Contact(s)
Students are expected to adhere to the University's Code of Conduct (https://studentconduct.unl.edu/student-code-conduct).
In the event of a dispute involving NRES or WATS course grades, the student must first appeal to the instructor and, failing resolution with the instructor, to the SNR Undergraduate Committee (undergraduate level course) or SNR Graduate Committee (graduate level course), and then to the SNR Director in writing (in that order). If a satisfactory solution is not achieved at the School level, the student may appeal his or her case through the appropriate College Grade Appeals Committee using that body's process.
If a grade is appealed to the appropriate SNR Committee, the instructor must provide a written justification for the awarding of the grade. The student shall provide an account of the grounds for the grade appeal and evidence that the student has sought to resolve the case in consultation with the instructor.
Students appealing a course grade must do so within one semester (Fall or Spring) following the grade.
A student wishing to appeal an NRES, WATS or SNR policy or policy decision must first discuss with his or her academic adviser the policy or decision in question. If a satisfactory solution is not achieved with the adviser, the student may request a decision from the SNR Undergraduate Committee (undergraduate student) or Graduate Committee (graduate student) and then the SNR Director (in that order). If a satisfactory solution is not achieved at the School level, the student may appeal his or her case through the appropriate College Dean's Office, using that body's appeal process.
Students appealing a policy decision must do so within one semester (Fall or Spring) following the decision.
You can add or remove a publication from your profile by submitting request and the citation to Nebraska Maps and More or the SNR Webmaster. Providing either a hard copy or a web address where the publication can be downloaded will make the article available to the public. NMM will make an effort to add the item to Digital Commons with the Nebraska Libraries will allows the largest audience to download the publication for free.
The publication list in your profile is not intended to be a complete listing of your publications. I should be a selected listing of the most important works or current projects. A complete publication list could be submitted in your CV that can be also posted in your profile.
Masters Degree
A student is admitted to Candidacy for the masters degree when admission deficiencies have been removed and when the ability to perform satisfactorily in graduate studies has been demonstrated, by filing a Memorandum of Courses in the Office of Graduate Studies.
A masters degree student may change his/her declared Option at any time during the program of study with written approval from the adviser, the Chair of the Graduate Committee in the student's major and the Dean for Graduate Studies. The only exception to this policy is that students may not change from Option I to any other Option if certification of full time status has been utilized.
For additional information see the Graduate Studies website (https://graduate.unl.edu/academics/program-steps#masters).
Doctoral Degree
For additional information see the Graduate Studies website (https://graduate.unl.edu/academics/program-steps#doctoral).
Faculty are to notify Kenneth Pyle, Brooke Mott, Christine Steggs, and Mark Mesarch which degree programs and/or specializations they are qualified to advise.
Faculty with a tenure or tenure-leading appointment have full graduate faculty status and can expect to have graduate advisees. SNR's guidelines for faculty advising can be found at https://snr.unl.edu/employeeinfo/information/employeehandbook-single.aspx?infocode=S15.
Faculty with non-tenure track appointments may request graduate faculty status in order to serve on committees. See Graduate Faculty Membership for information regarding obtaining graduate faculty status.
* - The Recruitment and Retention Coordinator does not advise graduate students.
Choosing an advisor whose interests match your research goals is critical for the success of your work. SNR emphasizes the cooperative exchange between students and advisors in research programs while still giving advisors the overall responsibility for the direction and course of the student's research. Contact an SNR faculty member regarding your interest in our graduate program. Before you apply, you must receive the advising support of a faculty member who is a member of the Graduate Faculty (as recognized by the Office of Graduate Studies). This potential advisor is required to write a letter of approval for your application. Please note: this letter does not count toward your required letters of recommendation.
Karen Gilbert manages NCard access to Hardin Hall. Provide her with your NCard, and she will take care of your authorization based on the type of position you hold and rooms your supervisor has approved for you to access.
The heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system in Hardin Hall is always on in some areas of Hardin Hall, and turns on at 5:30 a.m. and goes off at 6 p.m. Monday through Friday for other areas (see schedule below). The air handler schedule is adjusted to accommodate special events or classes when scheduled through appropriate SNR staff.
Office thermostat range is 70-74 oF. This means that the thermostat in your office can only be set to a temperature within that range. When the occupancy sensor no longer detects motion within your office, the thermostat will increase up to 5 degrees above the set point.
Once the occupancy sensor detects motion within your office, the system will work to cool your office to the set point temperature. Please note, this may take 1-2 hours to reach the set point temperature.
Example: Your set point temperature on the thermostat is 72 oF, when your office is not occupied, the thermostat will increase to 77 oF to conserve energy.
Faculty performance will be evaluated annually. In the fall, each faculty member must submit:
Center or division directors will evaluate faculty who are part of their center or division. The SNR director will evaluate all other faculty.
Each fall and spring, staff are to meet with their supervisor to conduct a performance conversation and report it through Trakstar Perform. By March 31, supervisors are to report to the director a merit recommendation for each staff they supervise using the Merit Recommendation form. Prior to providing the recommendation, supervisors are asked to:
The director will review/approve all merit recommendations before they will go forward
Form to comment on interactions with other employees within SNR for the employee's supervisor.
Download Customer Peer Comment Form
When a student begins their final semester, application for graduation will need to be completed. Refer to the Graduate Studies website for specific information and due dates.
Masters: https://graduate.unl.edu/academics/program-steps#masters
Doctoral: https://graduate.unl.edu/academics/program-steps#doctoral
Students beginning assistantships must meet with the HR Generalist in the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) prior to beginning the assistant or promptly at the start. Bring the following items to the meeting:
If, during the course of the semester, a student decides to leave the position, it is expected they will give 30-day notice. Likewise, if there is a need to terminate an assistantship, a student will be given 30 days' notice. Students should be aware that if their assistantship is terminated, either by themselves or the department, before completing 120 continuous days of employment (PER SEMESTER), all tuition and health benefits will be forfeited and the entire cost for those benefits will once post to their student account. Should a student choose to resign from their assistantship, they must submit a letter of resignation to their supervisor, Graduate Studies, and NRBC. They may request a copy of the original signed offer letter from the Recruitment and Retention Coordinator - SNR Graduate Programs.
Additionally,
Graduate students may receive a paid teaching assistantship during the course of their degree program. Each assistantship has a set number of hours associated with it, either at 0.33 FTE (no more than 13.2 work hours per week; 9 hours of tuition remission per semester) or 0.49 FTE (no more than 19.6 work hours per week; 12 hours of tuition remission per semester). Graduate Assistants are considered employees, and their work assignments are normally independent of their graduate program. Advisers/supervisors are to discuss their expectations with the students; total work hours are not to exceed the limit set by their FTE. If the graduate assistant is not meeting expectations, they may lose their assistantship, but may continue on their degree program. A student must be on the assistantship for the full semester in order to receive the benefits.
More information is available at: https://graduate.unl.edu/funding/assistantships
The School has a number of Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) which constitute a contractual arrangement between the University and the graduate student, whereby the student (GTA) agrees to work for the University in return for a stipend and benefits (12 credit hours of tuition and optional reduced health insurance).
A Teaching Assistantship appointment is generally 0.49 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) and requires 15-19.6 hours per week. Work assignments are independent of the student's graduate program.
Refer to this website for information about athletic tickets and other discounts and services for employees: https://hr.unl.edu/employee-services-and-discounts/
The awards honor the best SNR students and recognize their academic achievements, research, teaching contributions, leadership accomplishments, service and personal qualifications.
The Award: Recipients will receive $500 each (one MS and/or one PhD) and a certificate.
Eligibility: Candidates must have completed at least one academic year of graduate work (two semesters) leading to an MS or PhD degree in Natural Resource Sciences and must be current student at the time of the award. Graduate students can receive this award only once for each degree. Students cannot self-nominate themselves.
Selection Process and Criteria: The Graduate Committee will select the recipients based on:
Deadline: Nominations should be submitted by the student's advisor to Brooke Mott in early Spring 2025.
Awards will be announced at the SNR Spring Banquet.
Requirements to be submitted electronically to Brooke Mott
*If faculty do not have access to unofficial transcripts, please complete a request form and submit the completed form to Brooke Mott. The form is at this link: https://www.unl.edu/about_myred/resources/forms/SISrequest2018.pdf
Download Meritorious Submission Form
The SNR Staff Advisory and Professional Development Committee (SAPDC) is charged with coordinating the SNR Staff Recognition Award. The School presents the awards twice a year, one in each semester. The awards are presented at the Annual Spring Banquet.
Form used to request Family Medical Leave. Complete and submit to supervisor with Family Medical Leave Certification Form. The Certification Form is to be completed by a physician or medical practitioner.
Download Family Medical Leave Form
Download Family Medical Leave Certification Form
The purpose of the Professional Development Fund is to support the professional development of IANR faculty so that they may effectively and creatively fulfill their responsibilities.
Download Faculty Professional Development Funds Request
The School of Natural Resources makes funds available to staff through the Staff Professional Development Fund. The fund is administered by the SAPDC and the Director's Office. The purpose of this fund is to support the professional development of managerial/professional and office/service/technical staff so that they may fulfill their job responsibilities in effective and innovative ways.
Eligible to Apply: Full-time, regular support staff (managerial/professional and office/service/technical) from the School of Natural Resources are eligible to apply. Temporary employees are not eligible.
Amount and Distribution: Applicants may request up to $250 per state fiscal year. A minimum request of $10 is required. If approved, funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Funds Usage: The use of these funds must relate to the duties of the position or to the employee's goals, which are agreed to by both the employee and their supervisor.
Examples include:
Procedure:
NOTE: If the employee pays for an expense personally rather than using a cost object for the expense in which the SAPDC funds were requested, such as a conference registration, he/she must fill out a Non-Travel Employee Expense Voucher in order to be reimbursed.
Download SNR Staff Professional Development Funds Request
Form to take UNL classes during employee's scheduled work hours. Must be approved by the employee's supervisor.
Download Request To Take Class during Work Hours Form
Hardin Hall's exterior doors and hallway doors are unlocked from 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. They are locked evenings, weekends, and University Holidays.
Door schedules are adjusted to accommodate evening classes and events.
Each building on campus has a person assigned to report facility-related issues for repair and maintenance (e.g., door does not lock, window is broken, water leak, flickering light, occupancy sensor turns off when room is occupied, electrical circuit is out). BMR lookup: https://fmo.unl.edu/bmr/lookup.
During office hours, report problems to a BMR. If the problem is an after-hours emergency, dial 0 from a University phone or 402-472-3711 from an external phone to reach the University Operator. Leave a call-back number if your call is not answered.
To order business cards, refer to the Printing Services website for pricing and related information: https://printing.unl.edu/print/products/businesscards.shtml
Complete an the Order Form (below), list Printing Services as the vendor, identify the style you would like to have from the options at this website (https://printing.unl.edu/print/samples/Bus_Card_Styles.pdf), add quantity, cost object to bill, your contact information (if they have questions), and any other required information. Email the form to the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC).
