Today graduate students’ lives are more tightly scheduled than ever before, which can make it difficult to find time to attend conventional orientation sessions on campus. Illinois State’s online Graduate School orientation is designed to provide an overview of campus and community resources at any hour that is convenient to you. We recommend that you read this online orientation before the start of your first term of study. For further information about any of the services or resources mentioned here, please see their individual pages at the university’s web site.
If you are still thinking about applying to a graduate program, the Graduate School web site section on Considering Graduate School is designed to address some commonly asked questions, but please feel free to read this online orientation as well.
The general orientation to Graduate School does not replace the program orientation in your own department. If you have not yet received information about an orientation in your department, contact your graduate coordinator.
On behalf of the Graduate School administration and staff, welcome to Illinois State University. In all of our programs, students, faculty, and staff work together each day to promote the core values of Illinois State: pursuit of learning and scholarship, individualized attention, public opportunity, diversity, and civic engagement.
Graduate study is not just more years of college; it is qualitatively different from undergraduate education. To begin with, there is no general education component to graduate study. You will focus closely on your own field. Another difference is the caliber of the students. Since graduate students typically choose the field in which they did best as undergraduates, graduate programs are composed of top performers. These differences are reflected in the university’s expectations for grades. Undergraduates remain in good academic standing with a C average. For graduate students, the minimum average for good standing is a B.
Graduate students are a select group in other ways as well. In the United States, as of the 2000 Census approximately 16% of people 25 years or older had earned bachelor’s degrees, 6% had earned master’s, 2% had earned professional degrees, and 1% had earned doctorates. In the global context access to college is a rare opportunity, and graduate school an elite privilege.
As recognized in the mission statement of the Graduate School, individuals who have the opportunity for graduate education should be prepared to take on a concomitant set of obligations, the “professional and scholarly responsibilities of educated persons in a free society.”
As you prepare to take your place in our academic community, I wish you every success.
Graduate School 309 Hovey Hall
Illinois State University
Normal IL 61790-4040
The Graduate School shall contribute to the advancement of knowledge through research and instruction. The Graduate School shall encourage qualified undergraduates to pursue graduate study, shall seek to foster in each graduate student a spirit of inquiry and a quality of scholarship or artistic excellence consistent with the highest traditions in graduate work, and shall prepare graduates who are able to assume the professional and scholarly responsibilities of educated persons in a free society.
Article II, Graduate School Bylaws
Judy Keenan, Secretary to Associate Vice President & Director of Graduate Studies (309) 438-3006 jlkeena@ilstu.edu
Diversity Tuition Waivers, Probationary Admissions, Scholarships
Kim Shennett, Graduate School Specialist (309) 438-2587 keshenne@ilstu.edu
Council/Coordinator Support, Students at Large, Regulations & Procedures, Symposia, DFI Fellowships, Graduate Assistantships, Web site manager
Sunny Portree, Thesis/Dissertation Examiner, (309) 438-2597 sdportr@ilstu.edu
Master's Theses, Doctoral Dissertations, Graduate Catalog & Curriculum
Yvonne Crutcher (309) 438-2585 ymcrutc@ilstu.edu
Plans of Study, Transfer of Credit, Degree Audit, Satisfactory Progress, Termination/Probation, Graduation
Reception, front desk (309) 438-2583
If you are a new graduate student at Illinois State, you will be joining the 3,000 current graduate students who made the decision to enter one of our master’s, certificate, specialist, doctoral, or integrated degree programs. Whether you are entering graduate school immediately after your undergraduate degree or whether you waited a few years or more than a few, you will be in good company.
Unlike most undergraduate programs, where students are admitted directly to the university and then choose a major, graduate students apply and are admitted to one specific program. You may request a different program at the same level within your own department by speaking to your graduate coordinator, who will let you know whether the change will be permitted. If at some time you wish to change to a program in another department, or another level in your own department, you will need to submit a new admission application for consideration by the new program or level. Admission to another graduate program or level is never guaranteed; each program will consider you in the same way it considers any other new applicant, and each has its own admissions requirements and priorities.
