Information for Summer Applicants/Participants 2009
Travel
Housing
Participants in the McNair Program will be housed in Burton, a dormitory located on the Residential Quad. Your arrival date is Tuesday, May 29th and departure is Saturday, July 28th. Arrival time is between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Program staff will meet your plane, and bring you to campus if we made your travel arrangements (If you do not want us to meet you, please email us and let us know). If you are not a University of Rochester student, look for someone holding a sign that says: McNair when you reach the Rochester airport. We will be having dinner and program orientation beginning at 6:00 PM on May 30st in a room to be determined. Please check your email, and in your registration materials for the location of this mandatory meeting!
You will need to bring bedding from home, including pillows, as well as any cooking utensils you might want. In addition, you will be held responsible for maintaining the condition of both your room and any common areas. Crosby, like all the dormitories on campus, is NOT air conditioned. Therefore, you might want to bring –or have someone send you--a fan for your room.
Meals
Meals are available in a variety of campus locations, including The Pit in Wilson Commons and The House of the Six Nations Cafeteria. You will have $150 encoded on your University ID card at the outset of the Program. You may use this ID to purchase meals at The Pit, or the House of Six Nations Cafeteria in Strong Memorial Hospital. The program will be providing dinner on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during class time. Additionally, on the days the dining center is not open, or is unavailable to you, you will be reimbursed by the program for meals for which you pay, up to $200 per student. If you buy groceries or eat in a restaurant, you must save your receipts in order to be reimbursed. Only food items can be reimbursed. Detailed information regarding food reimbursement will be explained during orientation.
NOTE: If you have any special dietary needs, please let us know ASAP so that you may be accommodated.
Schedule
McNair participants are expected to work between 35 and 40 hours per week on the research project, and to meet regularly with their faculty mentor and with John and/or Beth to report on progress. All participants are required to attend The Culture of the Academy, which will beheld on Monday evenings at 6 :00 PM; and GRE preparation workshops, which will be held on Wednesday mornings at 9:00 AM and Thursday evenings at 6:00 PM. Attendance at all class sessions is mandatory; if for any reason you need to miss class, contact John, and provide a plan to make up any missed work. Participants are not allowed to work or to take classes during the summer program. Because some work is not done in lab, excellent time management skills are essential for success in this program. Be prepared for random progress checks by program staff.
Telephone
Regular local calls and phonemail will be available for all participants in the dormitory. If you plan on making any long distance calls, however, you will need to bring a long distance calling card.
Library and Computing Access
All McNair students have access to borrowing privileges at library facilities throughout the campus. Library hours vary in the summer, and will be explained during orientation. Computers are available in the University’s libraries and computing centers. Additionally, several computers are available for student use in the program office.
Parking
If you plan to have a car on campus during the program, you will be responsible for purchasing a parking permit from the University’s parking office, which you can do on the first day of the program. Students driving themselves to campus need to inform us so that we can arrange parking for the first night.
Payment of Stipend
You will receive a stipend of $3,400, paid in four biweekly installments of $850, according to the schedule arranged by the University’s payroll office. Your first paycheck will be in the middle of June. Your stipend is not considered taxable income by the University, and will not be subject to any withholding tax. However, it will be reported to you at year’s end on an IRS form 1099. Because payment will not begin until you have been here for two weeks, we strongly suggest that you bring some cash with you to cover whatever expenses you may incur before your first payday.
In order for you to be paid in a timely manner, you must complete the necessary I9 forms if you have not already done so. University of Rochester students who do not work on campus please stop by the program office at your earliest convenience to do so. Students from institutions other than the University of Rochester can fill these forms out during our program orientation. Please carefully check the following list of necessary documents, and be sure to bring the appropriate forms:
- US or Foreign Passport OR Naturalization Papers OR Certificate of Citizenship
or - US current driver’s license OR other photo ID AND a social security card OR birth certificate
The final stipend payment will be held pending receipt of all required assignments. Do not jeopardize payment by failing to complete your work in a timely manner.
Please feel free to give our mailing address to anyone who might need it. The complete mailing address is:
McNair Program
University of Rochester
717 Hylan/RC Box 270415
Rochester, NY 14627-0415
If you plan to ship computers or large boxes to yourself, use this address—just let us know via email so that we can expect a package or packages. You can also give our office phone number (585) 275-7512 to people who might have to contact you before you have your own phone is set up.
Office
Program staff are here to assist you in any way we can. The McNair Program Offices are located in Hylan on the 7th floor. We will generally be open Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Our phone extensions are Beth: 275-7531; Collette 275-1402. Our e-mail addresses are:
Beth: bolv@mail.rochester.edu
Collette: ckettles@admin.rochester.edu
Our fax number, in case you need it, is: 585-442-5992