: https://cse.umn.edu/isye/graduate-student-resources-phd 

Written Part: The written preliminary exam will be the doctoral thesis research proposal of the student.

Timing: After passing the Qualifying Exam, students are eligible to take the written preliminary exam. Students are required to take the preliminary examination within two semesters of successfully completing their qualifying examination.

Form of exam: The written preliminary exam consists of a written thesis proposal. This proposal must explain the motivation and significance of the research, must state the research objective, challenges in reaching the objectives, and the major literature on the topic of the proposal. This review should indicate the current state of understanding of the topic and should describe how the proposed research, if successful, will contribute to that understanding.

Examining committee: The committee for the written preliminary exam consists of the advisor(s) and at least two other members of the ISyE graduate faculty. Normally the same faculty members will subsequently serve on the student’s oral preliminary exam committee. Note that the written exam committee does not include the faculty member who represents the minor or supporting program in the oral examination committee.

The Director of Graduate Studies will approve your oral preliminary committee with input from your advisor. This committee is selected so that its membership represents expertise related to your research. It is expected that this committee will become your final thesis defense committee if you successfully complete the oral preliminary examination. Your advisor must be the chair of your preliminary oral exam committee, but not of your final oral exam committee.

Evaluation of the exam: The written preliminary exam must be judged satisfactory by all members of the examining committee before the student can take the oral preliminary exam. All members of the committee must indicate that they approve the exam. If one or more members of the committee deem the exam unsatisfactory, then the committee must meet to decide what improvements will be required, and the advisor must convey this information to the student in writing. In that case, the student must submit a revised thesis proposal to the committee by a date to be specified (for example, three months from the date of the letter). If the committee still finds the proposal to be unsatisfactory, determined by a majority vote, then the student will be terminated from the program.

Oral Part: The oral preliminary exam can be scheduled only after the written thesis proposal has been approved.

Timing: The oral preliminary exam should be taken as soon as possible, preferably the same semester if scheduling permits, after the student has passed the written preliminary exam.

Form of exam: The exam consists of an oral presentation by the student on the proposed research, and of questioning by the committee about the proposed research. The length of the presentation should be approximately 30 minutes, if it were not interrupted by questioning. The total length of the exam should not exceed two hours. See more details on the exam format under the Oral Preliminary Examination heading below.

Examining committees: The examining committee will be the same as for the written preliminary exam, with the addition of at least one member from the minor or supporting program.

Evaluation of the exam: Following Graduate School rules, the committee will initially take a closed-ballot vote, where each member votes pass, fail, or pass with reservations. There will then be discussion, followed by a second closed-ballot vote. If the committee consists of four members, a passing verdict requires at least a 3-1 vote; if the committee consists of five members, a passing verdict requires at least a 4-1 vote. If any of the votes required to achieve the minimum for a passing verdict is a “pass with reservations,” then the result of the exam will be a pass with reservations. In that case, the committee must decide what the student must do to remove the reservations, and this must be conveyed in a formal letter that goes both to the student and to the Graduate School. Additional details are provided below.

Oral Preliminary Examination

• Your oral preliminary examination will consist of two parts:

• A 30 minute presentation by you on your doctoral research proposal/plans, consistent with the written proposal which must be approved before the oral part can be scheduled. This oral presentation should emphasize why your subject is important, how it relates to the present state-of-the-art and existing limitations, a description of the methodologies to be used, and what important conclusions one will be able to derive from the results.
• After the presentation is a question and answer period during which you must demonstrate your ability to respond to critical questioning of your work and related subject matter. The subject matter is not restricted to the area of the proposed thesis.

• Emphasis for your oral preliminary exam:

• understanding of research topic
• ability to formulate a hypothesis or research plan
• demonstration of independence and creativity in solving problems
• ability to think logically
• ability to communicate
• ability to adequately respond to critical questioning by faculty
• demonstration of fluency with the basic concepts that apply to your selected research area, etc.

