Current Graduate Student Information
The Department of Atmospheric Sciences offers both the M.S. and Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences. Students may emphasize radar, satellite, dynamical and numerical, physical, synoptic, tropical and mesoscale, or middle atmospheric meteorology; atmospheric chemistry and biogeochemical cycling; climate modeling; or climatology. The information in this section comes from the Graduate Catalog, Office of Graduate Studies, Texas A&M University Student Rules, Department Graduate Committee and office staff. If you have any questions regarding the following information, please refer to these resources for assistance.
Graduate Core Courses
The core curriculum provides a broad foundation, with courses in atmospheric dynamics, physics and chemistry. The complete core consists of six courses, with at least three courses required for any given student. M.S. students must take at least one core course from each of the three basic sub-disciplines. Ph.D. students must also take a fourth course in their area of specialization.
Dynamic core courses:
| ATMO 601: | Fundamentals of Atmospheric Dynamics |
| ATMO 611: | Atmospheric Dynamics II (waves,instabilities and turbulence) |
Physics core courses:
| ATMO 602: | Principles of Atmospheric Physics (thermodynamics and cloud physics) |
| ATMO 612: | Atmospheric Physics II (radiative transfer and remote sensing) |
Chemistry core courses:
| ATMO 689: | Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry |
| ATMO 613: | Advanced Atmospheric Chemistry |
A complete list of available courses and associated course descriptions can be found in the Graduate Catalog.
Master of Science
An M.S. degree in atmospheric sciences prepares graduates for careers with both government agencies (such as the National Weather Service) and the private sector (ranging from the airline industry to private forecasting and consulting companies to TV stations). Two M.S. degree tracks are offered:
- The research-based track: Students in the research track complete an original M.S. thesis based on independent research. 32 credit hours of coursework are also required, of which 23 hours must be formal (i.e., non-research based) coursework. The general minimum course requirements are:
Core courses (9 hours) Other ATMO courses (6 hours) Out-of-department courses (3 hours) ATMO Seminar (2 hours maximum) 3 additional hours of formal coursework Research hours
- The non-thesis option: The majority of M.S. candidates pursue the research-based track. However, a non-thesis option is also offered. The non-thesis M.S. requires a minimum of 36 hours of coursework. Non-thesis students must also pass a comprehensive exam in lieu of the thesis defense.
Steps to the Master of Scince
Refer to the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) calendar for specific deadlines each semester. Failure to meet deadlines may result in the postponement of graduation.
- Meet with departmental graduate advisor to plan course of study for the first semester. When? Before first semester registration.
- Establish your committee and submit a degree plan online. When? Before registering for your third semester, and no later than 90 days before thesis defense, whichever is earlier.
- Submit Thesis Proposal to OGS. When? As soon as possible once your research project is identified, and no later than 15 days before scheduling the defense.
- Apply for degree and pay the diploma fee online. When? At the beginning of your final semester.
- Verify that your degree plan is up-to-date and all coursework will be completed in order to graduate. When? Before you schedule your final defense.
Committee & Degree Plan
Students should consult with their advisor to develop an advisory committee. The advisor will serve as Chair of the committee, which must consist of no fewer than three members of the graduate faculty, including one or more from outside the department. The committee is reported to the Office of Graduate Studies by way of filing the degree plan.
M.S. students must file a degree plan before the end of the second major semester of study, and no later than 90 days prior to the thesis defense. Initial degree plans are filed electronically, using the Online Degree Plan Submission System. Students who do not file their plan by the deadline will have a registration block placed on their record by the Office of Graduate Studies. Committee membership can be changed later, to add, remove or replace members as needed, using the Petition for Change of Committee.
A minimum of 32 hours is required on the degree plan, composed of those courses previously discussed. Restrictions apply regarding the maximum allowed of certain credit hours, for example research or undergraduate coursework. Refer to the graduate catalog for a detailed listing of acceptable M.S. degree plan hours or refer to your advisor.
Degree plans can be changed later, using the Petition for Course Change, so course work can be removed or added as necessary. All degree plans and petitions require approval of the student's advisor, committee, and the department head.