Download Order Form
SNR uses the services of the IANR Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) for assistance with hiring employees, payroll/time reporting, purchasing, accounting, accounts payable, travel reimbursement, grant coordination, etc. The NRBC is located in 237 North Hardin Hall. Information about the business center staff and their responsibilities is at https://ianrbc.unl.edu/natural-resources-business-center-nrbc.
NRBC's Regular Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The School of Natural Resources Bylaws. Approved on June 1, 2023
Outlook email has a calendar feature. SNR Administration checks availability via Outlook calendars when scheduling meetings. Use this calendar to enter all work-related meetings, appointments, conferences, vacation leave, etc. In order to help schedule meetings, training, and events, please keep your calendar current to show the times that you are/aren't available.
To create a calendar appointment click on "new appointment" and fill in the fields. To make it a meeting and invite others, click on "invite attendees".
Note: the default is that others can see "busy", "free", "tentative", etc. If you want someone to see the specific titles (e.g. "Meeting with John Doe" or "Vacation in Colorado" etc.), click on "share calendar", enter the person's name, and click on "allow recipient to view your calendar". Or, click on "folder", "calendar properties", "permissions", and follow the prompts to allow specific access that is unique to a specific individual(s).
If you need to see the calendar(s) of other employees to check their availability, click on calendars, "Open calendar from address book", and then enter the person's name and click "Ok". It will take a few moments for the data to download and then it's ready to view. After that, the person's name will appear in the left column. For easy future access, simply click on the box next to the person's name.
You may enter non-work related appointments and events on this calendar. Keep in mind that the information you enter is on University-owned software and therefore privacy is not guaranteed.
Today in Hardin, the daily SNR calendar of events held in rooms within Hardin Hall. The calendar is displayed on the monitors in the lobbies (digital signage), posted near each elevator throughout Hardin Hall, and appears on the Calendar web page and SNR Employee Information web page on the SNR Website. Events are pulled from the room reservation list in the Outlook Calendar. Regular semester classes are not included in this display.
The SNR Calendar is intended to highlight events that the public are welcome to attend. The events can be internal to Hardin Hall or some other venue. Deadline dates can also be displayed, such as scholarship application dead lines.
These events can be automatically submitted for review to be added to the IANR and UNL calendar. If the item is to be offered up for IANR and UNL calendar consideration, a photo must accompany the submission.
Items for the calendar can be submitted to this form.
Information that is of a personal nature or not work-related may be posted in the elevator first floor south lobby and in the Student Lounge (239 North Hardin Hall).
Current https://maps.unl.edu/ Choose City, East or Innovation campus from the button navigation.
Active bus location of campus buses can be seen by the purple arrow with the bus route number on the maps.
Historical https://historicbuildings.unl.edu/campus.php?c=East
Faculty are able to request classrooms in which they would prefer to teach. However, final classroom assignment is based on enrollment and class schedule. Conference rooms are used as classrooms only when absolutely necessary.
Each classroom in Hardin Hall is equipped with an LCD projector, computer, and internet access. LCD projectors, laptops, and overhead projectors are also available for check-out through the resource database. Technicians are available to train instructors on the use of classroom equipment. Audio/Visual and computer wallpaper can display SNR related activity pictures and information; contact the SNR Webmaster to submit information/images to post.
Prior to the start of each semester, staff will ensure that teaching supplies are in each Hardin Hall classroom. If classroom supplies are low during the semester, contact the Office Associate for Sales.
Contact the Office Associate for Operations for classroom reservations.
Classrooms in Hardin Hall:
Students who have completed their program may participate in the commencement ceremony at the end of the semester in which they complete their program.
Masters Commencement Ceremony: https://graduate.unl.edu/academics/program-steps#masters
Doctoral Hooding Ceremony: https://graduate.unl.edu/academics/program-steps#doctoral
All UNL Faculty and Staff are required to use the university's email system for their business-related email. Any personal email accounts used for university business are subject to open records requests.
SNR uses email for communicating with faculty, staff, and graduate students. All email group lists maintained by SNR have “SNR” at the beginning of the “Name” (i.e. SNR Faculty), which allows SNR-maintained group lists and contacts to be grouped together in the UNL-GAL address book which is available in Outlook.
Email Lists that SNR Maintains in the UNL-GAL:
Hints for Using the SNR Group Lists:
Having a complete signature block at the end of emails is recommended. This will allow your email recipients to know you are a university employee and additional ways to contact you. You can generate a standard signature block at https://ucomm.unl.edu/signature-generator
All students are required to use a Huskers email account ([name]@huskers.unl.edu) which can accommodate large attachments.
SNR uses email to communicate with its employees and graduate students, and has created group lists.
UNL discontinued Listserv service in 2023. They have migrated to Mailman as their Email List Management service.
General Description: https://services.unl.edu/service/mailman
Mailman Guide: https://services.unl.edu/service/mailman/mailman-guide
Mailman FAQ: https://services.unl.edu/service/email-ms365-outlook/mailman-faq
Migration from Listserv to Mailman: https://its-forms.nebraska.edu/220665440701852 (requires Login with TrueYou Identity)
People who are not SNR employees are welcome to sign up for Inside SNR, the School's e-newsletter, at: https://snr.unl.edu/aboutus/what/whatsnewatsnr.aspx.
Employees are automatically signed up to receive Inside SNR as part of their employment. When you leave SNR, you will be removed from the listserv. To continue to receive Inside SNR, you must use the above link to remain on the listserv.
You may want to subscribe to some of these UNL based mail groups through Mailman:
Communication needs can roughly be divided into three categories:
Always include a photograph or some kind of figure and a caption for the image. Include credit for the image if possible.
Inside SNR is distributed approximately twice a month during the academic year and once a month during the summer period.
Headline: Doe receives award for best presentation
Jane Doe won "best master's presentation" at the 2023 Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting on August 6- August 11.
Doe received a $200 award and certificate at the conference banquet in Portland, Oregon. Her presentation, "Examining the Impact of Redcedars on Greater Prairie Chickens," relayed findings from her thesis work. The Omaha native has been studying the endangered birds in their Sandhills habitat. She is advised by John Smith, professor in the School of Natural Resources.
ESRI ArcGIS Pro is the most demanding software being taught in SNR classrooms. The software only runs on Windows-based computers, but it can be used on Apple computers with a Parallels virtual machine. (See SNR IT support for detailed instructions). SNR computer labs have the GIS software installed and are accessible to all SNR students 24/7. Your N-Card is required to access the labs after hours.
Go to https://ccsfgis.org/workshops-other/2016/8/18/installing-arcgis-on-a-mac for detailed instructions for installing ArcGIS on your Macbook or Apple desktop. NOTE: If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, please stop by the SNR IT Support office (HH 226) or UNL Help Desk (Love Library's basement) for assistance.
Because of the change of less printed books to more online books and information, having a second monitor is recommended. This allows one monitor to have an assignment open and the second monitor to have the reading material displayed.
UNL Computer Use Policy
Employees and students will claim their university computer ID and password through UNL's Information Service Department. The ITS Support will use that information grant access on any SNR computer in Hardin Hall, e.g., the 24/7 computer lab (HarH 162), the computer teaching classrooms (HarH 141 and 142), the conference rooms (HarH 202, 207, 209, 901), the teacher's podium in the classrooms (HarH 163 and 228), teaching wet labs (HarH 023 and 024), and the Auditorium (HarH 107).
As part of the SNR Onboarding process, supervisors are asked to provide computer and software needs. The ITS Support will set up the computer and assist new employees with access to the internet, email, and printers.
After a new employee has been entered into the payroll system (SAP), the new employee will be asked to activate a UNL email account. Anyone with an appointment 6 months in length or greater must have a UNL email account. A supervisor may request that an employee with an appointment less than 6 months in duration have a UNL e-mail account.
All computers in classrooms, conference rooms and the auditorium are connected to the same network. When logging onto those machines, the same drives are accessed, based upon the login.
Each person has access to a P drive (personal drive), which only they can access by logging on with their ID/password. If the person does not have a P drive, the Computer Specialist will created. Z drive, which all SNR Employees access; the Z drive is erased every Sunday morning. Regular employees will have access to an S drive, which is used by SNR administration to provide employees with their job description, training records, course evaluations, etc.
Files saved to any networked drive, except the Z Drive, are backed up nightly. To recover a backed up file, contact the Information Technology (IT) group.
To provide optimum efficiency in computer support, SNR will require that all computer purchases be made through SNR Computer Support personnel and will be eligible for Tier 1 service. ITS Support will maintain 99.9% or greater security for P drive, S drive, and network drives. Computers purchased without involvement of SNR Computing Support will be eligible for Tier 2 services; it is recommended that an outside business/person is used for software purchases and installation.
The street address for Hardin Hall is 3310 Holdrege Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0961.
For campus mail, use the person's name, room number, building abbreviation (See Campus Map), campus code (CC, NIC or EC) and 4-digit zip code. For example,
Name Room # HarH EC 4-digit zip code
When your office location is assigned or changed by SNR Administration, the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) will be notified and will input the information into SAP. It can be verified through Firefly Employee Self Service, and will be posted online in UNL Directory. Information can be excluded at the employee's request. Provide changes to the Time Entry Specialist.
When conducting field work outside of Hardin Hall, faculty, staff, and students are asked to provide contact information to the front desk. This can include a cell phone number or the phone number of a location where they will check-in periodically.
To view and edit/change a home phone or address:
A verification message will come to the employee's email account. This is to ensure that the changes were done purposely and that the account has not been compromised.
For benefits eligible employees, the University maintains several addresses in the employment record, including one specifically used as the person(s) to be notified in an emergency situation - in the event that an employee becomes ill or is injured at work and is unable to speak for him/herself.
To view and edit/change emergency contact information:
To add additional Emergency Contacts,
Contacts should be listed in the order you prefer to be contacted.
If you need assistance in formatting your address, click here to view tips on US Postal Service formatting standards.
Contact the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) for further assistance.
If a phone number, e-mail address, or office location for a member of SNR is needed, the directories on the SNR website will provide the most up-to-date information.
If the category of the employee is unknown or if the person is outside of SNR, there are several options to locate the contact information:
These web based directories should have the most up-to-date information. If an error is noticed, please let the SNR Webmaster and Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) Human Resources staff know so that corrections can be made.
A copy machine is available for use in the Nebraska Maps & More Store on the 1st Floor Tower Lobby. It does both black and white and color copying. Contact your advisor if you need to make copies related to your work and research. They can provide you with a code to use or request that one be established for your use through the Sales and Events Manager.
SNR utilizes a cost-per-copy program through Copy Services and, following University Service Center Policy, charges only enough to cover expenses. Paper cost is incorporated into the cost-per-copy charge. See the staff at the Nebraska Maps & More Store for copy machine instructions and repair requests. Paper stock is available on a self-serve basis in 121 South Hardin Hall.
