Greetings From the GSAS Council

Tips for New Grads

As a new student at the University of Virginia, you are going to be given a lot of information. We have collected here some tips that we feel will help you as you settle in to life in Charlottesville.

• UVA Grads are eligible for membership in the University of Virginia Community Credit Union.
• The UVA Financial Aid Office offers "Lee Emergency Loans", short-term, no interest loans up to $500.
• For a small fee, the UVA Alumni Association will provide grad students with a security deposit voucher for local utilities. Call 971-9721 and ask about the Alumni-Student Cooperative.

• UVA is a member of the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students (NAGPS). All NAGPS members get a discount on GEICO Auto Insurance.
• All UVA teaching assistants receive a 10% discount on all book purchases at the UVA Bookstore.
• Students receive a discount at Harris Teeter Supermarket and Integral Yoga Natural Foods if you ask at the checkout.

• All students can get eye exams for $25 at the UVa Eye Care Clinic.
• Although QualChoice Health Insurance is recommended by Student Health, grad students can enroll in any health plan they choose. NAGPS offers a health plan that all UVA grads may choose if it meets their needs.

• There are two second run theaters in Charlottesville, a $1.50 movie theater on Greenbriar and a $2.00 movie theater on the Downtown Mall.
• Charlottesville Recreation & Leisure Services runs adult softball and adult volleyball leagues. Pickup volleyball games take place Tuesday nights in the Carver Rec Center.
• The Soccer Organization of Ch'ville Albemarle (SOCA) runs two adult leagues, a co-ed league and an open Premier League. Many of the SOCA teams also play pickup games weekly. Call 975-5025 for more information.
• Charlottesville has a fresh produce, herbs, plants, and baked goods market every Saturday from 7am until noon near the Downtown Mall, on Water Street.

Useful Websites

Information related to the tips above and many other topics is available on the web. Here is a list of some useful websites.

• University-Wide Events Calendar
  www.virginia.edu/Calendar
• Arts & Sciences Research Administration on-line funding database searches
  minerva.acc.virginia.edu/~resadm/online.html
• University News Page
  www.virginia.edu/news.html
• Arts & Sciences Grad Council Home
  scs.student.Virginia.EDU/~gsasc/

• The Charlottesville Guide
  www.cjp.com/guide
• Hyperville Index to Ch'ville Resources
  www.hyperville.com
• Cineville — Ch'Ville Movies & Music
  www.cineville.com
• SOCA (Soccer Org. of Ch'Ville/Albemarle)
  www.cstone.net/~soca
• Ch'Ville Recreation & Leisure Services
  recreation.ci.charlottesville.va.us
• Monticello Avenue — Community Network
  monticello.avenue.gen.va.us
• UVA Community Credit Union
  www.uvacreditunion.org

• Daily Progress Classified Ads
  www.dailyprogress.com/classified/classmain.htm
• Blue Ridge Apartment Council
  www.brac.com
• Realtors' websites
  www.woodardprop.com (some grad only apts.)
  www.wade-apts.com
  www.msc-rents.com
  www.lacour-realty.com/apartments.html
  

• National Assoc. of Grad. & Prof. Students (all UVA Grad students are members)
  www.nagps.org
• Sallie Mae Cashe Scholarship Search
  www.salliemae.com (click on CASHE)

About the GSAS Council

(1) To allocate the Student Activities Fees paid each semester by GSAS students, and
(2) To represent graduate student interests in the governance of the University of Virginia.

During the 1998-1999 academic year, the council allocated nearly $9000 to graduate student run conferences and other activities. The Grad Council also sponsored a Publishing Forum aimed at graduate students in the humanities and a Tax Information Session for all GSAS students. Graduate student advocacy was a main focus of the GSAS Council in 1998, and our efforts were concentrated on discussing the need for subsidized health insurance for GSAS students. For more information on our activities, please see the GSAS Council webpage, or email one of the council members (addresses listed on the webpage).

We are interested especially in recruiting graduate students who would like to be involved in graduate student advocacy. There are many vacancies on the GSAS council. If you are interested in representing your department, please email the GSASC president, Chris Palma, at cp4v@virginia.edu. The time commitment is reasonable. The whole council meets once monthly. Small groups of GSAS Council members meet informally from time to time to plan upcoming events. The typical monthly time commitment is therefore about 2 hours per month.

The members of the GSAS Council want to wish you all good luck as you begin your graduate education at the University of Virginia. Please feel free to contact your department representative or the officers of the Council if you have any concerns that you wish assistance with.