Who’s Who in the Graduate College
Getting Connected
Academic Advice
1. General Requirements for the Masters and Ph.D Degrees
2. Enrollment Policies and Procedures
International Students
Library Resources
Where to Study On-Campus
Where to Study Off-Campus
Where to Find Computers on Campus
Helpful Campus Services
Financial Information
Health Care and Child Care
Livin’ Large – The Unofficial Graduate Housing Guide
Getting Around Burlington & Vermont
Snow!!
Graduate Grub
1. On-Campus Dining
2. Off-campus dining
When You Aren’t Studying

Who’s Who in the Graduate College

The Graduate College Office, 332 Waterman Building, South Prospect St. (map) provides comprehensive services for graduate education at UVM, including admissions (656-2699) and student retention (656-3160) activities; graduate program development, change and administration; policy creation, revision, and implementation; graduate assistantship and fellowship management; intramural faculty research funding; and faculty and student recognition programs.

The following people really make it happen in the Graduate College. They are assisted in their efforts by a number of faculty and students who serve on the Graduate Student Senate and other Graduate College committees.

Frances E. Carr, Vice President for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies, has overall responsibility for both graduate education and research programs at UVM.
Patricia A. Stokowski, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, is responsible for enrollment management, including Graduate Admissions and student services, as well as expansion and development of programs to support graduate students.
Ralph Swenson coordinates Graduate Admissions and works with student services.
Kathie Merchant is the Graduate College Office’s Executive Administrator.
Ida Russin is responsible for scholarship payments and health insurance support for graduate fellows and assistants. She also is the staff liaison to the Graduate Student Senate and is a great resource for graduate students.
Michaele (Mike) Cook works with enrolled students, maintaining academic files and tracking student progress through graduation. She is an important person to get to know when you are working on your thesis.
Deborah (Deb) Bouchard and Joanne Molina are responsible for admissions activity from a prospective applicant’s first contact with the University through a new student’s initial enrollment. Joanne processes applications in Arts and Sciences and Education and Social Services programs, and Deb works with the remaining programs.

Getting Connected

Activating your Network ID, e-mail address, web pages, and server space:

All UVM students have a Network ID (Net-ID) and uvm.edu e-mail address. Your professors, the Graduate Student Senate, and University offices use your uvm.edu address for important correspondence.

Your Network ID is the key to the server that manages e-mail, serves web pages, stores your important work, and provides special, number-crunching resources for teaching and research. Activate your Network ID from any computer with web access. Visit this webpage and follow the link to activate your Network ID. When you are finished, information about your Network ID, your account, and your email address will be displayed. The information will look something like the following if, for example, your name is Sreedhar Manchu:

Your Network ID and uvm.edu login name will be smanchu
Your e-mail address will be Sreedhar.Manchu@uvm.edu (you can also use smanchu@uvm.edu)
Your web home page will be http://www.uvm.edu/~smanchu

If you forget your Network ID or password, or to manage your account, just go to http://www.uvm.edu/account/.

Wired and Wireless Internet Connections:

The 113 Waterman and Bailey/Howe Library computers have full Internet access, and the Cat’s PAWS wireless network is available in most campus locations (For more information check this link).

Connecting from off-campus:

Visit this page for a tutorial on how to connect from an off-campus location. Be aware that the use of many library resources from off-campus is restricted to University of Vermont students, faculty, and staff.
There are two different ways to access materials from off-campus:

1. Ezproxy
  Logon using your UVM NetID and password. After logging on you will be redirected to the Libraries homepage. Follow links to desired resource.
2. Virtual Private Network (VPN)
  Establishes a secure network connection from off-campus. Also used for wireless access on-campus (most Graduate Students use this). There are additional instructions for Dana Medical Library users on the library website at this link.

Access to Your Server Account

If you are not on a university computer, your server account may be accessed through software called Secure Shell (SSH). This software may be downloaded from the University’s software archive. This archive is also a great place to find other software that the University makes available for students.

CEMS Computer Services

Forwarding Mail

Everyone at UVM has an email address that ends with “@uvm.edu”. Typically, that address is “netID@uvm.edu” or “Firstname.Lastname@uvm.edu”. The netID name is usually your first initial, followed by the first seven letters of your last name, but there are lots of exceptions. If you don’t know your netID or know that you have not yet activated it, you can determine your netID or activate it at http://www.uvm.edu/account/. You will need your UVM ID card in hand because it asks you for some information from it. The colloquial name for your netID is your “zoo account”. It is called “zoo” because all the machines are named after animals. (The mail server is called “woodchuck”).

As a CEMS affiliate, you have another UVM account here at CEMS and therefore two UVM email addresses. Your CEMS email address is typically “username@cems.uvm.edu” where “username” (your CEMS username) is usually your first initial, followed by the first seven letters of your last name, but again, there are plenty of exceptions. To determine your CEMS account information, you must stop by IN PERSON at 233 or 235 Votey Hall, and bring a photo ID. We do NOT, under any circumstances, give out account information or passwords by mail, email or phone.

Since you have two email accounts, it will behoove you to forward all the mail from one to the other, because you will receive mail at both addresses. Which mailbox ends up as the final destination, is simply a matter of preference.

To forward your mail from zoo to CEMS, go to http://www.uvm.edu/account. About half way down is a link to “Handle mail forwarding”. You must already have a zoo account and know the password to get to the next page, which contains a box to type in your forwarding address. You can forward to any real address, but if consolidating your UVM mail is your quest, use “username@cems.uvm.edu” in the box (without the quote marks). (Note: substitute your real CEMS username instead of typing in literally “username”).

To forward all your CEMS mail to zoo, you must either telnet or ssh to a Unix machine called “squall.cems.uvm.edu” and issue the command “fmail” (without the quotation marks). It will ask you for the forwarding address, and set all the appropriate permissions to make forwarding work. All Windows machines come with a telnet program, however we recommend that you use an ssh client instead. Ssh (Secure Shell) uses encryption so that data traveling over the network (such as your password) cannot easily be “sniffed out” by evil-doers. A Secure Shell Client can be obtained at: https://www.uvm.edu/software.

Note that any mail already received prior to you setting up mail forwarding will not be forwarded automatically. It will stay right where it is until you do something with it.

Mapping Your M: Drive

All data on all computers is stored on “drives”. Your local hard drive is probably a “C” drive, and you probably have a CD drive that Windows sees as a “D” drive. All Windows drives are given a letter of the alphabet. “A” and “B” were assigned to the floppy drives on early PCs. Many PCs now come with either one floppy drive, or none, but the main hard drive has remained the “C” drive. If you have a Mac, these drives are knows as “volumes”, and how to mount (map) your personal volume is discussed24 later in this document.

Modern-day personal computers come with the ability to map network drives. This means the data physically lives on another computer, but the computer you are sitting at is tricked into thinking the data is on a local drive. At CEMS, you are allowed to have data stored on a private network drive. By “private” we mean that no else has access to it unless they know your password. (By the way, giving your password to ANYONE, is strictly prohibited).

Of course, every network drive must be assigned a letter of the alphabet, and which letter you choose is up to you. At CEMS, we use “M”. Why we use “M” is anybody’s guess. My guess is that it stands for “Mine”. If you log into one of the computers in one of our labs, it will automatically map your “M” drive. Your “M” drive is a great place to put important files because it is accessible from anywhere in the world, and furthermore, we back it up every (that’s EVERY) night.

So how do you map your “M” drive if you are not in the lab? The answer is that there are several ways, but we’ll just give you the quickest way. In all cases, if you are off-campus, you must first run UVM’s VPN software, or the connection will be blocked. Obtaining and running VPN is discussed14 later in this document.

Windows XP. Click on the “Start” button, and a small menu will appear. One of the items is “My Computer”. Right click “My Computer”, and another small menu will appear. It will have an item “Map Network Drive”. Left click on it. A dialog box will pop up asking for a drive letter and folder. Again, the letter of the aphabet is not relevant at all, but you should use “M” to be consistant. In the folder box, enter (without the quote marks) “\\sidney.cems.uvm.edu\username” and substitute your real CEMS username. A dialog box will pop up asking for your username and password. Use your CEMS username and password.

Windows 2000. You should have a “My Computer” icon on the desktop. Right-click on it and another small menu will appear. It will have an item “Map Network Drive”. Left click on it. A dialog box will pop up asking for a drive letter and path. Again, the letter of the aphabet is not relevant at all, but you should use “M” to be consistant. In the path box, enter (without the quote marks) “\\sidney.cems.uvm.edu\username” and substitute your real CEMS username. A dialog box will pop up asking for your username and password. Use your CEMS username and password.

Windows 98/ME. First, you must already be logged on to the machine using the EXACT same name and password as your CEMS name and password. There is no way to change identities on-the-fly such as in WinXP or 2000. That said, you should have a “My Computer” icon on the desktop. Right-click and another small menu will appear. It will have an item “Map Network Drive”. Left click on it. A dialog box will pop up asking for a drive letter and path. Again, the letter of the aphabet is not relevant at all, but you should use “M” to be consistant. In the path box, enter (without the quote marks) “\\sidney.cems.uvm.edu\username” and substitute your real CEMS username.

MacOS X. Click in the background area of the desktop. This will put you in the Finder. The Finder has a menu item “Go”, and when clicked drops down a submenu, and has an item “Connect to Server”. That will pop up a dialog box that has a place to type in the “Server Address”. Type in smb://sidney.cems.uvm.edu/username except substitute your real CEMS username. Another dialog box will pop up asking for your username and password. The username will probably be already filled in. (with CAPITAL letters, but that’s OK). Enter your CEMS password, and the volume will be mounted.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

Most incoming network traffic is blocked as a security measure and that includes drive mapping. So, if you are off campus, and want access to your “M” drive, you must first run VPN. VPN provides a “tunnel” and gives you access to the UVM network just as though you were on campus. VPN can be obtained at: http://www.uvm.edu/software22. Don’t forget you have to RUN it. Some people have been known to download it, and ask why it doesn’t work. Or they download it and install it, and it doesn’t work. You have to RUN it. When you run it, you have to click on “Connect”. If it is working properly, it will pop up a dialog box asking for username and password. Use your zoo name and password.

The installation of VPN is easy. You download the install program, and run it. Take all the default answers. Once you have installed it, you should see it on the menu system as “University of Vermont VPN Client”. That is the program you have to run every time you want VPN access.

Changing Your Password

As strange as this sounds, we maintain two password databases. The “main” password database, contains an encrypted password that is used to authenticate you in the vast majority of instances, such as Unix authentication when you log in, Windows authentication when you log into one of the labs, and web login when you attempt to access the secure area of our web site. You can change this password by logging onto any Unix machine in the CEMS domain and entering the command (without the quotes) “yppasswd”. It will prompt you for your old password, then prompt you for your new password, and finally prompt you for your new password again. Your keystrokes will not be echoed to the screen as a security measure in case somebody is sneaking a peek. This is why the new password has to be typed in twice.

Now, what about the second password database? That is a database of passwords that authenticate you when you map your “M” drive (see above). There is only one method to change this password (OK two really). This one method is to log into a PC in one of our labs (206, 229, or 246 Votey Hall), and press the key combination Cntl-Alt-Del. Press and hold the Control key, then press and hold the Alt key, and then press (while still holding Control and Alt) the Delete key. This will cause a dialog box to pop up, and one of its choices (buttons) will be to change your password. Click on the change password button, and it will pop up another dialog box where you type in your old password, and your new password twice. This will make the change in both password databases. The other way to change this second password, is to start by changing your password on a Unix machine with yppasswd, and then simply log on in one of the labs. That will push your new password over to the second database.

Why don’t we automatically keep these two databases in sync? We can’t.

If you have forgotten your password, you have no recourse other than to show up IN PERSON at 233 or 235 Votey Hall, and we will change your password for you. Bring a photo ID. We do NOT, under any circumstances, give out account information or passwords by mail, email, or phone.

Obtaining a CEMS Account

Only those people directly affiliated with CEMS are entitled to an account. To qualify as affiliated, you must be employed by CEMS, be a full-time student enrolled in CEMS, or be taking a class wherein the professor requires computer use for the completion of the course.

Student accounts are made automatically. We query the the registrar’s database every night, and make accounts as needed. First-year students are given their password at orientation.

Faculty and staff accounts are created when requested by the employee’s supervisor, and the password is given in person at 233 or 235 Votey Hall. We do NOT, under any circumstances, give out account information or passwords by mail, email, or phone.

Class accounts for those students NOT enrolled in CEMS, but are taking a course in which the professor requires computer use, are created only at the behest of the professor. If you are a professor who needs class accounts, go here.

Faculty, Staff, and exceptions. Employees (faculty/staff) accounts are not made automatically, and must be requested. Employers may request an accounthere. Occsionally, there is a reason for a person to require a CEMS account who does not fall into any of the approved categories. These are handled on a case-by-case basis. You may request such an account here.

Wireless Connectivity in Votey Hall

To connect to the wireless network, you must have a computer with a wireless network adapter, and install VPN. Instructions on how to obtain VPN are here14. The bare minumum hareware requirement is a wireless adapter which supports the 802.11b protocol. Most adapters which support 801.11g (which is faster) also work, but some do not. Without VPN running, you will probably see a wireless network called “CATS Paws”, but unless you have VPN running, you cannot use it. If you are in that Catch-22 position of needing VPN, but you need VPN to obtain VPN, stop by 235 Votey Hall. We have it on CD, or thumb drive.

Personal Web Page

As a CEMS affiliate, with a valid CEMS account, you are entitled to have a personal web page, which the outside world will see as “http://www.cems.uvm.edu/~username”, except change “username” to your real CEMS username. To create a personal page put the file in the public_html folder on your “M” drive and name it “index.html”. How to create a page is beyond the scope of this discussion.

Web page not working? So you’ve created a page and it doesn’t work! If your message is: Forbidden – It means you have not set the permissions properly (a common mistake since the default is to create files which only YOU can read). You must log onto squall.cems.uvm.edu and enter the command “webopen” (without the quotes), which is a script of permission commands and opens your entire public_html folder to the world. Other problems can arise, such as syntax errors in your page. Most are beyond the scope of explanation here, but send us mail20, or drop by in person (room 233 or 235 Votey Hall) and we may be able to help.

Recovering Files from Backup

At this writing there is no way for users to recover their own backed-up files. If you need files recovered from backup, send mail to help.cems.uvm.edu20. We will need to know where the file was. Do your best to give us that information. The files on your “M” drive are backed up nightly. Files deleted on the same day they were created are gone forever.

Academic Advice

There are many University policies and procedures that you should familiarize yourself with as a graduate student. Start with visiting the Graduate Collegewebsite. Also, the Graduate College staff is an indispensable resource, so feel free to stop in at 332 Waterman (map) or contact them at 656-3160 with any questions.

General Requirements for the Masters and Ph.D. Degrees

There are different requirements depending on your program and degree. The best advice we can give you is to talk to your advisor or program coordinator and go through the Online Graduate Catalogue or 2008 – 2009 catalogue(.pdf). Forms that you may need can be obtained through the link Services, Forms, and Policies. Also, check in with the Graduate College if you have questions or when you get close to finishing your degree to make sure all of your requirements are complete. They are super helpful!

