Don't wait until the end of summer to file for residency when you can start the process in early May. This will allow plenty of time to establish California residency before the fall 1997 semester begins. Last fall, the difference between resident and nonresident tuition topped $4,200 per semester. Pick up the California Residency Application in the Residence Office, 39 Sproul Hall. The form includes several pages of information on residency requirements and lists the documentation you will need to include when you apply.
Prospective International Graduate Student Instructors (IGSIs) from countries where English is not the native language must show competence in spoken English to teach at Berkeley. If you did not take the Test of Spoken English (TSE) prior to your arrival at Berkeley, you must take the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) before you may receive a teaching appointment. The SPEAK test is given on the first Thursday and second Monday of each month in 33 Dwinelle Hall. Advance registration is required. For more information, contact the Graduate Division's GSI Teaching and Resource Center, 642-4456.
So, the day you finish your degree is finally close enough to seem real. Now what? If you're unsure what lies beyond the tunnel--or whether you'll make it to the day when you can see the light at the end--you may benefit from a session with an independent academic career consultant.
Anne MacLachlan, Ph.D., former UC Berkeley academic placement coordinator, has presented job-hunting workshops on campus for the past eight years, including last fall's "Entering the Academic Profession" series. She is available for individual advising on all aspects of the job search, from assessing skills to preparing letters of application, curricula vitae, and dissertation abstracts. At any phase of graduate studies, she can provide guidance for students having problems with their committees, morale, or study habits. She also assists with grant writing.
Her background includes a doctorate in German history and support from the Max Planck Institute for History, the National Endowment for the Humanities, UC Staff Development awards, the German Academic Exchange Service, and other organizations. Her current project is tracking the successful placement of Ph.D.'s.
MacLachlan's rates for graduate students are reasonable, and payment plans can be arranged. She can be reached at 652-4054, or acadsol@emf.net.
Wondering what to do after graduate school? The Career and Educational Guidance Library, 2220 Bancroft Way (Tang Center), provides a variety of ways to explore the future, including computer-assisted career guidance.
You can choose between two software programs--SIGI PLUS (System of Interactive Guidance and Information) and DISCOVER. Each helps you assess your values, interests, and skills, then walks you through the steps of using this information to make career decisions. Count on spending between one and four hours exploring either program. If you need to divide the time into two sessions, the computer can store your information.
In addition to computer-assisted counseling, the library has general information on all major career fields and detailed information on specific job titles. If you're preparing for academic interviews, you can find background information on college and university programs. The library has directories of graduate and professional schools and an extensive collection of college catalogs.
The library is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. Services are free to UC Berkeley students, faculty, and staff. For more information, call 642-2367, or go to the Career Guidance Library Web site (http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/CareerLibrary/Student.htm).
Planning field research in Latin America or the Caribbean? The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) offers travel grants to get you there.
Funded through the generosity of William Power of the Class of 1930, the 1997 Power Summer Field Research Grant Competition awards round-trip airfare between the United States and one Latin American or Caribbean country. The competition, one of the few to focus on Latin America, is open to all registered UC Berkeley graduate students. Highest priority will be given to students who have not previously received a travel grant from CLAS and to preliminary thesis or dissertation projects.
Applications are due Friday, February 21, by 4 p.m. Notification letters will be sent by mail no later than March 21, with travel to be completed by August 31, 1997.
The 1997 Power Grant is equivalent to last year's Tinker program, with the addition of grants for Caribbean studies.
Applications and guidelines are available at the Center for Latin American Studies, 2334 Bowditch Street. The center is open between 9 a.m. and noon, and from 1 to 4 p.m.
A limited number of applications are available at the International and Area Studies Teaching Program Office, 101 Stephens Hall; the Department of Political Science, 210 Barrows Hall; the Department of Sociology, 410 Barrows Hall; and the Graduate Division Fellowships Office, 318 Sproul Hall. Application materials are also available in Portable Document Format at http://www.clas.berkeley.edu/clas/support/.
For more information, contact CLAS at 642-2088 or clas@uclink.berkeley.edu.
Has your research project stalled on statistics? The Department of Statistics is again offering free, drop-in consultations. Advanced graduate students, under faculty supervision, are available to give statistical advice at any stage of your research project. You're especially encouraged to take advantage of this service if you're just beginning your research, because it may help you design your project.
For spring drop-in hours or more information, call the Department of Statistics, 642-2781.
With the April 15 tax deadline coming up, you may find yourself with questions, especially if you're paying taxes as a graduate student for the first time. Here are some of the things you need to know.
The Tax Reform Act of 1986 made taxable all stipends from fellowships, work-study awards, GSI and GSR appointments, Graduate Opportunity Program awards, and grants-in-aid.
However, you may subtract from your taxable income any amount of your grant spent on tuition and expenses such as books, supplies, and equipment required for course work, according to the conditions of your grant. It's up to you to report as taxable the part of your fellowship or grant stipend you used for basic living expenses.
You can find more information in the following Internal Revenue Service (IRS) publications: #4 (Student Guide to Federal Income Tax); #505 (Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax); #519 (U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens); #520 (Scholarships and Fellowships); and #901 (U.S. Tax Treaties). For tax forms, call the IRS at (800) 829-3676. For questions, call (800) 829-1040. Or for forms and other information, go to the IRS Web site (http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/prod/cover.html).
For questions on California taxes, call (800) 852-5711; for California forms, call (800) 338-0505, or consult the California Franchise Tax Board Web site (http://www.ftb.ca.gov/).
Financial Aid Deadlines
Applications for 1997-98 financial aid have been available at Services for International Students and Scholars since January 2. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, March 7.
Workshops on Permanent Residence
If you're close to finishing your degree and are interested in learning how to obtain a green card, you should attend the workshop, "How to Acquire U.S. Permanent Residence," normally held once a month in International House. There is a $40 charge for this workshop. Call 642-2818 for schedule information.
Tax Workshops
Information workshops on U.S. nonresident income tax matters for international students holding F-1 or J-1 visas will be held in February, March, and April at International House. Call 642-2818 for dates and times.
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