G329 will begin on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington on Thursday evening, July 2, 2009. Following two days of instruction in Bloomington (July 2-4), there will be a caravan leaving for the Field Station on Sunday morning, July 5, 2009. Nights along the way will be spent in motels, and the group will arrive at the Field Station in Montana on Monday, July 7, 2009. All students must begin the course in Bloomington on July 2 and ride with the caravan to Montana. Meeting the group in Montana is not an option. The course includes a 3-day field trip  to Yellowstone National Park within the 4-week period of training at the Field Station. Return transportation from the Field Station to Bloomington, Indiana will be available at an additional cost of $50, payable in advance (due by March 10 along with motel/supplies/insurance fee). Lodging will be in motels. The return caravan to Bloomington will depart the Field Station on Monday, August 10, arriving in Bloomington at approximately 5:00 pm on August 12.

Application
Course Description
Costs

Student Mailing Address & Phone

Student Mailing Address & Phone During Course

• The address that should be used for all student mail is:
      IUGFS
      Attn: Student Name
      633 South Boulder Rd.
      Cardwell, MT 59721
  
• Student phone number is 406-287-3528

Registrar Notice

Notice to Disregard

If you receive a notification from the Registrar's Office at Indiana University stating that you must be on campus for registration you may disregard that notice. Your registration is taken care of through the Geologic Field Station office and does not require your participation on campus.

Opening Meeting & Campus Instruction

Opening Meeting
The first formal academic meeting of the course will be held in Bloomington, Indiana on Thursday, July 2 at 6:00 PM in room 143 of the Geology building. This meeting is mandatory and will last no longer than one hour. Parents, family members, and guests are welcome to attend this introductory meeting.

Instruction on Bloomington Campus
There will be two days of classroom instruction on campus in Bloomington (Friday and Saturday, July 3rd and 4th). Classes will begin at 8:30 am and end at approximately 4:30 pm.

Dorm
During the two days of instruction in Bloomington, students may request a dormitory room at no extra cost. If a room is needed this must be indicated on the travel form in order for a reservation to be made for you. Please be advised that the Field Station cannot provide bed space for student's families or guests.

Parking Permit
If you plan to drive to Bloomington we will make arrangements for you to park on the Indiana campus during the course, but you must assume any risk involved. The cost of a temporary permit will be $15, and must be paid in advance. If you need a parking permit this must be indicated on the travel form. Be prepared to provide your license plate number and a vehicle description. And please make certain that your license plates do not expire during the period the vehicle will be in Bloomington.

Field Station Routine

Housing Assignments:
Upon arrival at the Field Station you will receive instructions regarding dormitory assignments. Each student will find a bunk, a pillow, a locker, and two drawers in a small chest for his/her use during the field course. You need to provide your own twin size sheets and blanket and/or sleeping bag.

Wash House Facilities:
All students housed on the lower campus will use the wash house facilities located in the steel building just north of there. Students housed on upper campus will use the wash house facilities on upper campus. You will find these facilities more than adequate for your needs.

Laundry Facilities:
Students housed on upper campus will use the laundry facilities in the upper campus wash house, and students housed on lower campus will use the laundry facilities in the lower campus wash house. You will find washing machines, dryers and laundry tubs as well as ironing boards and irons. Clothes lines and clothes pins are available on both upper and lower campus. We have found that a little planning in doing your laundry will avoid inconvenience in overloading. During a normal Montana day clothes dry very rapidly, a few hours often being sufficient; therefore, students are urged to remove dry clothes from the clothes lines so that others may take advantage of the good weather. It is necessary for you to purchase your own laundry supplies and keep them in your dormitory. You will need quarters for the washers and dryer.

Meals:
Week day meals are scheduled as follows:

    Breakfast - 7:00 am
    Lunch - Field lunch packed before or after breakfast in the lodge.
    Dinner - 6:30 pm

A bell will be rung about 5-10 minutes before mealtime to alert students to come to the dining hall. Students may be seated after the second bell rings. Breakfast and dinner are served family style. Each person is responsible for taking his/her own dishes and table service to the proper locations after the meal.

As in any large group, your promptness at mealtime will help eliminate confusion.

On certain occasions like Saturday, dinner may be served at 5:30 pm in order to accommodate those who wish to get an early start to town. These changes will be announced at breakfast and posted on the bulletin board.

The Sunday schedule will normally be as follows:

    Breakfast - Continental breakfast available 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
    Lunch - Items available from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
    Dinner - 6:30 pm

Mail:
Mail addressed to the Field Station is brought from the Post Office at Cardwell and distributed in the mailboxes located at the southwest corner of the lodge. The mail will be picked up at Cardwell by authorized staff of the Field Station. Only outgoing mail should be placed in the box on top of the mailboxes. This mail will be taken to the Post Office each morning. The student address at the Field Station is:

    IUGFS
    Attn: Student Name
    633 S. Boulder Rd.
    Cardwell, MT 59721

Travel To and From Field Station

Travel to Field Station

At 7:00 am on Sunday, July 5th, the caravan will leave for the Field Station from Bloomington.

