Mechanical Science and Engineering
M.Eng.ME Program
GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK
for M.Eng.ME Students
2024

Updated March 2024

CONTENTS
MECHSE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION .................................................................................................... 4
M.Eng.ME PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION ...................................................................................................... 4
INTRODUCTION, ADMISSIONS, AND ORIENTATION ...................................................................................... 5
MECHSE ADMISSIONS POLICIES .................................................................................................................... 5
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Applying
Applying From Another Illinois Department (Transferring Departments)
Deferring Admission
Orientation Sessions
Graduate Assistantships

NEW STUDENT CHECK-IN PROCEDURES........................................................................................................ 6
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International Students Check-In
I-CardUniversity of Illinois E-mail AccountHealth and Immunization Forms
Course Registrations
Deadlines
Final Transcripts and Certifications of Degree(s)M.ENG.ME REQUIREMENTS, REGISTRATION, COMPLETION, AND ADVISING ............................................... 7• Advising• Degree Requirements• Registration Requirements• Late Registration• Adding/Dropping Courses• Academic Standing• Transfer Credit Policies
OTHER MECHSE POLICIES .............................................................................................................................. 9• Petitions (Graduate Student Requests)• Transferring Academic Programs• Credit/No Credit• Auditing• Withdrawing• Academic Leave and Re-entry Process
EXIT INTERVIEW AND GRADUATION ........................................................................................................... 10• Exit Interview• Graduation Process and Convocation

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GRADUATE STUDENT RESOURCES............................................................................................................... 11• Grainger College of Engineering Career Services• Graduate College Career Development Services• English Placement Test (EPT)• Technology Services• Grainger Engineering Library• Printers• Code of Conduct Policy• Student Ethics• Grievance Policy and Procedural Appeals• Disability Services• Counseling Services• Student Health Insurance

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MECHSE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION

Professor Anthony Jacobi
Department Head andRichard W. Kritzer
Distinguished Professor

Professor Petros Sofronis
Associate Head for
Graduate Programs andJames W. Bayne Professor

Professor Sanjiv Sinha
Associate Head for
Undergraduate Programs

M.Eng.ME PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIONThe M.Eng.ME Program is directed by Professor M. Quinn Brewster, Faculty Director, and Professor Jiajun
He, Associate Director. Susan Roughton is the Academic Advisor and Program Coordinator for on campus
M.Eng.ME students (prospective and current). Jessica E. Moyer is the Academic Advisor and Online Program
Coordinator. For admissions-related questions and current student affairs, on campus students should
contact Susan at roughton@illinois.edu and online students should contact Jessica at jemoyer@illinois.edu.

SusanProfessor Quinn Brewster
Faculty Director

Professor Jiajun He
Associate Director

Susan Roughton
Academic Advisor andOn-campus Program
Coordinator

Jessica E. Moyer
Academic Advisor andOnline Program
Coordinator

M.Eng.ME students should contact Susan (on campus students) or Jessica (online students) in the
M.Eng.ME Office for the following academic matters:
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Applying and admissions
Academic progress
Course selection and plan of study
Academic advising
Career development questions
Registration issues, completion of forms
Graduate Petitions4••

Degree audits
ISSS/ISTART queries for F1 students (visa issuance, extensions, RCL-reduced course load, OPT,
and CPT) – select Susan Roughton for proper routing.

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INTRODUCTION, ADMISSIONS, AND ORIENTATION
Introduction

Graduate students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Illinois) are members of a homedepartment (MechSE), a College (The Grainger College of Engineering), and the Graduate College. In
addition to fulfilling degree requirements of the home department, graduate students are responsible forcomplying with the regulations of The Grainger College of Engineering and the Graduate College.
MechSE M.Eng.ME students should receive guidance from their advisor, Jessica or Susan, who will help
them navigate the requirements of The Grainger College of Engineering, and the Graduate College in orderto reach their educational goals in a timely fashion. Students should refer to the Graduate College
Handbook in addition to the M.Eng.ME Graduate Student Handbook for policies and procedures. All
incoming students are required to make an advising appointment with Jessica or Susan and all students arehighly encouraged to meet with their advisor each semester to discuss their plan of study.