Thesis ProposalBegin thinking about your research topic your first semester. As soon as a research project has been identified, students are encouraged to submit the thesis proposal their committee for approval. It is advisable that the thesis proposal be completed by the end of the first year in residence. The proposal must then be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, using the Proposal Title Page for Thesis. The latest the proposal may be submitted is 15 days prior to submitting the appropriate form to schedule the thesis defense.
Thesis OfficeGuidelines for preparation of the thesis are available in the Thesis Manual, which is available on the Thesis Office website, along with other valuable information. Familiarize yourself with this manual.
Students are encouraged to arrange for rough draft and pre-submittal conferences with the Thesis Office. These meetings will help produce a better manuscript with fewer errors and will familiarize students with the Thesis Office staff and procedures. Call the Thesis Office 979-845-2225 for an appointment.
Thesis DefenseEligibility to defend:
- The GPR must be at least 3.000 on the degree plan and for all courses completed which are eligible to be applied to a graduate degree, and there must be no unabsolved grades of D, F, or U for any course listed on the degree plan;
- All course work on the degree plan must be complete, except for those in which the student is currently registered;
- An approved thesis proposal must be on file with OGS; and,
- International students must have satisfied English language proficiency requirements.
The thesis defense can be scheduled using the Request for Final Examination, which must be submitted no less than 10 working days in advance of the requested date of defense. When selecting a date, you may check room availability and reserve a room with the front desk staff in the main office, O&M 1204. Inform the front desk of your defense information and they will also prepare a flier to advertise the event. A refreshment cart will be prepared for your defense, with coffee, tea and water, but students are responsible for providing food items. Drop off the treats earlier in the day and the office staff with prepare and deliver your refreshment cart.
Be aware that there is a deadline each semester by which this form must be submitted in order to graduate in that term. Missing this deadline means graduating in the following semester. Check the graduate deadlines calendar to be certain of the deadlines that apply to you.
Upon successful defense, each of the committee members and the department head must approve the written thesis. The committee indicates approval by signing the Approval Form. If a signature is needed from a committee member who is outside the country, the Thesis Office will accept a faxed signature from this absent member. Since this signature will be the only signature that may be faxed, this member's signature needs to be the first signature obtained on the form. After the absent member faxes back the approval form, the remainder of the committee can then place their original signatures on the faxed approval form. The completed approval form should be submitted to the Thesis Office within 10 days of the defense. Students may deliver the form themselves or drop it off with Christie Dunn in the main office.
Submitting & ClearingThe thesis is submitted electronically to the Thesis Office as a single PDF file. M.S. students must also sign and submit any additional required forms at this time; check the Thesis Office web site. Again, be aware of the graduate deadline for submitting the signed Approval Form and PDF file of the thesis for the semester in which you want to graduate. Before a student can be "cleared" to graduate, any necessary corrections must be made and the thesis resubmitted.
Time LimitAll degree requirements for M.S. students must be completed within seven consecutive years. Coursework and credit more than seven years old may not be used toward degree requirements.
Continuing to the Ph.D.Students completing the M.S., who have agreed with their advisor to continue on for the Ph.D., must file a Letter of Intent with OGS. The student will be unable to register for the semester following graduation until this form has been filed. See Christie Dunn for assistance.
Students who, after consultation with their advisor, will bypass the M.S., may change their level to Ph.D. by filing the Change of Major, Degree or Department with OGS. See Christie Dunn for assistance.
Doctor of Philosophy
A Ph.D. in the atmospheric sciences primarily prepares graduates for research and teaching careers, both in higher education and in government or private labs. At the heart of the program is a Ph.D. dissertation consisting of independent and original research. Ph.D. students must also complete a minimum of 96 hours (for students with a bachelor's degree only) or 64 hours (for students with a prior M.S. degree) of coursework. The general minimum course requirements are:
| Core courses (12 hours) |
| Out-of-department courses (6 hours) |
| ATMO Seminar (2 hours) |
| Research hours |
Most students pursue additional coursework, chosen in consultation with the advisor. Ph.D. candidates must also pass three exams: a qualifying exam, a research-based preliminary exam, and the final dissertation defense.
