Administrative and Office Procedures | Facilities | Faculty Interests | Courses in Horticulture | Sexual Harassment
The Department of Horticulture is the largest comprehensive Horticulture Department in the northeastern U.S. and one of the largest of the Big Ten universities. The mission of the department is to create and maintain extension, research and teaching programs, in science, production, and creative utilization of flowers, fruits, ornamental and vegetable plants for the betterment of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the nation and the world. The faculty in the department actively support the department’s mission by maintaining active programs in such areas as floriculture, landscape contracting, fruit crops, vegetable crops, and ornamentals. In addition, individual specialization include molecular genetics and plant breeding, plant physiology, plant ecology, root biology, postharvest physiology, and plant nutrition.
Administrative Offices
The administrative offices are found on the first floor. The department head, Dr. Rich Marini's office is located in 119 Tyson. Tiffany Shultz is the office manager and her office is located in 105 Tyson. The main office, Room 102 Tyson, is staffed by Christina Wagner (purchasing cards and wage payroll), Diane Rudy (Accounting Assistant) and Kate Symons (Receptionist ). Bonnie McDonald is the Facilities Coordinator and her office is located in 106 Tyson. Amanda Scott is an Accounting Assistant and her office is located in 107 Tyson.
Facilities
The horticulture faculty are recognized worldwide and are committed to providing a quality educational experience for our students. To that end, the department continues to contribute a substantial amount of funding to the graduate programs. As a result, recent graduates have been successful in securing important positions at leading universities and corporations around the world.
The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Contracting is housed in Tyson Building and Head Houses I and II. With seven greenhouses, approximately twelve growth chambers, and ten laboratories, the Horticulture Department possesses the most available indoor growing space at Penn State. Field space is readily available at the Horticultural Research Farm at Rock Springs. Additional facilities include the Fruit Research and Extension Center at Biglerville, the Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Landisville, and the Erie County Field Research Laboratory.
Administrative and Office Procedures
Photocopying
A code number is needed to operate the copier located in 103 Tyson and can be obtained from your advisor. The office staff cannot provide you with your advisor’s copying code. You will need to discuss the parameters of your copying with your advisor. Personal copies can be made at the cost of five cents each payable to the office staff.
You will need to use your Penn State ID plus card when photocopying materials at any of the University Libraries. ID card accounts are easily charged at automatic machine tellers located in University libraries and Housing and Food facilities all over campus.
Fax
The office fax machine is also available for your use for research-related activities. Your advisor’s copier and fax code are needed to send a fax. Once both codes are accepted, simply dial the fax number as you would any phone number. Remember that you need to dial “8” to exit University Park.
Supplies
The main office will provide basic office supplies (i.e. pens, paper, etc.) that are to be used for teaching and research purposes. They are available on a help-yourself basis in the filing cabinets in 102 Tyson. Please let the receptionist know when a particular item needs to be re-ordered. Any item that is not in the office will need to be purchased by your advisor.
Research supplies
Supplies needed for research and teaching that are not available through the main office may be ordered through your advisor. All incurred expenses are the responsibility of your advisor and must be pre-approved. In some instances, however, graduate students may order certain items with a purchasing card (a University credit card) but only when prior arrangements are made. Graduate students are not issued purchasing cards upon arrival at Penn State and your advisor will ultimately determine if you will be given one. You are strongly encouraged to discuss any planned acquisitions with your advisor and/or personnel in the Horticulture Business Office since there are specific University policies to follow. Unauthorized purchases may not be reimbursed.
Telephones
There is one telephone located in each graduate office for local calls. Long-distance calls can be made using your advisor’s telephone with his/her approval.
Address
It is very important that the main office and your advisor be kept aware of your present local address and phone number. Please notify Tiffany Shultz in 104 Tyson with that information. All student bills and official university mailings will be sent to your permanent home address. The University defines your permanent home address as that address used on your application form. This address can be changed (so that you will receive these mailing) only by filling out a separate billing address form in the Records Office at Shields Building. Anytime a change of address occurs, a new form must be filled out at the Record’s Office.
Keys
Key request forms can be obtained from Kate Symons in the main office. Once completed and signed by your advisor, return it to the receptionist after which you will be notified when to pick up the completed form. From there, you will need to take it to 114 Ag Admn Bldg. There is a $5 deposit charge for each key, which you will receive back when the key is returned.