Enrollment Policies and Procedures.

As you can imagine, there are several policies and procedures that go along with being a graduate student. We have highlighted important ones below. Go through Graduate Catalogue for complete information on the Graduate College enrollment policies.

Health Record

The University requires that all students file a personal health and immunization record with the Center for Health and Well Being Student Health/Medical Clinic at the time of first enrollment. Appropriate forms are mailed to newly enrolled students. They are also available at the Student Health/Medical Clinic, 425 Pearl Street. These forms are available online at link .
Registration

Consult the Academic Calendar for updated registration dates. Students register for courses at the time and in the manner designated by the University Registrar. Course lists are published each semester by the Registrar’s Office. Early registration is encouraged for presently enrolled graduate students.
Students should consult with their program advisor before registering for classes. All charges for the ensuing semester must be paid, or otherwise provided for, before registration is completed. To register on the web go to this page and log on by entering your 9-digit UVM ID and your Personal Identification Number (PIN). Check out this page to know different rescources for students.
Graduate Course Levels

Courses which may apply towards a graduate program are generally numbered 200 and above. Courses numbered 400 or above are limited to candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy; courses numbered 300 to 399 are limited to graduate students unless special permission is given by the appropriate department or program. Please consult individual programs for possible exceptions.
Course Loads

Normally, full-time non-funded graduate students enroll for nine to 12 credit hours per semester; full-time funded students, six to ten hours. Maximum enrollment is 15 hours per semester, and nine hours summer. Enrollment in excess of the normal full-time course load requires written approval from the advisor and the Dean of the Graduate College.
Add/Drop

Courses may be added or dropped on the web at this page on Registrar’s Office Website only during the first ten days of instruction of the University semester. This year, the end date for add/drop is September 15, 2008. Help can be found at the Registrar’s office at 360 Waterman (656-2045) or by emailing the registrar at registrar@uvm.edu. After the first week of classes an instructor may refuse admission to a course if certain material (such as laboratories) cannot be made up and the loss of this work would seriously affect the quality of the educational experience of the student seeking to enter the course.
Withdrawal from Courses

From the end of the tenth day to the end of the ninth week of classes, students may withdraw from courses. This year, the end date for withdrawal is October 31, 2008. Students who wish to withdraw fill out the course withdrawal form, consult with their advisor, and submit the form to the instructor for signature.The student is then responsible for delivering the form to the Registrar’s Office no later than 4 p.m. on Friday of the ninth week of classes. Students give a copy to their dean for information purposes. The instructor also records the withdrawal grade (W) on the final grade sheet, which is sent to the Registrar. Between the ninth week and the last day of classes, withdrawal requires students to petition the Dean of the Graduate College explaining that they are unable to continue in the course due to circumstances beyond their control. The withdrawal from can be downloaded from this page
Grading Policies

Letter grades are used to indicate levels of performance in courses as follows: A, excellent; B, good; C, fair; F, failure (Graduate students do not receive a grade of D.) Designations of S, satisfactory, and U, unsatisfactory, are used to indicate levels of performance for credits received in Thesis or Dissertation Research and may be used to indicate levels of performance in a Seminar. There are no quality points associated with the letter grades of S and U. A candidate for a graduate degree must complete the program with a minimum overall grade-point average of 3.00. A student may be dismissed from the Graduate College if two grades or more below a B (3.00), or the designation of U in Thesis or Dissertation Research or Seminar are received.

International Students

UVM is the educational home to a modest number of international students. There are 50 countries represented by roughly 250 students on campus. Because there are often a few added details that international students must consider, UVM has an Office of International Education (OIE) (Google Map). You can look the office up online at this link. Be sure to visit them soon after you arrive at UVM.

As you are an international student, in fact, you will likely visit this office on a regular basis. You probably already know who they are, since they sent your I-20 form out to you after your acceptance to UVM.

OIE Contacts:
Main Office Phone: (802) 656-4296
Main Office Fax: (802) 656-8553

Mailing Address:
Office of International Education
The University of Vermont
633 Main St.
Living/Learning Center, B-162
Burlington, VT 05405.

OIE Location on Campus: The map showing OIE on campus can be found online at this link.

Graduate Students

UVM attracts graduate students from throughout the world. As an international applicant, you are required to submit verbal and quantitative scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). In addition, if your native or first language is not English, you must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Upon admission, you will be required to provide evidence of independent financial support in the form of a statement from a bank or a scholarship source. The appropriate form and instructions will be sent to you at the time you are admitted to the university. Documents not issued in English must be accompanied by a notarized English translation. More on graduate admissions can be found at this link.

International Student Housing

If you are in contact with us, we make sure that you get to stay with some one temporarily until you you find your own place to stay. Most of the times you can find the place with in first one to two weeks after your arrival here.

University (On-Campus) Housing

Regarding on-campus housing, It is crucial for all incoming international students to be in contact with the Department of Residential Life. First-time first year students will be placed in on-campus housing but they MUST be in touch with the Department of Residential Life in order to receive their housing assignment. Graduate and non-traditional students may be eligible for on-campus housing but it is not guaranteed. Students must be in touch with the Department of Residential Life and submit an application for on-campus housing.

Off-Campus, Non-University Housing

When it comes to off-campus, non-university-owned housing, your options are plentiful. Also, many apartments are relatively close to main campus or are on one of Burlington’s many bus routes, circumventing the need for a car to get to work. Before going into the details of renting off-campus, however, we must first highlight some very good sources for apartment listings.

Residential Life Off-Campus Housing Resource

Property managers in the area, as well as the apartment complexes that are located near to campus are listed on this website. Here you will also find the following links to local newspapers and renting resources.

www.burlingtonapartments.net www.burlingtonrent.com www.apartmentsgalore.com www.relocationcentral.com (national resource)
www.homesharevermont.org www.sevendaysvt.com (local free weekly) www.freepressclassified.com (local newspaper)

Also don’t forget Craigslist. They will have some of the best and funkiest listings. Make sure you act quickly; the housing market in Burlington is a landlord’s dream. Also be sure to check out a search tool provided by UVM to help students find off-campus housing.

If you have exhausted the above resources and are still not satisfied with your options, sign up for Gradnet. Gradnet is a free electronic forum where graduate students, faculty and staff can discuss various matters, publicize garages sales, post used cars for sale, and, more importantly for you right now, announce apartments for rent. All that is required to sign up is a UVM email address and a couple minutes of your time. On an average day in the summer, there may be 2 or more emails regarding apartments for rent.

Health Insurance and Medical & Dental Issues

All international students and their dependents who reside in the US must purchase UVM health insurance. Insurance and the health fee are mandatory for all international students. International students are currently automatically enrolled into the UVM health insurance plan which includes provisions for medical evacuation and repatriation. The annual premium costs approximately $1754.00.

There are health policies available for spouses and dependent children at an additional premium. To reiterate, dependents of both F-1 and J-1 students are required to show proof of adequate health insurance coverage.

These dependents may visit the Community Health Center at 617 Riverside Avenue (Map). (Phone: Medical Clinic 864-6309; Dental Clinic 652-1050; website. This medical and dental clinic offers a sliding scale of fees based on your ability to pay.

Please note: International students are not eligible for state or federal health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, and participation in such programs can jeopardize your immigration status in the US. Please refer to the Student Health Insurance Plan issued by the Center for Health and Wellbeing for more information about coverage, waivers, and dependent fees. Inquiries about health insurance should be directed to Mary Lou Monty in the Student Health Center at 656-0602.

International students will not be able to use the on-line waiver process. If you have any questions about this requirement, please contact the insurance office at 656-0602. For further information regarding UVM’s health insurance policy, please visit the Center for Health and Wellbeing online at at this link. Detailed information on health care and child care can be found on this website.

Health Fee

Separate from health insurance, all full-time students are required to pay the Student Health Center fee each semester, which is currently $263.50.

For Common Ailments

The physicians and practitioners at Student Health Center, located at 425 Pearl Street (Map), can provide consultation and medical treatment for common ailments. Students should always utilize the services of the Student Health Center (656-3550) first and from there be referred to a specialist if needed.

For Women

For women, there is also a separate Women’s Clinic that serves your gynecological health needs. This clinic is located at 425 Pearl Street on the second floor (Map). The clinic provides confidential examinations and referrals, as well as a variety of low-cost birth control options. Services at the Women’s Clinic are covered under the student insurance and the health center fee. To make an appointment at the women’s clinic, please call 656-0603.

Dental Issues

Frequently, international students find themselves in need of dental care. If the dental work needed is as a result of an injury, then the UVM student health insurance may cover the cost up to $500.00. If the dental work is related to the extraction of impacted wisdom teeth, then the student health plan covers up to $100.00 per tooth. Routine cleanings and x-rays are not covered by the UVM plan.

Some students use the Dental Center at Community Health Center of Burlington, 617 Riverside Ave (Map), Burlington (652-1050) for their dental needs, as they offer a sliding scale to students. However, many dentists in the area will accept UVM students.

If you need more extensive dental services, please let the staff at the OIES know, and they can recommend dentists in the area.

Health History and Immunization Record

The Center for Health and Wellbeing sends health history and immunization forms to all new students upon registration. The University of Vermont does not require a physical exam for incoming students; however students are required to submit an immunization record including proof of two measles (or rubella) vaccines. This requirement is described in a letter which is mailed to all new students prior to the fall semester. Immunization information for new students is found at this link .

International Student Employment

Employment is defined as any type of work performed or services provided in exchange for money, tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, food or any other benefit.

F-1 students are eligible to work on-campus for 20 hours or less during the academic year. During major school breaks (in between semesters) students are eligible to work full-time on-campus only.

Work off-campus is a violation of F-1 immigration status unless authorized by the USCIS and the OIE. Prior to engaging in ANY employment students should visit the OIE as illegal work is viewed as one of the most serious violations of status.

Off-Campus Employment Options

To apply for any of the options below, one is advised to make an appointment to see an OIE advisor.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Internship with an International Organization
Employment Due to Severe Unforeseen Economic Hardship
To know full details about these options, you are recommended to visit this webpage.

Taxes

The OIE office also helps international students out with filing their federal and state taxes. Around tax time, the office will send you a link to software, via email, which will make filing your federal taxes very easy. The office also sponsors information sessions on filing taxes. If you any questions after all of that, you can simply ask them.

Filing the taxes without using any software: State Taxes

First you need to have the form IN-111. You can download this form by going to this page at this link and on this page you will see a link “IN-111 Income Tax Return” to download IN-111. Make sure that you print this form on both sides of the paper. Its a form with colours. So you need to print it on colour printer.
Second thing is you need to have your W-2 wage and Tax statement. This is nothing but the one you have got from the tax department.
You can download my state tax forms (in jpeg format) I filed for the year 2006 by clicking on these links First Page and Second Page . One is for the top side of the form and another one is for the flip side of the form. It’s very easy to fill out the form if you follow these two pages. Anyway I am giving some helpful instructions here.

Here are the instructions on how to fill out the vermont state tax form.

1. 1. For the section (1) just follow my tax forms and fill your forms accordingly.
  2. For the section (2) again follow my tax forms. You can find the adjusted income from your W2 form which is nothing but wages, tips, other compensation (its number 1 on your W2 form) (the whole amount you made at uvm). When you write it down, don’t include cents. Just make them zeros. Don’t round them off to the closese digit. I mean if the income is 23802.76, you need to write 23802 but not 23803. Same for every other lines where you need to put the amount. Just ignore these cents. I guess this way they might be saving lot of money considering there are so many people applying for tax returns. Now I understand why people hate IRS.
Anyway coming back to business,
1. 1. For the section (3), line 11: You need to write down the Taxble income from your 1040NR-EZ form that you have filled out to get the federal tax return. In that form you can find this amount on line 14. Again don’t write cents.
Then just follow my forms. Just put the same things I put on my form.
1. 1. For the section (4) You need to have VT tax tables to fill out this section. Don’t worry you just need to download VT Income tax booklet from this page and it has required tables. In that file, go to the page number 51 and you will see the tax tables. Ok. For example my taxable income is 15052.00. So I go to page 52 where I can find my range of 15000. There again you need to look under column “single” (If you are married, then column “married”). So under 15000 we have 10 more subranges with a range of 100. For me it comes in the first line. There under column “single” I can find tax as 542.
After this simply follow my jpeg forms and do the same things I did.

1. 1. When you come down to section (7) you can find VT tax withheld (for line 31a) on W2 form under state income tax (number 17).
Then for the remaining lines follow my jpeg forms.
1. 1. For the section (8) you just have to subtract amount on line 30 from the amount on line 31h.
Then just follow my forms for the remaining lines.
1. 1. For the section (10), it is very simple. I guess I don’t have to tell you this. Still I want to say that you make sure that you sign the document. Otherwise all the hardwork you did till now is going to be useless. Important thing is make sure that you put your own signature instead of writing my name there just by following my forms.
  2. If you want you can mention your phone number. It is just optional though.
For your information you can find all the required forms at these links.

http://www.state.vt.us/tax/formsincome2009.shtml
http://www.state.vt.us/tax/index.shtml

In the end, when you mail the forms, you need to attach copy of W2 to this form. This is nothing but one of two folded copies of W2 form with footer “Copy 2 To be Filled With Employee’s State, City, or Local Income Tax Return”. You can use either of them. They are first two folded copies of your W-2 statement.
Ok. Now what address you need to mail these forms? Here it is:
Returns with refund, no balance due, or no payment
Vermont Department of Taxes
PO Box 1881
Montpelier, Vermont 05601-1881

Anyway go to this page and click on “Mailing Addresses for Returns”for address to make sure that we are sending it to the right address.

What next? Go to davis center and put the stamps on the cover and mail it off. Soon you will have your refund. I mean you will get the cheque for the amount you are supposed to get. For VT taxes there is no provision to get it direct deposited into your bank account.

Final and most important thing is make sure that you take photocopies of your forms before you mail them. This way you know how much you are entitled to and you have your own copies to look at when you are filing taxes again for the next year returns. Good Luck.

International Students: F-1 Student Travel

It is recommended that you do not make international travel plans without first checking with The Office of International Education (OIE). Please do not travel outside of the United States without having all of your immigration related documents in order!

Required Documents

In order to enter the United States you must have a valid U.S. visa stamp in your valid (unexpired) foreign passport. If the visa stamp in your passport has expired please first consult your OIE advisor prior to making travel arrangements.

All F-1 students must have in their possession a valid SEVIS Form I-20 that has been signed by their OIE Advisor within 12 months of reentry to the United States. Any F-2 dependents are required to carry their own SEVIS Form I-20.

If you have F-1 Practical Training you must also carry your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and a letter that verifies your current employment.

Moving: Travel Signatures

As a student, you might move at least once while you are here. As an international student, the U.S. government must know about this. Thankfully, you do not have to tell them yourself. Once again, the OIE office will lend you a helping hand. As long as you alert the office of your move, they will forward that information on to the government, so you don’t have to.

All international students and their family members are required to obtain a signature on your Form I-20 prior to departing the United States. Signatures are valid for up to one year (12 months) and for multiple entries to the United States.