Submission of a Graduate Admission Application, or another Graduate Admission Application for students already working on requirements for a degree program, is required to be considered for admission to a certificate program. The Admission Application is available on the admissions web site.
Each graduate program is administered by a Graduate Coordinator (in some departments/schools they are known as Graduate Program Directors, and in large programs they may be assisted by other faculty members.)
Graduate coordinators are responsible for maintaining the overall integrity of the graduate program in the department or school, as well as promoting the educational success of individual graduate students.
Coordinators
In addition to other duties, coordinators serve as graduate students’ academic advisors. They will help you decide which classes to take and will assist you in filing your Plan of Study, a form that details all of the courses that you plan to use in fulfilling degree requirements.
Most graduate programs also have their own Graduate Handbooks detailing policies and procedures that are specific to that program; check your program website or ask your coordinator.
Registration for summer and fall classes begins mid-spring, for spring classes, mid-fall. Students are advised to register as soon as possible, both to assure the best choice of classes and to help programs determine demand for sections. Registration takes place on-line through I-Campus, your personalized web portal. If a class is full, you may be able to arrange an override by contacting the department or school. It is also essential to keep your campus account current, otherwise your classes for next semester may be dropped for non-payment of a bill, and those courses may be full when you try to re-register.
Economic issues can make it difficult to concentrate on graduate courses. The Financial Aid office can inform you about your options. At the Financial Aid office, Shawn Rigsby scrigsb@ilstu.edu specializes in graduate student financial aid questions. Shawn can help you assess your eligibility for loans and other forms of financial aid. The number for Financial Aid is (309) 438-2231. Hours are 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Financial Aid is located in 231 Fell Hall.
Graduate assistantships are available in many academic departments, and also in some non-academic offices on campus. Some assistants teach under the supervision of a professor, others work on research projects, and still others assist with a variety of administrative tasks. All assistantships are posted at the university’s Human Resources web site, and applications are all on-line. University policies and procedures for assistantships can be found online in the Graduate Assistant Handbook. http://www.hr.ilstu.edu/downloads/GA_Handbook.pdf. Your appointing unit may have additional instructions for you.
Illinois State University Office of Human Resources
Campus Box 1300 Normal, IL 61790-1300
Campus location: Nelson Smith Building 101
Phone: (309) 438-8311
Email: hr@IllinoisState.edu
If you have a teaching assistantship, you can expect your department or school to provide orientation and training. Additional resources are available through the university’s CTLT offers teaching workshops, some of which include a small stipend for participation, as well as small grant programs, resource materials, and expert advice.
Center for Teaching, Learning & Technology © 2007
Instructional Technology & Development Center
301 S. Main St. • Campus Box 6370 • Normal, IL 61790-6370
Phone: (309) 438-2542 • Fax: (309) 438-8788 • E-mail: teachtech@ilstu.edu
A helpful online resource for any teaching assistant new to the classroom is CIRTL, the NSF-funded Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning at http://cirtl.wceruw.org/ First developed to assist new TAs in the sciences and technology, but including information that is applicable to all disciplines, the site offers free full-text guidebooks, digests of articles on teaching, and classroom case studies (with answer keys) that provide practical guidance on a wide variety of common situations encountered by beginning TAs, including a section on cultural differences that international instructors may encounter in US classrooms. This is a good resource for all TAs to read before they teach, as well as a good source of advice if you experience difficulties in your classroom during the semester.
Each spring the Graduate School hosts a campus research symposium at which graduate students are invited to present their latest research and creative projects.
Graduate students are encouraged to use those presentations as rehearsals for later presentation at conferences and exhibitions in their own disciplines, or to share with the campus community projects that they have presented elsewhere. Small grants to help cover costs associated with the project and/or travel for conference presentation for projects that have been/will be presented at the Symposium are sometimes available. When they are, an application form will be posted on the Symposium web site. http://www.grad.ilstu.edu/symposium/ http://www.grad.ilstu.edu/symposium/
For more information, visit the Symposium web site.
Most graduate students engage in some form of research, whether in class, as an assistant to a faculty member, or in the preparation of a thesis or dissertation.
