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Grad Guide – Resources – Office Policy

Department Administration Offices are shared by graduate students who use them for office hours with undergraduates and as a work area for teaching, research and study. To maximize functionality and comfort, we need to keep them neat and clean.

Space Assignments:

Students will occupy the space assigned to them. Office mates are expected to be considerate of one another. Because of space limitations, the Department of Mathematics provides office space only to graduate students who are teaching and receiving support.

Furnishings:

Notify Department Staff if furniture, shelves, filing cabinets, blackboards, tables, dividers, vents, doors, windows, etc. are broken or damaged. Office furniture such as bookcases and filing cabinets can be requested from the department.

Blackboards and whiteboards:

These items are an important resources for mathematics research and instruction. Please keep them well-maintained with chalk trays and erasers cleaned and whiteboard pens capped.

Personal items:

Student owned items in the offices need to be secured by the student. Discard personal items that you no longer want. The department reserves the right to remove any non-departmentally owned items kept in the office. Desks, bookcases, and open areas should be kept relatively neat and clean. Students may need to do occasional dusting or other light cleaning. To keep a professional appearance and maintain privacy of student information, items such as old exams should be kept stored neatly, preferably in filing cabinets, drawers, or boxes. Items should not obstruct access to the office or make the office look overly cluttered. Neatly arrange those books and personal items not in current use.

Appliances:

One small personal appliance per office is allowed, but because heaters, toasters, and hot plates pose a fire hazard, they are not allowed in offices. Moreover, coffee pots must have an automatic shut-off capability. The Chair reserves the right to make changes to these policies if there appears to be a fire hazard, and it goes without saying that the Fire Marshall may impose other restrictions.

Food, garbage and recycling:

Put all trash and recyclables in the garbage and recycling bins in your office or in the larger bins in the hallways. Custodial services remove trash only once a week, so students may need to empty their office trash, food waste and recyling into the bins in the hallways or by the elevator. To maintain clean and fresh smelling offices, consider placing food waste in bins located in external hallways. Small amounts of confidential materials can be given to the staff for secure recycling.

Noise:

Music should generally be played through headphones; however, low level speakers are acceptable outside of regular work hours when other students or visitors are not present. Please be considerate of others in conducting personal phone calls or other related activities.

Graduate Student Lounge:

The Graduate Mathematics Association (GMA) helps maintain the Graduate Student Lounge. Non-departmentally owned items, including furniture and appliances, should not be placed in the Graduate Student Lounge without first obtaining permission from Department Staff.

Computer Lab:

The computer lab is available on a first come first serve basis for departmental business. If you are on the computer for reasons unrelated to your role as a graduate student and all the computers are in use, then you should give up the computer to the new comer. As a courtesy to all your fellow users of the Computer Lab, be sure to logout when you leave so you do not lock the computer you have been using and do not leave your account open and ripe for abuse. Recycle paper from printouts you will not be using. The staff renew the paper supply first thing in the morning and around 4 pm. If for some reason there is a need for more paper, see a staff member. Please report any problems with computers to the office manager.

Safety and security:

If you see unsafe conditions, smell smoke, see suspicious visitors, find doors that do not lock properly, etc. please inform the department staff or the campus police immediately.

Office inspections:

Office inspections will most likely occur at the end of July or early in August and in April.
This office policy was drafted using the office policy at UCSD Department of Mathematics as a model.