General Travel Information

While traveling within the United States it is recommended that you carry your passport and Form I-20. Please be sure to keep photocopies of your immigration related documents! The Office of International Education will also keep copies of your documents in your file.

You must carry a passport that will be valid for re-entry to the United States.

Citizens of all countries except Canada are required to have valid U.S. visa stamps in their passports to re-enter the United States. If a student wishes to travel to Canada they may re-enter the United States with an expired U.S. visa as long as they have not remained in Canada for more than 30 days. This rule ONLY applies to travel to Canada! Please note that you still must carry with you your unexpired F-1 Form I-20 as well as your passport.

It is always in your best interest to inform the OIE of your intent to travel 2-3 days prior to travelling.

Visa Delays and Denials

Most often students are denied visas because they are presumed to be intending immigrants. This reason for denial is known as 214(b). It is often difficult to prove that you don’t have the intent to immigrate because it’s very subjective. For further guidance from the Department of State on this topic, please visit theirwebsite.

Special scrutiny is now imposed on visa applicants who are born in or are nationals or citizens of certain countries. It is recommended that you check with the Department of State at their website as well as your government’s local consulate for information on the current status of security clearance checks.

For up-to-date information regarding travel and U.S. visa policy, please visit this link.

Maintaining F-1 Status

Pursue a “full course of study” at the school listed on the currently valid Form I-20 during every academic session or semester except during official school breaks, or unless approved under a specific exception, in advance, by the International Student Coordinator.

Make “normal academic progress” towards completing the course of study, by completing studies by the expiration of the program completion date on Form I-20

Keep Form I-20 valid by:

Getting it signed every semester (approximately every six months).
Notify international student coordinator with any changes to the Form (i.e., level of degree sought, change of program, extension of program, transfer of school, etc).

Remain in the US for no longer than 60 days after completing the full course of study, unless you have applied for an immigration benefit that will allow you to stay longer (such as applying for optional practical training, moving educational levels, or transferring to another school).

Report a change of address to the USCIS on form AR-11 within 10 days of the change.

Do not work more than 20 hours per week on-campus during the academic year.

Do not work off-campus for any reason unless authorized to do so by international student coordinator (& the USCIS). It is very important that you make an appointment with the International Student Coordinator prior to any activity that will take you off-campus in a working environment.

CATCard/Student ID card

The CATCard ID Is The Official Identification Card for students, at The University Of Vermont. It functions as a Dining Card, Library Card, Debit Card, Bus Pass, and much more!

CATcard Service Center
Dudley H. Davis Student Center, (map)
590 Main Street
Burlington, VT 05405
Phone (802) 656-4509 Fax (802) 656-4528

For more information check out CATCard Office Webpage

Social Security Number (SSN)

Every UVM-affiliated international student, scholars, research personnel must obtain a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN) by making application at the local Burlington Social Security Administration Office.

Social Security Administration
58 Pearl Street (Map)
Burlington, VT 05401
Tel. 802/951-6753

Applicants must have the following documentation in order to make application for the Social Security Number:

Visa document (Form I-20)
Form I-94 (small white card stamped in red ink and endorsed upon entry to the United States);
Passport;
Letter from the Office of International Education evidencing your UVM affiliation or sponsorship and eligibility for the SSN or if employed at UVM, the original employment offer letter or letter of appointment provided to you by your hiring department or division.

After making the application for the SSN, an applicant can call a toll-free number to inquire and/or obtain the new SSN: Tel. 1-800-772-1213.

When you receive the SSN, it is very important that you provide the number to the Office of International Education. For more information, please contact the Social Security Administration via the internet at www.ssa.gov.

Canadian Visiting Visa

If you want to visit European like city Montreal in the neighbouring country Canada (which is just one and half an hour journey from Burlington), you need to apply for Canadian visit visa. Below are the complete helpful details. You can also go to this website for the complete information.

Application & Other Documents

You can download the application form for a temporary resident visa at this link. You can fill the details on this form electronically on the computer it self and can save it electronically to take print outs later at a convenient time for you (which means it is a fillable pdf form). Then you can just take the print outs of this already filled out form. Make sure that you sign the form before you send it to consulate. For the helpful pdf guide on how to fill out the application form, click on this link. To see the helpful guide in HTML format click on this link. For the document checklist click on this link. This checklist is also a fillable form just like an application form.

Photocopies of I-20

Along with all these forms, we need to submit a photocopies of I-20 form as a proof of immigration. Make sure that you don’t include originals of I-20.

Photograph Specifications

For the visa application photograph specifications visit this page. Review this pdf brochure for further examples. For taking photographs there is one digital photo studio, PhotoGarden, on dorset street. They take just half an hour to one day time depending on how busy they are. It’s better if you carry the photograph specifications along with you, so that there won’t be any problem in getting visa since it’s very important that you submit photos following their specifications. When you send the application material to New York consulate make sure that you write your name and date of birth on the back of one of the two photos you are sending.

Photo Studio Location:
PhotoGarden
10 Dorset Street
South Burlington, Vermont 05403
tel: 802-863-1256
website: http://www.thephotogarden.com/index.html

Mailing Instructions

You need to send prepaid, self-addressed return envelope (either a 9 by 12 inches priority mail envelope or 9 by 12 inches express mail envelope) along with application. They will send us our passport back in that envelope. Express mail is expensive compared to priority mail. I think for priority mail it cost me 4 dollars and 80 cents where as for express mail it was almost 17 dollars. So I recommend priority mail in terms of saving little bit money. With priority mail option you can’t check the status. I mean you don’t get tracking number from the post office. For example you have bought express mail envelope and put it along with other application material, then you will have tracking number before they even send your passport back. This way you can keep tracking the passport down. So when you are sending you can send it in priority mail and get it back in express mail. Otherwise even for the return, you can just use priority mail. If you want to know whether your application reached the canadian consulate, you just have to pay an extra amount of 65 cents in case of priority mail, then you get receipt. Using the number on that receipt, you can simply check whether your application has reached the consulate.

Passport

Make sure that you put the passport in the application packet. In the passport you need to have at least one blank paper. I mean sometimes if you have travelled to lot of countries, then there won’t be any empty papers left for them to add their visa on it.

Proof of Financial Support: Bank Statement

As a proof of your funds, along with the application you need to submit bank statement from the bank you are having an account with. It would be helpful if you have them stamped and designated by the bank employee who issued you that statement. I’m not sure how much you need to show to support your stay. If you are visiting just for under one week or one week, I think it should be ok if you show $1000 to $2000. Anyway, if you want to know how much you require for each day, then I guess it’s better if you call the consulate.

Fees & Mode of Payment

There are two different categories for the visit visa. One is single entry which is valid for 6 months and another one is multiple entry which is valid for more than 6 months. Single entry visa costs 75 Canadian dollars (65 U.S. dollars) where as multiple entry visa costs 150 Canadian dollars (130 U.S. dollars). Remember that fees in U.S. currency might change depending on the current U.S. dollar to Canadian dollar exachange value. These fees are subject to change at any time and so check this page for any changes in the visa fees. Payments must be in Canadian or U.S. dollars only. If you wish to pay in American dollars check thispage or if you wish to pay in Candian currency check this page. To pay this visa fee, there are two options. Check this page Paying fees in New York for the information. First one is certified check. Second one is sending money through money order. A certified check or certified cheque is a form of check for which the bank verifies that sufficient funds exist in the account to cover the check, and so certifies, at the time the check is written. Those funds are then set aside in the bank’s internal account until the check is cashed or returned by the payee. Thus, a certified check cannot “bounce”. This certified check option is expensive compared to money order. You can take the money order at any post-office.

For taking money order you need to have either cash on you or debit card. They don’t accept credit card for taking money order.You can’t pay the visa fee using personal checks. At the same time you cann’t send the money in cash form along with application material.

Important Note

Another important thing is if your passport is getting expired, for example at the end of this year, then its not good to go for multiple entry. Its better to go for single entry. Single entry is valid for 6 months. Even if you go for multiple entry and if your passport will be expired at the end of this year, then your multiple entry visa also will be valid only till the end of the year. I mean they give visa until your the time your passport is valid. Same applies with your expiry date on U.S visa and an expiry date on your I-20 form.

Canadian Consulate – New York

We need to send the application packet to canadian consulate located in New York. One needs to send the application material to the nearest consulate. For us the nearest consulate is the one in New York. Make sure that you don’t courier the application material. You need to send it through United States Postal Service (USPS). Most of the times they issue visas with out an interview. Some times you may you may need to attend the interview in person at the consulate. The location of Canadian consulate in New York is given below. The directions to this consulate from UVM can be found at this link.

Office Location:
Consulate General of Canada
Immigration Section
1251 Avenue of the Americas
Concourse Level
New York

Mailing Address:
Consulate General of Canada
Immigration Section
1251 Avenue of the Americas
Concourse Level
New York, New York
10020-1175, USA

Office-hours
Monday: 08:00 – 17:00
Tuesday: 08:00 – 17:00
Wednesday: 08:00 – 17:00
Thursday: 08:00 – 17:00
Friday: 08:00 – 17:00

Comments: Open to public Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 10:30 for submission for temporary resident visas. Open to public Monday to Thursday from 13:30 to 15:00 for submission for work permits, study permits, temporary resident permits or facilitation travel documents. Immigrant interviews by appointment.

Internet Site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/new_york

Telephone/Facsimile Numbers:
Mission Tel.: (212) 596-1628
Immigration Tel.: (212) 596-1783
Mission Fax: (212) 596-1790
Immigration Fax: (212) 596-1791 or (212) 596-1725

Case Specific Enquiry: https://dmp-portal.cic.gc.ca/cicemail/intro-eng.aspx?mission=new york

General Enquiry: NewYork-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca

Useful Links:
Canadian Visa Office, New York, USA
Temporary Resident (Visitor) Visa
Consulate General New York – Visas and Immigration
Application for a Temporary Resident Visa to Visit Canada

Checklist

Make sure that you have included all these things in the application packet.

Completed “Application for a temporary resident visa”
Fee payment in an acceptable format (i.e., either a certified check or a money order)
Valid passport (There must be one completely blank page other than the last page available)
Two photos meeting the requirements of photo specifications. On the back of one photo (and only one), write the name and date of birth of the person appearing in the photo
Photocopy of current immigration document (i.e., I-20 for F-1 students)
Proof of financial support (i.e., bank statement)
Any additional documents (like prepaid, self-addressed envelope)

Note: Please check the links twice for the proper documents you need to send along with application and the right amount of fee you need to pay, etc before you submit your application. I’m in no way responsible in case they send you back your application because you have sent either wrong documents or wrong amount of fees. I can’t keep checking the web pages every day just to see whether there is any change in the visa fee. Remember that I’m not required to keep this info as webmaster and I’ve put in all this info here with a good intention to help everyone and so it’s your responsibility to check the links whether there have been any changes with details of application. In no way it’s my duty to do it. In case you find that some thing has been changed since I put the info here, then write me an email and I’ll change it immediately. In a way what I want to say is I won’t take any blame for your mistakes and ISA is not responsible for any of the things I mentioned above.

International Student Orientation

The Office of International Education (OIE) arranges orientation for the international students two times a year, in the month of January for the spring semester and in the month of August for the fall semester. The orientation is designed to ensure that you have plenty of time to rest after your long journey and to prepare yourselves for the start of the classes. Please visit the website of OIE to know the orientation schedule and for the latest updates to it.

The World Club

There is a group on campus for international students to meet and get to know each other. This is the World Club, or Saladbowl. Sponsored by the OIE, the World Club has regular meetings and social events throughout the school year. Join the club to meet people from your country of origin, and, more importantly, people from different cultures. It is a big step in gaining much needed confidence and orientation, while Burlington is still foreign to you.

So, it is evident that there are many services the office can provide to you (much more than we have included). We suggest you become comfortable stopping in the office and get acquainted with the people and their facilities.

Swaagatham………Good Luck!

Library Resources

The Bailey-Howe Library is the main library on campus (map). Most publications you will need are housed here. Below is information on services that we have found to be most helpful. If you want assistance, there are guided library tours available by contacting Patricia Mardeusz at 656-5718 or Patricia.Mardeusz@uvm.edu. Also, don’t hesitate to ask questions of the library staff and reference desk.

Check out media services for FREE DVD rentals! You can only have them for one night but it beats $4 at the video store. The list of movies they carry is at thislink, under “Alphabetical list of DVDs” (same goes for videos). They have tons of great titles!

Library Hours

BAILEY/HOWE LIBRARY HOURS	All-night Study Hours in Bailey/Howe’s CyberLounge
Mon-Thu: 8 a.m.-12 a.m Fri: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun: 10 a.m.-12 a.m.	Sun/Mon: 12 a.m.-8 a.m. Mon/Tue: 12 a.m.-8 a.m. Tue/Wed: 12 a.m.-8 a.m. Wed/Thu: 12 a.m.-8 a.m.
PHONE NUMBERS
Main number – 656-2020 Reference Desk – 656-2022
Note: More restricted hours apply during summer and when classes are not in session. Visit this page for library hours for specific session.

Visit this link for library resources particularly for graduate students.

Research

The Reference Desk (tel: 656-2022) is a central assistance point in Bailey/Howe and is staffed seven days a week. Reference staff in Information & Instruction Services provides guidance and instruction in the use of the library and its resources. Telephone service at the Reference Desk provides quick information, as time allows.

Ask a Librarian [Electronic Reference]

Electronic reference provides concise, timely answers to reference questions from University of Vermont students, faculty, and staff. The types of questions that may be answered include:

requests for brief factual or statistical information
questions about which resources to use
questions about the UVM Libraries’ resources and services

A response to a question will be provided within 24 hours of submission, Monday-Friday, excluding holidays and other University closings.

Individual Consultations

This service is for UVM faculty, students and staff who want to meet individually with a librarian at Bailey/Howe Library for consultation on their research. A consultation usually lasts from 30 to 60 minutes. To schedule an appointment, fill out a form at the Reference Desk or submit an electronic request on the library website at this link.

Reserve Readings

The Reserve Desk is located on the ground floor. Supplementary course readings and selected research materials in print format are made available by course instructors, and circulate with a valid UVM ID for 2 hours, 24 hours, or 72 hours.

Reserve lists in both electronic and print format are integrated into the Library Catalog. To locate an item go to this page, click on the “Course Reserves” icon, and follow the instructions.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

The Interlibrary Loan Department, located on the 2nd floor, borrows books and materials and provides articles from academic journals not owned by the University, through a network of other libraries and commercial document delivery providers.

Submit requests at the Reference Desk or at this link. All Interlibrary Loan materials are picked up at the Circulation Desk.

The Interlibrary Loan Department offers a RUSH service for periodical articles, providing articles within 24-72 hours as opposed to the standard 2 week turnaround time. The cost is $20.00 per document. Not all articles are available through the RUSH service. For more information contact Nancy Rosedale, 656-2242 (tel.) nancy.rosedale@uvm.edu (e-mail).

Adaptive Technology Lab (ATL)

This is a lab geared towards differently abled persons looking for technology learning aids such as text to speech programs and other innovative adaptive technologies. Look for the facilitated study room, on the third floor, behind the periodicals/copy center. Computers here have Kurzweil 3000 Read/Scan, JAWS, TextBridge. Several other programs are on these computers, as well.

