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Frequently Asked Questions

1. I realize that there is lots of great info on this page - but are there other sources of info as well?
Pitt's Office of Experiential Learning (OEL) which facilitates all summer programs across the campus maintains an extensive web site with lots of relevant information. You'll certainly want to check out this web site: http://www.as.pitt.edu/undergraduate/offices/experiential-learning/index.html

2. When does it start?
Please plan to arrive on Saturday, May 22 or Sunday, May 23, 2010.
Ms. Carol Williams will be your contact for information about housing and related details. If you should have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call her at (412) 648-9003 or email cawillia@medschool.pitt.edu. If you cannot get in touch with Ms.Williams, then address your concerns to Dr. Penny Morel morel@pitt.edu

3. What dorm will I be in and will I have a roommate?
If you accept the housing we provide, you will be living in a University of Pittsburgh dorm and sharing a room. For the summer of 2010, students will be housed in Pennsylvania Hall.

Summer of 2010: Some specifics about Pennsylvania Hall will follow. Please pick up your keys at the Panther Central in the lobby of the Litchfield Towers (open 24/7;) during check-in where you will receive your key card and room assignments. When you collect your keys, ask where you can "park" during unloading, if you need that info. The key card for your room will open the entrance door to your room. The bedrooms are furnished with a chest of drawers, single bed and desk and have ample closet space. Each bedroom has bathroom facilities with a sink, shower and toilet. You will need to bring with you your own bedding including pillow, single size sheets, blankets and towels. Janitorial services are not provided, so you will be responsible for keeping your suite clean.

4. Are there certain hours that I will be working each day or is it more "come in when you need to"?
The minimum expectation is that every student will work a full 40-hour week, on a regular schedule. For example, you might start at 8:00 am, work till 12:00, take a 30-minute lunch break, and then work 12:30-4:30. Students who want their project to progress more rapidly are welcome to put in additional hours as they see fit and in agreement with their advisors. As you will discover, our research groups are extremely active with most graduate students and post-doctoral fellows putting in additional hours in the evening and on Saturday. At all times, safety is of paramount concern and so the policy of never working alone in a laboratory is rigorously enforced. The Program Director encourages you to explicitly discuss your exact working hours with your research advisor at your first meeting.

5. Are there social activities planned that are not work based?
We hope to schedule several social events - these will be posted on the REU web site, (e.g., on the Calendar web page; in the past, we have organized a Pirates game and a campus-wide picnic as early summer events). For the most part, we leave the organizing of social events up to the group. Pittsburgh has lots of nearby attractions, including water parks, amusement parks, museums, professional baseball, rafting, and so on. We encourage each member of the summer program to "organize" a group activity for a different weekend. The activities of course will depend on what the group is interested in doing.

6. I have a computer and I am hoping that I will be able to bring it with me. Will I have internet access in my dorm room that is separate from the phone line?
All dorm rooms are hard-wired with Ethernet ports. We will have Pitt Computer Accounts for you when you arrive. Thus, you will be able to connect to the Ethernet directly from your room, bypassing the phone/modem. Once on campus, call the Technology Help Desk (4-HELP) at any time to receive help on how to hook up your computer.

7. What should I use for my 10-week mailing address?
See the Residence Services link in FAQ #2 for the standard University answer for students who will be in their dorm room for 2 semesters. Once a room is assigned to you, you can use that service.


Your Name
University of Pittsburgh
3990 Fifth Avenue
TA Box# XXX-X
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

8. When will I receive my stipend checks?
You will receive $500 on the first day as start-up money. The remaining $3,000 stipend will be paid in three equal allotments, the last working day of each month. As most of you will not be on campus the last day of August, be sure that a valid mailing address is on file for you before you depart at summer's end. The June and July checks can be picked up from your payroll administrator. Be sure to bring a picture ID.

9. What paperwork will I need to complete or bring with me?
Your payroll administrator for our summer program will have been in contact with you requesting specific information that is required to be able to issue your stipend check or you can contact Ms. Williams by e-mail, cawillia@medschool.pitt.edu or by phone 412-648-9003 if necessary. Your payroll information must be set up before you arrive on May 24.

In addition to the trainings you must complete during the orientation day, there is a web training session you must complete before you arrive on May 24. All individuals must complete Module 1, Research Integrity, as well as the sessions provided at orientation before they are permitted
to work in a lab. To create an account and access the training module visit

Internet-Based Studies in Education Research

 

10. Can you provide me with travel directions and how do I check in?
See this web site for travel directions. Once you arrive on campus, you can go directly to Panther

Central (click map to see a campus map showing Litchfield Towers to check into your room. Check in at the Main Desk (open 24 hours); you will receive an information packet and a room assignment. You can borrow a luggage cart for a $20 deposit (100% refunded with the cart's return).

If you are coming by air, when you arrive at the airport proceed to the “Ground Transportation” area. Your options to get to Pitt are:

  1. Port Authority public bus service, 28X Airport Flyer, about $2.75 one-way. This stops at Forbes Ave. and Bouquet St., near the dorm. For a schedule of times and stops, go to
  2. Port Authority and select 28X-Airport Flyer, inbound under Search Option 2. You must handle your own luggage on & off the shuttle.
  3. Airlines Transportation Company (412) 472-3180 Shuttle, $22.00 one way/every hour, to hotels in the University area. The shuttle is marked “Express Shuttle”. You can get off at the Holiday Inn, but you will have to walk several blocks to Brackenridge Hall.
  4. Taxicab, ~$50 from airport to Pitt campus. You can call Peoples Cab at (412) 441-3200 or Yellow Cab at (412) 321-8100

11. Are there other "maps" I would find useful?

12. Anything special I need to know about Checkout?
Yes. Check out time is 11:00 am on Saturday, July 31, 2010.
Also, lost keys or a failure to return the room key before checking out will cause your final stipend check to be withheld until you correct the problem. These are Pitt dorm policies and are not set nor controlled by the Summer Programs.

13. Is there a packet of Welcome Information that I should expect to receive as part of this program?
Welcome Information will be emailed to you.

14. I want to bring a car, what can you tell me about parking on campus?
Students living in the residence hall can purchase Parking Permits for the OC garage. The cost is $5 per day M-F and free on weekends (i.e., approximately $250 for the 10 weeks of the summer program). When you arrive on campus, the OC Lot is located near Pennsylvania Hall. Interested students should contact Carol Williams's cawillia@medschool.pitt.edu.

15. How do I get around town if I don't have a car?
The campus is small enough (132 acres) to navigate from end to end on foot. Plus, the campus shuttle and van call system can get you anywhere on campus you may want to go 24/7. And, if there is something going on off campus, like shopping, a concert or show, students can ride public transportation throughout the county.

routes & shuttles (Panther Central List)