Keys, Computers, Telephone, Mail

see also Travel, Purchasing

Most administrative matters to do with purchasing & travel are dealt with by ASBC (Arts and Sciences Business Center) in Cordley Hall. An ever-changing set of people manage different aspects of the physics account. Most administrative matters to do with anything not related to purchasing are dealt with by Kelly Carter in the Physics main office. Kelly is the one with the department credit card; credit card purchases are done through her.

To get a key to 475, 479, 481, 483, 487, 489 (same key) and the outside door of Weniger Hall, visit the departmental website “forms” page and fill in a key request. Ask Janet to send a confirming email to the physics office. Office personnel will then prepare the University key request and gather the required approvals for you. You will be notified by an email from the Key Shop when your key(s) are available for pick-up. Take your OSU ID card to the Access, Lock & Key Shop at 560 SW 15th Street, between 11:00am-3:00pm.

The group shares keys to some other research labs: The Subramanian lab in Chemistry, McIntyre spectrometer lab (Wngr 118), Gilbert external key, electronics shop … These keys are in 487, hanging on the wall. You must leave your name card in the space for the key to indicate that you have the key. (Make a card if you don't have one). Return the key AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, and DO NOT keep them overnight.

Janet has some keys that should not be widely distributed, including the key for the circulating water supply source on the Weniger roof, the extra key for the PLD system, and the hot lab.

COSINE (College of Science Information Network) holds our lab data on its T-drive. To access, you can use your ONID credentials. Janet instructs CoSINe that you have permission to access the T: drive folder Physics/Tate Lab/Share, so remind her to send the instruction. Create a folder with your name and store data there. Please use sensible file names and an organized structure. You have access to all other folders, but DO NOT change anything those unless you have agreed with the owner.

Please store all your data on the T-drive, and update it AT LEAST WEEKLY. The master data live on the T-drive. No ifs, buts or maybes.

New in 2019 is that we now have a “Box” folder for the lab. Box is OSU's implementation of Dropbox, and OSU pushes us to use it. You need only OSU credentials to login but I have to set permissions for you to use a particular folder. Downside is that there are space constraints, so we will continue to use the T-drive.

With covid-19, we are now accessing computers remotely, so go to the Computers page for this information and also for the instructions for computer maintenance.

Here are sign-out sheets for the lab doors. Please make sure that anyone who borrows equipment signs it out and leaves a contact number.

Sign-out sheet for labs and offices

The student media services, located on the 2nd floor of the valley library (just as you walk in main door). “Students may order one print per assignment free of charge” i.e. the poster is free if it is for a class. Printing glossy is no extra charge. Printing on matte paper costs about $30.

FedEx/Kinkos Shop on 9th St. has reasonable prices for posters. After the 25% OSU discount it cost $6 per sq ft for heavy weight paper and glossy finish. The turn-around time at Kinkos is typically 24 hours (better than OSU print shop). They prefer pdf file format. Check the properties of your pdf printer before you print. The page must be set to the right size and image resolution should be high (1200 dpi or 2400 dpi). The disadvantage of Kinkos is that they don't accept OSU index numbers for direct charging.

The OSU print shop has reasonable prices. They will take pdf or powerpoint files. (It is convenient to use powerpoint to prepare posters for conferences.) The print job can be submitted online (file sizes up to 80 Mb). Don't forget to read the document preparation tips.

If you need to make long distance calls you have to get a 7-digit code from the main office.

Grad students have individual mail boxes in the break room next to 301 Weniger. Packages with equipment orders are generally left in the corridor outside Henri Jansen's office.

The Physics main office can help with sending a package by USPS, UPS, FedEx etc.

Example: Sending equipment back to the manufacturer. You decide to send the box by UPS Ground. Janice gives you a yellow form that says “Parcel Mailing Order Form, OSU Printing & Mailing Services”. Fill in this form, including the purchase code number (either the general account for physics, or one of our group accounts). Take the box, and the Mailing Order Form, to the Mailing Services desk in Cascade Hall.

Our janitorial service does not stretch to emptying the recycling bins. Please empty the recycling bins in the labs and in your offices monthly or more frequently if they fill up.

• Web request for a recycling pickup.

Polystyrene peanuts can be dropped off in Weniger to be redistributed:

• Box or bag your peanuts
• Place in the shipping area (first floor of Weniger, small room next to the freight elevator) with a note: “Please Recycle”