MECHSE ADMISSIONS POLICIESApplying

In order to be considered, prospective students must apply to the M.Eng.ME program at MechSE, and theM.Eng.ME Admissions Committee reviews the application. Applications must be submitted by the deadline
posted by the MechSE department; late and/or incomplete applications are not accepted. Application
requirements are explained on the MechSE website. An application is complete when the department hasreceived all parts of the application. Admissions decisions are final.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to upload correct and updated documents such as the personal statement
and resume. Only official test scores and online letters of recommendation can be added to the application
after submission. Currently, the MechSE department does not require GRE scores for the M.Eng.ME
program.

Applying From Another Illinois Department (Transferring Departments)

If a graduate student in another department (Urbana-Champaign campus only) wishes to transfer into the
M.Eng.ME program, they may apply to transfer via a Graduate College Petition. Submission of a petition is
not a guarantee of acceptance into the M.Eng.ME program.

Deferring Admission

Admitted students may request to delay their matriculation by up to one academic year. Such requests
will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Faculty Director. Students are highly encouraged to defer
their admission prior to the beginning of the semester.

Orientation Sessions

MechSE hosts an annual orientation session at the start of the Fall semester. M.Eng.ME program staff will
notify students of the session via their University of Illinois email accounts.
Other units on campus also provide helpful orientation information through presentations and/or online
resources. A few of these are through the The Grainger College of Engineering and the Office ofInternational Student and Scholar Services. Please keep an eye on your official University email accounts
for notifications about these sessions.
6Self-Supporting Program

The M.Eng.ME program is designated as a self-supporting program: students in this program are not eligible
for tuition-waiver-generating assistantships. For more information regarding tuition waiver designation
categories, please refer to the Graduate College Handbook (Part I, Chapter 7.4).

NEW STUDENT CHECK-IN PROCEDURES
International Students• Upon arrival, all international students should check in virtually through the Office of International
Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). Additional information can be found at isss.illinois.edu.
Questions about this should be directed to Susan (roughton@illinois.edu)

Other Information• ALL STUDENTS University of Illinois Email Account: It is imperative that all students check email
daily because it is the main form of communication for faculty, staff, and students. All messages
from Susan and Jessica will come to and from University of Illinois email accounts. Students are
responsible for all communications, policies, and deadlines that are sent to their University email
accounts. Please see the Graduate College Quick Guide for instructions on setting up the University
of Illinois email account. Graduate students should not forward their University emails to apersonal email address.
• ALL STUDENTS Course registration: Register for courses through the Course Explorer. The student
Net ID is required for registration. Follow the Graduate College Quick Guide for instructions on
setting up the student Net ID and password. Students can register prior to arriving on campus.
Additional information regarding registration can be found in Registration Requirements sectionof this Handbook. Please contact Susan at roughton@illinois.edu for questions regarding
registration. ALL STUDENTS Deadlines: Students should note the academic deadlines for eachsemester. Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to all academic deadlines, which
are posted online at illinois.edu/calendar/list/557.
• i-Card: ON CAMPUS students are issued a permanent photo identification card that must be
retained by the student as long as s/he is registered at the University. The i-Card office is locatedon the first floor of the Illini Union Bookstore, 809 S. Wright Street (corner of Wright and John
Streets). i-Cards should be obtained as soon as possible after arriving on campus as they are used
to gain access to campus buildings and for library services. On campus students must have their iCard by the first day of class. More i-Card information can be found at: www.icard.uillinois.edu.
• ON CAMPUS STUDENTS Health and Immunization Forms: Submit health forms (online or in person
upon arrival) to the McKinley Health Center, 1109 S. Lincoln Avenue, Urbana. More information
about required health forms may be found on the McKinley Health Center website.
• ALL STUDENTS Final transcripts and certifications of degree(s): Please follow Graduate College’s
instructions for submitting your final credentials after you have accepted your offer of admission.

