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Dec. 17 Session Covers Tuition-Free Graduate Courses

The Graduate School will conduct an information session Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. for University employees who hold a baccalaureate degree and wish to pursue their graduate education. Enrollment counselors will explain the easy application process, answer program questions and distribute HR information for the tuition waiver and free textbook rental programs.

Full-time employees can take three classes per year, tuition free. Additionally, employees can apply easily for admission as a graduate certificate or post-baccalaureate (non-degree) student without standardized tests, transcripts or recommendation requirements.

To reserve your seat, please register.

 

Final Defense and Submission Deadline Extended

The Graduate School has extended the final defense and submission deadlines for all Master’s and Doctoral students who plan to graduate in Fall 2020.
December 14-  Final Defense Deadline
Desember 21- Final Submission Deadline
For more information, please visit the Graduate School’s Graduation Clearance page.

Nominations Accepted Through Dec. 21 for the Thomas L. Reynolds Leadership Award

The window to submit nominations for the Thomas L. Reynolds Leadership Award, originally set for Dec. 11, has been extended to Dec. 21.

Honoring excellence in graduate program administration, the  Thomas L. Reynolds Leadership Award recognizes excellent leadership and outstanding service by a Graduate Program Director or Coordinator.

Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators are leadership positions for the University and play an important and pivotal role in the success of our graduate degrees.  Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators must not only manage and shape the direction of their programs to ensure the academic success of their students, but must also serve as advocates for graduate education at all levels. Doing this well, deserves recognition and praise.

The recipient receives a cash award, an engraved plaque, and their name engraved on a perpetual trophy.  For additional information and to submit a nomination visit the Reynolds Leadership Award web page.

UNC Charlotte Peer Universities Identified

The UNC Board of Governors recently completed a Peer Institution Study to ensure that each constituent university has a current and accurate peer set, and 12 public peers were identified for UNC Charlotte.
Details on the methodology and use of the data is available for download.
The next peer study will be conducted in the 2024-2025 academic year, with an implementation date of July 1, 2025.

 

Legal Symposium Updates Government, UNC System Requirements

Academic Affairs and other UNC Charlotte leaders hosted a webinar addressing the interplay between SACSCOC, U.S. Department of Education and UNC System requirements and their impact upon the approval of new academic programs and changes to existing ones.

The session covered recent changes to the course and curriculum review process, the basics of “substantial change,” how “significant departure” is determined, and considerations for establishing new off-campus instructional sites.

The slide deck used in the presentation is available for download.

Webinar Will Focus on Effective Prospect Information Sessions

An open house is a proven strategy for building relationships with prospective students.  This Nov. 23 session will help you sharpen your skill for promoting and hosting an information session. Included are real stories from real Program Managers and Directors from Education and Social Work graduate programs who are currently hosting sessions.

Register in advance for this meeting at Zoom.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

UNC Charlotte Among Best of Military-Friendly Online

UNC Charlotte was selected among the top 100 most military-friendly colleges in the US by OnlineU, a firm that provides informational guides for students.

Colleges that made the rankings participate in the government Tuition Assistance program and were scored based on the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs ratings for military culture, support, financial aid and flexibility. UNC Charlotte was ranked #33 nationally.

For more information and the full list, please visit OnlineU.

Latest Grad Student Exit Surveys Published

The latest graduate student exit surveys have been updated on GPDNet under Assessments.  The results are published by college along with 2019 results for comparison.

Graduate students are asked to complete the exit survey prior to completing their application to graduate.

Social Media for Recruiting Nov. 11

Social media is a powerful tool for awareness and recruiting — and it’s free!   In this session we will reveal best practices that are proven to get results.  We will also share how the Graduate School is using social media to recruit students and build awareness of everything UNC Charlotte has to offer.

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://uncc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYof-ihqDsoE9WJMt5FfkWx7ZuThhKBfMpN

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Enrollment Projections Manager Now Available

Dear Colleagues,

Congratulations on achieving another record graduate enrollment this semester! Despite unusual and challenging circumstances, your dedication to enroll the new class while simultaneously supporting continuing students is both admirable and appreciated.

Annually, we open the Projections Manager for Graduate Program Directors to submit graduation and enrollment projections for future years. The effort was delayed a bit this semester given the September start of classes, but the system is now available for your submissions. Fall 2021, 2022, and 2023 enrollment and graduation projections are due by Sunday, November 15th.  The information is used to help guide your efforts to effectively manage your graduate program enrollment; it’s also vital from a University perspective to understand program capacity, future enrollments, and resources required to support graduate education. Similarly, affirming UNC Charlotte’s commitment to foster diversity and inclusion in graduate education, I encourage you to pay particular attention to ways your program enrollments might reflect a breadth of gender identities, races and ethnicities, nationalities, faith traditions, and other social categories and backgrounds.

Official enrollment and graduation data by degree and major is available via the institutional research interactive Fact Book at https://ir-analytics.uncc.edu/fact-book. To access projections and plans, log into GPDNet (https://egem.charlotte.edu), select PROGRAM DASHBOARD, select PROJECTIONS, click on your program, click on the plus sign (+) next to the 2021 projection year, and then enter data/information in the form. If you need access to the system, or if your program is not listed or needs to be modified, please email Amy Palmer at aagardi@uncc.edu.

To support your efforts to establish projections, and to answer any general questions related to managing graduate programs, two (identical) workshops will be held: one on Wednesday, October 21st, at 11 am, and another on Thursday, October 29th, at 2:30 pm (ZOOM link).  I invite you to participate as needed whether you’re new to the role of Graduate Program Director or simply need a refresher on understanding program capacity and developing projections.  Similarly, if you prefer a one-on-one meeting to support your efforts or a department-specific session, please email my assistant, Mrs. Amy Palmer, directly to schedule a mutually convenient time.

