The Fernhopper Blog

Undergraduate Research Funding Opportunity: The Research Office is now accepting applications for the Undergraduate Research, Innovation, Scholarship and Creativity (URISC) program for Winter and/or Spring term(s) 2012-13. This program supports undergraduate research activities from all academic disciplines within the University. Program description and application: http://oregonstate.edu/research/incentive/urisc. Information: Debbie Delmore at debbie.delmore@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-8390. Submission Deadline: Nov. 5.

As the National SAF Convention nears, the US Forest Service gets closer to hiring the next talented group of students and recent graduates.  The US Forest Service will be conducting interviews for students to place in its Pathways Internship and Recent Graduate Programs at the 2012 Society of American Foresters (SAF) National Convention held October 25-28^th in Spokane, Washington.  Unlike previous years, students must apply for these positions prior to the convention in order to obtain an interview spot at the Convention.   Jobs will be posted on USAJOBS from October 3^rd to the 9^th.  Create your USAJOBS account now in preparation for the job postings.  In addition, this year letters of recommendation are highly encouraged and should be attached to the application.  Please remember that onsite applications will not be accepted. 

For more information regarding how to apply for the Forest Service’s Pathways Internship and Recent Graduates Programs please see:
http://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/recruitment_saf/index.shtml

…we know what you did this summer!

http://rangerspointingatthings.tumblr.com/

As you may know, First Lady Michelle Obama will be our Commencement Speaker this year.  As you can imagine, OSU must make many preparations for such a visit and details may change frequently.  We encourage you to be flexible with your plans and regularly reference the 2012 Commencement webpage for details about the event:  http://oregonstate.edu/events/commencement/.  Note that this year tickets may be required for the Commencement Ceremony.  Ticket information will soon be available on the Commencement webpage. 

Remember that to participate in Commencement, you must have filed an application for graduation with the Registrar’s office by April 13, 2012.   The deadline to RSVP for Commencement is April 30.  Expect to receive important Commencement information from the Registrar’s Office in April.  Please read this information thoroughly!   Contact the Registrar’s office at 541-737-4331 or stop by 102 Kerr Administration Building if your plans change and you are unable to attend the ceremony. 

As always, the College of Forestry will hold a Commencement event prior to the main ceremony in Reser Stadium.  Currently we are planning a luncheon in Peavy Hall Courtyard to begin around 11:30 a.m.  We will then escort graduates to the MU Quad to line up for the processional to Reser Stadium.   Formal invitations to this event will be mailed to your current address (please update Student Online Services if you’ve recently changed addresses) in early May.  Please note, it is mandatory that you RSVP to the College of Forestry luncheon and provide an exact number of friends and family that will be joining you.

Please contact the Student Services Office at 541-737-1594 if you have questions about the luncheon before the main ceremony.  Please contact the OSU Registrar’s Office at 541-737-4331 if you have any questions about the Reser Stadium ceremony, tickets, logistics, etc.

Congratulations!  We are so very proud of your accomplishments and wish you a bright and successful future!

We here in the Student Services Office have been amazed by the quantity and quality of seasonal work available this year.  We’re posting at least half a dozen jobs each week on our jobs page.  If you are still looking for seasonal work for this summer be sure to check out the jobs page regularly.  And if you’re getting ready to graduate this spring, now is a good time to start that search for a permanent position.  Be sure to visit Career Services in Kerr Administration to take advantages of their services (help with your resume, cover letters, interview skills, etc.).

We also have a handful of scholarship applications from community organizations available here in the Student Services Office, Peavy 140.  If you’re still looking for money for school next year, stop by and take a look!

As spring term nears many opportunties for recognition and funding arise.  Among those opportunities are:

Hoener Participation Awards-  this fund supports domestic travel for individual students and student clubs. Their intent is to broaden students’ educational experience by enabling them to conduct independent study related to forest industry, observe forest industry operations, or attend industry-related
conferences within the U.S.  They should be used to highlight the CoF and Hoener Memorial Fund regionally and nationally.

The Bruce Starker Memorial Fund supports student and/or faculty travel to professional forestry meetings or to visit advanced forest practices in operational settings, experimental plots, growth studies, or other relevant sites with primary emphasis on private forestry.

The Ted Maul Professional Development Fund supports travel to professional meetings for juniors and seniors in the CoF.

The Louis & Alice Blaser Fund supports travel to professional meetings for juniors and seniors in the CoF.

Proposals for the above mentioned funds should be completed using the form available in the Student Services Office, Peavy Hall 140 and should be submitted  by April 13, 2012, at 5pm.

Bowerman Leadership Award is presented annually to a senior in the College of Forestry who best exemplifies outstanding leadership and/or service to the College of Forestry, the OSU community, or to the state/nation/world.  Nominations for this award may be made by students, faculty, or staff members of the College of Forestry; self-nominations are also permitted.  Nomination letters may be signed by multiple individuals, but a second endorsement is still required.  Nominees must be seniors enrolled in one of the undergraduate programs of the CoF.   Nomination forms and full details are available in the Student Services Office, Peavy Hall 140.  Nominations are due by 5pm on April 20, 2012.

T-shirt Design Contest
Traditionally, all incoming CoF students attending our new student welcome,
ANNUAL RING, receive a CoF t-shirt.  For 2012, we are soliciting designs from CoF students.  Submissions will be voted on by the CoF undergraduate student body.  The winning design will be announced at the May 31, 2012 Student Awards Ceremony.  The winner gets a free t-shirt and will be recognized at the ceremony.    Designs must be created using a computer-based design program (i.e. hand drawings or paintings cannot be accepted).  Designs are limited to 3
colors, must be related to forestry, natural resources and/or renewable materials.  All CoF undergraduates are eligible.  One design submission per student only!  Email your design by 5pm on April 6th to kira.hughes@oregonstate.edu.

Registration for spring term began yesterday and some or many of you may be getting registration errors and you don’t know why.  Well, here’s the explanation:

Due to high demand in many of our College of Forestry courses, we have instituted Major, Minor, and Option Coding restrictions.  This means that if a course is required by your major then you’ll have access to the course first (or as your registration date and time arrives).  If it’s not required by your major, minor, or option but is one of several options to choose from you will have to wait until Phase II registration to add the course.  Note:  You must have a declared minor or option to be able to access these restricted classes and if the course if also required by other majors in the CoF then those students will have first dibs. 

What do I do about this?
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do other than work with your advisor to plan out your courses several terms in advance.  If a high demand course is one of several options you can choose from, be flexible and consider those other choices.  This will maximize the speed and ease with which you progress through your program of study.  We do sympathize and realize this is not ideal but with lots of students and not so many seats available incertain courses we have few options to ensure that those who truly need certain courses to graduate get them in a timely manner.

If you have questions you can stop by the Student Services Office in Peavy 140 and speak with Clay Torset, head advisor or visit your academic advisor, or the head of your major’s home administrative department.

Are you looking for money for school for next academic year?   There are many, many scholarships out there just waiting for you to apply.  In fact, the Student Services Office in Peavy 140 has two scholarship applications sitting on our counter right now just waiting for someone to fill them out.  And we’ll get more and more applications as Spring rolls around.  Additionally, you may want to take a look at a compliation of various community-based scholarships opportunities that is available on our webpage.    Get out there, look around, do a Google search – there’s money to be had if you take the time and effort.  In fact, we’ve been contacted several times in the recent past  by scholarship administrators who tell us they haven’t had any (yes, ANY!) students apply for their scholarships.  Don’t let free money for school pass you by!

The deadline to change from A-F to S/U grading is coming up on Friday, February 24th.   Stop by the Student Services Office for a form and then please see your advisor to discuss changing your grading basis as there are only certain classes in which you can apply this grading option.   If you are permitted to S/U the course in question your advisor will sign the form and then you should take it to the Registrar’s Office in the Kerr Admin Building.  See below for more information.

What is S/U grading you ask?

S/U Grading

S/U stands for Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading.  The last day to change your grading status in a class from the standard A-F grading to S/U is February 24th.  If you want to do this, visit the Student Services Office and request a Change of Grading Basis form.  Fill it out and take it to your advisor for the required signature.  You CANNOT take a class for your major on the S/U system.  Also remember that if a Baccalaureate Core class is counted towards your major, that can’t be taken on an S/U basis either.  There is a university limit of 36 credits that can be taken  S/U.

P/N Grading

Contrary to popular belief, you CANNOT elect to take a class Pass/No Credit.  This class grading system is determined by the university for enrichment or skill-building courses such internships and FOR 353.  P/N classes do not affect your GPA.  If you are concerned about a class that you are may be doing poorly in, the following options will help to preserve your GPA.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, Feburary 7th is the annual SAF Student Chapter Job Fair.  Don’t miss this opportunity to meet potential employers, network, sign up for interviews, and get your name out there.  The fun begins at 10:00 a.m. in all three knuckles of Richardson Hall. 

Here are a few tips for a successful job fair:
1) Smile
2) Speak clearly and properly (no “like”s, “you  know”s, or other slang)
2) Introduce yourself and shake hands
3) Dress professionally (leave your jeans and t-shirts at home for one day)
4) Have your resume ready to provide to all the booths you visit
5) Ask for a business card for each representative you talk with and follow up with them in a few weeks.
6) Ask about opportunities available now and in the future.
7) Don’t be shy.
8) Be prepared to interview as some employers may ask you for an impromptu informal/investigational interview the same day as the fair.