The Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) strives to provide resources necessary for graduate students to succeed in their respective programs of study. One of these resources is individual desks located in common office areas that are restricted to graduate student use. Because of limited availability, not all graduate students enrolled in the Department during any given quarter may have access to an assigned individual desk. Therefore, the following guidelines have been established to provide guidance on available desks, priority of assignment, frequency of reassignment, and procedures for requesting and reassigning desks.
Priority of assignment
Desks for graduate students are assigned based on the following prioritizations as well as the date the request is submitted:
- Top priority:
Full-time, on-campus PhD students and TAs - Second priority:
Full-time, on campus RAs or Students with Fellowships or current funding - Third priority:
Full-time, on campus ME graduate students
Desk assignments will be given to students with “Top Priority” first with students in the next two categories to follow. No priority is given to part-time, off-campus, or non-ME graduate students regardless of funding, rank or length of enrollment in the graduate program. No student will be assigned more than one desk.
Students requesting a desk assignment who have health issues or physical disabilities should notify the Graduate Program Adviser so reasonable accommodations can be made.
Frequency of reassignment
Desks are assigned on a quarterly basis. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the graduate program adviser of any change in status that may affect his or her desk assignment. If necessary, an inventory will be taken at the end of each academic quarter (summer included) to determine the need for reassignment of desk space based on change of status.
Students are free to request a change of study space at any time but availability (including waiting list order) and level of priority will determine whether the request can be fulfilled.
Procedures for requesting a desk
Students not currently assigned to a desk may request a desk at any time. If no desks are available the student will be placed on a waiting list that considers level of priority as well as the date of the request (students move up on the list over time).
All returning ME graduate students will be notified via e-mail of the need to request/renew desks. New students will also be notified but will be assigned desks after returning students.
Available space
The following areas in the ME Building (MEB) and Engineering Annex (EGA) are the locations for graduate student offices:
- MEB 107: 16 desks
- MEB 233: 11 desks
- EA 151: 18 desks
- EA 152: 11 desks