Admitted Students Website
To: New Graduate Tax Program Students, Spring 2010
From: Linda Vines, Assistant Director
Re: Important Information for All New Students
I look forward to helping you start your studies in the Villanova Graduate Tax Program. If you would like to meet prior to registration, I would be happy to answer any questions about our program. Please e-mail me at vines@law.villanova.edu if you’d like to schedule an appointment. If you ever have any questions, please feel free to call me with questions at (610)519-4533 or send your question via e-mail I will be glad to help you and look forward to seeing you at Orientation.
Please familiarize yourself with all of the important information provided below before Orientation.
New Student Orientation (Mandatory)
All new students must attend the Orientation Meeting on Monday, August 29th from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. in room 101. You will meet Director, Leslie Book and learn about our curriculum and the exciting opportunities ahead as you begin your studies in the Graduate Tax Program. At orientation, you will receive your law school e-mail address, Blackboard classroom information and log-in procedures, and your LEXIS, Westlaw and RIA passwords as well as other computer-related information. The computer utilization seminar will also be held during orientation. For technology orientation materials - Click here (requires Microsoft PowerPoint).
Where to Report
Classes begin August 24th, 2011. Classroom assignments are posted on our website under “Schedules”. If you have a question, please report to the Graduate Tax Office which is located on the main floor of the law school, on the left side of the building, in room 183. Our office hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. and Fridays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration
New students may not web register. Please complete the Course Registration Form on the website and fax it to Grace Smith at 610-519-8018 if you have not yet registered. You may also scan and email the Registration Form to smith@law.villanova.edu
Dropping and Adding Courses
Courses cannot be added after the second week for any given course. The drop/add period for the fall semester ends Friday, September 9th at 12 Noon. Withdrawal from any course after that date must be in the form of a timely written notice to the Director. See the Graduate Tax Program brochure for refund and withdrawal policies.
Novasis ID and PIN
As soon as we have processed your $100 registration deposit, our student record system will generate your Novasis ID (a.k.a. your Banner ID, the identifying number that the University uses in place of your SSN) and PIN. You will receive a mailing from Villanova University which will provide you with your University e-mail account (e.g., new.student@villanova.edu) and information about how to obtain your NOVASIS PIN. Go to www.novasis.villanova.edu and click on ‘First time user’ then enter your e-mail address and birth date. You will need your Novasis ID and PIN to view your course enrollment, view your e-bill, to order your parking permit and to obtain your Wildcard. If you have any problems with your University e-mail account, please contact UNIT at 610.519.7777.
Law School E-mail Account
At orientation you will receive your Law School e-mail address. This is different than your university e-mail address discussed in the preceding paragraph. Your Law School e-mail address is, generally, your first initial and last name, e.g., nstudent@law.villanova.edu. After orientation, the Graduate Tax Office and your Professors will ONLY use your Law School e-mail address to initiate any communication with you. YOU MUST confirm that you have an e-mail address and that you can access your messages. If you have any problems with your Law School e-mail account, please contact the Graduate Tax Office and we will forward your problem to Computer Services. THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
Blackboard
Blackboard is your electronic classroom. Your professors will post announcements, course documents, syllabi, problems, and external links to Blackboard. Frequent visits to Blackboard will be an important part of your program. New students may log into Blackboard beginning at Orientation.
To access your Blackboard classroom(s), please visit http://elearning.villanova.edu.
If you are not able to log in, please contact Academic Computing at academiccomputing@law.villanova.edu or (610) 519-5538.
Student I.D./WildCard
Once you have registered you are eligible for a Student I.D. (a.k.a. Wildcard). You MUST have a WildCard. You need this I.D. to enter the building after hours, the classrooms and the library. Stop by the WildCard office in Dougherty Hall on the main campus to obtain your picture I.D. You will need your Banner ID number to obtain a WildCard. The WildCard office is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but hours are extended during registration. Go to their website at http://www.villanova.edu/unit/wildcard/ or call 610-519-5031 to confirm their office hours.
All students MUST register online.
Web Based Parking Registration is available to all Graduate Tax Students. To access this form you will need your Novasis ID and PIN (see above for information about your Novasis ID and PIN. Eligible students who complete the form on line will have the parking permit price automatically billed to their student account. It’s easy and hassle free.
To register for parking just go to: https://novasis.villanova.edu, click on secure login, and the link, “Personal Information.” If you are not sure of your Novasis Password click on “Don’t know your Novasis Pin?” This will allow you to acquire your Novasis password information.
Parking permit pick-up is at Farrell Hall or you can send a self-addressed envelope to the following address and the permit will be mailed to you:
Villanova University
Parking Office – Farrell Hall
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
Class Attendance
Regular attendance at class is required. Your attendance is monitored by the Graduate Tax office. You must sign the attendance sheet which will be available in your classroom by placing your initials next to your name on the class roster. Note that this is your responsibility. Further, this information is used for CLE/CPE recordkeeping.
Digital Recording
Many professors digitally record their classes. These recordings are posted and available on our home page. We do not guarantee that classes will be recorded. To access the recordings, you need a login and password which will be provided at the New Student Orientation. Click here for audio files.
Text Books
The University Bookstore is located in Kennedy Hall. During the academic year, regular bookstore hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Friday until 5:00 p.m.; however during registration bookstore hours are varied and extended. Please call 610-519-4160 for more information. If possible, please purchase text books prior to the first night of class. You may also fax your order to the bookstore using the textbook order form in the registration materials or on the web.
Course Materials and Syllabi
Class materials prepared by the instructors, in addition to or in lieu of text books, are usually required. The materials are available either in the Blackboard Classroom or will be provided by your professor during the first night of class. As a new student, you will not have the appropriate passwords for Blackboard or the law school e-mail system until the New Student Orientation. First class assignments will be posted on the website if provided by the professor.
Library
You must present your valid student I.D to enter the Law Library. The Library is open during the academic year 24 hours a day for students. The regular hours are weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, and weekends 9:00 a.m. to midnight. Summer hours are limited and will be posted at a later date.
Job Opportunities
Once you receive your Blackboard username and password, you may self-enroll in the ‘Job Opportunities’ Blackboard classroom where you will find postings for full-time and part-time positions, networking opportunities, tax conference information, etc.
Announcements
Please watch the graduate tax website for important announcements. Announcements are often sent through the Blackboard e-mail system and to your Villanova Law e-mail account.
Class cancellations
Call our dedicated message only hotline (610-519-5369) for the latest information regarding class cancellations and reschedules. This information often appears on Blackboard as well.
Hazardous Weather
The Graduate Tax Program Director, in consultation with the Law School Administration, will determine whether classes will be canceled because of hazardous weather conditions. Please call our hotline number 610-519-5369 for closing information. Our KYW snow emergency number is 2471.
Please feel free to call me with questions at 610-519-4533 or e-mail vines@law.villanova.edu. I will be glad to help you and look forward to seeing you soon.