Cyber Café

The cafe is located on the 1st floor of the library. There are a variety of workspaces with computers-from single person workstations, to specially designed collaborative configurations, to relaxing lounge seating for laptop use. The entire Cyber Café has many network connections around its perimeter, and supports wireless access throughout. There is a modest kiosk serving coffee, drinks, and light snacks and patrons may relax in the available seating lounge. This food service is open selected hours during the semester and the summer.

Photocopiers

Self-service photocopiers are available in several locations in the Library.

Photocopier locations:

1st floor near the Reserve Desk
2nd floor near the Periodicals Desk
Ground floor in Government Documents

The cost is $.10/page [cash] or $.07/page with CatScratch. Most of the copiers are equipped to take coins, $1 and $5 bills, or operates from CatScratch cards or your UVM ID with a CatScratch account.

Purchase a CatScratch card ($1/card + additional amount to cover copying) or add money to your UVM ID (if it has a CatScratch account) using the wall-mounted machine in the library, located near the Circulation Desk.

A photocopy service is available at the Periodicals Desk on the 2nd floor.

Printers

All computers in the library are networked to the fee-based Uniprint system. Print jobs from computers in the Library may be retrieved from any of the three Uniprint machines.

Uniprint locations:

1st floor near the Reserve Desk
2nd floor near the Periodicals Desk
Ground floor in Media Resources (color printer)
Ground floor in Government Documents

Cost: $.07 per page on B&W printer / $.25 per page on color printer (No cash accepted)
Use a CatScratch card or your UVM ID with a CatScratch account.

Research Study

Located on the 3rd floor, this room is a quiet place for study for graduate students and faculty only. A $5 refundable deposit is required for a key, which accesses the room. This room has a limited number of lockers available in which personal and charged library materials may be stored. To obtain a room key and/or reserve or renew a locker, go to the Circulation Desk on the 1st floor. Contact Circulation Desk, 656-2023 (tel) bhcirc@uvm.edu (e-mail) for more info.

Scheduling Media & Media Equipment

The Media Resources Department, located on the ground floor of Bailey/Howe Library, provides media library materials, AV equipment (digital cameras, camcorders, Overhead Projectors) and a variety of presentation technology support to the UVM campus community. They also provide help in converting VHS tapes to DVD’s. To schedule audiovisual equipment for a class, call 656-1944. To reserve media library materials, call 656-1947, or submit an online requesthere.

Where to Study On-campus

Hours are subject to change, especially during exam and break periods.

BAILEY-HOWE LIBRARY (Map)

DUDLEY H. DAVIS STUDENT CENTER (Webpage &Map)

M-Th …………………………….8 a.m.-midnight
Fri ………………………………..8 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sat ……………………………….9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sun ………………………………9 a.m.-midnight
Exam periods …………………Extended to 2 a.m.

Restricted hours apply during summer and when the University is not in session.

The student center has study space and wireless access throughout its four floors. It also features a coffee shop with extended hours. Also check out GSS lounge which will be available during the day for you to study. Hours are:

M-Th ………………………7 a.m. midnight
F …………………………..7 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Sat……………………….9 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Sun………………………9 a.m.- midnight

CATHOLIC CENTER (Webpage & Map)	COOK CHEMISTRY LIBRARY, 3^rd Floor (Map)	DANA MEDICAL LIBRARY Given Building A112 (Map)	LIVING/LEARNING CENTER Aiken Reading Room, Commons Bldg, Ground Floor (Map)
M-Th .10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Fri ………..10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sat …………..1-5 p.m. Sun …..noon-10:30 p.m.	M-Th …8:30 a.m.- midnight F …………….8:30 a.m.- 8 p.m. Sat ………10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sun …………..11 a.m.-11 p.m.	M-Th …….. 7:30 a.m.-midnight F …………….. 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat ………………. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun …………… 9 a.m.-midnight	M-Th ………..8 a.m.-midnight F …………………..8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat ……………..10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun …………….noon-midnight

CENTER FOR CULTURAL PLURALISM 461 Main Street, Allen House (Webpage &Map)	HARRIS/MILLIS DINING HALL (Map)	KALKIN-Room 110 (Map)	Common Areas-KALKIN (Map)
M-F ………8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.	Sun-Th …….. 8 p.m.-midnight	M-Sun: Open from 10 p.m.-7:30 a.m. to students registered for a business course	M-Sun: Open 24 hours to students registered for a business course

VOTEY, ROOM 101 (Map)	WOMEN’S CENTER (Map)	RESIDENCE HALL LOUNGES: SIMPSON DINING HALL (Map)	LANGUAGE LABORATORY Southwick Room 200 (Map)
M-Sun: Open 24 hrs to students registered for engineering or mathematics classes. M-F: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. for all other students	M-F ………..8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 6-7892 for evening hours.	Sun-Th ……..8-11:45 p.m.	(open to students registered for language classes) M-Th ……… 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri ….. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun …….. 4-10 p.m.

Where to Study Off-campus

UNCOMMON GROUNDS (Map)	SPEEDER AND EARL’S (Map)	MUDDY WATER’S (Map)	DOBRÀ TEA (Map)
42 Church Street Wi-Fi Available Many outlets available	104 Church St., 412 Pine St. Wi-Fi Available in both	184 Main Street Many outlets available	80 Church Street (enter on Bank Street) Wi-Fi Available

RADIO BEAN (Map)	FLETCHER FREE LIBRARY (Webpage &Map)	CITY HALL PARK (Map)	BORDER’S BOOKS CAFÉ (Webpage & Map)
8 N. Winooski Ave. Wi-Fi Available (with donation)	235 College Street Wi-Fi Available	Enclosed by College, St. Paul, Main and Church Streets Wi-Fi (fee required)	29 Church Street Wi-Fi Available (with T-Mobile service)

BARNES AND NOBLE (Webpage & Map)	BRUEGGER’S BAGELS (Webpage & Map)	STARBUCKS (Webpage & Map)
102 Dorset Street South Burlington Wi-Fi Available	93 Church Street Wi-Fi Available	49 Church Street, Burlington (downtown) 1150 Williston Rd, South Burl. (near UVM) 580 Shelburne Rd, Burlington (looong walk) 30 Hawthorne St, Williston (you’ll wanna drive) Wi-Fi (with T-Mobile service)

Where to Find Computers on Campus
(www.uvm.edu/ets/computers)

BAILEY-HOWE LIBRARY (Map)	GATEWAY CYBER CAFÉ STUDY SPACE (Inside Bailey–Howe Library) (Map)	Dudley H. Davis Student Center (Map)
Sun …….. 9 a.m.-midnight M-Th …… 8 a.m.-midnight Fri ……8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat …..9 a.m.-10 p.m. Exam periods ….Extended to 2 a.m. Restricted hours apply during summer and when the University is not in session. Check library website for summer hours	M-Th……………………….….8 a.m.-midnight Friday………………………..8 a.m. -midnight Saturday …………………….10 a.m -10 p.m. Sunday………………….…10 a.m. –midnight	Hours are still being set for this new facility but are estimated to be the following: M-Thurs …………………….7 a.m. – midnight Friday …………………………..7 a.m. – 2 a.m. Saturday………………………9 a.m. – 2 a.m. Sunday……………………..9 a.m.- midnight

WATERMAN ROOM 124 (Map)	WATERMAN COMPUTER LAB (Map)	VOTEY 206, 246, 229, 227 (Map)
http://www.uvm.edu/~cess/tft 656-4140 “Technology for Teaching Lab,” (for use by students enrolled in College of Education & Social Services courses only). M-F ….9 a.m.-10 p.m. (Hours vary; check web address or door posting for details.) 4 desktop and 16 laptop Macintosh computers; scanners, laser printer, color printer, educational software. Computers are also available at the CyberCafé at Bailey-Howe Library and Waterman Café in Waterman Building.	M-Th ……8 a.m.-midnight F ……8 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat …..noon-6 p.m. Sun …..noon-midnight Plenty of Windows, Macintosh and UNIX workstations for your use. CIT Lab consulting staff and printing services. Computers are also available at the CyberCafé at Bailey-Howe Library and the Waterman Café in the Waterman Building.	help@cems.uvm.edu For use by Engineering and Mathematics majors only. M-Sun ….. 7 a.m.-midnight (24 hours/day during exams and last 2 weeks of classes) 206 Votey – 20 200-MHz Pentium Pro computers 210/246 Votey – 30 90-MHz Micron Pentium computers 227 Votey – 6 IBM Power Personal systems 229 Votey – 20 SGI Personal Irises 250 Votey – HP workstation

DANA MEDICAL LIBRARY Given Building A112 (Map)	LIVING/LEARNING COMPUTER LAB (Map)	KALKIN ROOM 100 AND 102 (Map)	AIKEN CENTER COMPUTER LAB (Map)
Phone: 656-2200 For use by affiliates of Medical College, Allied Health & Nursing only. M-Th …..7:30 a.m.-midnight F …..7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat …..9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun ……9 a.m.-midnight 24 PCs running Windows 98 and NT	Room A131 Phone: 656 – 4200 M-Th ….10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. F ….10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat …..appx. 12:30-6:30 p.m. Sun ….appx. 12:30-11:30 p.m. Check web address for details: www.uvm.edu/~llcenter.	For use by students enrolled in business courses only. Apply for account through School of Business Administration. 25 and 14 computers, respectively. Contact SBAD for hours of operation.	Room 102 Phone:656-4280 Macintosh Computer Facility, 16 computers. Hours posted on door by 2nd week in semester.

Helpful Campus Services

UVM students have a wide range of amazing services on-campus. There is so much out there, the biggest challenge can be figuring out where to start. (Hint: if you can imagine a service, it probably already exists so take advantage of it!) Here are some helpful campus services to get you started. Best of all, most services are free to UVM students.

Career Services

E-140 Living & Learning (Map)
656-3450
www.uvm.edu/~career

Get free private sessions on interviewing, resume writing, and career opportunities. Includes information and resources for students and alumni on careers, work-study and internships; also helps connect businesses and non-profit organizations with potential employees, interns or volunteers.

Center for Cultural Pluralism

461 Main St (Allen House) (Map)
656- 8833
www.uvm.edu/~ccpuvm

Dedicated to helping UVM achieve its core mission to provide quality multicultural education in order to equip faculty, staff and students with the competencies necessary to function in a diverse world.

Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)

L406 Lafayette (Map)
656-1155
www.uvm.edu/~ctl

CTL is a great resource for graduate students. CTL provides programs and resources designed to increase understanding of the teaching-learning process, promote teaching as a scholarly activity, and encourage interdisciplinary conversations about teaching and learning among all members of the University community.

Enterprise Technology Services (ETS)

112 Davis Center (Map)
Helpline: 656-2604
http://www.uvm.edu/ets

ETS is where all your computing questions can get answered. They have a helpline and a walk-in service. If you’re computer gives you the blue screen of death these are the people to go to. ETS also maintains a webpage with free and helpful software.

Disability Resources and Services (ACCESS)

A-170 Living & Learning (Map)
656 – 7753
TTY: call 711 (relay)
www.uvm.edu/~access

The mission of ACCESS is to provide accommodation, consultation, collaboration and educational support services as a means to foster opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in a barrier-free learning environment. They serve as a resource to UVM and larger community to advocate for educational equity and innovation.

Student Financial Services

221 Waterman Bldg (Map)
656 – 5700
www.uvm.edu/~stdfinsv/

Information regarding scholarships, loans and more for UVM students, in-state, out-of-state and international.

Media Resources

Ground Floor of Bailey/Howe Library (Map)
webpage

Media Resources offers loans on CDs, DVDs, tapes, videos, and all types of media equipment free to all students. Their collection is kept up-to-date and they have a great DVD collection. Your best bet is to rent movies on Friday that way you can keep them until 11:00 a.m. on Monday. Check out what they have at the web link above.

Microcomputer Depot

112 Davis Center (Map)
656 – 3067
www.uvm.edu/ets/mcsv

Through the depot, UVM students can purchase discounted computers and accessories, and can get their computers serviced in times of trouble.

Police Services

284 East Ave (Campus Map) (Google Map)
Headquarters: 656 – 3473
Emergency: 911 (on-campus)
www.uvm.edu/~police

The University’s on-campus law enforcement and education unit. Web site includes information on personal safety and crime prevention, in addition to crime statistics.

Transportation and Parking

250 Colchester Avenue (Map)
McAuley Hall Ground Floor
656-8686
www.uvm.edu/~tpswww

Financial Information

Paying Your Bill

Student Financial Services
85 South Prospect St
221 Waterman Bldg (Map)
Burlington, VT 05405-0160
Phone: (802) 656-5700
Fax: (802) 656-4067
Email: sfs@uvm.edu
www.uvm.edu/~stdfinsv/

Student Financial Services is the office that will send you your bill for tuition, fees, library fines, and parking permits. UVM sends all student bills electronically through the QuikPAY^R system. Students receive bill notification emails through their UVM email address @uvm.edu. If you have not set up a UVM email address yet, you can do so here at this webpage.

Within the QuikPAY^R system students can set up other payers to make payments on their student account, view bills and receive bill notification emails. You can simply add an authorized payer in the QuikPAY^R system. Log on to student account at this webpage and click on Set up Authorized Payer link under Account and Billing Information menu under Student Financial Services menu and follow the prompts. If you find yourself needing help you can call them at 802-656-5700.

The easiest way to keep track of what you owe is to check out your account online using the Student Information System (SIS) at this webpage.

When you are ready to pay your bill you can pay online or you can send your payment to:

UVM Cashiers Office
85 South Prospect St
220 Waterman Bldg.
Burlington, VT 05405-0160

Please be sure to pay on time otherwise you will be charged a $200 late fee. The methods of payment that are accepted are cash (but please don’t mail this, just stop by the Cashiers Office to handle that), personal checks, money orders, cashier’s checks, certified checks and traveler’s checks. You can also pay with a credit card (MasterCard, American Express or Discover), but watch out because you will be charged a web processing fee of $2.75 for every $100 charged, due to a transaction processing fee. Wire transfer is also a possibility.

If you work for the University of Vermont (Teaching Assistant, Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate Assistant) you can arrange to have your fees deducted automatically from your paycheck, just talk to someone in Student Financial Services. Contact the Graduate College office at 656-3160 if your tuition payments are not reflected before the due date.

You can also find a wealth of information regarding financial aid on Financial Aid Webpage including links to FAFSA, VSAC (Vermont Student Assistance Corp.), various forms, and UVM’s Financial Aid Handbook.

Payroll

228 Waterman Building, (Map)
85 South Prospect Street
Burlington, VT 05405
Phone: (802)656-3150
Fax: (802)656-3476
E-mail: Payroll@uvm.edu

If you are going to be a Teaching Assistant, Graduate Research Assistant, or Graduate Assistant at the University of Vermont, then you will be receiving checks from the Payroll office twice a month. Checks are sent to your campus mailbox (or with a local bank account you can arrange for direct deposit (see Payroll Forms on their website) on the 15th and 30th of every month.

