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Student Handbook: General Information

Academic Calendar:

Check the UW academic calendar for dates of instruction, registration, and holidays.

Housing:

There is plenty of off-campus housing nearby in the University District. For those choosing to live farther away from campus, it is easy to commute by bike or Seattle's Metro bus service.

The central neighborhoods here are considered very desirable places to live and tend to be more expensive than the more distant and / or suburban locations. The neighborhoods of Capitol Hill, Wallingford, Green Lake, Ravenna, and Fremont are all great places to live and are a short bus or bike ride from the University. The farther from the city center you go, the lower prices tend to be. Those looking for the least expensive apartments will find them in the north and south end suburbs but will have a longer commute and less interesting surroundings.

Advertisements for shared and single-occupancy housing are readily found posted at the University or in local papers. Prices vary, but studios start around $600 and one bedrooms start around $800 per month.

Here are some links to rental listings:

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer classifieds

UW off-campus housing listings

UW on-campus housing

The Stranger classified ads

Seattle Weekly classified ads

Insurance:

The Graduate Appointee Insurance Program is administered by the UW Benefits Office. Insurance enrollment is done online at the WPAS website. Students must re-enroll online each Autumn Quarter or after any break in UW-paid coverage (e.g. if you are without funding for a quarter). You might consider confirming with WPAS that you are enrolled, if you don't receive any sort of indication from them.

Those needing short-term coverage after graduation might consider The UW Alumni Insurance Program.

Libraries:

The Health Sciences library is located in the T wing, room 227. You'll need to go to the Health Sciences Library in order to activate your student ID card to be used as a library card. For more options, follow these links:

For information on connecting to the UW via proxy server for online access from home, follow this link: http://healthlinks.washington.edu/howto/connect/

Computers:

Please check the Genome Sciences IT page for a details on computing services available via the department.

For information on connecting to the UW via proxy server for online access from home, follow this link: http://healthlinks.washington.edu/help/connecting.html

Please be aware that some of the labs use PCs while many others use Macs. It's a good idea to arrive with a reasonable degree of proficiency on both platforms.

Office Staff:

Administrative staff information is posted here: http://www.gs.washington.edu/office/index.htm

Printing Posters:

Information on printing posters is available here: http://gs-its.gs.washington.edu/printing/

The Health Sciences Academic Services website provides step by step instructions on how to use PowerPoint to create a poster.

Retirement Plan :

You have the option of participating in the Voluntary Investment Progam. Please visit the plan website for more information.

Transportation:

Yay! Seattle finally has light rail. Granted, it's less extensive than one might hope, and almost-but-doesn't-quite reach the airport, but it's a start. There is also commuter rail service which is unlikely to be of any use to you unless you live a fair distance north (Everett, Mukilteo, Edmonds) or south (Tacoma, Puyallup, Kent) of Seattle.

Another very nice travel option you won't use routinely is the Washington State Ferry System. King County's Metro bus system is extensive, and Seattle is considered one of the country's most bicycle-friendly cities. The UW home page provides info on the U-Pass and other options. Those who choose to drive can look forward to heavy traffic and expensive parking.

Metro Bus Schedules

Health Sciences Shuttle (between UW & Harborview Medical Center)

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Shuttle

South Lake Union Shuttle