Students in the Ph.D. program need not complete an M.S. degree. The decision on whether to bypass the M.S. is made by the student's advisor and the associated advisory committee. Most students complete the Ph.D. degree within five to seven years after entering the department.
Steps to the Doctor of PhilosophyRefer to the Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) calendar, for specific deadlines each semester. Failure to meet deadlines may result in the postponement of receipt of the degree.
- Meet with departmental graduate advisor to plan course of study for the first semester. When? Before first semester registration.
- Establish your committee and submit a degree plan online. When? Before registering for your fourth semester, and no later than 90 days before thesis defense, whichever is earlier.
- Take the Qualifying Exam. When? Typically at the end of your second semester of study, upon completion of core coursework.
- Review eligibility for the Preliminary Exam with committee chair using the Preliminary Exam Checklist. When? Several weeks before the proposed date of the exam.
- Submit your dissertation proposal. When? At least 15 working days prior to requesting your defense date, at the latest. Students are encouraged to submit the proposal once a research project has been defined.
- Schedule and take your preliminary exam. When? No later than the end of the first semester after you complete the course work (non-691) on your degree plan. OGS must receive your request to schedule the exam at least 10 business days before the proposed date.
- Verify you have fulfilled the residence requirement. When? Before or during your final semester.
- Apply for the degree and pay the diploma fee. When? At the beginning of your final semester.
- Prepare a draft of your dissertation. When? Well before your defense.
- Visit the Thesis Office for a Rough Draft Conference. When? Before your defense.
- Submit copies of your dissertation to each member of your committee for review before scheduling your defense. When? Allow two weeks for their comments before scheduling your defense.
- Schedule your defense. When? OGS must receive your request to schedule the defense no less than 10 days before the proposed defense date.
- Submit your dissertation to the Thesis Office. Check deadlines!
- Complete dissertation corrections. When? Within one year of your defense. Note that you will not officially graduate until your dissertation has cleared.
Students should consult with their advisor to develop an advisory committee. Committees must consist of no fewer than four members of the graduate faculty, including one or more from outside the department. The committee is reported to the Office of Graduate Studies by way of filing the degree plan. Committee membership can be changed later, to add, remove or replace members, using the Petition for Change of Committee.
Ph.D. students must file a degree plan before the end of the third major semester of study, and no later than 90 days prior to the preliminary exam. Initial degree plans are filed electronically, using the Online Degree Plan Submission System. Students who do not file their plan by the deadline will have a registration block placed on their record by the Office of Graduate Studies. Degree plans can be changed later, using the Petition for Course Change, so coursework can be removed or added as deemed necessary. All degree plans and petitions require approval of the student's advisor, committee, and the department head.
A minimum of 64 hours is required on the doctoral degree plan for students who have completed a master's degree at a U.S. institution. A minimum of 96 hours is required on the degree plan for students who have completed only a bachelor's degree.
Qualifying ExamObjectives
The qualifying exam is a departmental requirement, for which the objectives are: (1) to provide information to help faculty predict which students will be successful in our Ph.D. program, (2) to establish a minimum foundational knowledge and integrative analysis requirement for our Ph.D. students that distributes responsibility broadly among the faculty, and (4) to require students to demonstrate an adequate knowledge of literature and an ability to carry out bibliographical research.
Evaluating the quality of our students is one of the department's most important academic obligations. A successful Ph.D. student can carry out independent and original research and communicate the results of that research both in writing and orally. Ph.D.-level research should be publishable in the refereed scientific literature.
The qualifying exam results, along with grades in courses, are used to decide who should be admitted to Ph.D. candidacy.
The qualifying exam consists of two parts: A written comprehensive exam to test breadth and technical knowledge and an oral exam in the form of a research seminar to test research potential.
