Graduate

1
Graduate Professional Student Services
Benchmark Survey

• Administrators in Graduate and Professional
  Student Services
• NASPA Pre-Conference 2005
• Stetson University School of Law Tampa, FL

2
The survey instrument

• Assessed a convenience sample of 365 registered
  members of the AGAPSS Knowledge Community by
  emailing them a link to a web-based survey.
  Received 102 completed surveys for a response
  rate of 28.

3
At what type of institution do you work?

• Public 65
• Doctoral/Research University 42
• Private 27
• Masters Degree Granting 23
• Private, for Profit 1

4
In what area of your institution do you work?

• Division of Student Affairs 54
• Graduate School/Studies 30
• Professional School 17
• Division of Academic Affairs 15

5
What type of graduate student do you work with
most directly?

• Masters degree seeking 55
• Full-time students 53
• Doctoral degree seeking 39
• Part-time students 30
• All graduate students 30
• Medical Health Sciences 13
• Business School students 9
• Law School students 3
• Graduate School Masters degree (79)
• Professional School Medical Health Science (47)
• Academic Affairs Masters (86), Full-time (73)
• Business School Masters Full-time (100)

6
What is the size of the graduate student
population?

• Less than 1,000 60
• More than 5,000 12
• 3,001-4,000 9
• 4,001-5,000 7
• 1,001-2,000 6
• 2,001-3,000 6
• All Graduate Students 5,000 (29)
• Student Affairs 5,000 (19)
• Law School 2,001-3,000 (100)

7
What is the average age of graduate students?

• I dont know 33
• 24-26 years 22
• 27-29 years 20
• 21-23 years 7
• 30-32 years 6
• 32-34 years 6
• 35 years 6
• Average Age for the Survey 28 years
• Professional School 24-26 (35)
• Graduate Studies 35 (17)
• All Grads 32-34 (14)

8
How would you describe your current job?

• Full-time administrator 60
• Faculty (teach, research) 22
• Department head 11
• Upper-level administrator 11
• Graduate Assistant 7
• Part-time administrator 3
• Professional School Faculty FT Admin (47)
• Academic Affairs Faculty (47)
• Student Affairs FT Admin (72)
• All Graduate Students FT Admin (72)
• Business School FT Admin (78)

9
Highest degree earned

• Masters degree 49
• Doctorate degree 39
• Bachelors degree 9
• Law degree 2
• High School 1
• Post-Masters Certificate 1
• Academic Affairs Doctorate (60)
• Medical Sciences Masters (77)

10
Do you have a degree in a student affairs field?

• Yes 73
• No 27
• Professional School Yes (82)
• Graduate School Yes (69)
• Academic Affairs Yes (80)
• Health/Medical Yes (77)
• Business School Yes (56)
• Law School Yes (100)

11
Which responsibilities are part of your job
description?

• Student organization advising 50
• Advocate for graduate students 47
• Research/Assessment 38
• Social Event Programming 38
• Academic Advising 37
• Recruitment/Retention 37
• Others Policies Procedures, Registrar,
  Teaching, Immigration advising, Orientation,
  Academic Support, Supervision of Division

12
Job responsibilities (continued)

• Professional School Admissions Conflict
  Resolution
• Graduate Studies Recruitment Retention
• Academic Affairs Academic Advising
• Student Affairs Career Counseling,
  Conflict Resolution
• Medical/Health Public Relations Alumni
  Affairs
• Business School Academic Advising,
  Conflict Resolution

13
Housing for graduate students

• On-campus housing where graduate and undergrads
  live together 51
• On-campus, graduate-only 29
• Family housing 29
• Off-campus housing locator 26
• No housing for graduates 25

14
Child care for graduate students

• On-campus child care 42
• No child care provided 41
• Child care in the morning 21
• Child care in the afternoon 21
• Office helps students find care 15
• Campus subsidizes cost 14
• Babysitter locator service 4
• Child care in evening 3
• Child care in family housing 3

15
Sponsors of graduate student orientation

• Individual departments 57
• Graduate School 52
• Schools/Colleges 35
• International services 29
• Student Affairs 24
• No formal orientation 5

16
Training programs for graduate student employees

• Grad Teaching Assistants 81
• Grad Instructors 42
• Grad Research Assistants 42
• Grad Administrative Assistants 30
• Deans Fellows 8
• Others Legal writing fellows, Resident Directors

17
General orientation for all graduate students?

• Yes 55
• No 29
• I dont know 16

18
Topics covered by general orientation program

• Academic responsibility 77
• Parking/Transportation 73
• Social/Recreation Options 71
• Campus Policies 71
• Health Care/Insurance 55
• Career Services 41
• Professional ethics 45
• Others Multiculturalism, Research

19
General orientation format

• Includes various workshops 49
• Includes social events 49
• Lasts less than 5 hours 41
• Includes a student panel 41
• Held over multiple days 28
• Lasts for one full day 22
• Internet/Web-based 14

20
Is attendance mandatory at general orientation
events?

• None are mandatory 67
• All are mandatory 19
• Some are mandatory 14

21
Who funds the general orientation program?

• Graduate school 50
• Student orientation fee 26
• Student Affairs 22
• Graduate student government 14
• Others Various campus areas contribute, Graduate
  Student Center, University budget, Academic
  departments
• Orientation Fee Range 30-285, typical fee
  40-50

22
Health insurance for graduate students

• Optional health insurance 56
• Option for dependents 25
• Mandatory health insurance 14
• Free for Assistants/Fellows 12
• Subsidized for Assistants/Fellows 12
• Care through Health Center 11
• No health care provided 8

23
Career services for graduate students

• Workshops for resume/CV 87
• Assistance with internships 77
• Job fairs 72
• Presentation/Public Speaking 57
• Others IRB Training, Alumni database, Job
  posting emails for life, Mock interviews, Salary
  negotiation, On-camera interviews, Alternative
  career counseling, Career library, Part-time
  students already employed.

