Orientation
New graduate student orientation is held just prior to the first day of instruction. Orientation takes place in person, typically in the morning, for the fall semester and via ZOOM for the spring semester.
Teaching Assistants
Teaching Assistant (TA) orientation takes place prior to the beginning of a semester. TA orientation is required for all graduate students who have a TA assignment for the first time. For details regarding the TA orientation, select the informational link provided.
All international students are required to take and pass a speaking test, also called the EPI exam, prior to becoming a teaching assistant if their TOEFL spelling score is below 24.
All students, both domestic and international, are required to attend all sessions of orientation before teaching.
Informational Links
CASE / Culture(C) Awareness(A) and Speech(S) Enhancement(E) – CASE Website
Purpose of the group: Our organization helps members develop effective communication skills and fosters stronger connections among research labs. With members from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, we provide a space for exchanging ideas—both academic and personal. We believe strong communication is the foundation for future success.
Established: Founded in 2000 by Professor Emeritus Vernon L. Snoeyink, who remains actively involved in weekly meetings and presentations.
Meeting Schedule: Presentations are held every Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Room 3218, Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory. We welcome anyone interested in communication to attend, offer feedback, and join the discussion.
Membership: Graduate students and postdocs in environmental or civil engineering are eligible for membership. All students are welcome to attend as audience participants.
How to register: To become a member, email Professor Snoeyink at snoeyink@illinois.edu and CC Yurui Li at yuruili2@illinois.edu. Registration is open one week before the start of each semester, allowing time to align with personal schedules. You may also email us during the semester, but presentation slots are not guaranteed after the schedule is finalized.
Student Organizations
4th Floor Graduate Student Advisory Council (Instagram)
CEE Graduate Student Advisory Council
Engineering Graduate Student Advisory Council
Graduate Engineers Diversifying Illinois
Illinois Student Senate
Campus-wide Registered Student Organizations
Safety & Security
The University Division of Public Safety’s website provides safety related information and links related to police services, crime stats and information, emergency management, and Clery Act Compliance. A safety manual is also available to download.
Building Access
For Newmark Lab and Yeh Center access, I-Cards will be activated for card swipe access to buildings, conference rooms, and the 4th floor laboratory. The Facility Manager will issue office keys as need and activate I-Cards.
Environmental Laboratory Access (4th Floor Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory Building)
The Environmental Laboratory is located on the 4th Floor of the Newmark Laboratory building. Access to the 4th floor is restricted. Online and on-site training is required for access. Your Advisor and/or Principal Investigator will contact your Office Manager to request access for their students. Students will receive email instructions to begin safety training.