WCIRM Graduate Studies
Frequently Asked Questions
for newly admitted students
Welcome!
First, we’d love to know that you’re coming. CSU’s Graduate School will send you an official form, and you’ll need to respond directly to them for your official acceptance, but we don’t get that information right away. So, if you’re coming, tell us! Contact us at 970.491.1610 with your decision to attend. Also, consider our coordinator, Maggie Graham, a resource for all of your questions. If you still have questions after reading this information, contact Maggie.
What are the dates of the classes?
View our calendar page for specific dates. We hold our classes in a block schedule so students take only one course at a time. Each course runs for two weeks, every week day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. It's intense, and it's a format that works well for our students. It allows some students to use their annual leave from work to take selective courses, and it also gives students the chance to focus on one subject at a time, take field trips, and enjoy close interaction with faculty.
Where are the classes located?
All of the classes are held in University Square on the CSU main campus. Link to the maps page on the CSU web site and find us at I6 on the main campus map.
To find the classroom, use the south door to University Square, go up the stairs to the second floor, straight to the end of the hall. Room 205 is the last door on the left.
What if I haven’t purchased the laptop you require?
Get on it! You can get a sweet deal through the Vet School by clicking here.
How do I get oriented to CSU?
Colorado State is a world class land-grant university with amazing opportunities, and it also accommodates about 24,700 students annually. This large size brings both benefits and difficulties. After you receive notice of your admission through the mail from CSU’s Graduate School, get set up at CSU through the following processes:
- Register for your eID: (If you already have one from your CSU undergraduate studies, use the same one - you do not need to set up a new one). This simple process provides you with an e-identity at CSU so that you can access many of the online services, including a housing database, the Rampoint Portal (the e-doorway to almost all of CSU’s online services – including course registration), and your CSU email. Note that during the process of setting up your eID, you can select an option that forwards email from your CSU email account to a home email account so that you don’t need to read multiple email accounts.
- When you arrive on campus, go and get your photo ID. CSU calls the photo ID the “Ramcard,” and you can get it in the Ramcard Office in the basement of the Lory Student Center. It provides you with access to computer labs, CSU’s library, discounts with local businesses and more. Find more details by clicking here.
- The Graduate School offers an orientation for incoming graduate students. The date will be announced in July so watch the Grad School’s web site for more details.
- Student life on campus is rich with possibilities. Between athletic programs (25% of CSU students participate in the intramural program here), clubs and special events, you could fill up your calendar in a heartbeat. Click here for more detail.
What’s the deal with parking on campus.
You are eligible to buy a student parking permit, which costs $20 for a month, $89 for a semester or $143 for a year. Lower rates are available for students who use CSU’s graduate student housing. Another option is to purchase a day permit for $6/day, but you can only buy three at a time. Metered parking is also available, but you need to purchase a card to use the meters. Click here for additional information. Click here for another helpful link. Our building is smack dab on top of a student parking lot (CSU calls these lots “Z”), and you can park in these lots for free after 4:30 pm and on CSU holidays and weekends.
There’s just a $5 fee to register your bike with the Campus Police, a process that aids in recovery if your bike is stolen. You are strongly advised to lock your bike at one of the many bike racks on campus.
Where can I stay while I’m taking classes?
While your schedule with the intensive two week courses makes it a little more challenging to find housing, there are several resources available to help you:
- CSU’s Off-Campus Student Services Online Rental Listing Services maintains a database that allows you to search for available off-campus housing (not formally associated with CSU) and you can also post a request for people with housing to search and find you. You need an eID before you can access this service.
- CSU’s Housing and Dining Services has an application for graduate student apartments.
- Maggie maintains a list of people who offer housing to IRM students so contact her directly, and she’ll email that information.
- Activate your personal network to uncover other housing options. Many churches have a national network that links people in need of housing with people willing to offer housing. Use Facebook or MySpace to find people you know in Fort Collins. Is anyone from your undergraduate program here on campus? You may have more networking links than you realize.
Does CSU have a service where I can get my lease for an off-campus apartment reviewed?
Yes, that's offered through Student Legal Services.
What are the costs associated with the program?
You will pay tuition for the graduate program based on whether CSU considers you an in-state or out-of-state resident.
Students who currently live (and have lived for at least one year) in Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming are eligible for in-state tuition through the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE) program. Click here for additional information. Here's another useful link.
A chart listing the tuition rates has three links at the bottom of the page that point to student fees.