Written Exam
The written portion of the exam is typically taken at the end of their second semester, once core coursework is completed, followed by the seminar. For students who enroll in Fall, both the written and oral parts of the qualifying exam must be completed within 36 months, that is, by the end of the second August after graduate study begins. Students who begin their study during the summer are considered to have enrolled in Fall. For students who enroll in Spring semester, both the written and oral must be completed within 32 months.
The written exam covers three fields: Dynamical meteorology, physical meteorology, and atmospheric chemistry. The departmental core curriculum has two courses in each field. Ph.D. students are required to take both courses in their field of interest and at least one course in each of the other two fields. Students should identify the primary field in consultation with their advisor. The written exam has both a short-answer and long-answer section, composed of questions from each three fields.
The departmental exam committee examines each student's performance in the core courses and written exams and makes a recommendation to the full faculty. The full faculty then votes on each student on the written exams. Students who do not pass the exam may take it again the following year, but may not exceed two attempts.
Research Presentation
The second part of the qualifying examination is a research presentation that is open to the whole department. Students present their research ideas in the context of the background and recent developments in their field of research, including the project's relevance to the atmospheric sciences. Only Master's thesis defense completed in this department may be used to meet the research presentation requirement. Students may complete the presentation prior to the exam.
Presentations should include the research project's objectives and may include preliminary data and/or model calculations from ongoing activities that show potential or actual progress towards those objectives. Students may be questioned as part of their research presentation. Presentations are evaluated based on several criteria, including:
- Was the presentation clear and easy to follow?
- Did the student demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research?
- Did the student demonstrate adequate knowledge of the literature?
- Does the student understand how his/her research fits into the general body of scientific knowledge?
- Does the student understand the principles of scientific inquiry?
Each research presentation is evaluated by an ad hoc committee consisting of the student's advisory committee plus two other faculty members selected by the department head in consultation with the student's advisor. The student's advisor collects written evaluations from the ad hoc committee and makes a recommendation to the full faculty. The full faculty votes on each student on the oral exams.
Research ProposalAs soon as a research project has been identified, students are encouraged to complete the research proposal, which must be submitted before taking the preliminary exam. The proposal should be approved by the committee and then be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, along with the Proposal Title Page for Thesis. The latest the proposal may be submitted is 15 days prior to scheduling the thesis defense.
Preliminary ExamThe preliminary exam is a university requirement for all doctoral students, composed of both a written and oral, and is the final step towards admission to candidacy. While the qualifying exam tests a student's knowledge from core coursework, the preliminary exam determines whether the student is on track with their planned research project. To that end, students are encouraged to take the preliminary exam as soon as they both have a research project defined and meet eligibility requirements.
Eligibility can be determined by review and completion of the Preliminary Exam Checklist. Students must be registered, have an approved degree plan, have a cumulative and degree plan GPR of at least 3.000, committee members have scheduled or waived the written portion, and no more than 6 hours of course work remain on the degree plan (not including 681 or 691). International students must also be verified English proficient.
The typical procedure in this department is for committee members to waive the written examination, however, students must still approach each member regarding the written portion. The oral examination takes the form similar to that of a research presentation, wherein questions may be asked. Students present the initial results of their project and an overview of the planned research. Students can gain valuable input to help direct their research project, and thus, it is recommended the preliminary exam be taken care of earlier rather than later.
Preliminary exam results are reported to the Office of Graduate Studies by the department.
Admission to CandidacyTo be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree, students must have:
- Completed all formal coursework (non-691);
- Passed the preliminary examination;
- Submitted an approved dissertation proposal; and,
- Met the residence requirement.
The dissertation is the final basis for granting the doctoral degree, and demonstrates the candidate's grasp of the subject matter, ability to do independent research, and ability to express the information clearly in both written and oral form.
Acceptance of a dissertation is based primarily on its scholarly merit, but it must also exhibit creditable literary workmanship. The format of the dissertation must be acceptable to the Office of Graduate Studies, as overseen by their entity, the Thesis Office. Guidelines for preparation of the thesis are available in the Thesis Manual, which is available on the Thesis Office website, along with other valuable information you should familiarize yourself with.