If you have a special copy project that requires special paper, you will need to provide that paper yourself.
Copiers are located in the following areas in Hardin Hall.
Personal copies can be made for $0.03 a side (black and white) and $0.20 a side (color) in the Nebraska Maps & More Store (101 Hardin Hall).
The University uses cost objects for all business transactions between units. They are also referred to as "cost centers," "WBS elements" or "accounts." Grant funds are 13 digits long; State, Revolving, or Overhead funds are 10-digits long. Your supervisor can provide you with the cost objects you are to use. New faculty will be given cost objects by the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC). Below is an explanation of what the numbers mean.
State, Revolving or Overhead Funds:
Grant or Auxiliary (13 digits)
Campus:
2 UNL 3 UNMC 4 UNO 5 UNK 9 UNCA
Fund Type:
1 State-Aided Non-revolving 2 State-Aided Revolving 3 Auxiliary 4 Federal Letter of Credit 5 Federal Funds 6 Trust Life-to-Date 7 Trust Year-to-date 8 Plant & Loan funds
College/Division:
05 Arts & Sciences 61 CASNR 62 ARD 63 Extension
Department:
28 SNR in Arts & Sciences 38 SNR in IANR (CASNR, ARD, Extension)
Courses that fall below the CASNR minimum must have a written justification on file in order for the faculty member to full receive credit for teaching the course. CASNR minimums: 15 students for 100-200 level courses; 10 for 300-400 level; 6 for 800 level; 6 for 400/800 level; 3 for 900 level. If a 400-level course is cross-listed with an 800-level course, the required minimum enrollment level is based on which level the majority of students are enrolled. For example, if the majority are enrolled in the 400 section, the total enrollment must be 10 or more.
Several weeks before the start of the semester through the first week of class, faculty with low-enrollment courses are to email a request with justification to the SNR director. The director will review all requests and will submit the approved requests to CASNR.
Use this form to request a Special Topics course. It cannot be added to the schedule until this form has been approved by the SNR Teaching Coordinator.
Download Special Topics Request Form
Student Trip Insurance provides protection in the event of an accident. All University of Nebraska students are required to have student trip insurance when traveling outside the city of Lincoln. Trips that are inside the city of Lincoln are not required to have Field Trip Insurance but are encouraged to do so.
Students traveling for a course or other University-sponsored trips will have health insurance coverage through UNL. The instructor must apply for UNL Student Trip Insurance, which will require the students to complete a form prior to the trip. This provides students with $2,500 of accidental medical and $30,000 of accidental death coverage.
For injuries or illnesses that are not related to courses of University-sponsored trips, students will need to use their personal health insurance coverage.
Download Student Trip Insurance Request Form
Each course is required to have a syllabus that is distributed to students and emailed to the SNR Administrative Associate no later than 5 PM the first Friday of class. SNR shall maintain a database of all NRES and WATS home courses, and all other courses taught by SNR faculty.
UNL Faculty Senate Syllabus Policy: All courses must have a syllabus and all syllabi must include specific information about the instructor, course requirements, grading policy and schedule for examinations. This policy may be found at https://www.unl.edu/asenate/syllabuspolicy.pdf.
Instructor guide to developing a syllabus is in Canvas: https://canvas.unl.edu/courses/51131/pages/drafting-your-syllabus-and-sample-policy-statements?module_item_id=839947
CASNR information for teaching may be found at https://casnr.unl.edu/casnr-syllabus-requirements.
Each syllabus must include:
Download Syllabus Checklist
Scholastic Grade Requirements are set by UNL Graduate Studies and are described here.
In an effort to raise awareness for safety of individuals, university property, and personal property, the University of Nebraska Police Services Department and the Division of Student Affairs invite all students, faculty, staff, and visitors to review UNL policies on:
Custodial Services staff are scheduled to work in Hardin Hall from 4:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless otherwise noted. Custodial Services staff service the All in the Hall recycling and trash containers located in public areas and hallways as needed. They do not provide recycling or trash service to offices, work areas or labs. Containers in these areas are self-service.
If the University is closed on your floor's day for service you will have service the following business day.
A list of the services/frequency provided by Custodial Services can be found at their website: https://fmo.unl.edu/custodial-services. If you have a specific custodial request, contact a Building Maintenance Reporter (BMR) to process your request.
PhD in Natural Resource Sciences
MS in Natural Resources Sciences
A photograph of each employee is maintained on the SNR website as our employee directory and a way for internal and external constituents to get to know us. Please contact the SNR Webmaster to arrange for your photo to be taken.
A picture, in jpeg format, may also be submitted to the Office Associate for Student Services.
Faculty are asked to additionally arrange for a formal photograph through University Communications. Contact University Communication, 1217 Q St. Lincoln, NE 68588; Phone: 402-472-2211.
Professional Headshots can also be scheduled at the Pixel Lab.
You will need to complete and submit the SNR Image Release Form for use of the photo.
Download Image Release Form
Digital Commons is a collaborative service of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln libraries. Faculty, researchers, and students associated with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln are invited to deposit materials for long-term preservation and world-wide electronic accessibility.
Categories include:
SNR shall provide administrative documents to digital commons as part of our record retention policy. These documents shall include, but are not limited to, all those relating to the Comprehensive Review conducted every five years, which includes the self-studies.
Digital signage is the monitors located throughout Hardin Hall that display various SNR and UNL related content. These monitors are located in the first-floor south lobby of Hardin Hall next to the southwest door and northeast door; in the second-floor south lobby next to men’s restroom; and first-floor north lobby near the elevator.
The screen is divided into four main areas. The top banner has the SNR name and then date, time, and air temperature at the Lincoln Airport. The bottom banner has IANR Headlines.
On the right-hand side of the screen, two different types of information can be displayed: 1) 'Today in Hardin Hall' and the current radar or 2) an events calendar, the SNR Twitter feed and the current radar.
'Today in Hardin Hall' lists activities in conference rooms, the auditorium (107 South) and public spaces within Hardin Hall. It does not list classes. By reserving a room in Outlook for your activity, it is automatically added to this list. The list displays only current day activities. For more information on Room Reservation
If no activities have reserved space in Hardin Hall for the day, then the events/Twitter/radar display is used. To add your activity to the events calendar, fill out this form and submit a text-free image to snrwebmaster@unl.edu. Social Media content can be given to Jacki Loomis or Lisa Grief to post directly on the SNR social media feeds.
In the main part of the screen, a playlist of items is cycled through approximately every 3 minutes. The playlist for this area can include SNR and UNL events, photo essays, special events and curated UNL social media feeds. To have your information posted in this area, fill out this form; in the additional information section, explain how you might want information to be displayed.
Images MUST be in a landscape-oriented format. Standard Size is 1920 px wide by 1020 px high; 72 dpi resolution. JPEG and PNG are acceptable formats.
Powerpoint and PDF formats are also acceptable. Auto-advancing should be set to no longer than 10 seconds per slide/page. Hint: Read the slide/page content out load, if it takes more than 10 seconds there is too much text on the slide/page.
Regular discussions with your adviser will help you identify the specific objectives of your research. Narrowing your topic should be done with help from your advisor and committee members.
Doctoral candidacy is not the same as admission to or enrollment in a doctoral program; it is a specific stage of doctoral program progress. https://catalog.unl.edu/graduate-professional/policies/academic-program-requirements/
Apply for Candidacy: http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/current/Doctoral-Candidacy.pdf
Once a student becomes a doctoral candidate, the student is required to enroll continuously until the program is completed.
Request for Certification of Full Time Status: https://go.unl.edu/gradfulltime.
Natural Resource Sciences students must have primary adviser (chair of the committee) chosen prior to completing their application.
Eligible Advisers
Natural Resource Sciences: https://snr.unl.edu/aboutus/who/people/directory.aspx
Final Oral Exam is often called the "Defense."
Contact the Office Associate for Student Services to reserve a room in Hardin Hall for the defense.
Research responsibility requirements:
The UNL Office of Graduate Studies provides the necessary forms for completing a doctoral program. They can be viewed at https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/academics/program-steps/doctoral-degree-steps-to-completion.
The UNL Office of Graduate Studies provides a timeline for completing a doctoral program. This timeline can be viewed at https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/academics/program-steps/doctoral-degree-steps-to-completionl.
SNR offers employees flexibility in their clothing selection to help them be more comfortable in the completion of their daily activities and work assignments. It is understood that employees will use good taste and judgment when selecting their clothing, and will avoid wearing garments that are damaged or revealing. The School supports casual dress (to include jeans).
See CSD Drilling Costs.
Any faculty member who meets the minimum requirements is eligible to request emeritus status upon retirement. They may also make a request for office space.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Emeriti Association will send a letter to any employee who is declared Emeriti or Retired Faculty (A-line, per the old A, B, and C-line designations, which includes Instructors and Lecturers). The Emeriti Association receives this information twice each year (September and February) from the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
Visit the Emeritus Status for Retired Faculty University of Nebraska at IANR for additional information regarding Emeritus Status for Retired Faculty and note that it is replicated in the IANR policy.
Login to Firefly at https://firefly.nebraska.edu. Select Employee Self Service, then Scholarships. From here, you will be able to allocate credit hours for themselves, spouse, and/or dependent(s).
If you do not have access to a computer or need assistance in signing up for the program, please visit the UNL Department of Human Resources, 401 Canfield Administration Building, 402-472-3101.
For additional information see HR Employee and Dependent Scholarship Program.
UNL has an Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling services and referrals to employees.If an employee has an issue/concern that they wish to raise with the Director, they are encouraged to do so. Other alternative contacts include the Associate Director and Assistant to the Director.
If an employee has concerns based on gender, age, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, veteran's status, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation, they may contact Equity, Access, and Diversity Programs for assistance, 402-472-3417, 128 Administration, CC 0437.
The School of Natural Resources follows UNL Graduate Studies requirements for graduate student enrollment. The UNL Office of Graduate Studies does not require a graduate student to be enrolled for credit hour(s) in the semester they plan to graduate if all course work requirements have been met. International students and those with student loans may need to be enrolled and should contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 402-472-2875.
Services
All master's students are required to complete a comprehensive examination -- written and/or oral as required by the student's committee.
SNR requires a comprehensive examination of all master's students which covers the student's approved program of study. It generally will be administered within 10 months of graduation and typically in the semester prior to the one in which the student plans to graduate. The exam will consist of written and oral examinations administered by the adviser, as directed by the student's committee.
It is the student's responsibility to follow the steps required for graduation which are outlined on the Graduate Studies website.