It is critical that all graduate students familiarize themselves with the university’s guidelines for research. Students are sometimes surprised to learn that they need formal permission “just to give a quick survey,” but often that is the case. Always check with your department or school’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) representative to see what permission forms you need to file.
Not only is knowledge of those guidelines essential to your success as a student and to your professional development, failure to follow them can jeopardize your own funding, funding of the project you work on and other research projects at the university. In some cases it may even result in criminal charges.
Take time now to review the Research Policy and Compliance information at the website of Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) and be certain to obtain the appropriate permissions before beginning any project. If you complete research without the appropriate permissions, there is no way to obtain those permissions retroactively. You will have violated university regulations and you will not be permitted to use the data you collected.
Milner Library · Campus Box 8900 · 201 North School St. · Normal, IL
61790-8900 Phone: 309-438-3451 · Fax 309-438-3676
Milner Library provides research materials, advice, and assistance both in the building and online. You can also use the Milner web site to order materials via interlibrary loan from a large network of college and university libraries. Research help is available in person, over the phone and by e-mail. During the academic year you can also contact a librarian via instant messenger 24 hours a day.
A personal appointment with your subject area librarian is an excellent start for any research project. These expert researchers can help you focus your topic, determine appropriate keywords, and conduct more effective searches. They can help you locate all of the standard sources for your discipline, and they can show you new sources that you may not have been aware of, all for free.
Librarians in Milner are assigned specific disciplines and subjects in which they specialize for purposes of book selection, specialized reference, bibliographic instruction and maintaining relations with the colleges and schools. The subject list below indicates the librarian assigned to the respective subject area. If a particular subject librarian is not available or if you have questions on library collection development policy, feel free to contact Chad Buckley ( cebuckle@ilstu.edu).
Subject |
Specialist |
Accounting |
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Agriculture |
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Anthropology |
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Architecture |
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Archives |
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Art |
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Biology |
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Botany |
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Business |
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Chemistry |
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Communication |
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| Communication Sciences & Disorders |
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Criminal Justice |
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Ecology |
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Economics |
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Education Administration and Foundations |
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English |
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Environmental Science |
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Family and Consumer Sciences |
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Film |
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Finance |
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Foreign Languages |
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Geography |
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Geology |
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Government Documents |
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Health Sciences |
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History |
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Information Technology |
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Insurance |
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Kinesiology |
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Law |
|
Library Science (School Media) |
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Management and Quantitative Methods |
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Maps |
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Marketing |
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Mathematics |
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Media Resource Center |
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Military Science |
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Music |
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Nursing |
|
Philosophy |
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Photography |
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Physical Education |
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Physics |
|
Politics and Government |
|
Politics and Government |
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Psychology |
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Recreation and Park Administration |
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Social Work |
|
Sociology |
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Special Education |
|
Sports Medicine |
|
| Teaching Materials Center | Derden, Julie |
Technology |
|
Theatre |
|
Women's Studies |
|
Zoology |
The overall mission of Statistical Consulting Center is to enhance the research culture at Illinois State. It offers free consultation services to faculty and to graduate students. SCC seeks to
Statistical Consulting Center
www.statscenter.ilstu.edu
Milner library
309/438-2864
The Campus Technology web site offers information on all of the tech resources on campus, including e-mail and computer-use policies, classes and training materials, academic pricing on computers and accessories, and site-licenses for download or purchase of software.
University policy is that all students are expected to have access to a computer. President Bowman has gone on record that the computer is considered to be as essential as a textbook. All registration for classes takes place on-line, and in many classes (including regular on-campus classes as well as those marked “internet-only”) it is impossible to complete and submit assignments without ready access to a computer every day.
Your university assigned e-mail account is the only official line of communication from the university. Requests to send official communications to other e-mail addresses cannot be accommodated. All students are expected to check their university e-mail accounts daily, and to use I-Campus to check their schedules, university accounts, and other records.
The university provides ResNet computer connections in university housing, as well as outlets and wireless hotspots at many points on campus.