Students are encouraged to arrange for rough draft and pre-submittal conferences with the Thesis Office. These meetings will help produce a better manuscript with fewer errors and will familiarize students with the Thesis Office staff and procedures. Call the Thesis Office at 979-845-2225 for an appointment.
Final Examination / Dissertation DefenseEligibility to defend:
- The GPR must be at least 3.000;
- There may be no unabsolved grades of D, F, or U for any course listed on the degree plan;
- The student must be admitted to candidacy;
- All course work on the degree plan must be complete, with the exception of 691 (Research); and,
- The student must be enrolled for all remaining hours.
- In advance of defending, submit your dissertation manuscript to committee members for review.
The defense can be scheduled using the Request for Final Examination, which must be submitted no less than 10 working days in advance of the requested date of defense. When selecting a date, you may check room availability and reserve a room with the front desk staff in the main office, 1204. Inform the front desk of your defense information and they will also prepare a flier to advertise the event. A refreshment cart will be prepared for your defense, with coffee, tea and water, but students are responsible for providing any food items. Drop off the treats earlier in the day and the office staff with prepare and deliver your refreshment cart.
Be aware that there is a deadline each semester by which this form must be submitted in order to graduate in that term. Missing this deadline means graduating in the following semester. Extensions are not granted for these deadlines. Check the graduate deadlines calendar available online to be certain of the deadlines that apply to you.
A positive vote by all committee members, with at most one dissention, is required for a student to pass. When the exam is scheduled, OGS will provide the Report of the Final Examination form by mail to the committee chair, who is responsible for returning the completed form to OGS.
Upon successful defense, each of the committee members and the department head must approve the written dissertation. The committee indicates approval by signing the Approval Form, which must be returned to the Thesis Office before they will begin review of the manuscript, and within 10 days of the defense.
If a signature is needed from a committee member who is outside the country, the Thesis Office will accept a faxed signature from this absent member. Since this signature will be the only signature that may be faxed, this member's signature needs to be the first signature obtained on the form. After the absent member faxes back the approval form, the remainder of the committee can then place their original signatures on the faxed approval form. The completed approval form should be submitted to the Thesis Office within 10 days of the defense. Students may deliver the form themselves or drop it off with Christie Dunn in the main office
Submitting & ClearingAfter approval by the committee and department head, the dissertation may be submitted electronically to the Thesis Office as a single PDF file. The PDF file must be uploaded to the Thesis Office web site. Again, be aware of the graduate deadline for submitting the signed Approval Form and PDF file of the thesis for the semester in which you want to graduate.
There are also additional forms that Ph.D. students must sign and submit to the Thesis Office at this time. Before a student can be "cleared" to graduate, any necessary corrections must be made and the thesis resubmitted.
Time LimitAll requirements for doctoral degrees must be completed within a period of ten consecutive years. Coursework and credit more than ten years old may not be used toward degree requirements.
Doctoral Hour CapA doctoral student who, after seven years of study (in G8 classification), has accumulated 100 or more semester credit hours of doctoral course work will be charged tuition at the nonresident rate. This includes students who hold assistantships (GAR, GAT, GANT), fellowships, or scholarships that would otherwise qualify them for the in-state rate.
Other Academic Policies
Applying for GraduationStudents who will complete their degree at the end of a given semester, and have met all graduate deadlines to do so, must submit an application for the degree and diploma fee online. This is commonly referred to as registering to graduate, although it is unrelated to whether or not the student will attend commencement. Keep in mind that there is a deadline each semester to apply for the degree.
ATMO 681 AttendanceAttendance at the department seminars is mandatory, regardless of whether or not a student is registered in ATMO 681. Students typically do not enroll in 681 if they will already have 9 hours of course work and it would be a 10th hour. Instead, students may wait until course work is completed and enroll in one less research hour to both accommodate ATMO 681 and remain in 9 hours. Ultimately, however, it is the advisors decision when a student shall enroll in ATMO 681. Both the M.S. and Ph.D. program require 2 hours ATMO 681.
