Graduate students got their first chance this semester to have a chat with the chancellor.
Sponsored by the Student Advisory Committee to the Chancellor, the open house provided an opportunity for students to interact on a personal basis with Chancellor Holden Thorp and his administrative team.
Topics ranged from paying tuition to finding a job as administrators explained policies and answered students’ questions.
10-semester cap
Due to the varying time it takes to earn an advanced degree, graduate students are now able to apply for a waiver that will provide them with funding for more semesters.
In the past, tuition remission and in-state funding to graduate students was limited to 10 semesters for doctoral students and four semesters for master’s programs.
Tuition remission reduces tuition costs for graduate students to an in-state rate. The graduate school has a tuition remission and in-state budget, which is allocated to students.
Once those budgets are depleted, individual departments will have the opportunity to fund students staying beyond 10 semesters using money from their instructional budget.
There is no formal process in place if students are denied funding, but they do have the opportunity to appeal to the graduate school.
This will give departments more autonomy but could leave them with difficult decisions as they choose how to allocate funds, Thorp said.
Residency issues
The administration hopes to improve issues surrounding residency qualifications by making the process more transparent and providing more face-to-face interactions.
Many out-of-state students apply for residency because it classifies them as in-state students and allows them to pay in-state tuition.
Strict rules govern the residency process, but administrators want to make the process as easy for students as possible.
“We’ve got to get beyond the checklist and better understand the graduate student situation,” said Winston Crisp, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs.
Graduate job market
Acknowledging that the job market for graduate students isn’t at its best, administrators are encouraging better development for graduate student career services.
Thorp emphasized students creating their own opportunities, saying that grad students are well-equipped to handle a wide variety of jobs.
“If you’ve gotten your Ph.D, you’re already an entrepreneur,” he said.
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