Department Vehicles
The department has two vehicles available for department related business. Graduate students can reserve either vehicle by signing up in room 124 Headhouse #1. Summer is the busiest time of use so you will need to plan accordingly. Vehicles may only be driven by University employees 21 years of age or over and who hold a valid appropriate class Pennsylvania Operator's license. Students who are not employed by the University are not permitted to drive university vehicles.
University Fleet Vehicle
The Fleet Vehicle Request form (below and available from the Horticulture Department accounting staff assistants) is used to reserve the use of any University Fleet vehicle. Submit a completed fleet request form (with your advisor’s signature and funding information) to the accounting staff assistants. The request and billing is processed electronically by the staff assistants. To assure availability of a vehicle, Fleet Operations encourages you to make the reservation as early as possible (an electronic request must reach the Fleet Central Desk by 4:00 PM one working day prior to the vehicle pick up date).Fleet Operations offers its customers zero deductible collision coverage on its vehicles. The University currently provides $500 deductible coverage per vehicle. Additional coverage is available upon request. Please note that 15-passenger vans may only be operated by PSU employees who are over 25 years old, possess a valid driver’s license, and have completed the training and testing module found online at www.alertdriving.com/pennstate.php.
Vehicle Accident Report
An Accident Report must be submitted for any accident involving departmental or Fleet vehicles. Complete all sections of the Report, located in the compartment of the vehicle, and submit the form to Tiffany Shultz for processing.
DEPARTMENTAL PROCEDURES
COMPUTER AND TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES
The department has a general purpose Information Technology Lab in Tyson Building available for graduate student use consisting of Dell computers and a dedicated laser printer. Toner cartridges are available upon request from Kate Symons in the main office. You will need to indicate the room number and type of cartridge for that printer. This information can be found next to the printer along with a log. Please enter your name and date when installing a new cartridge.The Internet is accessible from faculty offices by an ethernet connection. In addition, there is a graphics workstation for state-of-the-art publishing with a Nikon slide scanner, Umax 36-bit color flatbed scanner, Polaroid slide printer, and Zip/Jaz storage solutions. Other technical equipment available is a CDwriter, a HP Design Jet 750C Poster Printer, and a Xerox Docuprint c55mp color laser printer. The department’s full-time computer support specialist, Roger Tharp, located in 20 Tyson (863-1371) will assist you in your technological inquiries. In addition, the College of Agricultural Sciences offers an information website incorporating technology and product support information training, materials, current projects in progress and much more located at http://cs.cas.psu.edu/.
All graduate students are issued Access Accounts upon arrival at Penn State. An access account is a user ID and password that allows you to use the full range of Internet services on or off campus, at computer labs or on personal computers. Most of the department’s communications are by email, using Eudora Pro software. The computers in the graduate office have this software and can be used to access individual accounts.
To activate your account, you will need to go to a computer access center (the closest to the department is the Computer Building located on the opposite side of the Greenhouses behind Tyson). With your new account in hand, you will want to let the main office know your address so that you can be added to various departmental mailing lists or listservs. These are commonly used when communicating with a group of individuals in the Horticulture Department. For example, if you want to mail a note to all graduate students, you would use the appropriate listserv address found below. It is also possible to create new listservs for class or lab settings.
Contact Roger at 863-1371 for further details on listservs.
Entire Horticulture Department...hort@lists.cas.psu.edu
Faculty...hortfaculty@lists.cas.psu.edu
Staff...hortstaff@lists.cas.psu.edu
Graduate Students...hortgrads@lists.cas.psu.edu
Postdoctoral Scholars and Visiting Scholars..hortpostdoc@lists.cas.psu.edu
Greenhouse users...hortgreenhouse@lists.cas.psu.edu
Horticulture Undergraduates...hortUndergrads@lists.cas.psu.edu
Landscape Contracting Undergraduates..LCUndergrads@lists.cas.psu.edu
Thesis Binding
The graduate student is required to submit one (1) approved/signed copy of the thesis to the Office of Thesis and Publications by the announced submission deadline for the semester or summer session. In addition, two (2) approved/signed copies will be provided to the department, one will be filed with the head of the department, and the other is given to the thesis advisor. It is the responsibility of the graduate student to arrange for the reproduction and binding of the two departmental copies in 101 Business Services Building (Document Services) at 865-7544 or at the HUB copy center in B009 HUB.