• Your advisor cannot take any role in presenting the material to the rest of the committee or interpreting and responding to questions.
• It is up to your committee to decide whether to allow anyone other than committee members to attend the presentation portion of the oral preliminary examination. Under normal circumstances, this examination is closed to the public according to Graduate Education Policy:

https://policy.umn.edu/education/doctoralperformance 

• This examination is immediately followed by a deliberation of the committee on whether you have passed, passed with reservations, or failed. Voting complies with Graduate School policies:

• “The outcome of the examination, with all committee members present and voting, is recorded in one of three ways: pass, pass with reservations, or fail. The voting proportions necessary for these decisions are as follows: if the committee consists of four members, a favorable verdict for passing consists of either a unanimous vote or 3-1; if the committee consists of five members, a favorable verdict for passing consists of either a unanimous vote or a vote of 4-1; if the committee consists of six members, a unanimous vote or a vote of 5-1 or 4-2 is needed. Candidates who do not earn committee votes in these proportions fail the examination. If, in order to achieve the minimum number of votes to reach a verdict of pass, any vote of pass with reservations is included, then the outcome will be recorded as a pass with reservations. A vote to pass the student with reservations still constitutes a passing vote.”

• Note that the Graduate School requires the following procedures if the committee decides that the student has PASSED THE EXAMINATION WITH RESERVATIONS:

• “...the student is informed immediately, but the committee is permitted one week in which to convey its reservations to the student in writing, informing the student of the steps that must be taken to remove them. A copy of this letter must be sent to the Graduate School. When the student has satisfied the committee’s reservations, a second letter informing the student and the Graduate School that the reservations have been removed and that the student may proceed toward the degree is also required. Both letters should be written by the committee chair. The final oral examination may not be scheduled until the Graduate School has received a copy of the letter indicating that the reservations have been removed.
• “If the committee members disagree as to whether the reservations have been satisfactorily removed, the committee chair asks for another vote, the results of which are subject to the same voting proportions as the initial vote. If the student is unable to satisfy the committee’s reservations, his or her doctoral candidacy and graduate student status may be terminated.”

• It is within the prerogative of the preliminary oral examining committee to decide on additional steps required to remove those reservations. If the committee so chooses, you can retake part(s) of the oral preliminary exam, but only one repetition is allowed. Your committee will specify the format and the date for that exam. This examination will be held as soon as possible.
• Contents of visual aids used in any presentation, including slides, overheads, etc., must be your work. All visual aids must be readable from the back of your examination room.
• You are allowed to avail yourself of editorial assistance only with regard to spelling and correct grammatical usage in your visual aids. If such assistance is used, you must certify that no assistance was provided other than in correcting the spelling and grammar and you must identify the person who provided this assistance. Do not ask your advisor to provide this assistance since the advisor may inadvertently make other editorial comments.

Final Thesis Examining Committee

• Your final thesis examining committee is assigned within three months after the successful completion of your doctoral preliminary exams. The Director of Graduate Studies will approve the members of this committee based on your advisor’s recommendation and normally consists of faculty members who served on the Preliminary Oral Examination committee. The final oral examination committee requirement requires at least 4 members (at least three departmental examining members and at least one outside examining member).
• You are encouraged to present your progress to your thesis examining committee at least once each year, with the first meeting to take place no later than one year after successfully completing the oral preliminary examination.

Annual Reviews of Graduate Student Progress

The performance and progress of all graduate students in the ISyE Program is evaluated annually by their advisors. This evaluation occurs during the latter part of spring semester, in a meeting between the student and the advisor.

Around April 1st all advisors receive a form for each of their advisees, which contains information such as the student’s beginning date in the graduate program, number of credits completed, GPA, and milestones such as the submission of a GPAS Planner, completion of PhD preliminary exams, and so forth. This form is meant to inform the advisor and also to serve as the starting point for a discussion of the student’s progress.

The advisor indicates, if appropriate, whether performance in research is satisfactory, and is asked to comment. The form is then signed by the advisor, the student, and finally the DGS, and is added to the student’s file.

Resources for International Students

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

If you are an international student, you will work closely with the International Student and Scholar Services Office on campus, also known as ISSS, located at 190 Hubert H. Humphrey School on the west bank of campus.

Here is the link to the ISSS website: https://isss.umn.edu/students

International Student and Scholar Services can help you with questions related to the following topics, and much more:

• Your Visa
• Taxes
• Employment
• Travel
• Living in Minnesota
• Campus Resources
• Career Support
• Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT)
• Reduced Course Load Paperwork
• Funding
• Academic Counseling
• Personal Counseling
• Programs for Graduate Students

Always check with ISSS about any university policies that might impact you as an international student.

