The Marquette Tribune campus news since 1916
Volume 107, Number 18
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
www.marquettewire.org
Potential stipend increase Takeaways from yesterday's Academic senate By Sophia Tiedge
sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu
Stipend increases for graduate students, updates on the fiscal year 2024 budget shortfall, Higher Learning Commission reaffirmation results and reorganization for the Office of the Provost were announced at the University Academic Senate meeting Feb 19. Stipend increases Doug Woods, Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Studies said
he hopes the stipends will increase 15-25% with the current stipend ranging from $17,600-$24,130 over a 10-month period. Woods said the goal of this work group is to address the concerns of graduate students when it comes to healthcare and stipend rates. "We had formed a workgroup with the senate and the graduate school to come up with some solutions, with the reality being we don't have a lot of extra money to invest in this," Woods said. Woods said if they were to give every graduate student health insurance they would need $3.5 million added to the current budget.
However, Woods said they've been able to come up with some solutions that the whole committee agreed on. "We found that it's possible to use federal work study money to subsidize stipends. We found a good chunk of money we might be able to invest in increasing stipends," Woods said. Woods said a survey was sent out to graduate students to get a better understanding of the healthcare status of the population. The University said in a statement that the survey found 94% of students have health insurance, 53% are currently insured through family, partner's or employ-
er's insurance plan. More than a quarter of the respondents said they're insured through healthcare.gov. The university said about 250 graduate students partook in the survey. As of Oct. 2023, there are 1,721 graduate and professional students at Marquette. Budget shortfall updates Lowell Barrington, chair of the University Faculty Committee on Budgets and Financial Planning gave a report to the University Academic Senate based on information they gathered on the fiscal year 2024 $9.5 million budget shortfall. Barrington said the committee met a number of See STIPEND on page 4
Creating 'student-centered' space Nursing's new home designed for collaboration By Sophia Tiedge
sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu
Construction on David A. Straz Jr. Hall is expecting to be completed by this summer. The Marquette Wire had the opportunity to tour the construction site. The new facility will allow the program to admit 50-100 more students each year. Jill Guttormson, Dean of the College of Nursing said an evaluation was done on the College of Nursing’s current home, Emory T. Clark Hall, and it was determined that the facility was 30% too small for the current program. She said she hopes the expansion of the program into a new building will encourage students to care for themselves just as much as they care for patients. From 2020-2023, about 100,000 nurses left the U.S. workforce due to burnout, retirement or stress. Around 600,000 more nurses are planning to leave by 2027. Guttormson said the key See SPACE on page 2
Photo courtesy of Marquette University College of Nursing
Photo courtesy of Marquette University
Doug Woods
Will take on role of Provost at Loyola Chicago By Trinity Zapotocky
trinity.zapotocky@marquette.edu
After eight years at Marquette University, Doug Woods, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School, is leaving to be the next provost at another Jesuit institution, Loyola University Chicago. Woods will depart at the end of the Spring 2024 semester, with no one yet to fill his place. Since his arrival to Marquette, he implemented ideas focused on student success, such as the recent requirement that doctoral students complete three career skills of career discernment, communication and diversity, equity and inclusion. “I am particularly thankful for the directors of graduate studies, University Board of Graduate Studies, Graduate School Leadership Council, Graduate Student Organization, staff of the Graduate School and graduate students at Marquette. Their work over my time here has been incredible," Woods said in a Marquette Today press release. Woods has also worked to create strategic plans and graduate programs regarding student recruitment and success, which has led to record highs in graduate school enrollment.
Each floor will include soft seating for students to collaborate with faculty members and students.
Index www.marquettewire.org
Doug Woods Leaving MU
SPORTS.......................................................5 OPINIONS..................................................9 CROSSWORD........................................10 COMICS.....................................................10 A&E................................................................11
Sports
Opinions
A&E
Womens lacrosse team has a pair of sisters on the squad this year.
Legitimizing this colorful form of activism.
Student led ensemble performs their latest collection of plays.
The tightest bond PAGE 5
Graffitti is art PAGE 9
The Comet Project PAGE 11