A university ID cards is required for access to the library and other campus services. To get yours, go to the Redbird Card Office in the Bone Student Center during business hours. (Hours are 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, closed on weekends. Summer hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., M-F, closed on weekends.) The first I.D. card is free. To receive your first I.D. Card, you must be registered for at least one class for the current or upcoming semester. A photo I.D. must be presented when you obtain your I.D. (i.e. Driver's License, State I.D., passport, or military I.D.). Your photo will be taken.
Your UID, a unique number assigned to each student by the university (not related to the social security number) is available from a link on the Welcome2ISU website.
All students of Illinois State University are given a ULID ( University Logon Identification) account. A ULID is derived from the affiliate's name, is always in lowercase letters, and is the first part of the affiliate's University e-mail address (i.e. ULID@ilstu.edu). Your ULID account is used to access Illinois State University electronic resources. With your ULID and password you will be able to access your ISU e-mail, Datastore01 network shares, ResNet, and ADSL services. You will also be able to log onto ISUNET. To activate your account, go to the Campus Technology web site.
A personalized list of textbooks ordered by your professors for the courses in which you are registered is provided on your I-Campus portal. There are two bookstores on campus, Barnes & Noble in the Student Center and Alamo II across from Hovey Hall. Those stores make an effort to stock all books ordered for classes. Texts may also be available from other bookstores or online.
Honesty and integrity are expected of all members of the campus community. Each year some graduate students face disciplinary action because they have violated the Student Code of Conduct.
All students are advised to take time now to read the entire code, with special attention to the passages reproduced below.
Violations of the conduct code are taken very seriously, and may result in a failing grade on an assignment, an automatic F for the course, disciplinary probation, additional assignments to increase the student’s awareness of the importance of honesty and integrity, suspension, or expulsion from the university. For the rest of the code, and for more information about the procedures for reporting violations, see the web site of Community Rights and Responsibilities.
Illinois State University recognizes that it must create an environment where each student will be free to pursue her or his academic interests without interference from others. This includes upholding the integrity of the academic process as well as providing a community free of disruptions. The following restrictions are designed to foster a healthy and peaceful learning community. Their violation will result in disciplinary action.
1. Academic Dishonesty. Including but not limited to:
Students are expected to be honest in all academic work. A student’s placement of his or her name on any academic exercise shall be regarded as assurance that the work is the result of the student’s own thought, effort, and study.
Students shall not:
a. possess or utilize any means of assistance (books, notes, papers, articles, etc.) in an attempt to succeed at any quiz or examination unless specifically authorized by the instructor.
b. take any action with intent to deceive the person in charge as to the student’s acting without honesty to complete an assignment, such as falsifying data or sources, providing false information, etc. Students are prohibited from conversation or other communication in examinations except as authorized by the instructor.
c. appropriate without acknowledgement and authorization another’s computer program, or the results of the program (in whole or part) for a computer-related exercise or assignment.
d. plagiarize. For the purpose of this policy, plagiarism is the unacknowledged appropriation of another’s work, words, or ideas in any themes, outlines, papers, reports, speeches, or other academic work. Students must ascertain from the instructor in each course the appropriate means of documentation.
e. submit the same paper for more than one University course without the prior approval of the instructors.
f. willfully give or receive unauthorized or unacknowledged assistance on any assignment. This may include the reproduction and/or dissemination of test materials. Both parties to such collusion are considered responsible.
g. substitute for another student in any quiz or examination.
h. be involved in the advertisement, solicitation, or sale of term papers or research papers.
Everyone in the campus community is expected to treat others with respect and civility at all times. Should you encounter an exception to that rule, the Office of Community Rights & Responsibilities can work with you to resolve all types of conflict, including conflicts between students and faculty/staff/other students, disruptive or disrespectful behavior in classrooms, labs, or anywhere else on campus.
120 Student Services Building
Campus Box 2440
Normal, IL 61790-2440
Phone: (309) 438-8621
Facsimile: (309) 438-7560
Email: crr@ilstu.edu
Hours of Operation
Monday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday: 8 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m -4:30 p.m.