All students must ride with the caravan to the Field Station. Students will be assigned to a specific vehicle each day of the trip. There are two reasons for assigned vehicles: 1) safety - to insure that all students are accounted for prior to departing at each stop; 2) to provide the opportunity for students to meet all other students and staff in the course.

During the caravan trip to Montana, the Yellowstone field trip, and the return trip to Indiana the group will spend the nights in hotels. While on the caravan trips you will be responsible for the cost of your own meals, so be sure to bring enough cash for this purpose.

Return Travel

The return caravan to Bloomington will leave the Field Station on Monday morning, August 10. Arrival in Bloomington is planned for late-afternoon (approx. 5:00 pm) on Wednesday, August 12. There will be an additional charge of $50 to cover the cost of motels for the return trip if you choose to ride with the caravan. If you choose to return by air, return plane reservations should be made out of Bozeman, Montana airport. Do not book yourself on a flight that leaves earlier than 11:00 am on August 10.

Clothing, Equipment, Bedding

Clothing

Because of the highly variable temperature from morning to afternoon on a typical field day, a windbreaker over sweaters/sweatshirts is a more versatile field dress than a heavier jacket over just a t-shirt. At least two pairs of hiking or work boots are strongly advised; sneakers are unsatisfactory for virtually all of the field work. Rain gear that is compact enough to be easily carried in a simple day pack is a must. A hat or cap for protection against both rain and sun will come in handy. For your times away from the field, comfortable and casual clothing is suitable.

Equipment

A laptop computer is required for each student.  If you do not have your own you should plan to borrow or buy one prior to the course. 

Field equipment should include a day pack, water bottles, 1 (m) flexible measuring tape, mechanical pencil, ruler, protractor, geologic hammer, and hand lens (10X). This equipment must be in-hand before arrival at the Field Station. One field notebook will be provided and extras can be purchased at the Field Station for a small cost. In addition, you should bring the field equipment noted on the detailed equipment list on following page. Some of these items may be purchased on the web at: www.kooters.com. (This company is not affiliated with Indiana University.) Some other equipment, including aerial photographs and maps, water chemistry kits, and a Brunton compass, will be supplied by Indiana University. Students will be charged if equipment is damaged or lost.

Except for an occasional stop at a general store en route back to the Station, or when our work takes us through town, shopping opportunities are mostly limited to weekends. Consequently, except for items such as pencils, pens, erasers, notebooks, stamps, etc., which we sell at the Station, you should plan to purchase most of your other personal supplies before the course begins.

Bedding

While at the Field Station you will be staying in multi-person dormitories. A pillow and pillow case will be provided for you. You must supply your own sheets, blanket/sleeping bag, towels, and additional bedding as desired. The beds are twin size, regular length. We recommend that you bring a sleeping bag. The nights can be cold even though the dormitories are heated.

Equipment List

CLOTHING:

Rain gear and Windbreaker
Sweaters/sweatshirts
Hiking boots/work boots (2 pairs)
Sun hat
Warm hat/cap & gloves
Casual clothing
Water shoes (Tevas or old tennis shoes)
Field clothes appropriate for field work under wide range of climatic conditions & rough field conditions
    (Including: long pants, long-sleeved overshirt, shin gaiters (gaiters optional))
Bathing suit (optional)

REQUIRED COURSE EQUIPMENT*:

Laptop computer

Pocket or wrist watch
Hand lens (10X magnification)
Water bottles (minimum of 3 one liter or greater bottles)
Set of colored pencils (a simple six-color set is sufficient, but a twelve color set is more versatile)
1-3 mechanical 0.5 mm drawing pencils (Pentel is one option) and replacement lead
Sharpie Ultra-Fine Marker Pens in Black, Blue, Red, and Green
Small protractor
Extra Steno notebook
Six inch ruler
Notebook case, field pouch, or sturdy day pack to carry field equipment
Calculator
Fine-pointed forceps, with smooth (not serrated) tips

* Many of these items can be purchased from the web at: www.kooters.com (Kooters is not associated with Indiana University)

OTHER ITEMS

REQUIRED:

Bed linens (sheets for twin size mattress, blankets/sleeping bag)
Towels/washcloths
Personal toiletry products
Alarm clock (battery operated)
Personal First-aid items (including: Moleskin for blisters, band-aids, insect repellent, first-aid cream, cortisone cream, aspirin, ibuprofen, lip balm, and any prescription medications you require)

RECOMMENDED:

Sleeping bag (may need at Field Station for warmth or during caravan travel if you are not comfortable sharing a bed with another student)
Sun-screen/sunglasses
Pocket pencil sharpener
Spare eyeglasses/contact lenses
Geologic hammer and belt holder
Zip lock bags (to organize stuff)
Candy, junk food, etc (must be kept in sealed bags)
Paper, envelopes, and stamps for letters home
Quarters (for laundry machines, pop machines, etc.)
Deck of cards, musical instrument, Frisbee, etc
Phone card (must have if you wish to call out)

Baggage/Packing

• Storage space in the caravan is limited, so it is necessary to restrict each student to:
  
  
  • one moderate size suitcase
  • a small duffel bag or equivalent
  • a day pack (back pack)
    
    
• Any additional baggage or items should be mailed/shipped directly to the Field Station. Use the following address to ship or mail items:
  
      IUGFS
      Attn: Your Name
      633 S. Boulder Rd.
      Cardwell, MT 59721

Instructions for Caravan Travel

Vehicle Assignments:

On each day during the trip, passengers will be assigned to ride in a different vehicle. There are two reasons for this; 1) for safety - to insure that all students are accounted for prior to departing at each stop, 2) to provide the opportunity for students to meet all other students and staff in the course. You will also have assigned vehicles for your luggage. The vehicle number will be found on the windshield and in the rear window of each Suburban. Details of vehicle assignments will be explained in further detail at the opening meeting.

Assistant drivers will be shifted for a day's run, but the head driver remains with his/her vehicle for the duration of the trip.

Daily Schedule:

Departure time each morning will be 7:00 am local time unless counter instructions are given the night before. You will be awakened at approximately 5:45 am to give you time to eat breakfast and load your baggage before 7:00. We have found in the past that the best routine for morning departure is to dress as quickly as possible and have breakfast. Following breakfast, use the remaining time for packing and loading the vehicles. If you delay breakfast to pack and load the vehicle, it is usually difficult to find a restaurant that can serve you at the last minute. The cities in which we stay have adequate eating facilities that are open at 6:00 am.

It is essential to the operation of the caravan that you are ready to depart from the motel at promptly 7:00 am. One person who fails to meet this obligation can hold up the balance of the caravan, and such delays often result in late arrivals the next evening or the elimination of important stops along the way.

Meals and Special Diets

• You are responsible for buying your meals during the caravan trips so bring enough cash for this purpose.
  
  
• Other than our standard menu, accommodations can be made for vegetarians and persons with allergies or medical conditions. Other than this, no other menu will be available.
  
  
• Vegetarian menu avoids any foods with meat or meat by-products. However, it does include dairy products. If you desire a stricter diet you will have to make alternative plans for your meals at your own expense.
  
  
• You MUST indicate on the Information Form any special dietary needs or vegetarian preference. You will NOT be allowed to switch back and forth from menu preference throughout the course. Whatever preference you indicate initially will be the menu you partake of for the duration of the course.

Field Station Campus, Laundry Facilities, ATM's, Phone Cards, etc.

• The Field Station is located in the foothills of the Tobacco Root Mountains. The closest general stores are about 15 miles away in Whitehall and Harrison.
  
  
• Except on weekends, students spend their evenings at the Field Station.
  
  
• On weekends, no student is allowed to leave the Field Station except for activities approved by the Director.
  
  
• All of the evening work, study, and recreation are done in the main lodge or in the classroom/lecture building. The dormitories lack the lighting, heat, and space to permit much activity other than sleeping.
  
  
• Ample showers are available in two bathhouses that are separate from the dormitories.
  
  
• Laundry facilities are available at the Field Station. Quarters are needed for washers and dryer.
  
  
• ATM's are available at various locations on the caravan trips as well as during the course on Saturday evening trips to town.                   
 
• Prepaid phone cards are necessary to make outgoing calls from the student phone.

Visitors

• Visitors are welcome at the Field Station, but must have written approval at least 2 weeks prior to course start date.
  
  
• Send an Email to: iugfs@indiana.edu or phone 812-855-1475 for instructions regarding visitors and to obtain the necessary form for approval.

Insurance

• Included in your student fees is the cost of IU heath insurance for the duration of the course. This fee of $35 is mandatory. You will be required to carry IU's insurance regardless of your own personal medical coverage. IU's health insurance is typically underwritten by American Income Life Insurance Company and includes the following:
  
  
  1. Medical Insurance - Illness: $1000 per illness for doctor, nurse and hospital charges commencing during the insured period, expenses for which are incurred within 200 days of commencement of illness
     
     
  2. Medical Insurance - Injury: $3000 per injury for doctor, nurse, and hospital charges for treatment of injury which occurs during the insured period, expenses for which are incurred within 20 days of the date of injury.
     
     
  3. Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance: $3000 for accidental loss of life and various other amounts for the accidental loss of hands, feet, and eyes.

Firearms and Fireworks

• Students are not permitted to have firearms or fireworks in their possession at the Field Station or in University vehicles.