SNR is primarily housed in Hardin Hall on east campus at UNL (at the northeast corner of the intersection of 33rd and Holdrege Streets). Faculty, staff, and laboratories are also located in the CSD Annex, East Campus Service Building, Kiesselbach Crops Research Laboratory, Natural Resources Research Annex, and the Water Sciences Laboratory. Outside of Lincoln, we have faculty in the research and extension centers in Scottsbluff, North Platte, and Norfolk. Off-campus field sites include the Barta Brothers Ranch, Nine-Mile Prairie, and Prairie Pines. We conduct research at a variety of locations throughout the state. For more information about SNR's facilities see Location & Facilities on the SNR website.
The Natural Resource Business Center (NRBC), (237 Hardin Hall) has a general use fax machine for faculty, staff, and students. The number is (402) 472-4915. There is no cost for sending faxes.
The fax is located on the Canon Copy Machine in the main entrance. The 5-digit access code is written on the machine. NRBC office hours are 8:00 am - 5:00 pm most days, hours may vary based on staffing.
Firefly is the University's web-based system that allows employees to manage their leave requests, print payroll stubs and W-2s, make changes to their home address/phone and W-4, allocate credits for the Employee and Dependent Scholarship Program (full-time employees only), complete NUFlex benefit paperwork, etc. Payroll stubs are archived, so there is accessibility to current and past pay stubs. Your ID is your NU ID # (on your NCard); passwords for benefit-eligible employees are created and provided by email by UNL's SAP Coordinator, Beth Benson, 313 ADMS, CC 0429, 402-472-2100, bbenson2@unl.edu several weeks after a new employee has been hired.
First Aid Kits and Automated External Defibrillators (AED) are located throughout Hardin Hall. Supplies can be refilled as needed from the extra stock in # 121. Additional First Aid Kits are located throughout our buildings and are the responsibility of the person assigned to that space.
To prevent health hazards and nuisance, food trash from Hardin Hall offices should be taken to one of the outside trash containers or the trash bin in the loading dock area. Hardin Hall custodial staff, if notified in advance, will provide extra trash cans for food trash associated with special events in public areas of the building.
SNR follows the UNL funeral leave policy and extends department discretion to the supervisor. If a funeral is out of town, an employee may be asked to use vacation for the travel and funeral leave for only the funeral.
Outside of immediate family as defined by UNL, an employee may take up to 4 hours of paid funeral leave.
From time to time, all beings face challenges. Whether it’s hunger, shelter, finances, identity, discrimination, emotions, sensory, social, psychological or just uncertainty in our life course—we all face challenges. At times, we manage these challenges beautifully, at other times we may struggle, and at times, we suffer at the weight of these challenges. If you are feeling unsure, weighed down, or just want to be sure you are on track, we encourage you to reach out. Look at Big Red Resilience for events and resources to help you bounce back. https://resilience.unl.edu/. Other possibilities include:
Environmental stewardship, preservation, and sustainability are important in SNR. We participate in recycling and energy conservation programs.
Unwanted equipment, books, etc., are to be reused within the department whenever possible. If we cannot find a new use and the item was purchased with University funds, it must be sent to Inventory. Complete the Surplus Equipment Pickup form, and send to Inventory Coordinator.
Download Surplus Equipment Pickup Form
Full-service All in the Hall stations are located in lobbies, hallways and near conference and classrooms throughout Hardin Hall. Full-service Office Paper only stations are located at each copy machine. You are responsible for taking the landfill (garbage) and recyclable materials that you generate to a full-service station.
You can have self-service landfill (garbage) and recycling containers in your offices, work areas and labs. UNL Custodial Services will not provide any service to these containers. You will service them yourself by taking the materials you generated to one of the stations. Graduate students can contact the Nebraska Maps & More Store to request containers for their workstations. Secure, locked containers are located in the basement tower for material to be shredded prior to recycling.
Most waste items commonly produced at UNL are accepted in the stations. Instructional signage is located at each station, see SNR's graphic. The stations accept paper, plastic & aluminum, flattened cardboard (place behind station) and landfill (garbage). Items should be clean, dry, and free of food or other non-recyclable waste. UNL Custodial Services staff will monitor the full-service stations, if a container is full you should contact the UNL Facilities Service Desk by calling (402) 472-1550.
Additional information and program contact: https://recycling.unl.edu/all-in-the-hall-recycling-program
Thank you for being green!
Contact the Sales and Events Manager with questions.
The Graduate Committee Chair is responsible for:
Additional information can be found at https://graduate.unl.edu/academics/resources/graduate-chair
The SNR Graduate Committee is comprised of seven faculty members, six of which must have their graduate faculty home in SNR. The seventh member may have a courtesy, adjunct, or partial appointment in SNR. Committee members shall be elected for staggered three-year terms and may serve two consecutive terms. The SNR Graduate Student Association (SNR GSA) elects a representative who serves on the Graduate Committee in matters of policy and procedures but is not involved in screening prospective students or in deliberations involving an individual student.
The major duties of the Graduate Committee include:
For additional information on the SNR Graduate Committee, including committee members, visit https://snr.unl.edu/employeeinfo/people/committee/graduate.aspx.
Automatic members of the Graduate Faculty upon their hire and are eligible to immediately serve on Graduate Committees. The SNR Graduate Committee oversees this service.
Must apply for membership by completing the following steps:
The Natural Resource Sciences Doctoral Graduate Student Conference Travel Grant, granted on a competitive basis, allows advanced Natural Resource Sciences Ph.D. students to travel to professional and scholarly meetings to make professional presentation. The request must be submitted and approved in advance of travel.
Eligibility Requirements:
Grant Disbursement:
Graduate Student Conference Travel Grants must be used to defray lodging, travel and related expenses. Travel Grants will be disbursed to recipients as lump-sum payments processed through UNL Payroll. Recipients who are on UNL's payroll will receive their grants through the payroll system, with tax deductions made as in the normal process for tax withholding. Recipients who are not on UNL's payroll are still responsible for taxes and must declare their grant award in their tax statements.
Download Travel Fund Request Form
The Trust supports travel expenses (up to $500) for SNR graduate students to present their research at professional meetings. Graduate students advised by SNR's Applied Ecology faculty are eligible. Graduate students may receive one travel award during their graduate program.
Please send Mark Pegg a cover letter requesting the funding, a copy of your presentation/poster title and abstract (please indicate if it is accepted), and a very brief budget showing total costs and what is covered by Wildwood.
Students whose major is within the College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources may be eligible to apply for IANR fellowships and travel grants.
More information can be found at: https://ard.unl.edu/funding-awards.
This document represents an agreement reached between the graduate student and the faculty mentor/advisor regarding the structure of the working relationship during the student's working relationship with the professor. It should be developed collaboratively between the two parties.
Steps
Download Mentoring Agreement
Form for Graduate Student and Advisor to fill out on periodic meetings to chart the graduate students progress toward completing their degree.
Download Graduate Student Progress Form
The purpose of the School of Natural Resources Graduate Student Association (SNRGSA) shall be to serve as a representative body for all of the graduate students in the School of Natural Resources, to promote a closer relationship within the graduate student community, to serve as a channel of communication between graduate students, faculty and staff, and to foster professional development.
Learn more about the group and the plans for each school year at the Fall Welcome, which is held the first Friday of the Fall semester .
Meeting times will be announced via email.
Contact SNRGSA via email at snrgsa@unl.edu.
For more information visit the SNR GSA website.
The form shall be completed by the grant applicant. The information provided will be used by the Grants Specialists in the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) to complete the grant proposal in NUGrant.
Download Critical Information for Proposals Form
Use this template to assist in planning the budget for a grant proposal.
Grant Budget Template
Use this form to request that grant spending be approved before award has been formally granted.
Download IPAS Form
This form will be completed by the grant applicant when there is a need for reduced facilities and administrative rates for a grant proposal. The information provided will be used by the Grants Specialists in the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) to complete the request in NUGrant.
Download Reduced F & A Request Form
When a grant proposal includes a subaward, the sub institution must complete this form and return it to the designated Grants Specialist in the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC). This is in addition to receiving a letter of intent from the collaborator.
Download Subrecipient Form
Form to grant permission to use and display group images of adults. Must be completed for the usage of any single picture or set of pictures from an event.
SNR will maintain a department Image Release Form, which will be available via the SNR Forms webpage, and incorporated into Employee Hiring and Student Welcome procedures. This will be reviewed annually in the summer by the Image Release Form ad hoc committee so any changes are implemented and available no later than August 1 of each year.
Download Group Image Use Request Form
Complete this form to supply information (metadata) about images that can be used by the School of Natural Resources.
Download Image Submission Form
Form to grant permission to use and display images of adults and minors. Must be completed for the usage of any single picture or set of pictures from an event.
Download Image Release - Single User Form
State, grant, indirect, foundation, or revolving funds cannot be used to purchase personal memberships in professional societies. Faculty members are permitted to use grant funds to purchase journals, monographs and books for "departmental" or "laboratory" use. The department/laboratory name must be on the journal/subscription and they must reside in the department/laboratory.
A faculty member can setup a foundation account for expenditures (research materials, graduate students, or equipment purchases) that will benefit their research, teaching, or outreach program/mission, but that CANNOT include any personal or professional memberships in the name of the person(s) who contribute tax-deductible dollars to the endowment fund.
Work-related injuries and illness may occur. When this happens, if an employee has a paid appointment with the University, he or she and the supervisor need to report the work-related injury or illness as soon as possible to the UNL Benefits Office. Emeritus faculty*, retired staff, visitors, guests, and students** are not eligible for Worker's Compensation. If they are injured while on University property, they must use their personal funds/insurance to cover any medical expenses.
* Emeritus faculty who sustain a work-related injury or illness while doing a paid assignment for the University will qualify for worker's compensation.
** Students who are employees (e.g. on paid assistantships or student workers) and sustain a work-related injury or illness will qualify for worker's compensation, for that specific injury or illness. If they are injured while walking to class, that injury is not covered under worker's compensation.
Forms to be completed include:
Additional information about work-related illnesses and injuries may be found at
If a student enrolls in a course at another NU campus (i.e. UNK, UNO), their benefits will cover this tution. However, it is important that they contact the Graduate Studies Office to let them know of the situation. There is an NU system, inter-campus agreement in place for processing the tuition, but it is not automated. Graudate Studies will contact the appropriate campus, such as UNK and request that they send UNL Graduate Studies the tutition bill. The current contact is Jane Schneider (402-472-8670, nscheider2@unl.edu). The student will need to provide his/her name, student ID number, and a description of the situation. Enrolling in such a course should be done only in response to an adviser's request to do so, or in consultation with the adviser. There are restrictions based on the number of credit hours in which the student is enrolled. Contact Graduate Studies before enrolling so that ensure processes and responsibilities are understood. This is not something an adviser can assist with.
When you begin your studies, if you have been assigned a workspace in the graduate student cubicles in Hardin Hall, the Office Associate - Operations will provide you with a key for the cabinets in that workspace. There is a $5 deposit for the cubicle cabinet key.
If you will be working in a lab or other locked space in Hardin Hall, your advisor will work with the faculty responsible for the space who must provide written authorization to the Office Associate for Operations for you to access the space. A $10 deposit is required for each key. Upon leaving SNR, you will return all of your keys receive refunds for keys assigned through SNR. Refunds are in the form of a State of Nebraska warrant (check). A valid mailing/forwarding address will need to be provided so that the check can be mailed.
When room assignments are made at the time of hire or relocation, keys will be ordered by the Office Associate for Operations (OAO). A $10 deposit is required for each interior door key. If you need access to other rooms, your supervisor should notify the OAO with these room number(s) so that these keys can be ordered, additional deposits will be required. Upon leaving employment with SNR, you will receive refunds for keys assigned through SNR; refunds are in the form of a State of Nebraska warrant (check). A valid mailing/forwarding address will need to be provided so that the check can be mailed.
Your office key will unlock the work room on your floor except 1st floor north work room 150, which is unlocked each morning, and for 4th floor which has a coded lock. The OAO will provide the door code when you move onto the floor.
TJ McAndrew, Research Facility Coordinator, Agronomy and Horticulture, Keim Hall, 202, East Campus. Please call or email him to schedule a time to do this: tmcandrew2@unl.edu or 402.472.1486 There you will complete the form and obtain your keys. If your supervisor determines and approves after-hours access with your NCard, TJ will help you with that as well.
Let’s be honest. Research in SNR is varied, so much so that people in some fields are not able (or willing) to learn about research in other fields because they lack the technical expertise and understanding of the jargon. The SNR Graduate Committee has approved a voluntary effort by graduate students to include lay abstracts in theses and dissertations. In most career paths, graduate students will be tasked with communicating what they do to the general public, and lay abstracts provide an excellent introduction on how to write for the non-specialist. Lay abstracts will be included on the SNR website, and viewed by donors, alumni, prospective students, and any other people interested in seeing the great research done by our graduate students.
Dr. Bob Zink (rzink2@unl.edu) will serve as Lay Abstracts Coordinator. Any interested student can send a draft to Bob and he will work with you (if needed) to bring it to a point where someone outside the field can understand the work and its significance. Only graduate students who submit their thesis or dissertation during the calendar year are eligible. Lay abstracts are due to the Coordinator via email by the date established by the University for Fall semesters. The Lay Abstracts Coordinator will appoint a committee of three faculty who do not have a student in the competition, and they will declare a "Best Lay Abstract". The winner will receive $500.
Select an interesting (non-technical) title because it often determines whether people will read your abstract. Keep it around 300-700 words. The first sentence (and title) often determines whether people keep reading, so make it count. Explain what your research aims to achieve, then how you’re going to do it and why it’s relevant. Know your audience: discuss the value of your research in a way that a middle school student will grasp. Provide examples. Write in the active voice and use the first person where necessary. Keep sentences short, clear, and focused. No jargon or technical terms. Ask someone outside your field to read it over.
Example of Lay Abstract. Brittaney Buchanan’s M.S. on wild turkey
The Wild Turkey brings to many people’s mind the main course at a family feast on a day in late November. But, other than the grocery story, what is the history of this bird in North America? We think of the images of early settlers and their encounters with this majestic bird, but few know that the turkey was hunted almost to extinction, and they were gone from the Nebraska landscape. They are common today, so what happened? Through stricter regulations, captive breeding and reintroductions, the wild turkey has once again become a common sight in the wild, even in cities. Before the near extinction, turkeys in different parts of the range looked different, that is, their feather patterns and coloration were something of a bar code of where they lived. These different turkeys were called Eastern, Rio Grande, Merriam’s, Ocellated, and Gould’s, and today an example of each is often much sought-after by hunters. Several differently appearing birds were reintroduced to Nebraska (including hybrids with domestic birds). My study asked what the genetic consequences have been from the numerous reintroductions and translocations - has all of the mixing of wild turkeys eroded their original genetic “signatures”? I used genetic techniques that allowed me to estimate the portion of each turkey’s genetics was represented by different subspecies. Given the mixing of birds across the range we expected, and found, that the original genetic signatures of birds from different regions are more-or-less homogenized. There are birds of seeming pure ancestry, but the majority are hybrids (some of which look like one or another subspecies). Thus, if the goal of wildlife management was to have more turkeys in the landscape, the reintroductions and translocations, have been extremely successful. If the goal was to maintain the historical pattern of genetic distinctiveness, well, that ship has sailed.
Corrin graduated in August 2023 with a MS in Natural Resource Sciences with a specialization in Applied Ecology
Factors Affecting Nebraskan Farmers’ and Farmland Owners’ Decisions to Adopt Precision Technologies and Programs
To improve both environmental conditions and farmer profitability, we delved into the challenges faced by Nebraskan farmers and landowners when adopting new farming technologies. We looked at data from a 2022 survey with 7,503 participants which included farmers and landowners from across the state of Nebraska. Our goal was to uncover why some adopt new precision agricultural and conservation technologies while others don't. Precision agriculture is the use of technology to improve farmland conditions. For example, using a yield monitor to monitor how many crops grow in each area. Precision conservation is similar, however it focuses on improving environmental conditions on the farm, like soil erosion. In addition, our research was designed to help agencies better share information about precision farming and conservation in a way that benefits the people of Nebraska. Our findings highlighted that finances were the main reason many people were hesitant to adopt precision farming tools. Factors like renting land or being a first-generation farmer also affected which factors influence these decisions. People also preferred getting information about precision farming technologies from friends, family, and fellow farmers, rather than government agencies. Interestingly, those who did favor information from non-governmental agencies were more likely to apply for conservation programs. This shows the importance of government agencies working together with non-government organizations and private companies to promote precision farming technologies and practices. Furthermore, our research showed that farmers and landowners were more satisfied with expert advice when they worked with more agencies and companies. As such, we should encourage cooperation between various agencies and organizations. Cooperation is key to fostering positive attitudes toward the adoption of precision agricultural and conservation technologies and practices in Nebraska.
Departmental Letterhead can be found in the SNR Office Sharepoint site in the Logos and Presentations folder. It should be used only for official University business related to your work and research.
Go to Sharepoint Site
The first page of any letter on letterhead should be printed on N-Bond paper. Subsequent pages will be printed on plain paper. The SNR standard is to include a header of Personal Title, First Name, Last Name, Date, Page x of x on any pages following the first page of multi-page letters. This is represented on our template when text reaches the second page. No footer is required.
To save your personalized letterhead from within Word:
The primary office associates for the School can assist you in making changes to the letterhead as needed and retain a copy of the file.
The NCard (University ID) provides authorization to use the Library facilities. Library locations are below; additional information can be found at https://libraries.unl.edu/.
The School of Natural Resources will hold Lost and Found items in Room 101 Hardin Hall (Nebraska Maps & More Store), for a period of 30 days. Items not claimed after 30 days will be forwarded to the UNL Police Department or disposed of in accordance with UNL Policy.
See UNL Campus Police Lost and Found policies.
The Office Associate staff are the primary mail handlers for the School. This includes pickup, delivery and mail folder maintenance. Each SNR employee and graduate student with an assigned workspace in Hardin Hall is assigned a mail folder in 121 South Hardin Hall (HarH 121), after hours access is automatically granted to this room for new hires .
Outgoing mail can be placed in the outgoing mail in the First Floor Tower Lobby (just outside the Nebraska Maps & More Store) or in the outgoing mail slot in HarH 121. It is picked up on odd numbered days before 9:30 a.m.; incoming mail is delivered on odd numbered days after 10:00 am. Outgoing USPS and statehouse mail requires a return address that includes the four-digit zip-code extension, campus mail does not. SNR pays for most outgoing mail, but large mailings must be separately charged by completing a Postal Billing Form and attaching it to the outgoing mail. The OAO can provide the necessary forms.
For graduate assistants, thesis research items (including reprint requests) may be mailed at the School’s expense. Personal mail is not allowed (a USPS mailbox is located one block east of Hardin Hall and at the East Campus Union Bookstore).
Office Associate staff will also assist with USPS, FedEx, UPS and other vendor shipping requests.
The UNL Office of Graduate Studies provides a timeline for completing a masters program. This timeline can be viewed at https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/academics/program-steps.
Contact the Graduate Admissions Coordinator to reserve a room in Hardin Hall for the defense.
Final Defense of the Thesis (Option I)
The final defense of the thesis takes place during the semester in which the student intends to graduate. The final examination consists of two parts: a seminar on the thesis topic (described above) and a formal oral examination. These two parts are generally held on the same day. Thesis examinations are open to all Graduate Faculty. Active participation in the examination process (other than at the seminar) is at the discretion of the adviser and the student's advisory committee. Additional information can be found at https://snr.unl.edu/gradstudent/nresprogram.aspx.
The UNL Office of Graduate Studies provides the necessary forms for completing a masters program. They can be viewed at https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/current/degrees#masters.
Regular discussions with your adviser will help you identify the specific objectives of your research. Narrowing your topic should be done with help from your adviser and committee members.
The goal of the SNR Mentoring Program is to give new faculty tools and resources that will smooth their transition into the University and SNR while simultaneously strengthening the knowledge and engagement of experienced faculty.
My.UNL is the academic portal for the University. Instructors use this site for their classes to share relevant class information, notes, post grades, etc. To access the site follow the link https://its.unl.edu/myunl/. Help guides and tutorials are available on the site. The University Help Desk is also available to assist with problems. They can be reached 402-472-3970.
https://its.unl.edu/myunl/
After you receive your UNL ID number mentioned above, go to https://hr.unl.edu/employee-onboarding-steps/ and follow the detailed instructions. For consistency, when creating your email account please use this format: first initial, last name, and a number. For example, John Doe could be jdoe1@unl.edu
After you have completed the accounts above, please send a notification email with "Last name, First Name: Accounts Activated" in the subject line to csteggs1@unl.edu. There is no need to type anything in the body of the message. After we hear from you, our staff will be able to complete the remaining steps for your on-boarding processing. (E.g. for faculty, this step initiates your access to the Graduate Admissions Management and Evaluation System (GAMES).
Your NCard is your student ID at Nebraska. It is used for identification, access to certain buildings and labs, and educational discounts. It also offers the optional service of purchasing items on campus.
To obtain your NCard, first register for classes and then take a current photo ID and your NU ID number to the NCard Office located in Room 121 of the Nebraska Union, 14th and R Streets, City Campus. Office hours are Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a $20 issuance fee, which will be charged to your consolidated account. You will receive an e-mail notification that your consolidated account statement is available online for you to access via MyRed. If you were a UNL undergraduate, you do not need a new NCard.
Once your NCard is issued, you will be authorized to access Hardin Hall. Student authorization is established by the Office Associate for Operations (OAO).
