Student RA Program Help

Intent

The Student RA Letter Generator (SRA) can be used to enter data and batch a request to have a Research Assistant letter printed and mailed to students. Information for student, semester and a list of funds they will be paid from can be entered. Requests can be previewed and batched after all data fields have been validated.

HOWTO: batch an SRA request

• Access the SRA program at https://cgi.cs.rpi.edu/student_ra
• Select "Student RA Letter Generator"
  • NOTE [validate] and [add_fund] can be used at any time.

• Student/semester/advisor information
  • Select a form letter type:
    • Research assistant
    • Research assistant in absentia w/fee paid
    • Research assistant in absentia w/o fee paid.
  • Select an advisor name
    • If you are an advisor this box will be populated automagically.
  • Select a student name
    • If the advisor box contains a value the student box will contain a list of the advisor's students. * Select a semester * "next semester" will be used as a default. * Click [validate] to verify student information or to modify the list of menu selections.

• Funding information
  • NOTE Funds must be added to a request using the [add_fund] link before they will be considered/contribute to the total stipend amount.
    • Enter funding data for how a student will be paid. Multiple funds may be selected with individual stipend amounts. Total for all stipend amounts must be larger than the minimal stipend amount for the semester.
  • Select a 'Fund:' name from the pulldown menu
    • If using a non-compsci fund select 'Other - Outside department funds/orgs.
    • If any of your fund(s) are not listed, the Request New Database Information link can be used to request their addition.
  • The 'Comments:' box can be used for any relevant documentation (emailed to Pam).
  • Begin/End dates if they are a subset of the semester.
  • 'Stipend:' amount for this fund.
  • 'Grandfathered=Yes' if the grant was grand-fathered in.

• Use [add_fund] and [validate] as needed until all information has been entered and what has been entered is valid.
• [preview] and [submit] will appear as options when form data can be batched.
• Click [preview] to generate a print image of your form letter.
  • If a preview was generated successfully click [view] to review it.
• Click [submit] if the form letter is ready to be batched or [cancel] to start over.

Student RA Letter Generator

• Click [validate] at any time while entering data to filter option lists or determine what data fields are invalid.
• Date formats accepted
  • CCYY-MM-DD
  • October 31, 2007

Shortcuts

Student/Advisor pulldown menu

• Select an option in either the Student or Advisor boxes and press [validate]. The 'other' box will be populated with appropriate selections by context.
  • If a student was selected the student's advisor will appear in the Advisor pulldown menu.
  • If an advisor was selected, only the advisors students will appear in the Student pulldown menu.

HOWTO: Change a menu selection

• Selections may be altered by choosing "===> Make A Selection <===" then clicking the [validate] button.

HOWTO: View all options within a menu selection

• Chose "===> View All Selections <===" from the menu of interest
• Click button to the left of the pulldown menu or click [validate] at the bottom
• Pulldown menu will redraw displaying all available options.

HOWTO: Use non-department funds

• In the 'Fund:' box select "Other -- Outside Department Funds/Orgs (non comp-sci)"
• Enter dates/stipend amount as usual

HOWTO: Fix problems with the login dialog box.

• If the login dialog box is blocked by popups add 'rpi.edu' as a trusted website.
  • Change your web browser settings

HOWTO: Request adding new pulldown menu options

• Access the SRA program
• Click on the info req link at the bottom
• Select to request a new student or fund/org
• Fill in available data and submit, the email will be sent to labstaff and a ticket will be opened.

HOWTO: Input a breakdown of fund information for a student.

• Problem: Fund expriring, pay partial tuition from one fund and the remainder from another.
  • Select a fund and enter a dollar amount
  • Use the fund comment box to note what the balance is for.
  • Click [add_fund] to include the value
  • Select the fund again and repeat until balance is $0, comment each in turn.
  • Select new fund(s) and input/document the remaining balance.
• NOTE: Absentia fees (as of Spring 2008) should not be entered as a fund balance or it will be included in the stipend amount printed on letters. To note a stipend value do the following:
  • Select a fund the stipend should be paid from.
  • Enter a balance of $0
  • Use the comment box to note a portion of the absentia fee is being paid and the amount.

Fund/Grant/Org information

• Fund number format A######
• Grant number format J######
• Usual dept org #'s: 2550 & 2552
• There is no grant number associated with startup funds. Startup funds are funded by the institute when new faculty are hired.

HOWTO: Submit a payment request for a partial semester or alternate hourly rates.

• In the semester input box choose a semester and click partial

-- JoeyArmstrong - Apr 28, 2010