CRR’s support ranges from simple offers of voluntary mediation to formal and mandatory disciplinary hearings. Complaints can be filed online, and staff members are available to discuss university rules and options. CRR is a confidential setting, and the Graduate School encourages use of its resources. Prompt attention to an issue when it first emerges can often help to avoid escalation. The CRR website also offers a helpful summary of university policy on classroom behavior that all teaching assistants should read before the semester begins.
If a conflict touches on issues of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or veteran status, students should contact the Office for Diversity and Affirmative Action (ODAA).
All members of the campus community are urged to call 911 at any time if a person appears to pose a danger to him/herself or to others. Campus police officers will evaluate the situation and make other referrals as appropriate. As President Bowman urged in a recent address “If you witness behavior that you consider suspicious or worrisome—report it. The slight embarrassment you may suffer for overreacting is a very small price to pay when compared to the potential outcome.”
Mailing Address |
Street Address |
Illinois State University Police Department |
Illinois State University Police Department |
Telephone (non) emergency
|
|
Legal Services, offered through Community Rights and Responsibilities, a unit of the Dean of Students Office, provides students with the legal information and guidance they need to help resolve their concerns and focus on what's most important — their education.
Legal Services provides students with:
Legal Services
Community Rights and Responsibilities
120 Student Services Building
Campus Box 2440
Normal, IL 61790-2440
Phone: (309) 438-2571
Facsimile: (309) 438-7560
Illinois State University formally reiterates and reaffirms its commitment to the principles of equal opportunity, affirmative action and diversity. Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression*, or veteran’s status is a violation of federal and state law and university policy and will not be tolerated.
This nondiscrimination policy applies to all programs administered by the University. However, this policy should not be construed to infringe upon the free exchange of ideas essential to the academic environment.
To the extent allowed by law, all employment decisions, including those affecting hiring, promotion, demotion, or transfer; recruitment; advertisement of vacancies; layoff and termination; compensation and benefits; or selection for training will be made consistent with established Illinois State University policy.
Responsibility for communicating, interpreting, and monitoring the University’s equal opportunity policy has been assigned to the Office for Diversity and Affirmative Action (ODAA).
Illinois State University assigns a high priority to the implementation of its equal opportunity policy and to maintaining an inclusive environment. The realization of this priority requires the cooperation of all members of the university community.
* Discrimination based on gender identity and expression is prohibited by Illinois State University policy and state law but is not currently prohibited by federal law
Hovey Hall 208
Campus Box 1280
Normal, IL 61790-1280
Telephone: (309) 438-3383
TTY: (309) 438-2554
Fax: (309) 438-7395.
OFFICE HOURS
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday
Office of International Studies and Programs
Illinois State University,
308 Fell Hall,Campus Box 6120,
Normal, IL 61790-6120
Fax (309) 438-3987 Tel (309) 438-5365/5276
Email: oisp@ilstu.edu
Illinois State 's full scope of international activities - undergraduate, graduate, professional, research, and training - are coordinated by the Office of International Studies and Programs (OISP).
OISP facilitates numerous institutional linkages across all continents; arranges for hundreds of Illinois State students to participate annually in study abroad programs; provides opportunities for large numbers of foreign scholars and participant trainees to visit our campus annually; sponsors programs that provide professional development for Illinois State faculty and staff through international teaching, seminars and research activities; and services hundreds of international students and visiting scholars, annually, from over a hundred different countries.
The International Studies staff is committed to fully developing international opportunities for all members of the ISU campus community. Should you need assistance or have questions, please feel welcomed to contact us at (309) 438-5276.
The Office of International Studies & Programs offers orientation sessions and online information for international students.
Disability Concerns provides accommodation services that support persons with disabilities in:
In addition to providing direct support to students, Disability Concerns also advises faculty and teaching assistants regarding university policies on how to respond when students in their classes request accommodations for a disability.