When in doubt, contact ISSS: https://isss.umn.edu/contact-us 

Reduced Course Load

If you are an international student who is planning to enroll less than full time during a semester, you need to apply for a reduced course load through ISSS.

Please consult the following page of the ISSS website for more information about how to apply for a reduced course load: https://isss.umn.edu/resources/reduced-course-load 

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

If you are an international student who is planning to apply for CPT, please consult the following pages from the ISSS website for instructions:

Basics of CPT: https://isss.umn.edu/fstudents/employment/cpt/basics 

Applying for CPT: https://isss.umn.edu/fstudents/employment/cpt/apply 

Curricular Practical Training for F-1 Students: https://isss.umn.edu/fstudents/employment/cpt 

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

If you are an international student who is planning to apply for OPT, please consult the following pages from the ISSS website for instructions:

Basics of OPT: https://isss.umn.edu/fstudents/employment/opt/basics

Applying for OPT: https://isss.umn.edu/fstudents/employment/opt/apply

Requirements During OPT: https://isss.umn.edu/fstudents/employment/opt/requirements 

Optional Practical Training for F-1 Students: https://isss.umn.edu/fstudents/employment/opt 

Appendix A: Graduate Program Coordinator

Each department at the University of Minnesota has a Graduate Program Coordinator, also known as a GPC, whose job it is to support the students enrolled in the department’s graduate programs - both M.S. and PhD.

Your GPC is here to help you throughout your time as a graduate student, so please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions that you may have.

In ISyE, your GPC also handles the purchasing/reimbursement for the department.

Some reasons that you might want to contact and/or book an appointment with your GPC include but are not limited to the following:

• Registration questions
• Degree progress questions/paperwork
• Help locating mental health resources
• Reimbursement questions/paperwork
• Purchasing questions/paperwork
• Questions about the University of Minnesota/Twin Cities area
• Questions about the ISyE department/department policies
• Questions about university policies
• Questions about applying to graduate/graduation
• Questions about the “Masters Student Handbook”/graduate student resources
• Questions about library resources
• Questions about graduate student health insurance options
• Questions about housing options for graduate students
• Questions about the ISyE Graduate Student Travel Grant
• Questions about transportation
• To chat about the department's culture and/or how ISyE can better support and serve its graduate students
• To introduce yourself/get to know your Graduate Program Coordinator

Graduate Program Coordinator

210 Lind Hall

(612) 625-4909

isyegradinfo@umn.edu 

Please consult them as a resource at any stage in your degree process.

To schedule an appointment with your GPC, please email isyegradinfo@umn.edu

Appendix B: Mail and Department Correspondence

When appropriate, the ISyE Graduate Student Support Office will send information to you at your UMN email address or your mailing address on file with the University. Therefore, it is important that you keep your mailing address up-to-date in MyU (My Info tab) and to check your UMN email regularly.

The ISyE Graduate Student Support Office also sends out a Graduate Student Newsletter once a month via email with important announcements and opportunities pertaining to ISyE graduate students. Please be on the lookout for this monthly newsletter.

Appendix C: Building Access

For building access requests, please email ISyE’s Graduate Program Coordinator (isyegradinfo@umn.edu) and fill out the U Card Information form:   https://forms.gle/rXAi1jLXufsvzEJi8 

Building access includes access to Lind Hall, the ISyE Department after hours, as well as access to the Graduate Student Computer Lab and ISyE Employee Lounge. The ISyE Department is open from 8:00 A.M. -  4:30 P.M. and requires U Card access outside of these hours.

The Graduate Student Computer Lab and ISyE Employee Lounge requires U Card access at all times, including during department hours.

Appendix D: U Card

Your U Card is your official University of Minnesota ID. You'll use it to print, access campus buildings, and more. Make sure to have it with you at all times while on campus.

For more information about your U Card and how to obtain it, please consult the following website: https://ucard.tc.umn.edu/ 

Appendix E: Computer and Technical Support

The ISyE Department is supported by the College of Science and Engineering IT Office (CSE IT).

For questions related to computers and electronics, please email csehelp@umn.edu to open a ticket or visit the following website: https://cse.umn.edu/cseit

You can also contact the U of M central IT office for help at: https://it.umn.edu/ 

Appendix F: Thesis Binding Information

The University of Minnesota recommends using Printing Services for thesis binding: https://printing.umn.edu/printing/thesis-printing-binding.html 

Appendix G: Library Resources

The ISyE Department has a department librarian, Hannah Cabullo, available to help students with research strategies, data management, citations, and more. Our librarian’s contact information is available here:

https://www.lib.umn.edu/about/staff/hannah-cabullo

For more information about the libraries on campus, or to access library resources, please visit: https://www.lib.umn.edu/ 

Appendix H: Department Spaces Available to Reserve

The ISyE Department has a number of rooms that are available for students to reserve.