The NCard is the Photo Identification for University employees, students, visiting personnel. Visiting personnel and others who require an NCard for building access or library use, but are not paid by the University, will receive an Affiliate NCard, which is white in color. NCards are used for identification, door/building access, library, obtaining parking permits and/or bus passes, campus recreation center, NCard charge account and educational discounts at area businesses. For a list of discounts, go to https://hr.unl.edu/employee-services-and-discounts/).
Once your NCard is issued, you will be authorized to access Hardin Hall. Employee authorization is established by the Office Associate for Operations (OAO).
The NCard charge account can be used as a credit card at City and East Campus food vendors (a special application is required).
If your card is lost or damaged beyond normal wear-and-tear, a replacement fee of $20 is charged. A reduced replacement fee will be charged for stolen cards if accompanied by proof of theft, such as a police report or insurance claim form.
You are encouraged to get your NCard as soon as possible as it will be needed to obtain your parking permit, etc. To learn more about the NCard or credit card option, go to https://ncard.unl.edu/.
If you are an employee, your NCard application will be provided by the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) HR Generalist, after you have been entered into our payroll system (SAP). If you are a visitor (not paid by UNL), your NCard application will be provided by your supervisor or the Alumni Coordinator after you complete a volunteer-affiliate form.
The NCard is based on proximity to the card reader. Most of our card readers can read the magnetic information through a purse, wallet, or backpack. Once the card is recognized and authorization is approved, a beep will sound, the reader light will turn green, and the door will unlock. If your NCard is recognized but not authorized, the reader will beep and the door will not unlock. If your NCard is not recognized, the reader light will continue to show red. This usually means the NCard has gone bad or someone has changed your NCard authorization. For problems, alert the Alumni Coordinator. Provide the door number, date, and approximate time you attempted to use your card, and they can check the system. You can also take your card to the NCard office to have them check it. Oftentimes, the card has "gone bad" and needs to be replaced, which can only be done at the NCard Office. This is considered normal wear-and-tear and will be replaced at no cost to you. If you have not completed your degree but are not registered for classes, your NCard access may be affected. Contact the Alumni Coordinator to resolve this.
SNR maintains a walk-in and on-line store (https://nebraskamaps.unl.edu) where customers can purchase SNR and US Geological Survey (USGS) publications. In addition, the store is Nebraska's only USGS Earth Science Information Center (ESIC) outlet. As such, it is authorized to sell USGS products, including complete topographic map coverage of Nebraska. The walk-in store is open 8 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday, closed weekends and major holidays. The on-line store is open 24/7. Those receiving funding from SNR receive a 30% employee discount on their purchases. Items bearing the N logo already include the employee discount.
Download Product Information Form
Color Printing
Use this form to supply relevant information to appoint an hourly employee.
Download New Employee Payroll Form
Within the first month of employment, all new regular employees are to attend New Employee Orientation (see schedule below) offered by Human Resources. The program gives an overview of UNL, its functions, policies, and benefits. Time used to attend New Employee Orientation is considered hours worked. If you are submitting a time sheet, these hours are to be recorded as "regular" work hours. New Faculty will be invited to attend a New Faculty Orientation scheduled for the Wednesday before Fall classes start.
Additional information about New Employee Orientation, including the schedule of orientation sessions is available at https://hr.unl.edu/er/neo/sessions.shtml.
The School of Natural Resources adheres to UNL's policy regarding non-discrimination. The policy can be found at https://www.unl.edu/equity/notice-nondiscrimination.
Notaries in Hardin Hall.
All teaching faculty are required to set and keep office hours or to otherwise be accessible/responsive to students. If hours are established, they must be provided to the Office Associate for Student Services who will make it available to others. Teaching faculty are expected to respond to student inquiries within 48 hours of receiving them.
As a student you are expected to provide your own basic office supplies to function in the student capacity. If you are in need of specific office supplies related to your work or research or as part of an assistantship, work with your adviser to determine if funds are available for the purchase. If it is determined that supplies can be purchased an order must be placed with Office Depot. You will need to provide the item number, description, and a cost object as you complete the Order Form (see below) and submit it to the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) Office Depot Order Coordinator.
The General SNR Supply List shows the general office supplies that are available to employees in 121 South Hardin Hall (HarH 121).
A limited supply of select items is maintained. Additional supplies can be ordered through Office Depot at discount prices under the University contract. To order supplies through Office Depot that are not on the below list or are a large quantity, you will need to provide the item number, description, and a cost object as you complete the Order Form and submit it to the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) Office Depot Order Coordinator.
Multiple Outlook mailboxes can be accessed in a single applications if the mailboxes are set up to display in the application. The follow are instructions of how to set the display in each platform.
Facilities and Administrative costs (F&A) are collected from funding agencies on allowable expenses on grants/contracts through the Office of Sponsored Programs Post-Award Administration. The billing schedule for each grant/contract is been pre-determined by the award documentation. Based on the billing schedule, there can be several months' delay between when the expenses were incurred and when the billing occurs. This will then have a direct correlation when the indirect reimbursement is received. The allocation is made based on F&A received and posted to the cost object during the previous fiscal year (July 1 through June 30.)
After the close of the state's fiscal year, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR) provides detailed data regarding F&A collected on each grant/contract. F&A may be moved from one college to another based on either (1) the "% F&A" column of the NUGrant proposal routing form or (2) any agreement on file in the VCR's office (agreements overwrite routing forms).
More information can be found at: https://research.unl.edu/sponsoredprograms/faq-facilities-administrative-f-a-costs-on-sponsored-projects/
Of the total F&A funds collected, UNL retains $700,000 for the university's general operating budget. Of the remaining, 20.5% is held for Library Support, Research & Infrastructure Fund. Of the remaining, the VCR's office retains one-third to reimburse the university's costs associated with research, one-third is held by the chancellor and the vice chancellor for research and economic development for each of their strategic initiatives; and one-third to each College/Division.
Of the one-third that is returned to IANR, one-third is held at the applicable division level and the remaining two-thirds is returned to each department. Each College/Division has their own philosophy for how overhead is returned. SNR returns 60% to faculty and retains 40% for the unit. Under special circumstances different splits can be established.
Example: Professor X is the only PI on a $100,000 grant earning full ARD F&A (45.5%). If the grant funding was total expended during the fiscal year and all F&A was collected during the fiscal year, the grant would have generated $45,500 in F&A. A portion of that will be retained for the $700,000. However, for sake of this calculation, it will be assumed that we have $45,500 to work with. Of that amount, 20.5% ($9,225) is retained for infrastructure. Of the remaining $35,755, 1/3 ($11,925) will be held by the VCR; 1/3 ($11,925) will be held for strategic initiatives; 1/3 ($11,925) will be returned to the college/IANR. IANR then withholds 1/3 ($3.975) and returns 2/3 to the department/unit ($7,950). Of that, 60% ($4,770) is returned to the PI(s) and 40% ($3,180) is held by SNR.
Related websites:
There is no free parking on campus. All University of Nebraska-Lincoln parking facilities, except metered areas and time-controlled zones, require a valid University of Nebraska parking permit, at all times. If you will have a car, purchase your parking permit from Parking and Transit Services https://parking.unl.edu/ online or in person in the Stadium Drive Parking Garage. Parking permits are available annually, by semester or a variety of other terms. A map of available parking lots can be at accessed at https://parking.unl.edu/maps.
Parking and Transit Services can issue temporary handicap parking permits. The Equity, Access, and Diversity Program can assist you with longer term special parking needs. Contact them directly, Equity, Access, and Diversity Programs to setup an accommodation.
If you are driving a rental car or other vehicle be sure to register that vehicle with Parking and Transit Services.
A free bus pass (valid for both campus and city bus systems) is also available for all registered students. A free bus pass is also available to faculty and staff who pay for campus parking passes.
Service Delivery Permits are available for occasional use by faculty, staff, and students for business purposes only. The Service Delivery Permits are valid in the following University parking areas only if placed in a vehicle with a valid University of Nebraska - Lincoln parking permit (other than "P" permits): City and East Campus Area A, any Service and Delivery spaces and spaces marked for the use of our department. Check out Service Delivery Permits at the Nebraska Maps & More Store.
Street parking available on the streets surrounding East Campus. When parking in the neighborhoods be courteous to those in the neighborhood. Watch for snow emergency information following snow storms.
Remember to register your bicycle, if you plan to bike to campus. Secure bikes only on bike racks.
Guests/Visitors are unaffiliated persons (not faculty, staff, student or volunteer of NU) who may occasionally visit campus. In some instances these persons can park in a Guest/Visitor parking spot or an unmarked spot and come to the Nebraska Maps & More Store to get a permit. Occasional Parking Permits can be purchased at the Nebraska Maps & More Store for your guest/visitors who do not qualify for a complimentary permit, they are $4.00 per day.
Guest/Visitor Permits are available to unaffiliated persons in the following situations:
When hosting a meeting or event you must request Conference Permits in advance. They are available for $7.00 each from UNL Parking & Transit Services. See the Sales & Event Manager for assistance with Conference Permit orders.
Parking permits from UNK, UNO, and UNMC may be used on the UNL Campus. However, any University of Nebraska faculty, staff, and students who are primarily assigned to the UNL campus must purchase a permit from UNL's Parking & Transit Services Office and may not use permits from other campuses.
State of Nebraska vehicles do not need parking permits to park on campus and may park in any unmarked or non-metered spaces. Government vehicles (except State of Nebraska vehicles) require Departmental Guest Permits to park on campus or may park and pay in a metered space.
For additional information see the Parking & Transit Services website.
All University of Nebraska-Lincoln parking facilities, except metered areas and time-controlled zones, require a valid University of Nebraska parking permit, at all times, including weekends.
East Campus departments can submit a Weekend Parking Log for weekend events, submit to Andrew Lowe in the Vice Chancellor's office to request complimentary weekend parking for events, submit at least 10 days before a scheduled event. The Vice Chancellor's office will provide that information to the Special Events staff in Parking and Transit Services. If the event is within 10 days, the department is still required to complete/submit the log form. If the special event on the UNL East Campus requires more than parking space (i.e., parking attendants, reserved parking or covered meters), the unit hosting the event will be responsible for paying the additional costs.
If SNR Event Planning staff is working with you on an event, they will complete/submit the log for you. If you are not working through SNR Event Planning staff, you are responsible for completing and submitting the form.
Download Weekend Parking Log
The permanent personnel records for SNR staff are maintained in the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC); academic personnel records for faculty, post doctoral research associates, emeritus, adjunct, and courtesy faculty are maintained in the Director's Office. Employees are allowed to look at their personnel file when an appointment is scheduled to do this. Employees are not allowed to remove any documents, but may have a copy upon request. Employees are allowed to add documents to their personnel file by submitting a copy to the NRBC (for staff files) or the Director's office (for academic files) with a note asking for the document to be added to his/her personnel file.