M.ENG.ME REQUIREMENTS, REGISTRATION, COMPLETION, AND ADVISING
Degree requirements are posted both in the academic catalog and on the departmental website. A blank
Plan of Study form for the M.Eng.ME Program can be found here. Please note that only classes which areassigned a letter grade may be used towards the M.Eng.ME degree. If a CR/NC grade is selected by the7student, this course will not apply to graduation requirements. Only grades of C- and higher may be applied
to the M.Eng.ME degree.

Advising

Susan Roughton (roughton@illinois.edu) is the advisor for all on campus students and Jessica E. Moyer(jemoyer@illinois.edu) is the advisor for all online students. Students will work with them to ensure theircourse selections meet all degree requirements.

Degree Requirements
32 hours are required to complete the degree. These are the requirements:
Requirements
ME/TAM coursework
Elective coursework (see your advisor if you need help selecting a course).
Professional development coursework
Total degree credit

16 hour minimum
4 hour minimum
4 hour minimum
32 hours

Additional requirements:
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A minimum of 12 credit hours must be taken at the 500-level, 8 of which must be taken in ME or
TAM.
A minimum of 4 hours of elective coursework must be taken outside ME/TAM. Electives should beselected in consultation with your advisor.
A maximum of 4 hours of independent study may be applied toward degree requirements.
A course can be applied to more than one requirement. An example of a course which meets
multiple requirements is ME 503 Internal Combustion Engines. This course fulfills the ME course
requirement for 16 hours of coursework as well as the 500-level course requirement of 12 hours ofcoursework. Another example: TE courses may count towards the Professional Development
requirement while also counting towards the Elective requirement. Some TE classes also counttoward the 500-level requirement.
Students in the program must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 to remain in good academic
standing.

Students who wish to check their progress toward the degree requirements of their program can run adegree audit on uAchieve or email their advisor to request an audit. Students are highly encouraged tocomplete a degree audit just prior to the beginning of their final semester.

Professional Development

Professional Development is an important requirement of the M.Eng.ME program and is one of the things
that makes it unique. Students in the M.Eng.ME program are required to complete at least 4 hours ofprofessional development coursework. All eligible courses are listed at this link. PD classes are offered every
semester, including the summer term.

Registration Requirements

M.Eng.ME students register for courses online through the Student Self-Service prior to the first day of8classes for the semester. The Office of the Registrar posts the academic calendar and deadlines online.
Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to these academic deadlines.
For both the Fall and Spring terms, M.Eng.ME graduate students must register for courses by the 10th dayof classes. Failure to do so may result in late fees, loss of valid visa status for international students, andunapproved leave of absence. All MechSE graduate students, except those on an approved leave of absence,must register for both the Fall and Spring terms until they graduate. More information regarding leave ofabsence can be found in the Graduate Student Handbook.
All international on-campus students must be registered full-time no later than 10 calendar days into eachsemester. At 12:00 PM CST on the 11th calendar day of each semester, the Office of International Student
and Scholar Services (ISSS) is obligated by law to terminate the F-1 or J-1 immigration status for students
who are not registered full-time. Full-time status is considered to be a minimum of 12 credit hours persemester, of which at least 9 credits must be on campus in person classes. Although ESL classes do not counttowards a degree, ESL course hours do count towards the 12 hours for visa eligibility status. For example, a
student who is taking 8 hours of coursework and a 4-hour ESL class, the ESL class is counted toward meetingthe minimum visa eligibility criteria. International students should contact ISSS with any questions aboutmaintaining their status.

Late Registration

Late registration begins at 5:00 PM CST on the first day of classes. Students who are not registered at thattime have two weeks to complete registration. After the late registration period, students lose the ability
to register themselves and must use the Late Registration Form. The M.Eng.ME Program Office must
approve this form prior to final approval by the Graduate College. There is a penalty of $15.00 (subject tochange) for late registration, which will be added to the student’s bill.

Adding/Dropping Courses

After the 10th day of classes, registration changes must be made by submitting a Late Registration Form.
Students must obtain approval from the instructor and the M.Eng. Program Office prior to submitting theform to the Graduate College.