Finding Funding

If you are on a quest to find funding, first be sure to talk to your advisor or program director. They will most likely know of the most applicable places for you to look. The following websites may be of interest:

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is dedicated to providing up-to-date, effective service and resources for identifying funding sources. OSP’s website has four searchable funding databases: go to this website and click on the link Funding Opportunities.

Federal Student Aid, US Department of Education: http://www.studentaid.ed.gov

Cornell University, The Fellowship Database (recommended by a fellow grad student at UVM): http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Student/GRFN/

Health Care and Child Care

The Center for Health and Wellbeing is the place to go when you are not feeling quite yourself. Services are covered if you paid the health fee and charged accordingly if not.

Services Provided:

The Center for Health and Wellbeing has numerous services to keep you feeling your best. Some include:

Counseling Center:
The Jacobs House Office                                                                   The Redstone Office, Christie/Wright/Patterson Complex
146 S. Williams Street (Google Map &Campus Map)                      436 S. Prospect Street (Google Map &Campus Map)
Phone: 656-3340                                                                             Phone: 656-0784
http://www.uvm.edu/~chwb/counseling/

Nutrition Services:
425 Pearl Street (Map)
Phone: 656-0603
http://www.uvm.edu/%7Echwb/nutrition_services/

Women’s Health Clinic:
425 Pearl Street, Second Floor (Room 2221) (Map)
Phone: 656-0603
http://www.uvm.edu/%7Echwb/womens_clinic/

Alcohol and Other Drug Service:
AOD Counseling at Redstone (Google Map & Campus Map)
Phone: 656-0784
http://www.uvm.edu/~chwb/counseling/?Page=alcohol_drug/overview.html

Health Fee & Health Insurance

The health fee is a mandatory fee for all graduate students enrolled in 12 or more credits and is a prerequisite to purchasing student health insurance.

Health insurance, either UVM or your own provider, is mandatory at the University of Vermont. For Health Insurance you must tell the University each year whether you will purchase health insurance through the university or provide information on your current health care coverage. For details on UVM’s Student Health Insurance and to fill out Insurance Policy Waiver/Decision Form go to this webpage.

International students cannot waive health insurance; they must purchase the University’s Student Health Insurance plan.

If you are funded by the University of Vermont as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate Assistant, or Trainee then you may be eligible to have up to half of your Single Student Health Insurance premium covered by the University.

Information on the partial premium coverage is located online at this link.

The required application form can also be found online at this link.

This payment is not automatic so be sure to fill out the application form above for Funded Student Health Insurance Support.

UVM Health Insurance

UVM offers a comprehensive heath care package through The Chickering Group. Under this plan, when you need care you can visit the Center for Health and Wellbeing. It is important to visit the Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHB) first because visits outside the CHW are subject to a $200.00 deductible. If you need a specialist they can refer you to a doctor or health care provider that belongs to North American preferred providers or to Aetna Preferred Care networks. The above-mentioned referral requirements are waived for graduate students who are 50 miles or more from campus and medical students away on rotation.

How Much does it Cost?

Coverage	Annual 08/01/07 – 07/31/08	Fall 08/01/07 – 12/31/07	Spring 01/01/08 – 07/31/08
Student	$1754	$719	$1037
Dependent	$3670	$1520	$2152
Child (ren)	$2200	$913	$1286

What Does the Policy Cover?

It’s very important that you know what your policy does and does not cover. The Aetna website can be very helpful to answer your policy questions. You can also use Aetna Navigator to view your personalized benefits and health information. You can log in to Aetna Navigator by going to their website.

A detailed outline of the UVM health insurance policy and summary of benefits can be found at this link.

Hospitals

Medical Center Campus
111 Colchester Avenue (Map)
Burlington, VT 05401

Hopefully you won’t need an emergency room while conducting your studies at UVM, but it is good to know where the closest one is. Fletcher Allen Health Care is an academic hospital ( http://www.fahc.org/) associated with the College of Medicine, right on the University of Vermont campus. Recently the hospital opened a new, updated Emergency Department.

Child Care

If you need to arrange for childcare, we have some basic information here. First, UVM does have its own Child Care Center; however, the waiting list is very long. There are many registered or licensed alternatives, such as family daycare homes, center-based care, and in-home care. Vermont law requires that people caring for children from more than two families be registered or licensed. Licensing requires that the caretaker have a college degree appropriate to providing childcare. You can obtain a complete list of all registered daycare online at this link of (Vermont Child Care Information Services). Once you pick a few places of interest you can check to see if any complaints have been filed against them in the past 12 months by contacting the Vermont’s Child Care Consumer Concern Line 1-800-540-7942. Another place that may be of interest is:

Child Care Resource
181 Commerce Street (Map) & (Directions from Waterman Bldg., UVM)
Williston, VT 05495
1-800-339-3367
http://www.childcareresource.org/

For a fee, they will find and send you information on the daycare centers that best suit your needs.

Livin’ Large – The Unofficial Graduate Housing Guide

Coming to the University of Vermont as a graduate student, you must be very excited to begin this different stage of your life! The first big step you should take, now, is to find temporary housing (i.e. an apartment), which is a hot commodity in Burlington. Some people underestimate the value of housing in and around Burlington, as many apartments are swiped up rather quickly. There is hope, however. You have an edge over other potential renters simply by reading this housing guide. In the following pages you will learn a great deal regarding housing for graduate students in the Burlington area. It is our sincere hope that this information will help you secure comfortable housing and orient yourself with the Burlington area.

University Housing

Although there are university-run housing opportunities for graduate students at UVM, they are few and highly sought after. In fact, it is quite likely that the waiting list for university lodging is longer than your tuition bill. Securing a spot on a waiting list is a smart move, though. Oftentimes, people with higher positions on the list will remove their names, effectively improving your chances of acquiring a university living space.

UVM offers an option for graduate student housing, the apartments at Fort Ethan Allen. Located in Colchester, Vermont, these apartments are about 5 miles from the UVM main campus, and details for these are listed below.

Apartments at Fort Ethan Allen – (http://www.uvm.edu/map/?Page=fort.html)

Fort Ethan Allen housing (Directions from Waterman Bldg., UVM) offers a number of different options for living. There are two types of apartments, County Apartments and Ethan Allen Apartments. Of the County Apartments, there are 1-bedroom flats, 2-bedroom flats and 2-bedroom townhouses. Of these, only a handful of the townhouses are actually furnished. Ethan Allen Apartments come in four styles: 2-bedroom flats and townhouses and 3-bedroom flats and townhouses. None of these are furnished. The sizes and rates for the 2008-2009 school year are as follows:

Style	Size (ft2.)	Price ($/mon)	Rent includes^*
County 1-bedroom flat	498	740	L
County 2-bedroom flat	598	815	L
County 2-bedroom townhouse	661	910, 560/person (furn.)^**	H,E,L
EA 2-bedroom flat	725	1000	H, W/D
EA 2-bedroom townhouse	895	910	W/D
EA 3-bedroom flat	1024	1060	W/D
EA 3-bedroom townhouse	1160	1270	W/D

*	All apartments include: Living room, full bath, kitchen, plus: water, sewer, trash. All are wired for phone, internet, cable. One pet allowed (with a pet deposit of $75).
**	The only furnished 2-bedroom townhouses are those to which individual renters are assigned, and the rent is $560/month. Otherwise, the rent is $910/month, and occupants are not assigned.
H	Heat
E	Electric
L	Coin-up laundry
W/D	Washer/Dryer

ResLife’s Site for Graduate and Non-traditional Students can be found at this link.

The word on the street is that you should act quickly to obtain an apartment at the Fort. These apartments are a hot item, despite their relative distance from main campus.

And don’t worry, there are no uniformed people marching around the apartments, waking up to bugles at 5 o’clock in the morning…tis is the historic Fort Ethan Allen and you are only near the Vermont Air National Guard base. You are also near numerous convenient bus stops for the Chittenden County Transportation Authority (CCTA) bus service (website). The bus route that winds through the Fort Ethan Allen campus (good old bus # 2, to Essex Junction) leads directly to the university (there is a stop at the Fletcher Allen Health Center, which is on university grounds). The ride from Fort Ethan Allen to campus takes about 15-20 minutes, and UVM students ride for free with a valid UVM ID.

Priority at these units is given to married couples or same-sex partners with or without children. After these students are accommodated, single graduate students and non-traditional aged undergraduates are offered housing here. Contact the Apartment and Family Housing dept. of Res. Life for housing applications (familyhs@uvm.edu, 802-654-1735), or visit this page.

Area Overviews

If you desire an overview of renting in Vermont, visit the Vermont Tenants, Inc. website.

Central Burlington: Between main campus and downtown Burlington is situated the central Burlington area, located on the slope of a hill, at the top of which rests University Green and at the bottom of which is situated the downtown area. This section of Burlington is home to both permanent residents and renters. The houses, for the most part, are old and generally elegant, while these kind words describe only a few of the rental units here.

There are three main avenues that run along the grain of the hill: Main Street, College Street and Pearl Street. Connecting these main drags, running against the grain of the slope are a number of side streets that vary in the magnitude of vehicular traffic. Most of the rental units are situated along the more traveled streets.

Converted houses outnumber apartment buildings. Further, few graduate students reside in apartment buildings here. As such, if you end up living in this section, you will probably be sharing a house with a number of people…so, make friends. Also be aware of areas heavy with undergraduate residents. Streets that make up this non-contiguous demarcation are Buell St., Isham St., Greene St., parts of Union and Willard, (those close to College and Pearl St.), and sections of Maple St., between Union and Church. This is an area populated mostly by undergrads and can be quite loud (but fun if you like beer pong) in some sections so be sure to inquire about the noise level during the semester.

Old North End (ONE): The Old North End is traditionally considered to be a more run-down part of town, although, due to efforts by its residents and the City of Burlington, this area is experiencing a renaissance. While there are a number of seedy apartments, there are also an increasing number of gems, earning this neighborhood a second look from prospective renters.

New North End (NNE): While the New North End is very livable, it lacks the social atmosphere found in places closer to campus (NNE is located further from downtown and campus than is ONE). Apartments in this area are not a prevalent as in others, as family homes comprise most structures.

The Hill: Main Street acts as the unofficial southern boundary of both UVM’s main campus and Burlington’s downtown. Champlain College is located in this area, as are a number of apartments. What makes this area nice for renting are the neighbors; homes in this area are generally affluent, especially closer to UVM’s Redstone campus, about ¾ of a mile south of the center of main campus. This area is an ideal place to live for those who crave a nice neighborhood, relatively quiet neighbors and proximity to both downtown and UVM.

Elsewhere: South Burlington and Winooski are the neighboring cities and tout many rental properties. Convenient public buses traverse these areas to neutralize their relative distance from campus.

A few apartments are also located along Colchester Avenue and East Avenue in Burlington. These are all converted houses, so have a group of people ready to move in with you.

Utilities, Telephone, Internet, Cable

When moving into non-university housing, there are housing necessities that must be handled immediately upon moving in.

Gas

Moving in at the beginning of fall, you will soon appreciate the comfort that indoor heat provides. Depending upon the apartment, gas may provide that heat, in addition to cooking capabilities. In Burlington and all of Chittenden County, Vermont Gas Company is the sole provider of gas heat. Call them up as soon as you move in to put the gas bill in your name, assuming gas is not included in your rent.

Vermont Gas Company
802-863-4511

You can pay the gas bill by check or by setting up direct payment from your bank or by paying at select Chittenden bank branches or by paying at select Hannaford’s supermarkets. You can even check your payment, billing and usage history online. For the full information check this page out.

Electricity

While electricity is rarely the source of heat in Vermont, you will need it for everything else you use everyday. If living in the Burlington area, your source for electricity is Burlington Electric. Typical bills, when heat is not included, run from $35 to $70 every month.

Burlington Electric Department (Map)
802-865-7300

You can pay your bill online at this page.

Or, if you have found a place to live outside of the immediate Burlington area, your electricity provider will most likely be one of two providers:

Green Mountain Power Central Vermont Public Service
(888) 835-4672 (800) 469-2877

Telephone

So far, it’s been pretty easy setting yourself up in your new apartment, no choices to make. However, with telephone service, you have a few choices:
AT&TMCI Verizon Burlington Telecom
There are other options for telephone service, although they do require certain hardware, while providing less costly service. An example of this is Vonage. However, the beauty of this particular service is dirt-cheap long distance, which becomes an insignificant bonus if you have a standard cell phone plan.

Internet

Internet in this area is dial-up, DSL or cable. Dial-up is rather slow compared to the other two, and ties up the phone lines when being used. Also, incoming calls may interrupt service when you are online. DSL is the middle of the road amongst the three choices. It is faster than dial-up, does not tie up the phone lines, but is slower than cable Internet. Cable Internet, unlike dial-up and DSL, uses your television cable to provide rather fast web surfing. The order in which the internet options are listed above is from low quality to high quality. However, the price increases with quality.

Dial-up and DSL are available from verizon. If you also get telephone service from Verizon, you may be able to reduce your Internet costs. Cable high-speed Internet is provided by Comcast cable and Burlington Telecom. Again, depending on your selection of cable packages, your cable Internet bill may decrease.

Comcast Cable Burlington Telecom
1-800-COMCAST 866-304-8434 or 802-540-0007

Cable

As mentioned above, you may obtain cable from Comcast. There are a few packages to choose from. But, remember that you are a graduate student and you will probably not have enough time to watch 500 channels without neglecting a few of them. Basic cable, about 15 channels, runs roughly $25/month. These are essentially the channels you would get for free elsewhere in the nation (plus a few Canadian channels). Another option is Burlington Telecom

Rescue Me!

There may come a time when you find that you are entirely unhappy with your housing situation due to bad management or unsafe living conditions. As soon as you feel this way, you must act quickly. There are a couple people worth calling. First is Vermont Tenants, Inc.(website). They provide assistance to those people who feel wronged by their landlords or who have questions regarding housing in general. Call them (800-287-7971, or local 802-864-0099), they are friendly. They also have a handbook regarding renting in Vermont here at this link.

As a UVM student you may also receive free legal assistance from Student Legal Services (www.uvm.edu/~legal). You may reach them at 656-4379, and they are physically located in room B-160 in Billings Student Center. Since the office is run by undergraduate students (the legal aspect is provided by a law firm in town), it is not open throughout the summer.

Moving In and Out

Moving in and out may be a daunting task if you either do not have a car or have only a small one. In these cases, you may need to rent a truck. The phone book is a wonderful resource for this type of information. Just in case you don’t have a phone book (or if it is presently propping up the left side of your couch) here are some moving-truck rental businesses in the area.

Booska Movers 1-800-649-3185 Website	Budget Truck Rental 1-800-283-4382 Website
Ryder Truck Rental and Leasing 1-800-297-9337 Website	U-Haul Company 1-800-468-4285 Webiste & Map

Although Penske Truck Rental Company does not have a location in Burlington, they have a location in Williston (32 Boyer Circle), Vermont (Directions from UVM). They have been known to offer better deals than the above companies, and might offer a low price that would warrant the hassle in driving down to Rutland to drop off the truck. You can find them online at this link.

