What's Where - Rutgers

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Miscellaneous Information

Pay phones * Computer facilities * Transportation and parking * Construction alert! * Food, supplies, cash * Fitness and health * Housing * Child care * Safety * Snow or other emergency closings

Pay phones and campus phones:

In the SCILS building, there are pay phones on the first and second floors in the middle of the long hallways. Other nearby phones are in Alexander Library, the Student Center, and Brower Commons. Phones from which you can dial campus numbers at no charge are near the rest rooms in the south wing of Alexander Library.

Computer facilities:

At SCILS we have several IBM PC-compatible labs, all just reconfigured, so I hesitate to be too specific! These are used for classes much of the time, but some open time is scheduled. Look for hours posted on the doors. There are computers at the College Avenue Computer Center in Records Hall (#53 on the CAC map), which is open at all times except from 1:00 am to 11:00 am Sundays. Be sure to have your ID (or proof that you are a matriculated student who has paid the tuition). The Graduate Student Reading Room in Alexander Library has a number of computers and two fast printers available for grad student use only. The atmosphere is quieter than many of the labs, but the number of workstations is limited. Be sure to have your ID as proof of grad student status. You may also wish to explore computer access at the Douglass and Kilmer Libraries and at the Library of Science and Medicine.

If you are thinking about buying your own computer, the Rutgers computer store has reduced prices for students. The store is located in Records Hall (732-932-5800).

Transportation and parking:

A challenge! There is a free intercampus bus service--pick up schedules at the College Avenue bus stop near the gym, or check http://parktran.rutgers.edu/campusbuses.shtml. To learn about train service to New Brunswick, visit the station at the corner of Albany Street and Easton Avenue, across from the Rutgers Bookstore in Ferren Mall. The Suburban bus line between Princeton and New York stops near the train station; tickets and schedules are available from the convenience store in Ferren Mall, across from the train station. For train schedules, see http://www.njtransit.com; for bus information, visit http://www.suburbantransit.com/.

If you must have a car on campus, be careful to park legally. All vehicles using campus parking facilities must be registered with the University Parking Department (Rutgers Public Safety Building, 55 Commercial Avenue in New Brunswick, corner of George Street); phone 732-932-7745; office hours in September may be extended: M-Th 8:00 am - 6:00 pm, F 8:00 - 4:00; for other times, see their web site http://parktran.rutgers.edu ). Your car must display a valid registration decal and hang tag, properly displayed. This gives you a "hunting license" for designated lots, but not a guaranteed space! The annual fee is $120 (as of July 2005) for full-time graduate students (or part-time residents) and part-time commuters. You can apply by mail by calling the Parking Department and asking them to send you an application, or you may download the form from http://parktran.rutgers.edu. You may register two cars. Send the completed application, the fee, and a photocopy of your car registration to the address above. In case you have to use another vehicle that is not registered, you can buy another sticker for $4. Parking will check to make sure that you are a bona fide (enrolled and paid) student. If you want to go to the office in person, avoid the first week of classes. Please note that the fees may change for September.

Parking will give you a map showing which lots you may use and where they are located. Some metered parking is available on the streets and the lower level of the deck, but the meters run for two hours only. To use metered spaces in Rutgers lots/decks, you still have to have a permit. In no case should you park on streets designated for residential parking, unless you live there. If you do, you may need to get a New Brunswick parking permit (from New Brunswick Parking Authority, 110 Plaza, Ferren Mall); take proof of residency, such as a lease, and your vehicle registration.

Car pool information can be found on a bulletin board in the basement of the Student Center. Also, try the LISSA listserv as a way to organize rides.

Construction Alert!

There is major construction on Route 18, so you want to stay aware of road closings and detours. You can subscribe to e-mail announcements, or visit the site at http://route18update.rutgers.edu/

Food, supplies, cash:

Where to eat is not a problem--choices within a few minutes' walk of SCILS abound. Graduate students are welcome to use the faculty dining room in Brower Commons. The Student Center and food trucks along College Avenue are fast and inexpensive. Full-time students who live in dormitories may find it economical to purchase meal plans through Dining Services; check with the meal card office in Brower Commons lobby or in Records Hall (phone 932-8041).

Many students choose to bring "brown bags" and to eat in the SCILS Student Lounge (Room 222). There are vending machines in the Lounge.

Emergency supplies such as aspirin, paper, snacks, etc. can be found at the convenience store in the Student Activities Center (#48) on George Street. Machines for cash are located by the side of the College Avenue Student Center.

Fitness and health:

Services are available for both full-time and part-time students, although part-time students pay a fee for the use of health centers (Hurtado is the College Avenue Campus health center, 932-7401, #37). Athletic facilities at Rutgers include a number of gyms, pools, and fitness centers, all free -- a great deal! There are also a wide range of free and inexpensive classes, from aquatics to aerobics. For information about these facilities, stop by the College Avenue Gym (#77) or call 932-8204 or visit www.recreation.rutgers.edu

Housing:

Information is available through the Graduate Housing Office on Taylor Road, Busch Campus (see http://housing.rutgers.edu/). Also visit the Off-Campus Housing Service in the Campus Information Services building on the College Avenue Campus, 932-7766, http://ruoffcampus.rutgers.edu. Also watch bulletin boards, Targum (daily student newspaper, free, see rack outside Alexander), and local newspapers.

Child care:

Call Student Information & Assistance Center (932-INFO) for updated information, and check the Rutgers INFOdex on the University's home page http://www.rutgers.edu/; enter child care, and you will find links to a number of centers.

Safety:

Despite the vigilance of Rutgers Security and New Brunswick police, safety on campus should not be taken for granted. Improvements in lighting, student bicycle patrols on some campuses, and other measures have been added over the years, but incidents do occur. New Brunswick is an open, urban campus, so it pays to be careful. Avoid deserted areas when you are by yourself at night, and use common sense precautions. For students who are living on campus, more detailed information is available from the Division of Public Safety at 932-8404, and online at Rutgers University Public Safety Online. Check out the link to "Safety Matters," toward the bottom of the home page, which includes a wealth of information on policies, procedures and programs intended to increase public safety.

If you are on campus at night, there are a variety of safety initiatives in place. The New BrunsQuick shuttle runs from 6:00AM to 2:00AM between the New Brunswick train station and College Avenue. Later at night, the Knight Mover service (call 732-932-RIDE) is available for all students who need a ride to another campus or nearby off-campus locations. You may request a Security Officer escort to your campus residence or car at night by calling the RU Police Department at 732-932-7211.

Snow or other emergency closing:

A campus shutdown is a great rarity. We urge you to use your own judgment in deciding whether to risk the trip, as weather conditions in your area may be worse than those in New Brunswick. Radio station WCTC 1450 AM, New Brunswick, will carry Rutgers closing messages; other radio stations that may carry closing announcements are listed below. Also, if there is a closing or class cancellations, a recorded message will be available -- call 732-932-7799 (no cancels, no message). You can also find out about the New Brunswick campus operating status at Campus Status Information (http://campusstatus.rutgers.edu/)

Rutgers Info Radio 530 AM can be heard within a five-mile radius of campus, and covers parking, traffic, events, weather emergency updates, etc.

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