If you are interested in reserving a room, please submit your request through the following website: https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/isye-room-reservations/home 

This website includes pictures and descriptions of the rooms, as well as calendars showing when each room is available.

Appendix I: GLU-UE Website Directory Release Form

If you are a PhD student who is employed by the department, you need to fill out the “GLU-UE Website Directory Release Form.”

This form tells our Marketing, Communications, and Event Coordinator which information, if any, you give permission for the department to post on its website.

You can access the form on the department Intranet under the “General Forms” section at the bottom of the webpage.

Here is the link to the ISyE Department Intranet: https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/isye-intranet 

You must submit this form prior to the start of your first semester in the program.

Appendix J: Disability Resource Center (DRC)

If you require accommodations, either as a student or in your role as a university employee, the Disability Resource Center (DRC) will help you to secure these accommodations.

Please consult the DRC website about how to request an accommodation: https://disability.umn.edu/ 

Appendix K: Housing

The Twin Cities has many different housing options available.

For a description of the neighborhoods in the Twin Cities area, please consult: https://housing.umn.edu/live/neighborhoods 

For information about the housing options open to U of M graduate students through the university, please see the following website: https://housing.umn.edu/other/grad-students 

To search for off-campus housing, please consult: https://housing.umn.edu/other/off-campus 

Appendix L: Parking and Transportation

For more information about the parking and transportation options available on campus, please consult the following website: https://pts.umn.edu/ 

If you are a student who has paid the “Transportation and Safety” fee, you are eligible to use your U Card as a Universal Transit Pass on Metro Transit.

For more information about this program and how to get your card setup please consult the following website: https://pts.umn.edu/Transit/Transit-Passes/Universal-Transit-Pass 

Appendix M: Textbooks/Course Materials

To purchase textbooks and/or course materials for your classes from the University of Minnesota Bookstore, please consult the following website: https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-materials 

Appendix N: Printing

College of Science and Engineering (CSE) students, staff, and instructors who have a CSE Labs account are able to print at any CSE computer lab or classroom. These individuals have an allowance of $75 per semester to use towards printing.  

For more information about this printing allowance and how to print to CSE Labs specifically, please consult:

https://cse.umn.edu/cseit/self-help-guides/cse-labs-printing 

To create a CSE Labs account please consult the following: https://wwws.cs.umn.edu/account-management/ 

For information about how to print over wifi in CSA Labs, please consult:

https://cse.umn.edu/cseit/self-help-guides/cse-labs-printing/cse-labs-print-over-wifi 

For more information about how and where to print on campus outside of CSE, please consult: https://printing.umn.edu/ 

Appendix O: Healthcare

Students at the University of Minnesota can receive healthcare from Boynton Health. Types of care include:

• Primary care
• Eye care
• Dental care
• Mental health care
• Urgent care
• Gynecology
• STI testing
• Nutrition
• Physical therapy
• Gender care
• Lab services
• X-ray
• Immunizations
• Pharmacy

For more information about Boynton Health and its services please visit: https://boynton.umn.edu/ 

For more information about using Boynton Health as a U of M student, please consult: https://boynton.umn.edu/students 

Appendix P: Mental Health & Well-Being Resources

There are a number of mental health and well-being resources on campus available to students, including:

Boynton Mental Health: https://boynton.umn.edu/services/mental-health

Mental Health & Well-Being Resources through the School of Public Health: https://www.sph.umn.edu/current/resources/mental-health/

Mental Health Resources through the Office of Human Resources: https://hr.umn.edu/Benefits/Mental-Health-Resources 

Personal Well-Being Resources through Safe Campus: https://safe-campus.umn.edu/personal-wellbeing 

Appendix Q: On Campus Dining

For more information about the dining options on campus please consult the following website: https://dining.tc.umn.edu/

Appendix R: Food Insecurity

If you are facing food insecurity, there are resources and organizations on or near campus that provide affordable food sources for students.