Furnishings

While you can look up the various furniture stores in the area, there is a hidden treasure on Pine Street. Recycle North, the waste removal company, sells used furniture and appliances, in pretty good to great condition. Here you will find large and small appliances, furniture, records, brick-a-brack, etc. These are items that have been gently used and donated for resale at cheap prices. Their store is open weekdays and Saturday, 9am to 6pm. They also have an outlet for salvaged building supplies, like paint. You can go to their website at this link.

Another great source for used and new furniture in Burlington is Myer’s. They are located on Intervale Avenue.

Myers New and Used Furniture, Inc.
Phone: (802)864-0540

Necessities

Although one man’s need is another man’s want, we are sure that you would agree every student needs a snack in the middle of the night, every once and awhile. So, here we will guide you to the nearest grocery stores, convenient stores, pharmacies, Laundromats, banks, and post offices.

Groceries:

There are three main grocery stores in the greater Burlington area: Shaw’s , Hannaford and Price Chopper. Price Chopper, or “the Chopper”, is a student favorite, most likely because its name exudes savings and its South Burlington store is open 24 hours. However, it is generally accepted that Shaw’s is good for produce and Hannaford is good for meats. Shaw’s and Hannaford have the most stores in the area with 3 and 4 stores, respectively, while Price Chopper has only one.

None of these stores, however, are within walking distance of the university. All (except Shaw’s in Colchester) are on or near a public bus route. There is an alternative in Onion River Co-op’s City Market (Map), located in downtown Burlington. Here, you will find lots of local and natural products. They have conventional foods too, but they are typically more expensive than in the larger grocery stores. Since this is a co-op, its member customers purchase equity in the store and receive certain discounts on their purchases. You do not, however, have to be a member to shop here. Check out what else City Market has at thislink.

Pharmacies/Drug Stores:

Rite-Aid (Map) and Kinney Drug (Map)are the major drug stores in the area. They have pharmacies located in the back behind all of the food and assorted beauty and health products. Each has a location in Burlington. Rite-Aid is near Church Street and Kinney is on Pine St. and on the corner of Williston Rd and 116 in South Burlington. Grocery stores also have pharmacies located within them. However, with grocery stores, the pharmacy tends to close much earlier than those within the drug stores.

Laundromats:

In the event that your apartment does not have a Laundromat, you will need to find a place to get your clothes washed. Either you can do it with coin-operated machines, or you can drop your laundry off and have it washed by the people at the Laundromat. The latter is obviously going to be more expensive, and they charge per pound of dirty laundry.

In Burlington, there is Pearl Street Laundromat in the downtown, North Winooski Avenue Laundromat in Old North End, Gaslight Home-Style Laundry on College Street, and King Street Laundry on King Street, between Main and Maple. Before you do laundry, find out how much the machines cost at each location. $1.25 to $1.50 per machine per load is normal for coin-laundries, but go for the least expensive, as quarters will add up to savings.
Directions and Maps
Pearl Street Laundromat (Map) North Winooski Ave Laundromat (Map)
King Street Laundry (Map) Gaslight Home-Style Laundry (Map)

Banks and ATMs:

Bank North, Citizens, Chittinden, Key, etc. Generally, banks around here are pretty student- friendly. It would be silly for them not to be…a big chunk of their customers are students. When you get here, find a bank that will offer you free checking, a sign-on bonus like free checks, a great interest rate, or all of the above (if you can). Banks are located in the downtown Burlington area, centrally, on and near Bank Street. Other locations are scattered throughout the greater Burlington area.

ATMs can be found in several places around the University. There are Banknorth ATMs located on the ground floor of Waterman and on the ground floor of the Davis Center. Chittenden Bank has a full service location on the 1st level of the Davis Center, as well as an ATM across from the entrance of the book store. If you choose not to use these options, you’ll have to get your walking shoes on and head down the hill to Bank Street, “because,” as Willie Sutton said, “that’s where the money is.”
Bank websites can be found online at these links:
TD Banknorth (111 Main St) Map Citizens Bank (148 College St) Map Key Bank (149 Bank St) Map
Chittenden Bank (Davis Center, 1st Floor, Lobby Hours:8am – 5pm, Mon – Fri) ( Map); 2 Burlington Square (Map); 49 Church St (Map)

Post Offices:

Mailboxes are also hard to come by on campus. However, Waterman Building houses a mail depository (for both on- and off-campus mailings). In fact, if you live on campus and are having trouble receiving mail, this is the place to go. Underground Copy: Print and Mail, located on the ground floor of the Davis Center (101C) does have most mail services, including UPS shipping, personal mailboxes, and even photo printing. You can pay cash or use your Catcard.

For all other postal inquiries, the largest post office in the area is located just north of the top of Church Street on Elmwood Avenue (Map). Remember to fill out change of address forms whenever you move to a new location, and inform all of your friends, relatives, magazine subscriptions, banks and credit card companies of your move. You can also forward your mail to your new place/address (when you move to new place) by changing address online at this link.You will be charged $1 if you change your address online. You can also change your address for free if you fill this form in person by going to either main post office on Elmwood Avenue or the post office located at 320 Pine St. When ever you move to the new place or sign the new lease, you may need to get the new keys for your mailbox. To get the keys for your mailbox, you need to go to the post office located at 320 Pine Street (Map).

Getting Around Burlington and Vermont

Getting around Burlington is really easy if you have a car. Some people prefer to ‘hoof it’ around the city. Nevertheless, sometimes travel within Burlington seems easier if you have a bike. In this section, we will briefly cover the various modes of travel in and around Burlington.

Automobile Travel and Parking

Driving a car throughout Burlington is not a difficult or complicated task. However, parking may get tricky. There are three central parking garages in the downtown area (around Church Street). These are meant to accommodate those people who are shopping, eating, working, strolling, etc. in Burlington. The first two hours are free, and every half hour after that is $0.75. Otherwise, parking meters litter the streets all around the city. Also see the Snow! section for information on snow bans. Watch out for resident-only parking on Burlington streets. Over the past years, the number of streets with resident-only parking has increased, effectively reducing street parking for all other folks in town.

On campus, life gets even more difficult with respect to parking. The university is, and will be for some years, hampered by construction. A new parking garage will alleviate some parking woes that plagued students and faculty, but parking will still be a thorn in our sides. If you know that you will have a car and will need to park it on campus, call Transportation and Parking Services (802-656-8686) to find out if and where you can park.

If you just need a car for a few days, there are several rental options in Burlington:

Avis (802-864-0411) (webpage & Map)
Enterprise (802-864-1111) (webpage & Map)
Hertz (802-864-7409) ( webpage & Map)
National (802-864-7441) (webpage & Map)
Thrifty (802-863-5500)(webpage & Map)

Public Transportation

There is one mode of public transportation, the Chittenden County Transportation Authority (CCTA). Their bus routes trace throughout Burlington, South Burlington, Essex Junction and Winooski. UVM students, faculty and staff may ride the buses for free, simply by flashing their UVM ID. For information regarding routes and schedules, visit the CCTA website.

Bicycles

Burlington is very bicycle-friendly. In addition to a recreational bike path that winds through Burlington and neighboring towns, cyclists are common fixtures on the streets. See the When You’re Not Studying section for biking ideas. Parking a bicycle is an easy venture, once you invest in proper security measures. Along with the plethora of bicycles comes the increased risk of bike theft. So, when you get a bike, splurge on the best bike locks you can find. The following are just a few of the bike shops around town:

Local Motion (Map)
(802) 652-2453
www.localmotion.org/

North Star Sports (Map)
(802) 863-3832

Old Spokes Home (Used Bicycles) (Map)
(802) 863-4475

Earl’s Cyclery and Fitness (Map)
(866) 327-5725
www.earlsbikes.com

Skirack (Map)
(802) 658-3313
www.skirack.com

Taxicab Confessions

If you have to go to the airport, need a designated driver, or just enjoy people driving you around you will be interested in the taxi services in Burlington. The companies with the most cars on the street are Yellow Cab (802-864-7411, -7474, -3300, or –3400) and Benway’s Taxi (802-862-1010, Airport taxi 802-658-1313). A Taxi Service (802-658- 2299), AAA Taxi (802-238-9329), Everywhere Taxi (802-238-4121), K & B Taxi Service (802- 238-8103), and Morf’s Taxi Service – an economical van service for groups (802-864-5588) are also available.

Regional Transportation

For checking out great neighboring cities like Montreal or Boston, or for going a little further, there are Regional Bus Options and Burlington’s International Airport. Regional bus options include:

Buses

Greyhound (802) 864-6811
345 Pine Street, Burlington, VT 05401 (Map)
http://www.greyhound.com/

Trains

Amtrak also has a location in nearby Essex Junction, VT (Map). Visit www.Amtrak.com to view train schedules. Visit this webpage to find info on train services from Vermont (north-east).

Airport information and Airline options

Airport – BTV

Burlington International Airport – (BTV) (Map)
Phone:(802-863-2874)
1200 Airport Drive,
South Burlington, VT 05403.
www.burlingtonintlairport.com/

Airlines

American Airlines – www.aa.com
Continental Airlines – www.continental.com/
Jet Blue – www.jetblue.com
United Airlines – www.ual.com
US Air – www.usair.com
Delta Airlines – www.delta.com
NorthwestAirlines – www.nwa.com

And check these sites for travel deals:

http://cheaptravel.com/
http://hotwire.com/
http://www.travelocity.com/
http://www.expedia.com/

Ferries

Lake Champlain Ferries – http://www.ferries.com/

SNOW!!

If you like it (and the cold weather that comes with it), snow is a fantastic reason to move to Vermont. If you don’t, perhaps a shift in perspective is all you need, cause its here for a long part of the year! Just think of all the fun things you can do…

Ways to enjoy the snow in Vermont:

Downhill skiing/snowboarding
X-country skiing
Sledding
Dogsledding
Snowshoeing
Skating

Looking out the window while you sip hot chocolate at a local coffee house
(read on for more details on these options…)

Things to NOT enjoy about winter in Vermont, but you definitely need to know:

Parking Bans

In the event of large quantities of snowfalls, the City of Burlington initiates parking bans on all city streets. This means that all cars must be off the city streets by 10:00 pm so that the snowplows can effectively clear the streets. If your vehicle is parked on the street during a ban, it will be towed, (which you will have to pay for) and you will be issued a $75 parking ticket. Some downtown parking lots will allow overnight parking when bans are in effect. There are yellow flashing lights set up around the city that will indicate that a parking ban is in effect. For more information, you can also call the Winter Street Parking Ban Info Line at 658-7669. UVM will also occasionally notify us through all-campus e-ails when parking bans take effect (but not always).

There are also parking bans in effect in the spring time, for street cleaning – something to keep an eye out for. The same rules usually apply.

Commuting

If you’re driving to campus on a snowy day, allow extra time for the commute or better yet, come by skis or snowshoes or your good old boots. Traffic can get pretty bad sometimes and your trip can take twice as long.

Attire

Coming from a more tropical climate? Remember, the cold weather in Vermont can be more to worry about than the actual snow – cover your face, fingers, etc. when the weather dips below the freezing point. Take campus transportation to get yourself around UVM, and wear layers and a heavy jacket – what you thought was warm clothing before just won’t cover it.

Now, on to the good stuff…

Local Ski areas

Downhill Skiing

Below are some of the ski areas you can enjoy within about an hour’s driving time (with one exception). Most of the lift ticket prices are at 2008-2009 season rates. Check out their websites for conditions and up-to-date lift ticket prices and deals. Many mountains offer student discounts or other discount packages.

Bolton Valley (Directions)
Bolton, VT 05477
Phone: 877-926-5866
E-mail: mailto:info@boltonvalley.com
http://www.boltonvalley.com/
61 trails

A great mid-size mountain; 15-20 minutes from UVM; night skiing; good student discounts; weekday lift ticket: $42 for regular pass, and they get even cheaper for students.

Cochran’s
Richmond, VT 05477 (Directions)
Phone: 802-434-2479
http://www.cochranskiarea.com
8 trails

A great little hill for the skier who loves the rope tow and Poma lift! Learn to ski from Vermont’s finest – there are a few Olympic gold and silver medal winners in the Cochran family lineage. Only about 15 minutes from UVM, lift ticket prices are ~$15. Not much snowmaking here, so call ahead first.

Jay Peak
Jay, VT 05859 (Directions)
Phone: 802-988-2611 or 800-451-4449
E-mail: JayPeak@together.net
http://www.jaypeakresort.com
75 trails

A bit of a drive, for VT skiing (~1 hr 30 mins from UVM), but definitely worth the trip at least once. Jay boasts the most snowfall in the East – go find out for yourself! Good prices too, especially for students – tickets are about $40 with student ID.

Mad River Glen
Waitsfield, VT (Directions)
Phone: 802-496-3551
E-mail: ski@madriver.com
http://www.madriverglen.com
45 trails

If you want nostalgia, this is the place to go. Mad River is home to one of the only single-chairs still operating in North America. They have very little snowmaking, and do very little grooming. One of the classic Vermont mountains, and owner of the well-known slogan (in VT, anyway), “Mad River Glen, Ski it if you Can”. Anti-Mad River folks, mostly snowboarders, have generated their own bumper stickers – “Mad River Glen, I’d Ride it if I could” because snowboarders are sent down the road to Sugarbush. Not quite an hours’ drive from UVM, Mad River offers some of the most challenging terrain in Vermont, and you can enjoy it for a whole day for the bargain price of $50 (normally $54; call ahead for conditions, and ask about student rates).

Smuggler’s Notch
Jeffersonville, VT 05464 (Directions)
Phone: 802-644-8851 (info); 802-644-1104 (snow)
E-mail: smuggs@smuggs.com
http://www.smuggs.com/
78 trails

As you’ll hear in their advertisements, you get “3 mountains of fun” for the price of 1 here. A great family-oriented mountain, “Smuggs” offers lots of challenging terrain for all levels, and only about 40 minutes from UVM. A good deal to check out is their Bash Badge – pay ~$79 before Labor Day (rates go up after), and you’ll get lift ticket for a price of just $20 for a whole day (normally ~$56 for a whole day). They also offer “morning only” passes – great for those winter days when you only have afternoon classes or labs.

Stowe
Stowe, VT 05672 (Directions)
Phone: 802-253-3000 or 802-253-3600 (snow)
E-mail: info@stowe.com
http://www.stowe.com
48 trails

Alongside Killington, probably the most well-known ski area in New England, and for good reason. They’ve been around since the beginning of it all, and know how to do things right. Lots of great terrain, with speedy lifts to get you up to it, and a nice little village for the après skier in you. About 50-60 minutes from UVM, full day lift tickets are ~$76 on weekdays.

Sugarbush
Warren, VT 05674 (Directions)
Phone: 800-537-8427 (res); 802-583-6300 (info); 802-583-7669 (snow)
http://www.sugarbush.com
111 trails

Down the road from Mad River Glen, Sugarbush offers up a little of everything, at $63 for a day of it. Definitely a resort mountain, complete with high-speed quads and lots of well groomed trails.