Academic Standing

M.Eng.ME students should read and be familiar with the Graduate College Handbook in its entirety.
Section 3.2 details requirements for remaining in good academic standing, including GPA requirements.
Please be advised that M.Eng.ME students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher to remain in good academic
standing and to graduate. If a student’s GPA falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on Academic
Probation for one semester. The student will be given a grace period of one semester to raise their GPA
above 3.0. If at the end of that semester the student’s cumulative GPA is still below a 3.0, the student will
face dismissal from the university. Students who are admitted to the program on limited status for a GPA
below 3.0 are not given this grace period during their first semester and are expected to earn a 3.0 or above
during their first semester in the program. When a student is under Academic Probation, s/he will be
required to hold an advising meeting with their academic advisor to discuss their academic progress. A
registration hold will be placed on the student’s account until they have met with their academic advisor.

Transfer Credit Policies

MechSE will allow M.Eng.ME students to transfer graduate-level coursework as long as the transferredcoursework has not been used to fulfill degree requirements for another degree or other transcripted
credential. M.Eng.ME students can transfer a total of 8 credit hours from an outside institution. If the9student is transferring coursework from the University of Illinois at Chicago or the University of Illinois at
Springfield, the maximum transferable credit hours increases to 12. Additional requirements apply.
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The student must have completed at least 8 credit hours of graduate credit at Illinois.
The course must have been taken within the past 5 years at an accredited institution.
The course must be a graduate-level course at that institution.
The course cannot apply to another degree, and the petition must include verification from theother institution that the course(s) was (were) not used toward a degree or other transcripted
credential.
The student must have received a grade of B or higher.
The petition must include an original, official transcript unless it is already on file.
A copy of the course syllabus for each petitioned course must be provided.
The transfer petition must receive both departmental and Graduate College approval.
Assignments, quizzes, and/or tests from the course may be requested.
In documenting the petitioned course, please be sure to list comparable courses at Illinois(Urbana-Champaign campus only).

Due to the complex nature of credit transfers, it is strongly recommended that students who are
considering transferring credit contact the M.Eng.ME Program Office to confirm the specific requirements
based on the details of the student’s request.

OTHER MECHSE POLICIESPetitions (Graduate Student Requests)

The Graduate Student Request Form (petition) is used to request any changes to a student record or
program. Examples of requests that would require a petition include curriculum changes, transferring credit,
etc. Submission of a petition is not a guarantee of acceptance of the request.

Transferring Academic Programs Transferring Programs within MechSE

M.Eng.ME students may not transfer to MSME programs within MechSE. Upon completion of the Master ofEngineering degree, students are eligible to apply to the PhD program. If an M.Eng.ME student has beenoffered a research assistantship (RA) appointment by a MechSE faculty, that student does not need to apply
to the PhD program and instead may submit a Graduate Student Record Form to petition for entry into the
PhD program. If an M.Eng.ME student has not been offered an RA appointment by a MechSE faculty member,then that student may apply to the PhD program using the regular application system. All applications are
subject to any posted application deadlines.

Transferring from MechSE to another Department within the Graduate College

Students can request to transfer to another department’s program through a Graduate College petition.
This process is described on the Graduate College website. Students are encouraged to talk to both theiradvisor and the proposed department prior to submitting the request to transfer. The proposed department
may have additional procedures and requirements that must be completed.

Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)

Credit/no credit is a permanent notation on the academic record that may be requested by a student withthe advisor’s approval. Courses taken as CR/NC cannot count toward the formal graded hours needed forthe degree. No more than one course per semester may be taken as CR/NC. Once a course is taken as
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CR/NC, it cannot be retaken at a later date for a grade. Therefore, any course which a student wants tocount toward their degree should not be taken as CR/NC. Additional details can be found in the Graduate
College Handbook. The timeline for submitting the CR/NC form is set by the Graduate College and is listedon the Graduate College Academic Calendar.
Progress toward degree
MEngME students can view their degree audit through the Degree Audit System. This report is an unofficial
audit of your degree progress which includes in progress coursework. Questions about your audit or progress
toward degree should be directed to your academic advisor.

