Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

A central printer/copier is available in the main office (White Hall 111). Department members should print to the Blue Print Group. If the printer in White Hall is out of service or unavailable, you may print to the Blue Print Group printer/copier located in the WVU Downtown Library. If you need assistance operating or connecting to the printer, please contact Miranda Heitz. You can also visit the ITS Student Resources page.

WVU provides wireless access on campus, including White Hall. Contact WVU IT Services for further assistance or visit the ITS Student Resources page.

A faculty, staff, and graduate student directory is available on our website. To update your directory page at any time, complete the request form.

There are a number of resources available to you, and we are here to help!  We host a directory of Wellness Resources on our website with links to university and community resources, assembled by category. WVU also has a helpful  "What to Do If..." page including strategies for handling common crisis scenarios.

Information about DEI and Title IX procedures can be accessed on our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page.  As always, you can also contact the WVU Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and its Title IX Office,  or the WVU Carruth Center .

Another option is the graduate student ombudsperson, a neutral and impartial dispute-resolution practitioner who can provide confidential and informal assistance to all graduate and professional students within the West Virginia University community. Opinions and information shared with the Ombuds are confidential and other parties will not be made aware if a student meets with the GSO, unless the student gives permission.

You are always welcome to consult trusted department members, as well. Department leadership, your advisor, and the chair of the Climate Committee are examples of people who can be contacted for confidential advice. They can help you figure out how to proceed (and they can even reach out on your behalf to gather advice!). These interactions will be kept anonymous as long as they are not related to a Title IX issue.

If you wish to speak to someone anonymously, please call the Equity Assurance Hotline at 304-906-9930.  Find more information about resources and reporting.

Students are, by default, provided with Gmail accounts (@mix.wvu.edu). Faculty, staff, and post-docs are provided with Outlook accounts (@mail.wvu.edu). If you travel with or receive a reimbursement from the University, you will be set up with an @Mail account. This is necessary to enable you to receive emails from MyTravel and MyExpenses containing important information about your trip reservations, pending reports, and more. The @Mail accounts are not linked to the @Mix accounts. If you have an @Mail account, we suggest forwarding it to your @Mix account. Alternatively, you can regularly check both email inboxes. If you have any questions, please contact Viola Bryant or Miranda Heitz.

Entrances to White Hall are automatically unlocked each day from 7:00am to 7:00pm, except for university holidays, weekends, and school breaks (including summer). After hours/weekend access to White Hall is approved on an as-needs basis. Your WVU ID card serves as the key to rooms in White Hall. Insert your ID card in the slot on the door with the magnetic stripe toward the left and remove. A steady green light indicates that you have access to that door. A blinking red light indicates that you do not have access to that door. Access requests for doors in White Hall may be submitted through the Door Access Request Form. Please see Miranda Heitz for assistance with all requests related to building or room access in White Hall.

There are conference rooms available for reservation in White Hall. The room numbers are 105, 201, 243, 301, 343, 401, 443, and G51. To reserve a conference room, please contact Viola Bryant or Miranda Heitz.

White Hall is equipped with a sophisticated emergency alert system. For medical and other emergencies, please dial 911 (9-911 from campus landline phones) or call the University Police at 304-293-2677 (COPS). Emergency information applicable to the campus will be shared via InfoStations in the building through the WVU Alert system. Visit WVU Emergency for more information.

The Chemical Hygiene Office (CHO) is Prof. Matthew Johnson. More information related to lab safety is available from WVU Environmental Health & Safety and on our Internal page. Please contact our CHO with any questions.

Requests for repairs or maintenance in the building are filtered through the administrative staff in White Hall 111. If you notice items in your office, lab, or common areas require maintenance or repairs, please contact Viola Bryant or Miranda Heitz. If it is an emergency request and it is after hours, please contact the 24/7 university dispatch line: 304-293-4357 (HELP).

Office space is assigned and managed by the department. Please direct any questions, concerns, or requests regarding office space to Miranda Heitz. View our building and office policies.

Mountaineer Marketplace is accessed via the WVU Portal under the "Employee" tab. Visit the WVU Shared Services article 101: An Introduction to Mountaineer Marketplace for guidance and training. If you have any questions, contact Viola Bryant or Miranda Heitz.

Many purchases can be made with a procurement card, also called a purchasing card or Pcard. In some cases, a Pcard is the preferred payment method (such as for research purchases unavailable on Marketplace). There are two types of Pcards, research and state. Once you have joined a research group, you may apply for a Pcard if approved by your advisor. Please refer to the WVU/WVURC Cardholder User Guide for guidance on proper usage. Prior to being granted a Pcard, you must complete Pcard Training.

All Pcard purchases must be reconciled via a MyExpenses report within 30 days of the purchase date. MyExpenses is accessed via the WVU Portal under the "Employee" tab. You are responsible for preparing your reports. You must save and submit all receipts, include a business purpose, and provide funding in your report. Visit the WVU Shared Services article 101: An Introduction to MyExpenses for guidance and training. If you have any questions, contact Viola Bryant or Miranda Heitz.

WVU provides access to Amazon Business, and all Amazon purchases made for university business must be placed through this platform. Learn about how to access the WVU Amazon Business account from WVU PCPS.

You may be asked by your research advisor to purchase an item from an external vendor, or you may need to purchase something for student group/conference travel. WVU and WVU Research Corporation are tax exempt and should not pay tax to in-state vendors. Please remind vendors of tax exemption status before initiating a transaction. Learn more about Sales and Use Tax.

Travel must be booked via MyTravel/AMEX GBT, accessed via the WVU Portal under the "Employee" tab. Visit the WVU Shared Services article 101: An Introduction to MyTravel for guidance and training. If the conference you are attending offers a special/discounted rate for lodging, you may book through the conference. If you have any questions about booking travel, contact Viola Bryant or WVU PCPS Travel.

You may either complete the Travel Reimbursement Form to request assistance from Miranda Heitz, or you may complete your own travel report in MyExpenses. Student travel reimbursements are processed by Miranda Heitz. Guest and visitor travel settlements are processed by Viola Bryant.

The WVU Travel and Expense Manual is available for viewing and download from WVU PCPS. Always consult these policies before booking.

WVU has contracted with Enterprise Holdings. Enterprise Holdings, Inc operates Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental to provide local, state-wide, and national vehicle rental services to the WVU System. Any vehicle rented through Enterprise Rent-A-Car or National Car Rental that will be picked up and dropped off at the same location will need to be booked using the new code. To ensure security, the discount booking code can only be found on the MyTravel website homepage, accessed from Portal.

All persons traveling abroad must register their travel with WVU Global Affairs in advance. By completing a simple form, you are registering your travel, enrolling in WVU's international insurance plan and emergency response service, and fulfilling your Export Control obligations.

• A Pcard is the preferred payment method for all expenses except for food.
• When driving a personal car, your mileage is reimbursed, but when driving a rental car, your gas expenses and rental costs are reimbursed.
• Save your receipts! You cannot be reimbursed without a receipt except for in rare cases.
• Meals can be reimbursed up to the per diem rate for the location of travel. Receipts are not required, but please keep track of expenses. The rate may be lower at times if your advisor sets a limit for meal reimbursement. When meals are provided to you by a conference, they cannot be reimbursed.