Other mountains beyond the immediate Burlington area:

Killington, www.killington.com
Middlebury Snow Bowl, www.middlebury.edu/campuslife/facilities/snowbowl/
Mount Snow/Haystack, www.mountsnow.com
Okemo www.okemo.com
Stratton www.stratton.com
Whiteface (New York) www.whiteface.com

And for general information about these and other mountains in Vermont/New England, go to this website.

Interested in a little bit of skiing history in Vermont and New England? Check these sites out! New England Lost Ski Areas Project: http://www.nelsap.org/ Vermont Ski Museum: http://www.vermontskimuseum.org/

Nordic/Cross-country/Backcountry skiing

There are many, many places to go cross-country skiing in Vermont; we’re not even going to try to list them all in any amount of detail. A great resource for Nordic enthusiasts is www.xcountryski-vermont.com; here you will find conditions and contact information for many cross-country ski locations, divided up by regions in Vermont. And don’t forget, there is the Intervale and the many golf courses that you can ski at, for the bargain price of $0.00!! Several of these venues also have good backcountry skiing.

Some Nordic/Backcountry ski/ride places close to UVM are:

Bolton Valley, Bolton, VT (www.boltonvalley.com)
Catamount Ski Center, Williston, VT (www.catamountoutdoor.com)
Jay Peak (www.jaypeakresort.com)
Sleepy Hollow, Huntington, VT (www.skisleepyhollow.com)
Stowe Mountain www.stowe.com

What else is there to do in Vermont in the winter?

Dogsledding!

www.dogsledrides.com/vermont

Ice Skating!

Leddy Arena on North Ave in Burlington (802) 865-7558, or there are lots of ponds and of course Lake Champlain, but as always, be careful!

Snowshoeing!

Try the trails at the Intervale, Indian Brook Reservoir in Essex, or any of the many trail-heavy parks around the Burlington area.

One thing about Vermont – there are lots of hills, trails, and tons of snow, so get out there and enjoy it all!

Where can I get equipment?

First, try contacting the UVM Outing Club – they loan out a variety of outdoor equipment so it’s a great way to try something out!

Then, try a few of the local outdoor shops:

Alpine Shop, 1184 Williston Rd., South Burlington 862-2714 (Map)
Climb High, 191 Bank St. Burlington 865-0900 (Map)
Outdoor Gear Exchange, 152 Cherry St., Burlington 860-0190 (Map)
Ski Rack, 85 Main St., Burlington 383-0699 (Map)
Eastern Mountain Sports, 100 Dorset St., So Burlington 864-0473 (Map)

Graduate Grub

On-Campus Dining

So, you forgot to pack your lunch (or dinner or breakfast for that matter). What to do? Luckily there are quite a few appetizing options for the hungry student.

Along the street adjacent to the UVM Green, local food vendors park their trucks along the sidewalk. Options cater to all tastes from sandwiches to Chinese and falafels to salads you are bound to find something to satisfy the tastes buds. And it’s cheap too – generally under $6. Vendor hours vary but they are usually around until about 5pm during the school year.

UVM Dining Services also has a number of on-campus dining facilities. In addition to cafeteria-style dining options, all of these facilities offer grab-n-go pre-made sandwiches, salads, yogurt parfaits, and sushi.

Here are some central campus dining facilities locations and hours:

The Atrium : Given Medical Building
Monday – Friday	7:30am – 1:30pm
Snacks	1:30pm – 2:30pm
Cook Commons: Billings Student Center Basement
Monday – Thursday	7:30am – 8:00pm
Friday	7:30am – 2:30pm
Waterman Café: Waterman Building Basement
Monday – Thursday	7:30am – 6:30pm
Friday	7:30am – 2:30pm
The Manor: Waterman Building top floor
Monday – Friday	11:30am – 1:30pm
Cyber Café: Bailey Howe Library
Monday – Thursday	7:30am – 9:00pm
Friday	8:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday	12:00pm – 7:00pm
Delehanty Deck-Trinity : Delehanty Hall Trinity Campus
Monday – Friday	7:30am – 6:30pm
Saturday – Sunday	11:00am – 6:30pm

If you would like to see weekly menus for these cafés and locations of other on campus dining facilities go to the dining services web site.

Off-campus dining

Based on our experience, graduate students tend to eat out often. This is due in no small part to the abundance and variety of delicious foods served in Burlington’s many restaurants. From Thai to Italian, you will never be disappointed with all of your choices in eateries. So, here we will do our best to give you our impression of the local eclectic food scene, as best we can. Even though we have done considerable hands-on research around town, we have failed to dine at every restaurant in town, because there are just too many of them. However, some people have succeeded where we failed. Seven Days, the local entertainment and culture-rich newspaper, publishes its annual dining guide for Vermont, Seven Nights, and emphasizes its hub, Burlington. Check out Seven Nights online here.

This guide is near comprehensive. But, continue on below to get a taste (no pun intended) of the graduate student point of view on Burlington’s diverse and delicious cuisine.

In following listings, we attempt to give an accurate portrayal of the cost for a meal for a couple. The pricing symbols are listed to the right of each restaurant’s name. A key for the symbols is provided below. A meal, here, means a beverage and a main dish. Furthermore, unless otherwise noted, these eateries accept credit cards and serve vegetarian dishes.

Key to Pricing:

Symbol	Meaning	Dollar Equivalent
I	Inexpensive	$20 or less
M	Moderate	$21 to $50
E	Expensive	$51 to $70
VE	Very Expensive	More than $70

Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch

There are a number of restaurants that are open only to serve breakfast and lunch. Consequently, most of these restaurants are notoriously good at what they do. The following are a few of our early-day haunts.

Doughboy’s (I)

85 Pearl St.
Open: All day, 7 days a week
Cheapest breakfast I’ve ever had in Burlington. Typical diner fare, just what you need after you downed that 30 rack of PBR.
Bottom Line: Smoke a butt with the waitress outback; you’ll thank yourself for it later.

Henry’s Diner(I)

155 Bank St.
Open all week, Breakfast Lunch & Dinner
It’s a diner, and everything is yellow. The scrambled eggs are good, but I’m pretty sure the main ingredient in the pancakes is rubber cement. But who am I kidding, I love them anyway.
Bottom Line: Tired of that 90 minute wait for Penny Cluse? A good alternative.

Kountry Kart Deli (KKD if you want to be hip). (I)

155 Main St.
Open all week: 19½ hours everyday
Your place for that breakfast sandwich (actually any kind of sandwich and a pack of overpriced smokes) at 2 am after a rough night of karaoke at JP’s (next door).
Bottom Line: What’s not right about a Philly cheese steak at 6 am?

Magnolia’s (M)

1 Lawson Lane (behind Flatbread)
Started as a place to use all local foods; the place has a nice idea behind it. Unique dishes like the lime Belgian waffle offer you something different.
Bottom Line: The oatmeal comes in a solid square. No bowl. A solid square!

Mirabelles (I)

198 Main Street
Open Mon. – Sat.: Breakfast and Lunch Only
Good breakfast dishes and even better lunch plates abound here. Caters to professionals as well as graduate students, alike.
Bottom Line: We dare you to eat there and not order a dessert.

New Moon(I)

150 Cherry Street
Open all week: Breakfast and Lunch
While you were asleep someone airlifted a chunk of the upper east-side to Cherry St. Luckily they didn’t bring the prices. Fare is soups, salads and sandwiches, all a bit off the norm. Go somewhere else if you want your run of the mill BLT, but if you want something different, this is your place.
Bottom Line: They had a Klezmer band one Saturday morning, what else do you need?

Oasis Diner (I)

189 Bank Street
Open all week: Breakfast and Lunch Only
No Credit Cards
A throwback to the fifties, this authentic diner serves authentic diner food. Opens early, closes early.
Bottom Line: Sit at the counter just because its fun.

Penny Cluse Café(M)

169 Cherry Street
Open all week: Breakfast and Lunch Only
Kids friendly
Hands down the best breakfast place in Burlington, but expect to wait anywhere between 45 to 75 minutes for a table on the weekends, so show up early, and bring the Sunday times with you, you’ll have read it all just about the time your name is called.
Bottom Line: Don’t kid yourself, it’s worth the wait.

Red Onion (I)

140½ Church St.
Open: Lunch time and early evening
Best place in Burlington for a gourmet sandwich on homemade bread, and the only place I’ve seen Montreal Style bagels.
Bottom Line: Get the Red Onion Sandwich; it will change your life. Seriously.

Vermont Sandwich Company(I)

2 North Winooski
Open all week: Lunch and Dinner
Kids friendly
Although there is little seating, they offer intriguing and satisfying combos.
Bottom Line: A Vermont staple.

Other:

On weekends, often non-breakfast establishments you’ll see later serve brunch. So when that hour wait at the Cluse gets too much for you, try heading to Leunig’s or Smokejacks for a slightly pricey but very quality brunch.

If none of these places suit your taste, we suggest walking along Church Street at lunchtime and picking a restaurant at random. Chances are good that you will enjoy your midday meal.

Dining Around the World

As mentioned above, Burlington his home to a whole world of dining options. The downtown area is filled with a plethora of options regarding cuisine type. Great for dinner, the following options should satisfy your cultured palette (for most restaurants, dinner and lunch costs are different, lunch being the less expensive. As such, dollar signs represent the cost of a dinner.)

Asian

A Single Pebble(E)

133 Bank Street
Open All Week: Dinner
Full Service Bar
Perhaps the best Chinese food in Burlington… This is not a fast food place, it’s more gourmet.
Bottom Line: Try the mock eel; it’s better than the real thing!

Asiana House(M)

191 Pearl Street
Open All Week: Lunch and
Dinner
Full Service Bar
This reviewer has only tried the sushi (there are plenty of veggie rolls too!) & it is fantastic. I have heard the other Japanese menu items are great as well!
Bottom Line: Order the house-special maki, you won’t be disappointed.

Bangkok Bistro(M)

144 Church Street
Open All Week: Lunch and
Dinner
Full Service Bar
This Thai food restaurant is known for its culinary authenticity. On top of that, the food is absolutely delicious.
Bottom Line: Authentic + Delicious = Good Choice

China Express (I)

Corner of North St. and North Ave.
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Cheap Chinese at its finest, right next to the Old Northender, so you can get dinner and a pint without having to take more than 10 steps.
Bottom Line: See all the Old North end has to offer as long as you can avoid the casual street brawl.

Fu Da (I)

179 Pearl Street
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Cheap Chinese downtown, most spacious but empty dining room you’ll see (the foods great, but the ambiance is lacking).
Bottom Line: Good food, great price, nice owners.

Tantra(M)

169 Church Street
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner (no lunch on weekend)
Full Service Bar. I think it’s the best Thai food in Burlington. Really, I don’t know what else to say.
Bottom Line: You’ll leave Tantra more satisfied than Sting’s wife leaving his bedroom.

Pacific Rim(I)

111 St. Paul Street
Open Mon. – Sat.: Lunch and Dinner
Full Bar
Serving up a broad spectrum of Asian cuisine, this small restaurant will satisfy most cravings for Asian food.
Bottom Line: You don’t have to burn your tongue off to have a good time here.

Parima Restaurant (M to E)

185 Pearl Street
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Full Service Bar
Recognized by the Thai Ministry of Commerce, your meals may have to compete with the beautiful dining room for your attention.
Bottom Line: Touts a tasty lunch buffet and live Jazz at night.

Sakura(M)

2 Church Street
Closed Sunday: Lunch and Dinner
A Japanese Restaurant downtown with a huge menu.
Bottom Line: Good sushi and sake martinis!

European

Leunig’s Bistro(M to E)

115 Church Street
Open All Week: Brunch, Lunch and Dinner
Kid friendly
Full Service Bar
Brunch on the weekends and live music on Wednesdays and Thursdays, this restaurant has much to boast. Watch sweet deals on meals at various times during the year.
Bottom Line: “The panache of Paris and the value of Vermont.”

Indian

India House Restaurant(M)

207 Colchester Avenue
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Beer & Wine
Closest restaurant to campus. Great North -Indian food. If you really like spicy, make sure you emphasize that.
Bottom Line: Great little escape for a quicker (than heading downtown) lunch!

Shalimar of India(M)

16 North Winooski Avenue
Open All Week: Brunch, Lunch and Dinner
Beer & Wine
Also a great place for Northern Indian cuisine, just closer to downtown. They do a great deal on a Sunday brunch.
Bottom Line: You decide which Indian restaurant is your favorite!

Italian and Pizza

L’Amante(E)

126 College St.
Open: Everyday but Sunday for dinner
Full bar
This expensive Italian restaurant is truly amazing. Best place I’ve eaten in Burlington. Try the squash fritters, it’s a religious experience.
Bottom Line: If you see the Virgin Mary in the flank steak, you owe me half your profit from E-bay.

American Flatbread-Burlington (I to M)

115 St. Paul Street
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Kids friendly
Full Service Bar
This relative newcomer offers an inviting twist on the traditional wood-fired oven. Taste something from the onsite brewery, too.
Bottom Line: Sit by the oven in winter – its warm and it smells great.

Three Tomatoes Trattoria(M)

83 Church Street
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Full Service Bar
The kitchen is open in this subterranean Tuscan –style restaurant. The décor is simultaneously rustic and modern.
Bottom Line: Brick oven pizzas rival delicious pasta dishes for favorites on the menu.

Leonardo’s Pizza(I)

83 Pearl Street
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
This award-winning pizza delivery mainstay has developed numerous unique and appealing pizza styles. Their delivery cars are a common sight on the road.
Bottom Line: Their whole-wheat crust is a testament to their niche in Burlington and Vermont.

Mr. Mike’s [Pizza](I)

206 Main Street
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Full Service Bar
The pizza at this university-town staple pizzeria is often most appreciated late at night, after your first dinner and/or drinks.
Bottom Line: Look for late-night deals on slices.

Latin/Mexican

New World Tortilla (I)

10 North Winooksi Ave
Closed Sunday: Lunch and Dinner
This unique take on Mexican serves up cheap, tasty tortillas. If you aren’t too hungry, share one with a friend or expect to have lunch the next day.
Bottom line: A great, easy dinner!

Roques(M)

3 Main Street
Closed Sunday: Lunch and Dinner
Full Bar
This restaurant has some of the best Mexican in Burlington. Enjoy free salsa, bean dip and chips while you wait for your meal. Great for a group.
Bottom line: Bring your appetite, you won’t go away hungry.

Souza’s Churrascaria(M to E)

131 Main Street
Closed Monday: Dinner and Brunch on Sunday
Full Service Bar
The style here is all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbeque.
Bottom Line: Come really hungry.

Americana-ish

The following predominantly serve American cuisine, although they don’t limit themselves to that. You will find comfortably eclectic menus at these next few restaurants. Bottom Line: Never fails to serve great food with equally good service.

Big Fatty’s(I)

55 Main Street
Open Mon – Sat 11 am – 11 pm
Be very careful, you may die of pork overdose. I suggest Fatty’s Monster Dog. A foot long hot dog topped off with pulled pork, coleslaw and BBQ sauce.
Bottom Line: Their tag-line is “Put some south in your mouth”. I’m not sure there is anything funnier than that.

