Graduate School "Tips from the Trenches"
The following comments were offered by recent students in the graduate program as information they felt would have made their initial experience at the Intercollegiate College of Nursing easier.
- Watch the door of the Graduate Student Society Lounge
for postings of GSS meetings and other important
announcements.
- Each graduate student has a mail folder in the Graduate Student Lounge. The College usually does not mail things to you during the school year. They put them in your box. If you do not check your box, you may miss important information!
- Have someone take you around the school so that you
have an idea of the physical layout of the
building.
- Buzz Stop provides food and lattes in the main floor
student lounge during the school week. A nice alternative
to brown bagging it or a restaurant.
- Do not leave valuables unattended anywhere, even In
the graduate lounge!
- Not all of the computers in the Computer Lab have the
same programs on them. You can find which program is on a
particular machine by looking at the chart on the
Computer Lab wall.
- The laser printer key (available for matriculated
graduate students) is in the Audiovisual Lab when they
are open and the library during off hours. It is
available for final copies of thesis/clinical projects
and publications only.
- Internet access is available to registered students.
You can use it with the school's computers or with your
own laptop. Talk to Rick Clapp in the Computer Lab. Be
warned: it can be addictive!
- Arrange to go to an orientation in the library on the
use of CINAHL, Medline, and other resources. Bob Pringle,
Head Librarian, feels your attendance at the scheduled
orientation will cut down on confusion and save you
time.
- Check out the Graduate Student Society (GSS)
meetings. The purpose of GSS, as stated in the Student
Handbook, is to "represent the graduate student views
regarding matters of Intercollegiate College of Nursing
governance." It also exists to "promote the general
welfare of the graduate students." This is a real
organization with budgeted funds. Agendas are posted, and
each student receives the minutes of the meetings.
- When an opening occurs on one of the GSS committees,
a request for volunteers is posted on the door of the GSS
Lounge.
- The next semester's schedule is available at the end
of the current semester and is placed in your mail folder
in the Graduate Lounge.
- New programs (and old) are always being reorganized. If you have a problem with the schedule, let Margaret Ruby in the Graduate Program Office know. There is a good chance someone else has the same problem. You can create change!
- Be aware that when you create your thesis/ project committee, you must ask them; they cannot volunteer to be on your committee.
- WSU has deadlines for submitting forms for thesis or projects and graduation. There is a time line in the Graduate Student Handbook.
- Even if it is not required, consider purchasing the
APA format book. Be sure it is the most recent
edition.
- Get the Graduate Student
Handbook and use it as a resource. It has a diagram
of the school, hours the school is open, and policies.
This booklet is a very good resource.
- It is helpful to talk to an advisor early and get
solid help on a plan for when to take classes. Some
people get this information only from other students, and
it may not always apply to their particular situation.
See the Academic Services Office if you do not know who
your advisor is.
- Books and syllabi are available through the
WSU Bookie. Textooks
may be ordered via the website by going hereor by
phone at (800) 937-4978 ext.325. The WSU-Spokane
Bookie at 410 E. Trent will also handle book
orders.
- For miscellaneous school supplies, such as paper,
pens, etc., try the Spokane Falls Community College
Bookstore. They are across Ft. George Wright Drive from
the Intercollegiate College of Nursing.
- When you are exiting the College, you would turn left
and the campus is on your right. The bookstore is in the
Student Union Building (SUB), which is building #17
across from the clock tower. The bookstore phone number
is 533-3565.
- The Audiovisual Lab and Library hours change for
holidays. The hours are always posted on their doors as
the holiday approaches. The hours are also listed in the
Graduate Student Handbook.
- The Practice Lab is an excellent resource for
teaching materials and has equipment for check out.
- The Learning Resource Lab will have classes on the
use of the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation software.
This program can be used for presentations. If you hear
someone refer to the use of computer slides during
presentations, this is what they are referring to.
- Announcements for computer classes on Microsoft Word,
statistical packages, and drawing programs will be placed
on the bulletin board in the Graduate Student Lounge.
Individual notices for each student will not be placed in
your box.
- Kinko's 24 Hr Copies are available for those last
minute project copying needs. Their addresses and phone
numbers are:
- 7116 N Division, Spokane,
484-2679 - 1320 N Hamilton, Spokane,
484-0601 - 15204 E Sprague, Veradale (in the Spokane
Valley),
922-4929 - 2630 E 29th, Spokane, 535-7233
- 119 W Appleway, Coeur d'Alene,
(208) 664-2880
- 7116 N Division, Spokane,
- Don't be afraid to call instructors at home if they
have said that it's OK. Sometimes it's the only way to
reach them. If they give you a home phone number, they
want you to be able to reach them. They want to help!
Take advantage of it!
- Network with students who are ahead of you in the program. It is really helpful to talk to prior graduates for insights into the "ins and outs" of the program. Even better would be a scheduled information session with a recent graduate. These people can give you information on how registration works, when you register, what your advisor does, what the head of your thesis/project committee does, the importance of selecting your advisor carefully, and what orals involve.