Life in the CS Department There are currently around 100 Ph.D. and Masters students (including many graduating this spring), with about 20 new students arriving this Fall. Don't let the numbers intimidate you, though - it doesn't seem like there are that many people around here, and we think you will find the student population a comfortable and close-knit group. The Computer Science Graduate Student Group (CSGSG) represents student interests within the department, and all graduate students are automatically members. A three-member steering committee (elected annually) handles administrative details, disseminates information, and delegates responsibility for various projects and activities (e.g. the mentor program and the department picnic). Some of our more important duties include acting as a liaison between the faculty and graduate students, providing student input on such important items as graduate curriculum and comprehensive exams. We'll hold an informal meeting to kick things off and get you involved shortly after you arrive. Note: The academic details here come from the CS program - For more specific information about what to expect in the CpE program, please visit http://www.cpe.virginia.edu Most first-year students that are funded through the department will be teaching assistants (TA) during their first semester, while a small number of you have been offered research assistantships (RA). TA duties include grading tests and homework, holding office hours, and conducting lab sessions. Most first-year graduate students take 3 regular graduate courses in the first semester, in addition to a one-credit class (CS 696) designed to introduce you to ongoing research in the department. Part of the goal of CS 696 is to help you find an advisor, although you are highly encouraged to meet with potential faculty advisors outside of CS 696 as well. Once you have an advisor, you will most likely begin working as an RA for him or her. RA duties depend very much on the advisor that you end up working with, but the idea is for you to do work that supports your advisors' funded research projects while also becoming the basis for your thesis or dissertation. The courses you enroll in will depend on your background, interests etc. Special faculty advising sessions will be held during orientation week to help you pick out courses, and older grad students are always glad to share "war stories" about past courses and instructors. All full-time students get a desk and storage space when they arrive. Student offices are in fairly spacious rooms, with dividers marking off more-or-less personal spaces. students will have a desk and PC to themselves. Desk space is coordinated by a graduate student who has been appointed to the position of "Desk Tsar." The Desk Tsar web site has detailed information about how desk space is assigned and how students can switch desks. Life at the University In case you haven't spent time around UVa before, the language spoken here is a bit different from that in other universities. For instance, we have "grounds," not a "campus." Undergraduates are referred to as "first-years," "second-years," and so on, instead of "freshmen," "sophomores," and the like. Traditionally, professors are formally addressed as Mr. and Ms., because our founder Mr. Jefferson was never addressed directly as "Doctor" or "Professor". However, in our collegial CS department, faculty and graduate students work as colleagues and are on a first-name basis. "The Corner" refers to the section of University Avenue near the Rotunda, where you'll find many shops, bookstores, and restaurants (it isn't actually a corner, either -- at best it's a curve). Most places of interest are within moderate walking distance from grounds, and there are both university and city bus services that will get you to places farther away. The Computer Science Department is in Olsson Hall, right behind Thornton Hall, which houses most of the engineering departments. It's right across the parking lot from the football stadium. The first purely social activity organized by the CSGSG will be NerdBash 2007 (a.k.a. Nerd ksh), held after classes on August 31st . The annual departmental picnic will be held on September 2nd . More information about both of these events will be provided during orientation. During the semester there will be a variety of fun activities in which you can take part. In past years there's been a weekly "happy hour," where students go out to a local restaurant at the end of the day. Every Friday afternoon, students and faculty gather for an informal "tea-time," with snacks provided by a different research group each week. Life in Charlottesville The list of things to do in the local area is virtually endless. Cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway, pick peaches and apples on Carter Mountain, listen to live music at "Fridays after Five" at the downtown pedestrian mall or even at a local coffeehouse, see a play, hike the Appalachian Trail, or tour Monticello ("Mr. Jefferson's" home), all of which are only a few miles away. Charlottesville has several shopping areas, plenty of movie theaters, and a number of great restaurants. This is a college town, and there is no shortage of places to find a pizza or something to drink, if that's what you're looking for. For the more active types, there are a number of gyms on grounds providing just about every sporting facility imaginable. The Drama Department puts on many quality productions, and the University Programs Council runs its own movie theatre and game room. You can walk into any UVa sporting event with just your student ID; all sporting events are free to students. In addition, you can get involved with a variety of student organizations with interests as diverse as ballroom dancing, martial arts, and science fiction. Graduate school is a lot of work, but it can also be a lot of fun. So, talk to your fellow graduate students, get involved in activities, explore the Charlottesville community, and have fun!