Telephone 309.438.5853 (Voice)
309.438.8620 (TTY)
Facsimile 309.438.7713
E-mail ableisu@ilstu.edu
350 Fell Hall Campus Box 1290
Normal, Illinois 61790-1290
Office Hours 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday
Student health fees support a campus health center to provide health care and prevention services to students enrolled at Illinois State University. All of the center’s physicians and nurse practitioners are board certified in family practice, internal medicine, or women's health. Lab, x-ray, and pharmacy services are available onsite. In addition to medical services, To see the full range of those services, visit https://www.shs.ilstu.edu/ https://www.shs.ilstu.edu/
The Student Health Service is located in the Student Services Building, at the corner of University and College in Normal, IL. Take Main Street (Business 51) to College Avenue; turn east on College, then north on University. The Student Services Building (SSB) is on your left, across the street from the circular drive of the Bone Student Center Braden Auditorium. You may also contact SHS by mail at the following address:
Student Services Building Student Health Service Campus box 2540 Normal, IL 61790-2540
Student Health Service........................ (voice) (309) 438-8655
(TDD) (309) 438-2498
Appointments............................... (309) 438-APPT / 438-2778
Appointment cancellations........ (309) 438-CNCL / 438-2625
Nurse Consult............................. (309) 438-RNRN / 438-7676
Business Office................................................. (309) 438-8793
Clinical Fax......................................................... (309) 438-5205
Health Promoti……........................................... (309) 438-5948
Health Stop Resource Center………..…........(309) 438-5613
Medical Records................................................ (309) 438-7559
Pharmacy............................................................ (309) 438-8713
Preventive Medicine........................................... (309) 438-8560
Student Counseling Services
Every year thousands of students use Student Counseling Services (SCS) for career planning, to attend an outreach or Guerrilla Theatre event, or to utilize counseling services. The Counseling Services website answers many questions about programs and services, and provides useful information about concerns you might have.
Location and Hours
The SCS office is located in the Student Services Building and is open between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on Wednesday. We are closed during official University Holidays.
How to Make an Appointment
Call (309) 438-3655 or stop by room 320 of the Student Services Building to make an appointment. During your first appointment, a professional counselor will work with you to help you clarify your concerns and explore if ongoing counseling or other services are needed. All counseling services are confidential and provided without charge. Psychiatric consultations are also available to discuss issues related to medication.
Questions?
If you still have questions after looking through our site, please don’t hesitate to call us at (309) 438-3655. A staff member would be happy to assist you with any concerns you might have.
Student Counseling Services 320 Student Services Building
Phone: 309-438-3655 (Voice) 309-438-5489 (TDD)
E-mail: counseling@IllinoisState.edu
Mailing Address:
Student Counseling Services
Campus Box - 2420
Illinois State University
Normal, IL 61790-2420
Psychological Emergency Services
Student Counseling Services offers emergency walk-in services for all ISU students Monday through Friday during our normal business hours. To access this service please call (309) 438-3655 or go to Room 320 of the Student Services Building and tell them you would like to see the emergency counselor.
If you have an emergency after our normal weekday business hours or on the weekend please call PATH , Providing Access to Help, at (309) 827-4005. PATH will provide information, support, referrals, and, if needed, will transfer your call to the SCS professional staff member on call that can provide emergency consultation. If PATH is unavailable, dial 911 or proceed to the emergency room at BroMenn Regional Medical Center or call them at (309) 454-0743.
If you require emergency medical intervention, please contact 911 , and arrange transportation to the nearest hospital emergency room. To obtain up-to-date information about Emergency Services after hours and on weekends, call the Student Counseling Services at (309) 438-3655. A recorded message will give you up-to-date information on accessing crisis services for psychological emergencies.
State and National Helpline Information
The university is located in Normal, but Bloomington starts only a mile south of campus. The main business areas of Normal are located in uptown (just east of campus), and along Main Street (west of campus.) Bloomington has its own historic downtown centered along Main Street, about 2 miles south of campus.
Books, groceries and other necessities
Within walking distance
The nearest grocery store to campus is the Kroger on Main, about a mile south of the Quad, and there is a Walgreens drug store just south of the Kroger.
There are two bookstores on campus, Alamo and Barnes & Noble. Babbitt’s Used Books is east of campus on North Street.