Students taking graduate courses should check with their instructor on what their responsibilities are to remove an incomplete. Normally there is no time limit for graduate students to remove an incomplete. However, the instructor does have the option of determining the requirements for completing the course and requisite date for removal of incompletes. It is helpful to have these requirements in writing to ensure there is no miscommunication between the instructor and student.
Additional information about incompletes may be found at https://catalog.unl.edu/undergraduate/academic-policies-other-units/procedures/.
Incomplete grades for research, thesis or dissertation hours are no longer assigned. A letter grade may be assigned OR, in lieu of an 'I' (Incomplete), one of the following may be assigned:
Note that on the final transcript, the "IP" and "XP" grades will count towards attempted hours but for Financial Aid purposes, they will count differently. Both grades will convert to an "I" on the official record if not graded as P (Pass) or with a letter grade. Because the "XP" grade will not be used in calculating the GPA, no direct academic sanction, such as academic dismissal from the University, will be imposed for earning one or more "XP" grades.
Note: if an XP for graduate research, thesis or dissertation hours is earned, please visit with your advisor about completing a course syllabus listing expectation and goals for the upcoming semester (see Rights and Responsibilities/Probation and Termination).
Each new employee will be provided with a copy of his/her job description by their supervisor or the director's office. They are encouraged to read it carefully. This document will serve as the basis for their performance evaluation. If an employee is unclear about their duties, they are to visit with their supervisor to make sure they clearly understand all aspects of the position description and the supervisor's expectations. Any questions regarding your job description, duties, training needs, problems on the job, whether you are to come in on snow days, etc., are to be directed to your supervisor or the Director's office. Any questions regarding payroll matters, i.e., paychecks, direct deposits, monthly or biweekly status, insurance, vacation/sick leave balances and time sheets, are to be directed to the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC).
Poster presentation format has be mired in the same old format for eons. Mike Morrison suggests a new type of format with benefits both the presenter and the viewer.
The design consists of three main areas
Morrison Research Poster Format PowerPoint Template
Morrison Research Poster Format PowerPoint Template (Vertical)
You can access an UNL/SNR branded version of this at
Mike Morrison is actually investigating how well this design works and is interested in your comments. Download his original design at https://osf.io/ef53g/ or contact him at Mike.A.Morrrison
Your poster will be created on one slide in a PowerPoint file.
The Pixel Lab needs a file that’s set to your custom page size for proper printing. Therefore, the very first thing you should do is make sure your slide size is the size you want your poster to be printed.
This poster is 48 inches x 36 inches. If your poster needs to be a different size either download one of the other templates or change this file’s document size.
To prevent cropping when printing, be sure there is nothing important, such as text, within 1" of the edges of the poster.
The colors that you see on your computer monitor will not reproduce exactly the same on a printed poster, as monitor color settings vary. Inform us of any important colors.
Download the template to get the complete set of design tips and development process.
Pixel Lab Research Poster PowerPoint Template
The Poultry Building H & I is a storage facility for several groups within SNR. The building is located to the east of Warehouse 1 off of the East Campus Loop. FloorPlan as of 11/1/2014.
PowerPoint Templates with UNL/SNR branding can be found
Five different versions are currently available.
SNR offers local printing, and presenting a research poster.
Two different examples of research posters and downloadble templates:
Logos and Presentation templates are available in a SharePoint library.
Printing services are limited to the School of Natural Resources community and related classes.
Rush orders that are beyond the current capacity from the School may be printed through the Pixel Lab on City Campus
Document(s) are needed at least three days before final print is needed.
Content creation outline is needed at least one week before print is needed.
Content Creation Outline:
A proof will be sent for approval. Approval must be given within 48 hrs to ensure print deadline is met.
To assist the School in achieving its vision of international recognition, a Public Image/Branding Policy has been implemented. All employees and students are asked to follow it whenever possible.
All publications and electronic and hard copy communication shall adhere to the University's branding efforts. SNR employees shall utilize University-approved logos in hard copy and electronic communication and will maintain a positive public image in their communications.
Any SNR employees or students using UNL-supported e-mail (Huskers, Outlook/Office 365) shall refrain from expressing personal opinions through the inclusion of quotes, jokes or other statements added to their signature block.
Procedures include consistent use of email signature block, letterhead, PowerPoint templates, and maintaining current information on the SNR website.
Faculty/staff using Outlook/Office 365 shall select letterhead within policy allowance.
Faculty/staff email signature block is to include: First Name Last Name, Title (optional:) Center or program area, i.e., Nebraska Maps & More, Conservation & Survey Division, High Plains Regional Climate Center, Tern & Plover Conservation Partnership School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln Room # Building Street Address (Hardin Hall is at 3310 Holdrege Street) Lincoln, NE 68583-0989 USA (intentional blank line to distinguish address) phone: 402-472-XXXX (optional) phone: 402-472-3471 (SNR main phone) (optional) fax: 402-472-2946 email: XXXXXXXXX#@unl.edu Optional: individual website, center website, work-group website, other (must be work-related) SNR web site: https://snr.unl.edu Optional: UNL-related website
Sample Signature Block
Jane Doe, Office Associate School of Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln 101 Hardin Hall 3310 Holdrege Street Lincoln, NE 68583-0961 USA
phone: 402-472-5555 fax: 402-472-5555 email: jdoe99@unl.edu SNR web site: https://snr.unl.edu
Complete this form to check out the HyVee Food Purchasing card. This card can be used to purchase food for University sponsored events. It may not be used for the in store cafe. Food purchases may only be at the HyVee store located at 1601 North 84th Street (84th and Holdrege), Lincoln, NE (402) 467-5505.
Download HyVee Purchase Authorization Form
This form must be completed by the requesting department for all single and sole source purchases. Purchases less than $25,000 can be approved by the Department. Purchases greater than $25,000 must be submitted to UNL Procurement Services for approval.
Non-Competitive Purchase Justification
Complete this form and submit it to the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) to order supplies or services.
Complete this form and submit it along with the original receipt to the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) for any UNL Purchasing Card transaction. An EXCEL version of the file can be downloaded here.
Download Procurement Card Transaction Voucher
The SNR Recording Studio is located in 238 South Hardin Hall. This is a professional quality audio recording studio that can be used for podcasting, voice-overs, pre-recording presentations, or any other audio needs. The studio is equipped with four microphones, a Mac Mini, and a TV screen with webcam.
The room can be reserved online through the UNL Events Management System at https://unlscheduling.nebraska.edu All in the UNL community can sign up to use the space, however, if you are not part of the SNR Community and assigned space in Hardin Hall, please send an email to Karen Gilbert with your NU ID so she can activate your admittance to the building and room on day(s) you plan on using the facility.
Download a Quick Start Guide (Updated 10/3/2023)
Recruitment and Retention Coordinator is available to answer student questions pertaining to academic procedures related to degree programs.
Discuss with your adviser which classes to enroll in.
You must register for classes using MyRed. Consult the Graduate Bulletin for course descriptions and the Schedule of Classes for course times and locations. You must register for at least one class before you can get an Ncard.
All faculty whose position is funded 0.25 FTE or greater by Agricultural Research Division (ARD) state funds are required to maintain an active ARD Hatch Project. Faculty whose ARD appointment is less than 0.25 FTE are encouraged to participate on a colleague's project.
The ARD project can cover a period of up to five years. It provides greater detail on the type of research a faculty member is conducting and is considered an extension of the job description. ARD projects can be State, Hatch, Multistate, McIntire Stennis, or Animal Health.
Information about ARD projects can be found at https://ard.unl.edu/hatch-project-development.
The School of Natural Resources encourages all students to do the following:
For additional information see https://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/current/news/tags/good-practices.
The School of Natural Resources encourages all graduate student advisors to do the following:
Check out the building information posted in the lobby to see evacuation procedures and where to go in the event of a tornado.
Refer also to the SNR safety plan at https://snr.unl.edu/employeeinfo/safety/.
If you need to make use of a Hardin Hall conference room or resources that are available for check out, contact the Sales and Event Manager. If you need to use a classroom, contact the Office Associate for Operations to make arrangements.
SNR room and resource reservations are available through the Outlook/Office 365 calendar. Availability of rooms/resources can be checked as well.
Reservations for Classrooms, Teaching Labs, and the Auditorium require approval from the SNR Resources approvers. You will be notified if/when your request is approved or rejected, usually within 24 working hours. Reservations for uncontrolled rooms will be system approved upon entry if the space is available. Jacki Loomis is the primary approver for conference rooms and resources. Brooke Mott is the primary approver for classrooms.
The table below shows the rooms available for reservation and their features.
NOTE: The following rooms must be reserved through the personnel listed or approval will be sought from them:
All computers in classrooms, conference rooms and the auditorium are networked. When logging onto those machines, the same drives are accessible as on their office computer. Audio/Visual and computer wallpaper can display SNR related activity pictures and information. Please contact the SNR Webmaster to submit information/images to post.
Below is a list of items that can be reserved in Outlook Calendar. Most are available for pick-up at the main desk in Nebraska Maps & More.
SNR has an internal process for assisting departing employees with their transition. It includes, but is not limited to providing a checklist, instructions on key turn-in, NCard procedures, and assistance archiving/redistributing existing materials. Information about separating employees is to be sent to "SNR Hires and Separations" in the Outlook address book. You can also work with the Alumni Coordinator to make sure everything is taken care of.
To maintain consistency across written products, the preferred writing style guide for SNR Administration is the Associate Press Stylebook. Please see the official UNL style manual for additional assistance. Examples of written products are announcements, news stories, press releases, fact sheets, brochures, social media posts.
The SNR Directory is part of the SNR website. The directory contains a portrait style image of the person, their contact information and a link to a profile page. Faculty are required to provide an image; staff and graduate students posting of an image is optional but highly recommended.
Profiles contain additional information about the person and may include a CV, narrative story about the person's connection to the school, research/outreach or other information. The profile can be populated by completing the Information Questionnaire and returning that to the SNR Webmaster. Information can be updated at any time.
Download Faculty Information Questionnaire Download Graduate Student Information Questionnaire Download Staff Information Questionnaire
Robert Zink has been appointed as the SNR Graduate Student Ombudsperson.
Contact Information: E-mail: rzink2@unl.edu Cell Phone: 612-590-4215 Office Address: W504 NH, CC 0338
The SNR Graduate Student Ombudsperson is a resource for graduate students who have academic advisers with an SNR appointment or who are receiving financial support with supervision from SNR faculty. The SNR Ombudsperson will serve as a resource for SNR graduate students by operating as a facilitator, assisting in explaining procedures and advising graduate students in complaints and conflict situations.
The position is not to be a resource for SNR undergraduate students.
The ombudsperson will meet at least twice a year (early in the fall and spring academic semesters) with SNR graduate students to explain the position and its functions.
The Ombudsperson will listen in an unbiased manner to the concerns of graduate students, clarify procedures, discuss options and when required or requested act as an intermediary or as an advocate for the graduate student.
