Help senior faculty mentor junior faculty on graduate student advising. The Council of Graduate Schools recommends that universities develop programs in which successful senior faculty advisers mentor junior faculty about graduate student advising. We concur with this recommendation. Expand the Graduate School Web site to include information and resources for faculty members about advising graduate students. Develop best practices, training programs, and informational materials to support high-quality mentoring relationships between faculty members and students. We recommend including targeted training for STEM fields, the humanities, the professional fields, and international students. Strengthen administrative procedures for helping students address or negotiate concerns or problems relating to faculty.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENHANCE THE BENEFITS OF FUNDING Based on our findings, we recommend taking action in the following areas to enhance the benefits of graduate student funding: Recruitment
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Provide competitive funding offers for the strongest prospective graduate students. Set clear and reliable funding expectations for the duration of students’ degree programs.
University funding
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Improve the timeliness of communications related to student academic employment and fellowships. Communicate confirmed offers as early as possible.
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Provide support for financial planning, especially in relation to debt management. Offer students opportunities to receive summer research funds.
Teaching Appointments
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Provide clear links between progress toward degree and teaching assignments. Extend additional opportunities to teach, and expand training opportunities in teaching practices.
External funding
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Expand the Graduate School Web site to include more information about funding resources. Develop resources, training, and workshops to help students pursue outside research funding.
Travel funds
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To help students develop professional networks, enhance funding for their travel to professional meetings.
REPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN GRADUATE SCHOOL CLIMATE STUDY: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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