Facility and Resources: Grad Labs

The policy is set by the computer committee.

• Food and drink: Obviously food/drink can be harmful to computers; yet, the labs also serve as a place for students to work together on lengthy research or homework projects. It is therefore unreasonable to expect grad students to stick to a hardline “absolutely no food/drink allowed” policy. Instead, the department has provided large center tables—away from equipment—so that you can work in a manner convenient to you, yet keep food/drink away from the equipment. Note that campus janitorial staff does not enter the labs, and our computer support staff enters the labs only occasionally. You must clean up after yourself, and you must put all perishable food items/remains in the hallway. (The receptables inside the lab are emptied only occasionally.) Concerning this policy, one rotten apple can truly ruin the whole barrel: it could take as little as one person who abuses the open nature of this policy, unintentionally has a food-related accident that leads to damage of expensive equipment, and we will switch to a hardline policy.
• Whiteboard usage: Use it freely but clean it after you are done. Please don't let the marker ink dry on the whiteboard.
• Printing: Do not waste! Recycle unwanted printouts.
• Rebooting computers: Do not do so! There may be important background jobs you are unaware of. If a computer hangs or otherwise acts strangely, please contact the computer support staff (using a different computer, or ask someone to contact the staff on your behalf).
• Locking your terminal screen: You may lock the screen to briefly leave the lab, for example in order to go to the restroom or to get a book from your office. But if you will be gone for more than 5 minutes, you must log out. (Even if the lab is rather empty, it can fill up unexpectedly in your absence.) If someone discovers a locked terminal and the owner has not appeared for 5 minutes, please contact the computer system staff and specify which machine should be unlocked by the system administrator.
• Noise level: Students may work together on projects, which obviously requires talking, but please keep in mind that other people in the lab may prefer a quiet environment. You may listen to music at reasonable volumes using your own headphones.
• Graduate Computer Lab Library and policy.
• Keep the computer support staff informed: contact them on the status of the computers, printers, accessories, room tidiness, special needs, etc.