Additionally, the corresponding graduate enrollment management (GEM) plan that serves as a road map to achieve the projections should be developed in concert with your program’s projections and align to your college’s strategic plan. The plan is an iterative work-in-progress and should be updated regularly throughout the academic year. While it is certainly helpful to have a GEM plan in place by November 15th to support your projections, the November 15th deadline is only for the graduation and enrollment projections.

Warm regards,

Johnna (JohnnaWatson@uncc.edu)

 

Graduate School Forms Now Digital

The Graduate School is happy to announce the end of yet another paper-based system.  Also known as the Doctoral Form Series, all Exam Reports, Committee Appointment, Proposal/Final Defense, ETD and Embargo forms will be transitioning to DocuSigneffective October 14. DocuSign, a University-supported digital system, allows for the secure collection of signatures and proper electronic routing. These forms can be accessed on the Graduate School Forms website. Scanned paper forms will still be accepted throughout the Spring 2021 semester however.

Important: In order to ensure proper routing, please make sure to only use the Graduate School’s Form Series and NOT a Form previously developed by an academic unit or otherwise. In addition, DocuSign’s routing system only recognizes UNC Charlotte NinerNet username email addresses and NOT alias email addresses (use format:  jdoe@uncc.edu, NOT jane.doe@uncc.edu).

Please refer to the university’s FAQ website for more information about DocuSign.

Global Panel To Address International Graduate School

The Young Professionals of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte (YPWACC) and the Office of International Programs will host a panel discussion on graduate school via Zoom Oct. 15 at 3 p.m.  Panelists will address how to select an internationally-focused program, prepare a competitive application.

For more information and to register, please visit the YPWACC registration page.

 

Fall Ventureprise Research Projects Sought

Ventureprise is seeking research ideas with potential commercial application from UNC Charlotte faculty, staff and students. The program provides commercialization training and up to an initial $5000 in NSF funding.

The goal of the program is to identify potential commercial uses and prepare for more substantial commercialization funding opportunities.  Ventureprise® is UNC Charlotte’s innovation and entrepreneurship center serving the campus and Charlotte region as a center of excellence for evidence based entrepreneurship.

The next stage is a six month $50,000 NSF I-Corps Teams grant. The cohort will begin October 8 (rolling applications; last day to submit is October 2). A complete schedule and application form can be found on the NSF I-Corps webpage. Contact: Devin Collins or Laura Smailes.

Students Encouraged to Apply for NSF Grant

Eligible candidates recently received an email from the Graduate School encouraging them to apply for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
The message, sent by Director of Funding and Fellowships Julie Goodliffe, also offers assistance in completing application. Dr. Goodliffe also serves as a reviewer for NSF on a national level.
For more information, contact Julie Goodliffe, jmgoodli@uncc.edu.

$3,000 Stipend Offered STEM Fellows

The Center for Graduate Life is accepting applications for the 2020-2021 STEM Communication Fellows Program aimed at improving communications skills among STEM scholars.
Through the program, eight doctoral and postdoctoral scholars will be selected to receive intense communication training and experiential learning opportunities, plus a $3000 stipend.
For information and to apply, please visit the Center for Graduate Life.
Questions may be directed to Dr. Jill Huerta and Dr. Aura Young of the CGL.

GPD Recruiting Training Session Planned

A recruiting orientation for new Graduate Program Directors is planned Sept. 29 at 2 p.m.
The Zoom event is entitled Recruitment 101 an Orientation for New Graduate Program Directors.  Tips for successful recruitment.

Register to participate at Zoom. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Call for Nominations Issued for Faculty Awards

The call for nominations has been issued for three distinguished faculty awards: The Harshini V. De Silva Graduate Mentor Award, the First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal and the Thomas L. Reynolds Leadership Award.

For more information and to nominate, please follow the links below to each program’s nomination page:

Thomas L. Reynolds Leadership Award – Nominations accepted through Dec. 11

Harshini V. De Silva Graduate Mentor Award – Nominations accepted through Nov. 6

First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal, Nominations accepted through Nov. 13.

ISSO Reviews International Student Enrollment Requirements

The International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) recently distributed guidelines for enrollment of international students.  Newly admitted F-1 international students (excluding transfers from other U.S. institutions and those changing degree levels) will need to meet the following requirements to maintain legal status in the United States:

  1. Pursue a full course load (12 credits for undergrad and 9 credits for graduate)
  2. Register for at least ONE hybrid course that counts towards the full time enrollment.

The ISSO is cross-referencing several data sets (including student self-reports) through Sept. 14 to identify potentially affected students.  That information will be shared with the Chair of the appropriate department to assist them in their course registration.  So far, the process has identified few students in this situation.

Instructors need to fulfill their in-person or hybrid components as planned starting Oct.1 unless the university moves to 100% online before that date.  

If you have questions, please contact ISSO.

Sept. 2 GPD Summit Recording Available

Approximately 140 faculty and staff participated in the Graduate School’s annual GPD Summit Sept. 2.

A recording of the online presentation is available at https://uncc.zoom.us/rec/share/RL5GvY6ICTHuNNNz_JeDwZb2T8Cbau7XVx5FM4WH-DsD2flCw2gwY0_APZUMQR7V.pd98UFdpQOXE3Ek_

PLEASE NOTE: This password is required to access the recording: +p%P0PD!

UNC Charlotte Makes OPT Top 100

UNC Charlotte was included in the Top 100 Schools with Optional Practical Training (OPT), according to 2019 data recently released by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) of the Department of Homeland Security

The top employers for OPT participants and other data is available on the SEVP website.