Continuous RegistrationM.S. (thesis option) and doctoral students who have completed all course work on their degree plan, with the exception of 691 (Research), are required to register each semester and 10-week summer term until all degree requirements have been completed. Students may register for as little as one hour, unless they wish to hold a graduate assistantship or fellowship, for which the university requires full-time enrollment.
Full-Time EnrollmentFull-time enrollment is defined as 9 hours in Fall or Spring semester and 6 hours in any combination of Summer terms.
Be aware that full-time enrollment is required of students holding graduate assistantships or fellowships. International students may be required by their immigration status to enroll full-time, and should refer to ISS for further guidance.
In-Absentia RegistrationA student who will spend a semester or summer term away from the College Station campus, but must enroll due to the continuous registration policy, may be eligible to register in-absentia. Students registered in-absentia are not charged certain fees since they are not in residence to access or use those campus services. In-absentia enrollment is limited to ATMO 691 or 685. This is of beneficial to students who complete out-of-town summer internships or those who take a job elsewhere while finishing up their thesis/dissertation. International students must submit an In Absentia Letter and receive authorization from ISS to register in-absentia.
Letter of CompletionStudents who clear and need a statement from the university certifying completion, before the diploma will be received, may request a Letter of Completion from OGS. This can be helpful for job seekers or those whose new employer needs verification that the degree has been obtained, when commencement (and hence the diploma) may be a few months away.
Missing Graduate DeadlinesSometimes things do not work out as planned and graduate deadlines are missed. In the event a student is registered for graduation, but then misses a deadline and will not graduate until the following semester, there are two important issues to keep in mind.
First, one must cancel the application for the degree using the Graduation Cancellation Form. Cancellations after the application deadline will not receive a refund of the diploma fee. Second, if the thesis is clears before the add/drop deadline of the semester in which the student will graduate, registration in that semester will not be required. If the thesis/dissertation cannot clear until after that date, the student will need to enroll in at least one hour to meet the continuous enrollment requirement.
Scholastic RequirementsThe university requires graduate students maintain a GPR of 3.000 (B average based on a 4.000 scale) for all courses on the degree plan, and all graded graduate and 300- and 400-level undergraduate course work eligible to be applied toward a graduate degree (cumulative). The department additionally requires Ph.D. students maintain a 3.00 GPR in core course work in order to be admitted to candidacy.
Students whose degree plan or cumulative GPR fall below 3.000 will be considered scholastically deficient. The first time that the cumulative GPR falls below 3.000 at the end of a term, the student will receive a letter from the department head providing warning of scholastic deficiency. If the cumulative GPR stays below 3.000 at the end of the following term, the student will be permitted to continue in the program on scholastic probation. The student shall be informed in writing of the terms of his or her probation in accordance with university regulations.
Only grades of A, B, C and S (Satisfactory) are acceptable for graduate credit. Grades of D, F or U (Unsatisfactory) must be repeated and a grade of C or higher or S achieved. While all grades remain on the transcript, only the most recent one will be used for calculating the GPR. Certain course work, such as 691, may only be taken S/U. Any other course work taken on an S/U basis may not be used on the degree plan.
Travel Outside the U.S.Students traveling outside the U.S. for any reason related to the university (e.g. conference attendance or presentation, research site visit, etc.) must submit online emergency notification information through Study Abroad Programs, even though that travel may not be study abroad per se. This system was established in the wake of the 2005 tsunami disaster in an effort to identify and locate Texas A&M affiliated individuals during a crisis situation overseas.
Department Matters
Support StaffDepartment staff are here to manage the daily operations of the department and help you along the path toward graduation. They can answer questions, provide the proper forms, provide guidance for completing forms, and help deliver forms to the proper persons for signature. Staff members usually have many responsibilities, however, and cannot necessarily help you at a moment's notice. If you wait until a deadline to file required paperwork, staff members may not be able to give you immediate attention.