Are financial assistance and fellowships available?
All students who have been accepted for the 2008 IRM program will be considered for the four USDA Fellowships that are housed in IRM (one requirement of the fellowships is that those who receive the awards are US citizens).
Click here to see additional funding opportunities. You’ll find links to CSU and non-CSU awards, CSU’s Financial Aid Office, and search engines that allow you to search outside the university for funding sources (you may need your CSU eID to access some of the search engines).
Do I need textbooks?
Very few classes require a textbook purchase. Last year’s students remember buying three textbooks, and they recommend using Amazon.com.
Are there employment opportunities for students on campus?
CSU has a database of jobs for students, which you can access using your eID.
How do I register for classes?
Once you talk to Dr. Peel (your advisor for this program) and you receive your eID, you can logon to RamWeb, CSU’s online registration system, and select the classes that Dr. Peel indicates you need.
What if I need to withdraw from the program?
Of course, we want you to stay! But sometimes circumstances pop up that prevent students from completing the program. Let us know if that’s the case. If you make this decision before the first day of classes, you can avoid charges, but if you decide to withdraw after classes have started, you must contact CASA, the Center for Advising and Student Achievement. The assessment of tuition and fees is based on the date you withdraw.
What’s this I hear about required health insurance?
You will be required to enroll in the CSU student health insurance plan. You may opt-out by demonstrating health insurance coverage at a comparable level. Click here for details about the plan. You may request a waiver and supply documentation that you already have a comparable or better policy. The waiver must be turned in to Hartshorn Health Center staff
What’s the deal about immunization requirements at CSU?
CSU requires all students to have current immunization for MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella). You will also be assessed for risk of TB, and you may be required to have that vaccination as well. Documentation requirements are quite strict. If you do not supply documentation to Hartshorn Health Center or get the immunization there, a registration hold will be placed on your account on September 15. If you continue to have an immunization hold on your account as of October 22, you will be charged $25, and you will not be allowed to register for the spring semester until you resolve the issue.
How do I get my laptop ready for class?
CSU supplies free virus protection software to students. Also, you’ll need to load software called VPN on to your laptop in order to connect to CSU’s wireless network. Please make sure that you have VPN installed and functional before the first day of classes. If you need help, contact the College of Ag’s IT help desk.
How do I register for classes?
You will need to register for fall courses through RamWeb. (You’ll need your eID first.) Once you’re logged in to RamWeb, clear any registration blocks (they will be listed on your RamWeb home page if you have any). Go to Registration (on the left, midway down the page), select “Registration” and input the courses you wish to take. Here’s a list of the fall IRM courses along with the 5-digit CRN number associated with each course that you’ll need to input in the RamWeb Registration system:
- AGRI 630: 60017
- AGRI 632: 60018
- AGRI 637: 65038
- AGRI 636: 60022
- AGRI 634: 66120
Note that the dates and times are not accurate in the registration system (they should be fixed soon). Use the dates on the IRM calendar page and plan for 8:00-5:00 for the dates of listed on those classes (with the exception of the first day’s start at 10 am on September 2).
Most students register for all five courses, but if you’re not sure about your path, contact Dr. Peel for advising.
It’s important to register for your classes by August 24, or you could incur additional fees.
CSU Policies
Even though the IRM schedule differs from most other on-campus courses, we still have to adhere to the same dates for adding, dropping and withdrawing from courses. It doesn’t make sense, but that’s where it stands. It’s really important to stay on top of the University’s dates. Here’s a list of some key ones:
- August 24: Last day to drop classes without financial penalty
- August 24: If you add a class after this date, you will incur a $50 fee.
- September 10: Last day to drop or add a course for fall
- October 20: Last day to withdraw from a course with a W
Click here for additional details.
IRM Welcome and Orientation
We’ll be scheduling a get-together for students and faculty to meet just before classes start. I’ll let you know the details soon. CSU’s Graduate School offers an orientation that introduces you to the campus and its amenities. That will be held August 21 at 8:30 am in Clark A101. There’s no need to register for it, but if you have questions about it, it’s best to contact the Graduate School at 970.491.6817. Link to the
Graduate School handbook, which outlines most of the information that will be covered during that orientation.
You probably have more questions after reading this document. Don’t be shy! If you have a question, your classmates probably want to know the answer too. Maggie is a resource to you in getting your questions resolved. Ask her what you need to know: 970.491.1610.