Payment of the costs for reproduction and binding of the two (2) departmental copies will be the responsibility of the department and must be arranged for through the thesis advisor prior to the final examination. All costs for the original copy are to be borne by the student except photographs, charts, and artwork which may be paid for from departmental funds.
If additional thesis copies are needed for sponsoring agencies or for other purposes, special arrangements must be made through your advisor. In general, the costs associated with these copies are assumed by the department. Contact Amanda Scott in Room 104 for funding information before going to Document Services.
The two departmental copies of the thesis must be "satisfactorily reproduced." Determination of the quality of reproduction is the responsibility of the thesis advisor.
Additional information can be obtained from the THESIS GUIDE provided by the Office of Theses and Graduate School Publications, 115 Kern Building at 865-5448 or http://www.gradsch.psu.edu/current/thesis.html
Representative to Graduate Student Association (GSA)
As prescribed by the Graduate Student Association (GSA), the graduate students in the Horticulture Department will annually elect a representative to the GSA. The election and functions of the GSA representative(s) will be consistent with GSA policies. More information can be found at
www.clubs.psu.edu/up/gsa/index.html.
Departmental Committees and Meetings
All graduate students are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate in regularly scheduled department meetings. It is important that graduate students be part of the collegial atmosphere of the department, and active participation in meetings and other departmental affairs is a means to that end. As appropriate, graduate students will be named to departmental committees. Students should inform the department head if they wish to serve on any particular committee.
Hosting Visiting Student Guidelines
Prospective graduate students will often visit universities when determining their school choice. This short stay is indispensable to both student and department members since critical impressions and observations are formed at this time. The following guidelines for hosting visiting students serve to create a positive, friendly, one-on-one visit for potential Horticulture students thanks to the combined efforts of Hosts, Guides, and Sponsors. An ideal visit is one that is characterized by sound organization and shared responsibility, ultimately leaving the student with an excellent impression of the Department of Horticulture and Penn State.
A visiting student and faculty sponsor agree upon the time of visit, estimated time of arrival, and number of visitors (i.e. self, spouse and child). This information is then distributed to graduate students who will act as either hosts or guides. Hosts provide accommodations including lodging (private shower, towel, food) and transportation information whereas Guides act as tour guidesby showing visitors around the department, campus and surrounding area. However, the Host will not be responsible for coordinating the Visitor’s itinerary, travel, meals, or entertainment; these are decisions to be made by the Sponsor and Visitor. Furthermore, the Sponsor will provide Host, Visitor, and Guide with a copy of Visitor's itinerary no later than the day prior (24 hours minimum) to the Visitor’s estimated time of arrival.
Prior to volunteering, Hosts and Guides are encouraged to seek assurance for financial reimbursement from the Faculty Sponsor for out of pocket expenses incurred during the Visitor’s stay. In other words, you should not be paying for his/her dinner or groceries. Hosts and Guides will coordinate activities with the faculty Sponsor. Copies of the proposed itinerary with names, addresses and phones numbers should then be given to all parties involved.
The Host will contact the Visitor to give directions, arrange meeting time and offer a warm welcome. Evaluation forms will be available to Sponsors, Hosts, Guides and Visitors regarding communication, itinerary, transportation, and time management. Feedback allows us to strive for consistent high quality of this service.
Any questions should be addressed to Dr. Kathy Brown at 863-2260.
Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
1. Submission to such conduct is a condition for employment, promotion, grades or academic status.
2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting an individual.
3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering unreasonably with the individual’s work or academic performance or creates an offensive, hostile, or intimidating working or learning environment.
Sexual harassment of faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at Penn State. The department and the University take an active role in providing information and/or training to students and employees on the seriousness of such behavior and the importance of ensuring an educational and work environment in which all individuals are respected.
Any member of the University community who experiences sexual harassment should bring this problem to the attention of appropriate individuals. Sexual harassment contact in the Department of Horticulture is Dr. Rich Marini. In addition, you can contact the Campus Life Assistance Center (863-1809), the Affirmative Action Office (863-0471), or the Office of Human Resources (865-1412).