Anderson Park , which offers an outdoor swimming pool, is about a mile east of the Quad on College Avenue.
The Normal Theater, east of campus on North Street, has been renovated by the city to match its original 1937 décor and shows popular, international and documentary films.
Tuesday evenings from 4:30-6:30 local farmers sell fresh produce, meat, flowers and baked goods near the Amtrak Station east of campus.
A short bus ride from campus
Nearly all of the grocery stores, including Aldi, Cub, Kroger, Jewel, Meijer, Schnucks and Wal-Mart, are on the city bus lines.
Borders and Barnes & Noble bookstores are located on Veteran's Parkway.
Downtown Bloomington has a historical museum in the old courthouse, as well as many restaurants and shops. Saturday mornings local farmers sell fresh produce, meat, flowers and baked goods in the courthouse square.
The two large shopping malls in town are College Hills, on College and Veteran’s Parkway, and Eastland, on Empire and Veterans.
Fairview Park in North Normal has a large outdoor pool with waterslides and other attractions.
Miller Park, in Bloomington, features a small municipal zoo. The park also has a lake with beaches and paddleboat rentals.
Illinois State University’s campus is in the twin-city community of Bloomington-Normal near the geographic center of the state, 137 miles southwest of Chicago and 164 miles northeast of St. Louis. Interstate highways 74, 55, and 39, U.S. Route 150, and Illinois Route 9 intersect in Bloomington-Normal, creating a transportation hub. The local airport is served by a number of airlines and rental car agencies.
For walking, biking, skating, and, in the winter, cross-country skiing, the Constitution Trail offers many miles of tree-lined paved pathways throughout the cities. The trail passes through uptown Normal near the Amtrak station, a few blocks from the university. The Campus Recreation Center rents skis and skates.
Bloomington-Normal Public Transit buses run throughout campus and the twin cities, including late-night service on some routes. All city buses are free to university students at all times—just show your university ID card to the driver. http://www.bnpts.com/
The Amtrak train station is located two blocks east of the University in uptown Normal. Trains run between Normal and Chicago or Saint Louis 5 times each day, connecting to cities throughout the United States and Canada. In Chicago, the train station is located on Canal and Adams streets, an easy walk from the Art Institute and Millennium Park. Amtrak often runs sales on tickets, and discounts can be as much as 80% (look on the Amtrak website under “hot deals” or “weekly specials.”) http://www.amtrak.com
Peoria Charter offers multiple buses each day between the Bone Student Center and O’Hare and Midway airports http://www.peoriacharter.com/
Central Illinois Regional Airport is a short cab ride from campus and can also be reached during the day by city bus on the Teal J line.
There is no one formula for success in Graduate School. Each program is different, as is each student. Nevertheless, conversations with successful graduates do present some common threads in terms of attitudes and actions. Beyond obvious advice like managing your time carefully and working hard, outstanding graduate students usually have three other traits in common: confidence, curiosity, and an enthusiasm for conversation about their chosen fields.
Confidence
You have reason to be confident. By admitting you to their graduate program, your department or school is betting on your success. This does not means that things will always go smoothly. In fact, one of the hallmarks of confident students is their willingness to ask questions and seek help whenever they need it. Like professors, confident students view questions as a normal part of the learning process, and not as a sign of trouble. They ask right away, and get the answers they need so that they can go on to do well on projects and exams. In contrast, students who lack confidence tend to avoid asking questions until after they have turned in a sub-standard assignment or earned a low grade.
Curiosity
Successful students do not limit their reading to course assignments. They ask their professors and subject librarians for recommendations on key journals and read them regularly in order to learn more about the field. They also seek to be well informed on current events, reading national papers online and listening to daily newscasts (WGLT, the campus radio station, is a good start.)
Conversation
Another good predictor of graduate success is how much time a student spends talking with professors and other students outside class about topics related to the field of study. Talking with others not only offers opportunities to learn from them, it also permits you to organize and articulate your own knowledge of the subject before you sit down to write an assignment or take an exam.
If you have suggestions for other topics to be included in this orientation, please send them to Orientation Suggestions, Graduate School, Campus Box 4040.