Please see the following:

Nutritious U Food Pantry: https://boynton.umn.edu/food-pantry 

SNAP Benefits: https://snap.umn.edu/ 

Student Emergency Funds: https://onestop.umn.edu/finances/types-financial-aid/student-emergency-funds

Basic Needs Resources Document curated by the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LvVqnmaQNYRbGflJmQiqC28SCpKMKmKK1KnMLNNDvMU/edit#heading=h.z3j2nms1djkt 

Hunger Solutions Food Shelf Finder: https://www.hungersolutions.org/find-help/ 

Appendix S: Microwaves for Student Use

As PhD students who are employed by the ISyE Department, you are allowed to use the microwaves in the ISyE Employee Lounge. The lounge is card access only and is for use by students, faculty, and staff who are employed by the ISyE Department.

In addition, there is a microwave that has been installed on the lower level of Lind Hall next to the vending machines.

This microwave is open to all students in the building to use if you need another place to reheat your food while you are on campus.

Appendix T: Travel Grants

PhD students in the ISyE Department are eligible to apply for two travel grants of up to $400 dollars during their time in the program.

QUALIFICATIONS/RULES:

1. Travel grants are available to ISyE graduate students who are giving talks or presenting posters at technical conferences.
2. The “ISyE Graduate Student Travel Grant Request Form” must be submitted and approved prior to travel.
3. Ph.D. students may not receive more than two grants during their studies (including time in MS studies) and no more than one per school year.
4. Amount available per grant is at most $400.
5. Each year funds are limited. Awards are made until funds run out for the school year in which travel occurs.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prior to the conference, complete the “ISyE Graduate Student Travel Grant Request Form” and attach a copy of the conference schedule (or other documentation), showing that your talk/poster will be part of the program.
2. Submit the “ISyE Graduate Student Travel Grant Request Form” to isyepurch@umn.edu. You will receive notification of whether or not your request is approved shortly after submission.
3. Once travel is completed, submit within 30 days your “ISyE Travel Grant Reimbursement Form” along with a Chrome River expense reimbursement (online).

Appendix U: PhD Privileges

If you are a PhD student in the ISYE Department, the department will provide you with the resources necessary to support your responsibilities as a TA/RA throughout your time in the program.

You will be given permanent office space in Lind Hall room 235 as well as printing privileges. You will be able to use the printer/copy machine in Lind 235 for any printing/copying that is related to your role as a TA/RA. Lind 235 can be accessed using your U Card.

There are three different printers that serve the department and each one is designated for a specific group of people.

• The printer/copier in Lind 226 is for staff members
• The printer/copier in the hallway (Lind 240) is for faculty
• The printer/copier in Lind 235 is for PhD students and for students who are TAs

Please remember to use your designated machine when printing/copying items related to your coursework, research, and/or teaching responsibilities.

We want to ensure that everyone in the department has access to the machines necessary to complete their job responsibilities while simultaneously avoiding certain machines getting tied up with large print jobs.

If there is ever an issue with the machine in Lind 235, please alert a staff member or the ISyE Front Desk as soon as possible and we will resolve the problem. This includes things such as the machine malfunctioning, running out of paper, running out of toner/ink, etc.

Additionally, please keep in mind that although the student assistants working the front desk are here to help, it does not fall under their job description to assist with preparing course materials.

If you are a TA for a course and need to print handouts or exams, please use the printer/copier in Lind 235 to perform this task yourself. Making copies is one of the tasks that TAs are compensated for as a part of their contracts.

Also, if you are a TA, ISyE’s Undergraduate Student Services Coordinator Katie Sharpe, will provide you with the textbook/s assigned in the course that you are TAing, will help you to gain access to the ISyE TA office (L135) in the basement of Lind Hall, and will help to arrange your weekly office hours schedule so that you will be available to students who have questions about the course material.

Finally, you will be allowed to use the ISyE Employee Lounge to eat meals and to warm up your food. The employee lounge can be accessed using your U Card and is restricted to only students, faculty, and staff who are employed by the ISyE Department.

Appendix V: Gopher Way (Tunnels and Skyways)

If you do not want to walk outside when there are extreme temperatures during the winter and summer months you can use the Gopher Way, a system of tunnels and skyways connecting certain university buildings.

For more information on the Gopher Way, including maps, please consult the following: https://pts.umn.edu/Walk/Gopher-Way-Tunnels-Skyways