All graduate students must abide by the University of Tennessee Information Technology Policy, available at https://oit.utk.edu/. Failure to abide by these guidelines is grounds for loss of assistantship and/or dismissal from the graduate program.
The Department makes computers available to graduate students as necessary to support their research program. However, the Department does not provide a computer for each student, and sharing of computers is sometimes necessary. Specific computer requirements related to research activities should be discussed with the faculty member directing that research. Depending upon needs and resources available, computers may sometimes be provided specifically for support of a particular project. Because these needs and resources may differ among research projects within the Department, all students may not have equal access to computers.
Some research activities may require storage of large data files. The UTK Office of Information Technology and other UTK groups provide several alternatives for server space, which should be acquired for the student by the major professor.
Theses, research-based manuscripts, and similar documents should normally be printed on BESS departmental printers, but only after confirming with the major professor that printing the particular document is approved. Commonly acceptable uses of departmental printers are listed below:
- Preliminary copies of a thesis or dissertation, such as would be distributed to a committee
- One final copy of a thesis or dissertation, with additional copies made later at the student’s expense
- Preliminary copies of a research-based manuscript, for distribution to co-authors
- “Final” copies of a research-based manuscript for distribution to internal reviewers
- Final copies of research-based manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed scientific journal
Students are encouraged to use electronic media, where appropriate, to communicate with their committee and with external peers. For example, in many cases, it is possible to circulate manuscripts in Word or pdf format.
The major professor or department head may withdraw access to departmental printers, if the privilege has been abused. Abuse includes printing of non-research-related documents, or irresponsible printer use, such as reprinting entire large manuscripts when only a few pages needed revision.