Auditing

An auditor is a listener in the classes attended; s/he may not participate in any part of the exercises. An
audited course will appear on the student’s transcript with a grade of AU and does not count toward the
GPA or degree requirements. Once a course is taken as an audit, it cannot be retaken at a later date for agrade. Therefore, any course for which a student wants to obtain a grade should not be audited. Students
are advised not to audit courses significant to their focus of study. The deadline for submitting the Auditor’s
Permit to the Graduate College is the 10th day of instruction in the Fall and Spring terms. See the Graduate
College Academic Calendar for Summer term deadlines. Students who are registered for fewer than 12
credit hours, not including the audited course will be charged a $15 audit fee.

Withdrawing

Students should consult with their advisor and or Faculty Director prior to completing this process. The
student’s advisor and/or Faculty Director must formally approve withdrawal from the University. The
Banner application system will not allow students to drop all courses because this constitutes a withdrawal.
Students must complete the Withdrawal Form. International students must have formal approval from the
Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) to withdraw.

Academic Leave and Re-entry Process

Students who wish to take a leave of absence from the program must submit a request using the Academic
Leave of Absence Form. Additional information about taking an Academic Leave of Absence can be found in
the Graduate Student Leave Policies. A student who takes a leave of absence without MechSE approval will
be required to reapply if s/he requests to return.

GRADUATION
Graduation Process and Convocation

Students who are ready for degree conferral must place their names on the degree conferral list using the UIIntegrate Self-Service before the deadline for that term. This alerts the Graduate College that the student
plans to graduate within that semester. Students who do not complete this step by the deadline must wait
until the next semester to graduate.
All graduate students are invited to participate in the Grainger College of Engineering and the University
convocations upon degree completion. It is important that students sign up to participate before thedeadlines. To learn more, please see Grainger College of Engineering Commencement Information andCampus-wide Commencement Information.

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GRADUATE STUDENT RESOURCES
Code of Conduct Policy

MechSE and The Grainger College of Engineering require all students to act in a professional manner, which
includes all written and verbal communications, with all faculty, staff, students, outside vendors, or research
partners. Harassment of any kind is prohibited. No messages with derogatory or inflammatory remarks about
an individual or group’s race, religion, national origin, physical attributes, or sexual preferences are
permitted. In addition, students are held accountable to the University of Illinois’ Code of Student Conduct.
Violations of these policies may result in disciplinary action, which may include dismissal from the University.
Students who are accused of a violation have 8 days to appeal to MechSE’s Grievance Committee. Failure toappeal within this time frame or a denied appeal will result in disciplinary action.

Counseling Services

All University students have access to the campus’ Counseling Center. In addition to offering counselingservices, the Counseling Center offers educational programming initiatives, training programs, outreach andconsultation activities, and self-help materials. The staff members have extensive training and experience
with assisting graduate students. Visits with a counselor are confidential and are not shared with thestudent’s home department or faculty advisor. To learn more about the services they offer, visit CounselingCenter or call 217-333-3704.

Disability Services

Students who have a medically documented disability may obtain disability-related academic adjustments
and/or auxiliary aids through the Disability Resource and Educational Services (DRES). Students are
responsible for contacting their course instructors and providing them with their DRES letter to receive
academic adjustments. To contact DRES, visit 1207 S. Oak Street in Champaign, call at 217-333-4603, oremail disability@illinois.edu.

English Placement Test (EPT)

Students admitted on limited status for English are required to take the EPT test and, based on the results,
may be assigned to enroll in ESL courses. Students admitted on limited status should carefully review theiradmission letters and follow the instructions. Please contact Susan (roughton@illinois.edu) for additional
information and to ensure correct and timely registration for ESL courses.

Graduate College Career Development Services

The Graduate College Career Development Services Office fosters personal growth and professional
development for graduate students. This office assists students with exploring careers, applying for jobs
and/or faculty positions, interviewing, negotiating offers, and more. To learn more about the services andseminars that are held throughout the year, visit Graduate College Career Development.

Graduate College Forms

All forms can be accessed online at grad.illinois.edu/forms. Students needing assistance should work with
their advisor (Jessica or Susan).

