Life at the Station

Residents will live in one of nearly 100 cabins or three residence buildings. All cabins are furnished with beds, desks, lamps and clothing storage. Please note that bedding and linens are not included but may be provided for an additional fee.

Students typically live in one-room cabins with one or two roommates and are close to communal bathrooms.

Individual researchers can expect to share a cabin with at least one other resident during peak field season. You will receive notification of your roommate assignment with your application approval notice. Additionally, if at any point during your stay another resident will be placed in your cabin, you will be notified at least two weeks in advance. If you would like to request a roommate, you may do so on your housing application.

Roommate requests for all residents are honored given that they are mutually requested and feasible.

The dining hall is located on the second floor of the administration building in the center of campus. Meal hours during spring and summer are as follows:

Breakfast
7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Lunch
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Dinner
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday Brunch (served in place of breakfast and lunch)
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Please note that these hours are subject to change, especially early and late into the field season. Accurate and updated hours will always be posted on the whiteboard outside the administrative office. You may access the dining hall between meal times for ice water, cereal, coffee and fruit.

Dietary Restrictions
Our dining hall staff is very accommodating and will ensure that everybody has something to eat. On your MField application, you should have noted any dietary restrictions you may have. Additionally, you should notify the dining hall staff of these restrictions during your first meals. Vegetarian and vegan options are available at every meal. Some other variations may be stored separately, and you may need to ask or be shown where to find them.

Field Lunches
Classes and research at the Biological Station may require you to be away from the dining hall during lunch. If you are a student, you will be notified by your professors in advance. Dining hall staff will provide sandwich fixings, fruit and cookies during breakfast hours for you to pack a field lunch. You should bring your own thermos or water bottle. Brown lunch bags will be available, but if you’d like to conserve the use of throwaway paper products, you may bring your own lunchbox and reusable containers.

The community shares a laundry facility located near the center of campus. There is no fee to use the machines, and clotheslines are also available for energy-efficient drying.

Please note: the washing machines may leave iron stains on clothing. Be cautious when washing light-colored clothing. We recommend that you do not wash sentimental or high-value items.

Canoes are available for use by all Biological Station residents. You must fill out a waiver before you use them. The form must be filled out once a year by each participant. Do not use canoes alone–let someone on shore know your plan. The canoes do not have lights, so do not use canoes at night. You must use life jackets provided near the beach. The UMBS motorized boats are not for general use.

Swimming is a popular way to escape the heat or relax after a long day of fieldwork. Please note that there is never a lifeguard on duty at the Biological Station. Use caution when swimming as there is a steep drop-off close to shore. Swimmers are encouraged to swim parallel to shore before the drop-off. Do not attempt to swim across the bay or to the buoy. Do not swim at night.

If you see someone in distress or drowning, immediately shout for help. Use the practice of “Reach, Throw, Row, Go.” You can reach out to them from land, throw a flotation device or life-saving ring, or row a canoe out to get closer access. Entering the water to save someone is absolutely the last resort. Do not swim out to a drowning person unless you are trained as a lifeguard and wearing a flotation device. A drowning victim can easily drown another person who is not trained. The nearest AED is at the Nurse’s Station.

Campus-wide quiet hours are from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. Please respect the varied schedules of other residents and be considerate of your neighbors. Noise and music should not be audible outside your cabin.

Cell phone coverage at the Biological Station can be spotty. Wifi is available in all classrooms, labs, and most central buildings (i.e the dining hall, library and dorm lounge). Many cabins will not have wifi access due to location and structure. Courtesy phones are located in the Dorm Lounge and Lakeside Lab and are available for incoming calls and free local calls. Office phones are for business use and emergencies only.

All students and residents staying two weeks or longer will be assigned a mailbox in the mailroom during their time at the field station. The mailroom is located next to the store and is always accessible. Staff will sort mail and packages daily. An outgoing mail bin is available in the mailroom, and packages can be sent with help from staff in the store. Stamps and cards are also available to purchase in the store.

Your mailing address while at the Biological Station will be:

(Your name)
9133 Biological Road
Pellston, MI 49769

Families of faculty, staff and researchers are an integral part of the Biological Station community and are always welcome. The field station cannot assume responsibility for the conduct and safety of children. Instead, responsibility belongs to the parent(s). A responsible adult on campus should always be accountable for minors. The Biological Station tries to be as helpful as possible in maintaining safe and enjoyable conditions for families, but does not provide child care.

Because of the close community living style and surrounding natural habitats and active research sites, pets, including emotional support animals, are not permitted at the field station. Be sure your guests are aware of this policy. Service animals are allowed, but please inform staff before your arrival.

Daytime visitors are allowed. In general, overnight guests should plan to stay at local hotels. Residents who do not have roommates may have overnight visitors for an additional charge. You must consult the main office to get approval and register your guests before making arrangements. Unregistered visitors will pay guest fees accordingly.

Guest parking is available in the first 15 spots on State Street. Visitors may eat with you in the dining hall for a fee, which can be paid for in the Store:

For safety reasons, if you are going to be absent from camp overnight, please inform someone in the administration office. If it is after hours, you can sign out on the clipboard hanging outside the offices.

The administrative offices are located on the first floor of the administration building behind the volleyball court. The front office/store is located between the mailroom and gender-neutral restrooms.

Hours

The administrative offices are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The front office/store is open every day of the week. Hours are posted on the whiteboard outside and are updated weekly. 

Check-In/Check-out

All residents and guests must check in with the front office upon arrival to receive your housing and parking assignments. Additionally, all residents and guests must check out before leaving. For safety purposes, this also includes temporary overnight absences. 

Merchandise

The field station store stocks a limited supply of UMBS clothing. For the complete collection, please visit our online store. The store also sells stamps, cards, water bottles, and a few other items. The store cannot accept cash, so all purchases must be paid for with card or tap-to-pay. 

Additional Services

The front office/store is the best place to go if you have any questions during your time at the UMBS. The following is a list of additional services our front office staff can help you with: