Lab Usage Guidelines: By Students, For Students


The CSE Instructional Labs are for use by all CSE students and non-majors taking specific CSE courses. We rely on a community of responsible citizens to maintain an academic environment that is safe, clean, and productive for all users.

Four points that good lab citizens should keep in mind are:

Be aware of yourself and your space. Remember that your behavior affects others
The labs are an academic community of which you and your fellow students are citizens
We are each responsible for our community's working environment
Follow the Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated

If you feel that someone is not being a considerate lab citizen, or is unaware of these guidelines, bring it to their attention (highly encouraged) or, if the problem persists, mention it to an ACM officer or academic advisor.



Be Aware of Your Behavior

Keep Talking Down to a Reasonable Level
It's fine to do group collaboration, have conversations, or consult your neighbor for help, but please do it quietly. Consider taking brainstorming sessions into a cubicle or the lounge. If others are having disruptive or loud discussions in the lab, you have the right to ask them to take their conversations outside.
 
Exercise Personal Electronics Courtesy
Your personal electronics are just that: personal. Please turn off the ringer on your cell phone and pager, and only use your audio device with a headset and at a volume which cannot be heard by others. Also, to avoid disrupting others, keep phone conversations quiet, or take them outside the lab.
 
Consume Meals Elsewhere
It's fine to have a drink or snack (candy bars, chips, etc.) while you work, as long as you clean up after yourself. When it's time for a meal (including bag lunches), please don't sit at your computer to eat it - the smell and mess are disruptive to other students. The HUB or the lounge are much more comfortable for both you and your neighbors.

The Labs Are a Community

Be Security-Conscious
Don't leave belongings unattended. Don't allow unauthorized people to enter the labs. If you see anything suspicious, dial 9-911 from a campus phone (the extra 9 gives them precise location information about the phone you're calling from). If that doesn't work, dial 222 for the UW Campus Police.
 
Be a "Good Camper"
As in, "Leave the campsite cleaner than you found it." You wouldn't want to sit down to a filthy workstation, so make sure that when you leave, your area is clean for the next person. Screen cleaner, paper towels, etc. are available in the labs.
 
Take Pride in Our Labs
Do your part to keep the labs clean. You shouldn't have to work in a dirty lab, and neither should your neighbor. Don't let trash overflow onto the floor; take your garbage down the hall to the large receptable. In fact, consider taking the entire trash can down the hall to empty it. Also, pick up (or recycle, if they were mistakes) your printouts promptly.

We Are Each Responsible for Our Lab Community

Locking Workstations
If you've ever walked into the labs and seen a sea of locked terminals, then you know what we're talking about. Don't perpetuate the problem by staying logged on if you plan to leave the labs for more than a few minutes. Conversely, you have the right to reboot any machine that has been locked for more than 15 minutes without responsibility for lost data or fear of repercussion.
 
The Labs Are an Academic Environment
Unnecessary noise or play in the lab frustrates those who have work to do. If you need a break, consider going to the lounge or the HUB to unwind. If others are being disruptive, you have the right to ask them to go outside; you'll be making the labs a better place for you and your neighbors!
 
Care for Lab Equipment
The equipment provided for our use is expensive and meant to last for several generations of students. Crumbs and liquids are deadly to keyboards; monitors accumulate fingerprints; printers get jammed; staplers disappear. If you notice something is not in working order, inform support so it can be fixed sooner than later.

Above All, Remember the Golden Rule!


These guidelines were jointly developed by students and faculty. Our goal is to ensure that the labs remain a productive work environment for everyone. Please let us know your comments or questions by mailing acm-officers@cs.washington.edu.



Last modified: Sunday, 04-Nov-2007 22:46:38 PST