Grainger College of Engineering Career Services

The Grainger College of Engineering Career Services Office (ECS) offers services to help prepare on campus
graduate students for the job market. ECS offers assistance with identifying internships, writing resumes,
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mock interviews, employment searches, and more. To learn about the services that are available, visit the
ECS website or the ECS office at Suite 3270, Digital Computer Laboratory (DCL). The University Career Center
also holds various events and workshops, primarily for on campus students.

Grievance Policy and Procedural Appeals

The faculty, staff, and students within The Grainger College of Engineering departments are a diverse group,and sometimes conflicts may arise. Most conflicts can be resolved informally between the two parties.
However, there may be times that conflicts cannot be resolved informally. In these cases, students may filea formal grievance with the Faculty Director (Dr. Quinn Brewster) of the M.Eng.ME Program or may file one
directly with the Graduate College. Consult the Graduate College Handbook for more information.

Library Services

Graduate students in the M.Eng.ME program have full access to the Grainger Engineering Library and the
University libraries. Grainger Library is located two blocks north, along Springfield Ave. It has plenty of study
spaces for groups and individuals, as well as access to Engineering Reference librarians. The building is open
24 hours during the semester. The Main Library is located several blocks south at the end of Wright St., it is
the home of the Reference Collection, the Main Stacks, and Information Services for the entire campus. The
building also has group and individual study spaces. Online and on campus students have full access to theextensive digital collections, which include thousands of journals, books, and other media. Librarians areavailable every day to answer student queries by phone, email and the virtual reference service.
Part Time Work On Campus
On campus M.Eng.ME domestic and international students are eligible for hourly work on campus. Students
may learn about on-campus job opportunities on the virtual job board. Another helpful employment
resource is the Research Park Job Board.

Student Ethics

MechSE and The Grainger College of Engineering strictly enforce student ethics and will not toleratecheating within a course or plagiarism on course-related papers, published papers, or within theses. The
College uses Section 1-404 of the Student Code to define cheating and plagiarism. It is the student’s
responsibility to read through this section carefully. Students who are accused of such a violation may facesome or all of the consequences below:
1. Receive a grade of zero on the assignment or exam.
2. Receive a failing grade for the course.
3. Dismissal from the program.
All cases are documented within the student’s departmental file at The Grainger College of Engineering andat the Graduate College. A student who is accused of such a violation has 8 days to respond to the professor
in writing (usually via email). In the meantime, the professor will alert the student’s home department of
the accused violation. If the violation still holds after discussion of the accusation with the professor, thestudent has the right to appeal to The Grainger College of Engineering within 15 days of notification. To
learn how to file an appeal, students should contact the Faculty Director of the M.Eng.ME Program (Dr Quinn
Brewster) or their M.Eng.ME Program Coordinator (Jessica or Susan). If the student does not appeal, thematter will be closed and one or all of the above consequences will be applied. Students who receive penalty
2 or penalty 3 above will not be allowed to drop the course. Students with repeated violations may bedismissed from the program.
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Student Health Insurance

All on campus students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are required to carry health insurance
coverage in addition to the Health Service Fee that graduate students pay each semester. The HealthService Fee allows students to utilize McKinley Health Center for office visits with doctors, nurse
practitioners, mental health counselors, and health educators. However, this fee does not pay for any carereceived outside the McKinley Health Center, such as emergency care outside McKinley Health Center
hours.

Technology Services

Located in Mechanical Engineering Laboratory (MEL) 1005, the Engineering IT Helpdesk is open 9:00 AM–
12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–5:00 PM CST Monday through Friday for walk-in questions and assistance requests.
You can also email engrit-help@illinois.edu. Computers must be brought to the desk for support.
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Engineering IT highly discourages the use of personally owned computers for performing
University research and/or storing University data. Wired network connections for personal
computers are only provided where wireless is not available and on a network that matches
IllinoisNet wireless. Network access can be requested by emailing engrit-help@illinois.edu.
Students who contact Engineering IT to request network access must include the room, theotherwise unused network jack number, and their advisor’s name. Approval of such a request is
not guaranteed.

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Printers
Graduate students can pay for printing with Illini Cash or may have other options depending on
their location. Each computer lab has a printer that can print in grayscale. Select locations also
have color printers.

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