Daily Planet(I)

15 Center St.
Open All Week for Dinner
Full Service Bar
This is a quaint place in between College and Bank St. Offers high end fare as well good beer and burgers, and sidewalk seating.
Bottom Line: Bring that “special someone” there, and you know *wink wink* *nudge nudge* *know what I mean know what I mean*.

The Skinny Pancake(I)

Corner of Lake and College Streets
Open Tues-Thurs 7am-10pm; Fri 7am-12am; Sat 8am-12am; Sun 8am-6pm; closed Mondays.
This is an establishment that just made the jump from Church St. vendor to real restaurant. Pretty much you get anything you want on a crepe, it’s just that simple.
Bottom Line: Please go there, these Middlebury alums need to pay back their trust fund somehow.

Smokejacks(M to E)

156 Church Street
Open All Week: Brunch, Lunch and Dinner
Full Service Bar
This is another upscale restaurant, with a quaint, yet trendy atmosphere. They offer nice food, but are known nationally for their delicious hamburgers.
Bottom Line: Perfect place if you like burgers and your date likes leg of lamb.

Southern Soul(I)

156 N. Winooski Ave.
Closed Monday: Dinner only
This take out place in the North End serves wonderful home-cookin’. Try the ribs or chicken, yumm!
Bottom line: A perfect meal for a night when you don’t want to cook.

Stone Soup(I)

211 College Street
Closed Sunday: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Kids Friendly
Beer and Wine
This is a vegan-friendly establishment with great soup and bread. They also have a fun buffet (cafeteria style) with daily specials, pizza and sandwiches.
Bottom Line: Try their brunch on Saturday or grab some dinner after a hard day of studying (open until 9pm on the weekdays).

Sugarsnap(I)

505 Riverside Avenue
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: 802.652.5922
Fax: 802.652.5923
Email: contact@sugarsnap.biz
Web: www.sugarsnap.biz
Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday. Catering available 7 days a week.
This great restaurant buys most of their veggies from the Intervale, a community organic farm next door.
Bottom line: Great sandwiches for meat eaters and vegetarians alike!

Sweetwaters(M)

118 Church Street
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Kids friendly
Full Service Bar
Known for its lively menu and atmosphere to match, this Church Street gem is sure to please most customers. Live music Friday and Saturday nights.
Bottom Line: Try the sweet potato fries…for your sake.

Tilly’s Cafe(M)

161 Church St.
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Full Service Bar
Remember that salt-water aquarium you always wanted as child, but your mom would never let you have? Now you can get two of them at Tilly’s, along with an eclectic American fare.
Bottom line: The fish is great, and they don’t keep it in the aquarium!

Vermont Pub and Brewery(I)

144 College Street
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Kids friendly
Full Service Bar
Down-home cooking (meatloaf and burgers) and a few non-traditional choices comprise the menu at this brewpub. There are 10 home-brewed ales and lagers available.
Bottom Line: Nice and simple, it hits the spot flawlessly.

Cafés

For a pretty complete list of coffee and tea spots, check out the Pawbook section Where to Study Off-Campus. There you will find out which locales are hooked for wireless, too!

Outside of Burlington

Good food is hardly limited to Burlington’s city limits. In fact, there are quite a number of great places to eat in the surrounding area. Some of these places are known for their culinary treasures, some are known for their atmosphere, and the rest are just plain known. So if you have a car, here are our top places to fill your belly outside of Burlington, before driving anywhere else. In no particular order:

Sneakers Bistro and Café(I)

36 Main Street, Winooski
Open All Week: Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch
Beer and Wine Available
Bree says it’s great. ‘Nuff said.

Butler’s at the Inn at Essex(VE)

The Tavern at the Inn at Essex(M)

70 Essex Way, Essex Junction
Open All Week: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Kid friendly
Full Bar Service
You cannot lose with either of these NECI (see above) choices. One is for fine dining, the other for relaxed atmosphere.
Bottom Line: Don’t miss when the adjacent locations combine forces for an overwhelming Sunday brunch.

Al’s French Frys(I)

1251 Williston Road, South Burlington
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Kid Friendly
Deep pockets have no place at Al’s, a restaurant straight from the 1950’s. Everything on the menu is a gastronomic gauntlet, but even the overly health conscious are regular customers.
Bottom Line: They may be spelled funny, but their French fries are hard to beat.

Junior’s Italian(M)

Junior’s Pizza(I)

85 South Park Drive, Colchester
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Kid’s menu
Full Bar (Junior’s Italian)
This dynamic duo, like NECI at Essex, caters to all pocketbooks. The upstairs restaurant is elegant, preparing sizeable and delicious entrées, while the downstairs pizza parlor serves up some of the best New York style pizza in New England (they have a Long Island parlor, too).
Bottom Line: The pizza tastes like NY-style because of Junior’s second location; the upstairs entrées suggest another location in Italy.

Pizza Putt(I)

1205 Airport Parkway, South Burlington
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Kid friendly
Beer and Wine Available
Homemade pizza and lasagna dare to overshadow the around-the-world mini golf. Nice place to go for a cheap date.
Bottom Line: Feel guilty about eating an entire pizza? Break a sweat trying to get a hole-in-one at Hole 17, The Golden Gate Bridge.

Windjammer Restaurant (M to E)

1076 Williston Road, South Burlington
Open All Week: Lunch and Dinner
Kid friendly
Full Service Bar
Don’t be fooled because this place is attached to a hotel, its top quality. Serving predominantly beef, chicken, pork and seafood entrées, they hit a homerun with all of them.
Bottom Line: Free salad bar comes with all entrées. Not just any salad bar mind you, it’s a salad boat. That’s right, a freakin’ boat. Save room for your main dish.

Vietnam Restaurant(I)

137 Route 15, Essex Junction
Closed Sunday: Lunch and Dinner
The food is sooooo good, and such a great deal. Great place to take-out, but feel free to grab a table. Just get there early in the morning, because it gets busy.
Bottom Line: You just gotta try it.

Austrian Tea Room at(M)

the Trapp Family Lodge
700 Trapp Hill Road, Stowe
Open All Week: Lunch
Kid Friendly
Full Service Bar
You have to sit out on the deck and definitely try some strudel or some linzertorte for dessert!
Bottom Line: Go to Austria for the afternoon.

“Relative” Restaurants

Chances are that with a few of the aforementioned locales, you will end up washing dishes out back to pay off the third course of your meal. So, either leave your pride at home or wait until your parents (or some other wealthier members of your family) come to visit. In addition to Butler’s above, here are some of our other suggestions for fine cuisine on someone else’s tab.

The Inn at Shelburne Farms(VE)

1611 Harbor Road, Shelburne
Open All Week: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch and Dinner
Full Bar
A strikingly beautiful setting on the Shelburne
Farms property, this restaurant uses locally grown food—locally grown on their property. Take a stroll outside after dinner.
Bottom Line: Only open from May to October, so plan familial visits around this time frame.

Pauline’s Café and Restaurant (E to VE)

1834 Shelburne Road, South Burlington
Open All Week: Brunch, Lunch and Dinner
Full Bar
Looks like a house, and the food tastes home-cooked (if you are from the royal family). Exquisite presentation and taste accompany the meat and seafood dishes.
Bottom Line: Yet another place to find heaven in a Sunday brunch…

Trattoria Delia(VE)

152 St. Paul Street

Open All Week: Dinner
Kid Menu
Beer and Wine
A romantic atmosphere coupled with great classic Italian fare makes it easy to eat the night away, Italian style.
Bottom Line: Just need to decide on a bottle of red or a bottle of white, or one of each…

With that, we hope you thoroughly explore and enjoy the food, spirits and surroundings of the greater Burlington eateries. If you want to go out, but don’t have a date, we love free meals (gss@uvm.edu)! Happy eating and bon appétit!

When You Aren’t Studying

Breweries

Vermont is famous for its quality micro-brews. Stop by for free samples of great beer. Magic Hat (http://www.magichat.net/), not really a small brewery anymore, is only 7 miles from downtown Burlington. You can take a tour of their “artifactory” or fill up a growler. Middlebury, VT hosts Otter Creek (www.wolavers.com), an easy afternoon and a beautiful drive. In Bridgewater Corners, VT check out Long Trail Brewery (http://www.longtrail.com/). Although it is a good ways from Burlington, this is a great place for lunch and it is a beautiful ride.

Bars and Concert Venues

There are plenty of watering holes in Burlington, many of them lining Church Street. For a fun night out grab a few friends and walk downtown. Because it is a college town bars are pretty strict, so bring your ID. There is no real “happy hour” in Burlington but there are good drink specials, so pay attention. Also, Burlington is a “no-smoking town” so don’t expect to be able to light up inside.

This list is in no way exhaustive but reflects some of our favorite places.

American Flatbread – Burlington Hearth 115 St. Paul St. Burlington
www.americanflatbread.com
This pizza establishment also has a beautiful bar area which is a nice place to try their on-site brews and hear live music.

Ake’s Place 134 Church St.
Typical Church St. place. Filled with undergrads, but they have video match-a-boob, always a grad student favorite.

Breakwater’s 1 King St.
I am unsure what part of Florida this bar drifted in on. An all high-school girl waitstaff mixed with a bad blues cover band and middle-aged twice, divorced singles drinking overpriced Bud from plastic cups make this place a must experience. It’s got a great location, right on the water, and you can pull your boat up and have a few.

Blue Cat 1 Lawson Lane
A sort of faux jazz club atmosphere exudes from this place. It’s a bit on the expensive side, but nice outdoor seating that’s usually available since it’s off Church St.

Church Street Tavern 103 Church Street, Burlington
This “sports” tavern is popular with under-grads as well as us older people. Try one of their burgers with your beer.

Daily Planet 15 Center St, Burlington
A slightly quieter place for drinks. Nice atmosphere and late kitchen make it the perfect place for that 2nd cheeseburger of the night.

Half-Lounge 140½ Church St.
Right next to Red Square, your reviewer loves to hit up the half when he’s feeling swanky. Cocktails are the common fair here, with outdoor seating in summer, and a chill basement with rock exposed walls curtained booths. My favorite place for a dirty vodka martini.

Higher Ground 1214 Williston Rd. So Burlington. – www.highergroundmusic.com
Newly reopened, Higher Ground is one of the best places to see live music in Burlington. They have a great mix of national headliners and local acts. Get on their email list to hear about concerts before they sell out.

Nectars/Metronome 188 Main Street Burlington. – www.liveatnectars.com
Phish fans always make Nectars a stop to see “Where it all began”. This bar is a Burlington establishment and has great music! Nectars attracts both local favorites as well as national acts. Stop by on Thursday night for trivia.

Metronome, a club and live music venue, resides upstairs from Nectars.
It is famously known as “Retronome” on Saturday night because it turns back the clock to the ’80s. Teaching Assistants warning: you may run into your students!

Radio Bean 8 N. Winooski, Burlington. – www.radiobean.com
A small, funky place to get coffee, beer, or study (they have wi-fi). Great live music!

Red Square 136 Church Street. – www.redsquarevt.com
Currently this is one of the hottest bars in town for the dislocated urbaneer. Filled with hip-hop, it’s like MTV Raps set-up an outlet venue in Vermont. Sometimes it is too crowded to be fun but their 3 outdoor areas are nice in the warmer months. Red Square also gets some great bands!

Ri Ra: 123 Church St. Burlington. – http://www.rira.com/locations/burlington/index.php
This Irish pub is a chain but has its own vibe. Although it tends to attract a slightly younger crowd, this venue has good Irish food and live music. Go on Sundays for $3 Long Trails, or Tuesday night for their famous “Pub Quiz”.

Roques 3 Main Street, Burlington.
Although Roques is a restaurant, they also have a mean margarita list. In the summer months their outdoor patio is perfect for watching the sunset over the lake. Free chips, salsa, and bean dip make this a great place for cocktail hour.

Ruben James 159 Main Street.
Two words . . . Sunday Ticket! For all you non-Vermonters who need your home-team fix, all games are televised at RJ’s. Cheap, good-tasting wings and great weekly drink specials make this bar fun and inexpensive.

Vermont Pub and Brewery 144 College St. Burlington. – http://www.vermontbrewery.com/
Located just off of Church St, this restaurant/bar is a great find. They make all of their own beers on site and have a yummy pub grub style menu. Great fish and chips!

Drink 133 St. Paul St. Burlington.
Formerly Wine Works, but basically the same place. They have lots of infused vodka’s and a good selection of wine. Plus every table has Connect Four on it. I don’t know why, but it’s addictive.

Three Needs 207 College St Burlington.
This reviewer believes it is one of the best bars in Burlington! Stop by around 4 pm for a “Duff Hour” for $1 pints ’til the keg is kicked.

The O. P. 4 N. Winooski St.
Your reviewer’s favorite bar. Located in the more “hipster” district of Burlington, there is a good solid mix of scenesters, students, townies, and local homeless alcoholics. Two-Fifty PBR pitchers on Wednesdays is a solid bet to see some of your fellow grad students truly utilizing the flexible schedule of the grad student.

Events

All sorts of events going on . . .

First Night
Winter Festival and Polar Plunge
Magic Hat Mardi Gras
Chew Chew Festival
Vermont City Marathon
Gay Pride Celebration
Vermont Brewer’s Festival
Latino Festival
Mozart Festival
Champlain Valley Folk Festival
Champlain Valley Fair
Apple Festival
Foliage Festivals

To check out more on upcoming events in the area go to the following websites.

http://www.vtattractions.org/
http://www.vermontvacation.com

UVM Intramurals

http://www.uvm.edu/~recspts/intramurals/
Intramural sports are a great way to hang out with fellow students and get some exercise. They run all year round. If you don’t know many people, try sending an email out on GRADNET to see who is interested. Popular sports include, summer softball, fall Pizza Putt mini-golf tournament, winter inner-tube water polo, and spring dodgeball.

Cool things to check out.

On the weekend . . . . Farmer’s Markets, City Park
http://www.vermontagriculture.com/buylocal/buy/farmersMarkets.html

To learn about the lake . . . ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center
www.echovermont.org

If you want to have a picnic or go swimming . . . .North Beach, Oakledge Park, Battery Park
www.enjoyburlington.com

To check out farming . . .Intervale www.intervale.org or Shelburne Farm
www.shelburnefarms.org/

Hiking and Biking

The Burlington area is a great place to go hiking! There are so many places to go hiking; here are some good sites and books to check out. The “big trail” in Vermont is the Long Trail. There are many smaller trails off of it.

http://www.a1trails.com/hiking/hike_vt.html
http://www.greenmountainclub.org/
http://www.trails.com/toptrails.aspx?state=VT&activity=Hiking

Books: 50 Hikes in Vermont: Walks, Hikes, and Overnights in the Green Mountain State, Sixth Edition by the Green Mountain Club and Hiking Vermont by Larry B. Pletcher.

Burlington is a biking town! Best is the Burlington bike path, which follows along the water, and continues out over the Lake. Drivers are generally tolerant, so roads are good too.

http://www.enjoyburlington.com/Parks/BikePath1.cfm
www.localmotionvt.org

For students from India coming to UVM, these pages include information about preparatorytravel arrangements, housing facilities, student finances and tips forgetting familiar with Burlington. This should prepare you well with what to expect as a student at UVM.

Resources