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One of the main goals of The Graduate School and the primary motive in the creation and expansion of the “Building a Better Student” Initiative, to quote from The Graduate School’s 3-year Plan, is to “Enhance the quality of the graduate student and postdoctoral fellow experience at the University through additional and improved services, community building activities, and expanded professional development programming.”
Graduate students spend a significant amount of time with us. Therefore, to ensure that they receive the most out of their educational experience and that the departments are beneficiaries of their best work, we have committed significant effort and resources to improve the quality of student life and the programs for their professional development. Together, these improvements are meant to take both financial and personal pressure off of students by providing financial support for professional development opportunities and by encouraging a more satisfying personal, family, and community experience at Northwestern.
The keystone programs within the Building a Better Student Initiative include enhanced funding for all of the following programs, including some preliminary assessments of what the total investment is expected to be over the next five years.
- independent research & research travel
- We plan to increase funds available for Graduate Research Grants by a total of 300% by 2013 with a 33% increase in funds available next year.
- conference travel
- We plan to increase the funds available for conference travel grants by 70% over the next five years as well as make some minor changes in the eligibility rules.
- language acquisition
- Funds for Summer Language Grants will more than double next year, and grow to 450% of 2007-2008 budget by 2013.
- community building
- Community Building Grants will see a large increase in investment next year and plans are to increase the total budget by 250% over the next five years.
- professional development
- We are almost doubling the budget for professional development programming next year, with plans to triple the funds available by 2013.
- civic engagement
- We want our students to be leaders in public policy and public service in addition to their academic achievements. This program is still in the planning stages, but together with our community building projects, our civic engagement program will provide significant resources to encourage and allow students to become involved in community and political activism.
- childbirth accommodation
- We continue to be devoted to making Northwestern friendly to graduate students with families and those wishing to begin families. We strongly encourage your input on how to make it more so.
- emergency childcare subsidization
- We are setting aside a sizeable fund for graduate students for whom emergency situations and professional obligations have led to unexpected childcare costs.
We believe that these programs will help students in their professional development and minimize some of the peripheral stresses on them, allowing them to do their best possible work.
We firmly believe that support for these items, above and beyond competitive stipends and health insurance coverage, is critical for student success and the ongoing competitive advantage of our graduate programs as a whole. Specific amounts available for individual students for these items will be made public later this academic year. Details are, quite honestly, still being worked out, but the additional resources being added in these categories are significant.
Last updated: Mar 20 2008 11:39AM
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