Student OfficesWhen you arrive in College Station, the graduate advisor will have arranged office space for you in the O&M Building. Office space in the department is limited, and you will probably share an office with at least one other person. Offices are equipped with desks, chairs, and bookcases for each student.
KeysUniversity and department facilities, including the O&M Building are locked outside normal business hours, on weekends and holidays. As a graduate student, your student identification card will be programmed to allow you 24 hour access to the O&M building. Doors on the west side of O&M permit access by swiping your id card. Keys to rooms you need access within O&M, such as office space or labs, will be issued by a member of the department staff in 1204.
Office SuppliesThe department provides office supplies for tasks related to teaching, research, and university business, but not for student course work. Consult office staff for information about supplies provided by the department.
MailOn-campus and regular mail is delivered to, and picked up from, the department office in Room 1204 twice each day. Delivery and pick-up normally takes place between 8:30 and 9:30 AM and 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., but the schedule varies from day to day. Graduate students' mail is delivered to the bottom three mailboxes (divided alphabetically) in 1204. Outgoing mail should be left in the designated boxes near the entrance of 1204. To reach its destination, on-campus mail should include the four-digit mail stop unique for the address. For example, John Doe, ATMO, MS 3150.
TelephonesPhones in student offices may be used for local calls only. Students working as employees of the department may occasionally need to make long-distance phone calls for research or university business purposes. Always place such calls from a phone line with long-distance service and record the call in that phone's log. The record of the phone call should include the date, the number called, the purpose of the call, and the research-project account number to which the call should be billed. Each month a copy of the bill for each phone line in the department is sent to the persons responsible for those lines. All research-related long-distance calls which appear on the bill must be billed to a research-project account. Personal long-distance calls may not appear on the bill under any circumstances.
It is a violation of state law to make personal long-distance phone calls from any phone in the department. Exceptions are tolerated only when the call is charged to a personal long-distance calling card and does not appear on the departmental phone bill.
Fax MachineA fax machine located in the department office on the 12th floor is for university business and research purposes only. Students working as employees of the department may occasionally need to make faxes for research purposes. No charges are incurred for sending local or on-campus faxes, but long-distance research-related faxes must be billed to a research-project account. The billing process for faxes is more complicated than for phone calls. See department office staff if you need to send a research-related fax.
Some faculty have fax machines in their offices or laboratories which are used for university business and research purposes. If you work with a professor who has a fax machine and are authorized to use it, consult that professor for proper billing procedures. There is no mechanism for billing long-distance faxes to a personal long-distance calling card.
It is a violation of state law to send or receive personal long-distance faxes from any fax machine in the department.
PhotocopierPhotocopy machines located in rooms 1204 and 1014 are for university business and research purposes only. Departmental copiers are not for personal use, which includes copying course materials.
GATs or GANTs may need to make copies for departmental business or teaching that are billed to the department. GARs may need to make copies for research purposes that are billed to individual research grants. Consult department office staff for assistance
Teleconference FacilitiesThe College of Geosciences maintains a specially designed and equipped teleconference facility in Room 203 of the O&M Building. The facility enables professors to teach teleconference courses to students in Galveston and facilitates meetings which require the presence of parties on both campuses. This room may be reserved through the Dean's Office.
ComputersTexas A&M University provides a variety of computer services for students. University and State of Texas rules and regulations governing the use of university-owned computers are available on the university web site.
In addition to the university computer systems, the Atmospheric Sciences Department maintains its own computers and network. You should open a computer account on the Department's computer system when you arrive. To do so, contact the department Computer Systems Administrator. You can use your account from any networked computer on campus, any computer in the Atmospheric Sciences computer labs, or from remote computers via the Internet.
The Department has several computer labs for undergraduate and graduate student use. The computer labs in rooms 1107 and 1201 are designated as teaching facilities, but can be used for graduate work when not occupied. A schedule is posted outside each lab.
Departmental computer facilities are primarily paid for by research grants and departmental funds, not by students' tuition and fees. Use of the equipment, especially black-white or color printing, is monitored closely. Faculty research grants are billed for supplies and maintenance on the printers and workstation when appropriate.