24
Graduate Support Services

• Writing skills support 70
• Thesis/Dissertation support 61
• Travel grants 59
• Research showcases 57
• Emergency loans 56
• Graduate event programming 53
• Underrepresented grad programs 51
• Ombudsperson 48
• Grad-specific career services 41
• Legal aid 32
• Income tax assistance 21
• Others Interdisciplinary workshops, Academic
  programs

25
Space for graduate students

• No dedicated space for grads 40
• Office space for grad orgs. 34
• Graduate lounge 28
• Library carrels 26
• Grad-only study spaces 15
• Graduate computer labs 13
• Graduate student center 13
• Other Graduate residence halls, Medical center
  is all graduate students, 2 new centers opening,
  space issue isnt relevant for distance education

26
How are graduate student opinions/perspectives
represented?

• Graduate student government 70
• Seats for grads on committees 61
• Seats on faculty senate 24
• Newspaper/Newsletter 12
• Labor union 11
• Other Campus-wide student newspaper (undergrad
  grad), Reps on Board of Visitors/Trustees,
  Graduate school committees

27
Parking transportation services

• On-campus parking 92
• Late-night escort service 71
• Campus bus service 65
• Reduced-cost public transport 43
• Priority parking registration 12
• Carpool services 11
• Special parking areas 2

28
Mental health services

• Individual counseling 85
• Counseling center provides care 73
• Group counseling/support 70
• Learning disability support 67
• Free services provided 63
• Substance abuse counseling 59
• Off-campus referrals 54
• Health center provides care 35
• Family counseling available 32
• Graduate-specific support groups 30
• Health insurance covers some costs 30
• Co-pay for services 12
• No mental health services provided 3

29
Leadership professional development

• Courses in professional ethics 48
• Courses in leadership 45
• Leadership skills workshops 41
• Teaching skills workshops 41
• No regular program exists 39
• Public speaking workshops 25
• Preparing Future Faculty 20
• No leadership/professional dev. 13

30
Graduate student government

• Separate from undergrad govt. 49
• Dedicated office space 36
• Dedicated faculty/staff advisor 34
• Receives funds from campus 34
• No graduate student govt. 29
• Manages grad activity fee 29
• Members of govt. are paid 18
• Other part of undergraduate student government,
  programs have own graduate governing groups,
  graduate group not currently active, 10 seat on
  University government

31
Graduate mandatory activity fees

• Charged same as undergrads 43
• Charged a special grad fee 25
• Not charged an activity fee 25
• Other Optional graduate fee, Fee is in the
  works, Activity fee not separated out from
  general mandatory fees, Part-time Full-time
  charged different amounts, Fees based on credit
  hours, No activity fee per se.
• How much is charged? Range (10-340)
• Average (50-100)

32
Graduate unionization

• No grad students are unionized 79
• Does not apply 11
• Some grad employees unionized 7
• Grads working to start union 7
• All grads are unionized 4

33
Data collection

• Attrition/Retention data 52
• Time to degree 50
• Data collection not universal 47
• Academic program satisfaction 41
• Exit interviews 38

34
Current topics on campus not addressed by the
survey

• Lack of campus community
• Ethics of providing funding
• Ability of grads to anticipate future funding
• Fairness of mandatory fee system
• Family-friendly course scheduling
• Decreasing value of assistantships
• Involving part-time students
• Writing skills support
• Underrepresented graduate student support

35
Current topics on campus not addressed by the
survey (cont.)

• Removing barriers to interdisciplinary study
• Lack of diversity
• Campus climate
• Quality of assistantships
• Time management life balance
• Distance learning
• Lack of ability for graduate students to express
  their needs
• Decline in applications
• Legitimacy for what we do

36
Successful graduate programs(Part 1)

• Interview program to help new grads find
  assistantships
• All-day retreat with new grads in area
• Weekly graduate student happy hour
• Graduate Student Appreciation Week
• Professional development programs that focus on
  the job search
• Stress management workshops
• Coffee house with jazz music
• Dialogue with the Dean events

37
Successful graduate programs (part 2)

• Finding funding workshops
• Career fairs
• Efforts to increase graduate student
  organizations
• Specialized orientation activities
• Graduation dinner for students and their families
• Student organizations sponsor tables with food
  from different countries
• Graduate student center events
• English language program

38
Successful graduate programs (part 3)

• Research presentations for graduate students
• Writers block workshops
• Household items program where items are collected
  and redistributed
• Emergency funding program (up to 1,500)
• Library orientation programs
• Monthly social series where grads go hiking,
  rafting, ice-skating, attend musicals/plays
• General graduate orientation on CD-ROM
• Research funding/Travel grants

39
Research Assessment

• Best practices in advising,
• Funding
• Health insurance
• Child care
• Satisfaction with graduate preparation
• No research due to resources required
• Time to degree
• Jobs/Honors

40
Research Assessment (cont.)

• Student engagement
• Housing needs
• Satisfaction (academic student life)
• Graduate student needs
• Professional development
• Health mental health
• Alcohol usage
• Campus climate
• Orientation