The Ombudsperson will work to ensure fair processes for the graduate student and promote the SNR commitment to excellence in graduate education. In assisting the graduate student the Ombudsperson will use confidentiality, neutrality, independence and flexibility and will place emphasis on non-adversarial problem-solving options such as mediation, rather than formal, rights-based options.
If there are issues between an SNR graduate student (advisee) and their adviser, the following five-step process should be followed to resolve such issues. NOTE: An SNR graduate student is defined as having an academic adviser faculty with an SNR appointment or receiving financial support with supervision from SNR faculty.
Any SNR graduate student may meet with that Ombudsperson before or after any of the steps in the following process.
The graduate student and the Ombudsperson (when involved) should document each step undertaken in the process.
The Ombudsperson will report to the SNR Director on all meetings with SNR graduate students. These reports will be confidential regarding the identity of the graduate student and affected faculty adviser if related to Steps 1 and 2 of the above process. If the process reaches Steps 3, 4 or 5, confidentially would not be possible and the affected graduate student and faculty adviser would be so advised before proceeding to those steps.
The Ombudsperson would make periodic reports to the SNR faculty on meetings with graduate students that maintain the confidentiality of the graduate student and affected faculty.
The position of the Ombudsperson should be filled by a faculty member from SNR or another UNL unit upon recommendation of the SNR graduate committee and approval of the SNR director. The person ideally should have teaching, advising and graduate student supervisory experience (teaching or research) prior to attaining emeriti status. The person would serve a two-year term with the potential to be reappointed once.
SNR IT Support must adhere to UN Security Standard outlined here: https://its.unl.edu/security
SNR requires that all computer purchases be made through ITS Support personnel.
The SNR Managers oversee support services in the areas of administrative support, office/clerical support, cartography and graphics, communication, publication development, database development and maintenance, event planning, field and drilling services, GIS and remote sensing, recruitment, safety, sales and distribution, teaching assistance, employee training, and web development.
Provide the highest quality of services to the administration, faculty and staff of the School of Natural Resources. Our primary customers are our faculty and staff. Our primary purpose is to assist them in meeting their needs and to focus on continuous improvement to find better ways to accomplish department goals. Recognize and understand problems and opportunities; find solutions and alternatives for responding to them. Create an encompassing network for communication and feedback.
UNL-SNR: all the people that can be in SNR based on SAP positions
UNL-SNR-Office: All the people from UNL-SNR
UNL-SNR-Admin: Select group of people decided by SNR Administration
UNL-SNR-Academics: Select group of faculty and staff
UNL-SNR Admin [root folder]: For things that hav people outside the overall SNR groups
UNL-SNR Admin - Admin For things that only the SNR Admin Team need
SNR has a social media presence at
Submit original images and captions to Jacki Loomis or Lisa Grief. Or tag you own posts with #UNLSNR
Type in the "from" and "to" address to find the bus route and schedule. https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departments/LTU/StarTran/Routes
SNR adheres to the UNL Student Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures: https://studentconduct.unl.edu/student-code-conduct
If you have a land-line phone:
SNR faculty and staff are required to have a phone number listed in the SNR Directory. Graduate students display of a phone number is optional.
If an office phone is not issued and the individual doesn’t want to publish a personal cell number, they can setup a google phone number and it can be published. Google Voice is free and works with both iOS and Android phones. Information is available at: https://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html
The University term code is a four digit number based on calendar year:
XYYZ where
The terms codes for the 2013-2014 school year are 1138 (Fall), 1141 (Spring), and 1145 (Summer).
A problem with this code, if used in data and sorting, is that many reports need data for an academic year. When sorting using this code for academic year, the fall semester is associated with the wrong academic year and the term order produced is Spring, Summer and Fall (wrong fall).
Therefore an SNR term code was developed based on academic year. Academic year typically is stated as 2009-2010 or 2010-2011 and is general noted as the ending year so 2010 or 2011, respectively. The following code:
ABBC where
The SNR term codes for the 2013-2014 school year are 1141 (Fall), 1142 (Spring), and 1143 (Summer).
Graduate Bulletin
Provides UNL's requirements: https://graduate.unl.edu/academics/program-steps
Master of Science in Natural Resources The School of Natural Resources grants MS degrees in Natural Resource Sciences primarily under Option I (thesis option). However, Option II programs are permitted under special circumstances. The choice of option should be determined by the type of education desired. Once admitted to Candidacy by filing a Memorandum of Courses, you may not change options. For additional information see: https://snr.unl.edu/gradstudent/nresprogram.aspx.
Required by all employees and volunteers:
Supervisor Training [HR]
Required of supervisors
Environmental Health and Safety Portal [EHS]
Assessment
Safety Training Needs Assessment [EHS]
Other Training
Large Passanger Van Traning [Transportation Services]
[Office of Research & Economic Development]
Search Committee training (mandatory for anyone serving on a search committee). Before serving on a search committee, you must attend a seminar and renew every three years.
Search Committee Information [Institutional Equity and Compliance].
Academic Technology & Support [UN Information Technology Services]
Microsoft Training
Website and Content Management System
Once any training is completed, provide the SNR Assistant to the Director . Any time job duties change, training needs should be reviewed, and any new training needs to be completed.
Training Completion Notice Form
When representing the University while traveling out of one's duty station, Pre-Trip Request must be completed via Concur travel for approval in advance of the travel. A completed Pre-Trip Request must be routed and approved to request reimbursement. If you do not anticipate having expenses to be reimbursed, you are to submit a zero dollar trip request.
When traveling is of a personal nature, a TA is not required. You must complete and submit a leave request via Firefly prior to the travel.
Download the University of Nebraska general travel policy guidelines. (Updated March 2019)
A Pre-Trip Request is required prior to booking any international travel. All international flights must be booked via Fox Travel. Accounting will not reimburse for international flights booked personally, no exceptions.
The form is used to request authorization for out-of-state travel when Firefly access is not available.
Download Pre-Trip Authorization Form
Complete and submit this form to the Natural Resources Business Center (NRBC) to request reimbursement for non-travel and travel related expenses not processed through Firefly.
Download Employee Expense Voucher
All property purchased with any University funds is owned by the University, not by the individual for whose use it was purchased, and must be returned to the department if the employee leaves UNL.
When retiring University property and equipment, an inventory form is completed and forwarded to the NRBC Purchasing Specialist.
For specific questions and guidance regarding transferring University property and inventory, contact the NRBC Purchasing Specialist.
When leaving SNR, work with your advisor to ensure that you turn in all University-purchased equipment, property, and educational materials. This includes items such as laptops, digital cameras, video recorders, etc.
When leaving employment with SNR, turn in all University-purchased equipment, property, and educational materials. The items should be returned to your supervisor or appropriate manager noting on the "Employee Checklist" the date items were returned. This includes items such as laptops, digital cameras, video recorders, etc.
This form is used to keep track of objects temporarily on loan to employees. Please list those objects that were purchased or are the property of UNL that are currently on loan to you.
These items are NOT be entered into "objects on loan" in SAP
Download Inventory Sheet
When equipment purchased with University funds is no longer needed for department use it shall be returned to UNL Inventory.
If the item has an inventory tag because if purchased with federal funds, depending on the item etc, Sponsored Programs may have to be notified. By having the tag number it helps Inventory to deactivate the item(s) and remove it from SNR’s List.
Provide a description of the item(s), a model and/or serial number, and if the item(s) is working or non-working to Karen Gilbert.
Place items in the surplus inventory area in HarH 137 South and return form to Karen Gilbert.
Download Surplus Pickup Request Form
Additional policies regarding University-purchased Equipment, Property, and Educational Materials can be found at:
Vending machines are available in north and south lobbies of Hardin Hall.
Contact the Office Associate for Operations to reports problems with the vending machines and to receive monetary refunds when a product is not dispensed, due to a machine malfunction.
Complete the "Visiting Personnel / Nonresident Alien Independent Contractor Miscellaneous Expense Voucher" to request payment of visiting non-University personnel.
Download Miscellaneous Expense Voucher
If Canadian is checked, the "B-1/B-2 Affidavit Form" will also need to be submitted.
DownloadB-1/B-2 Affidavit Form
Complete and submit the "Wire Transfer Cover Sheet ".
Download Wire Transfer Cover Sheet
Sites directly related to SNR would be for example the SNR website, single page research profiles, SNR sponsored events such as NaturePalooza and Seminar Series. Sites/web pages that would require cost objects would be data distribution, class projects, outside events, center's informational or extended research project sites. Project designated by the SNR Director may be created at the no fee option.
Webpages and sites should be created with a specific goal and audience in mind. It should not be a place to simply post an existing pdf of an event. Also creating a webpage/site does not guarantee that the page/site will show up or be prominent in search engines (see below).
Below are some things to think about for the potential webpage/site before we meet:
Google and other search engines user various metrics to determine how "high" on the list of search results your page/site will be found. There are some things we can do to pages to help but here are some of the things to remember:
When there is a need to conduct a webinar, this can be setup through UNL's Information Technology Service using Zoom. More information can be found at https://its.unl.edu/services/zoom.
A single reoccurring webinar can be set up to be used over and over again, for example for a seminar series. This can be done in the Zoom App. Some advantages to this are that a single web url can be used for the entire series, the person who creates the series is the host and if the session is recorded the notification will be to that person. Alternative Host(s) (not "Co-Hosts") can be assigned who can initiate the Zoom session but the final recording will always be sent to the original host.
The University's core work hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Any variation to work hours requested by the employee requires completion of a formal "Request for Flextime Form", which must be completed and submitted by the employee, approved by the employee's supervisor, and approved by the Director.
If an employee has requested a change in his/her work location to benefit the employee, then a formal "Request for Alternative Work Location Form " must be completed and submitted by the employee, approved by the employee's supervisor, and approved by the Director. If approved, an evaluation must be completed afterward and submitted to the Director's Office. SNR is generally supportive of an employee's request to work flextime and, when needed, an alternative work location. However, not all positions are eligible for consideration. In addition, in order for SNR to maintain University hours, not all requests can be approved.
Flex-time and alternate work location are reviewd after 3 months, 6 months, and annually.
Download Request for Flextime Form
Download Request for Alternative Work Location Form
Download Flex-time Evaluation Form
SNR shall comply with the UNL Youth Activity Safety Policy and shall consider this part of employee training. SNR shall distribute the UNL and SNR policies to each paid employee and graduate student, and shall require that they sign an acknowledgement form indicating that they have read and understand them.
SNR shall collect forms on a calendar-year basis, January 1 through December 31. The forms shall be retained following the UNL Record Retention policy. If an employee/graduate student is involved in a youth activity that is coordinated by another department during the calendar year, they may notify the SNR Associate Director or Alumni Coordinator via email and request that his/her signed acknowledgement form be provided to the other unit. The UNL Museum and SNR have agreed to a reciprocating agreement to accept/receive these forms.