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Supreme Court Decision

June 29, 2023 by Sam Finley

Dear Colleagues:

As anticipated, the U.S. Supreme Court has just issued its decision related to the use of race in admissions decisions. Our Office of Legal Affairs is currently reviewing the decision and hopes to provide more detailed guidance in the coming days. Additionally, a training session is scheduled for Thursday, July 6th, from 2:15 to 3:15 pm via Zoom to review the ruling and address any additional information you may need regarding the change.

Link to Join Zoom Training Session on July 6 from 2:15-3:15 PM

The takeaway for you all is that, as of today, an applicant’s race cannot be used as a factor in making any graduate admissions decision. However, an applicant’s statement of purpose, resume, recommendations or other information, if it happens to reveal the applicant’s race/ethnicity, can still be considered.

Please communicate this change to all your faculty reviewers. If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact me (JohnnaWatson@charlotte.edu) or Sarah Edwards in Legal Affairs (Sarah.Edwards@charlotte.edu).

Regards,
Johnna W. Watson
Associate Dean for Graduate Enrollment Management
UNC Charlotte | The Graduate School
9201 University City Blvd. | Charlotte, NC 28223
johnnawatson@charlotte.edu | 704-687-7231 | gradadmissions.charlotte.edu

International Recruitment Topic of Virtual Conference

June 19, 2023 by White, Brian

Study North Carolina (https://www.nc-dec.us/studync) is offering a virtual conference on Wednesday, July 26, from 10 am – 2 pm, to provide timely information to enhance your international student recruitment efforts. The virtual conference is open to both members and non-members of StudyNC and is being offered at a great price ($10 for StudyNC members and $20 for non-members). The conference will feature topics such as:

Cross-Campus Collaboration for Holistic International Student Support
Emerging Markets
Marketing North Carolina as a Destination for International Students – Tourism and Big Industries in North Carolina
Accelerate to Industry: Connecting Graduate Students to Industry and Employment Opportunities
Joint Grant Proposal for Recruitment in Latin America
Data-Driven Decision Making
Exploring Strategies for International Recruitment
Leveraging Funding Resources to Increase International Student Yield
Mitigating Fraud in the Admissions Process

Don’t miss this great opportunity to hear the above information and network virtually with other NC institutions, industry, and economic development professionals. For more information and to register, please visit https://www.nc-dec.us/studync.

Learn more about the new Post-Master's Certificate in Qualitative Research

June 19, 2023 by Sam Finley

The Post-Master’s Certificate in Qualitative Research prepares graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, current faculty, and others with the skills needed for the full range of qualitative inquiry methods used in social research.

This 12-credit-hour certificate is an interdisciplinary program that includes qualitative method-intensive courses in multiple departments. It allows doctoral and other post-master students and professionals to expand their methodological training and pursue a research-intensive career. The program consists of two required courses covering the foundational knowledge of qualitative research and essential textual data collection and analysis methods.

Based on their research interests and academic goals, students select two elective courses from the wide range of qualitative methods courses provided by the ERME program and other departments, such as interview research, qualitative case study, and narrative inquiry.

Contact Information:

Program Director: Dr. Jae Hoon Lim, Dept. of Educational Leadership, Educational Research, Measurement, & Evaluation (ERME) Program
Email Address: jhlim@charlotte.edu
Phone Number: 704-687-8864

Program Webpage

Communication Campaigns Running in Slate

June 19, 2023 by Sam Finley

The following communication campaigns to support enrollment are live in Slate:

Application Generation (All Terms)
- The target audience is prospects and inquiries. The communications encourage prospective students to start and complete their application.
Yield (Fall 2023)
- The target audience is admitted graduate students that have yet to accept their admissions offer. The communications encourage them to submit their enrollment intention form.
Anti-Melt Campaign (Fall 2023)
- The target audience is graduate students who have accepted their offer of admission/enrollment intention form. The communications encourage student retention and engagement before they begin their program.

View Communication Flow

You can add the “Graduate Admissions Marketing | Email, SMS and Print Calendar” to your Google calendars using your @charlotte.edu account.

Questions? Reach the Marketing and Communications team via email at grad-comm@uncc.edu.

Some TAs Eligible for Resident Tuition

June 19, 2023 by White, Brian

Master’s students holding a 20-hour Teaching Assistantship with a stipend of $14,000 or more are eligible for the Master’s TA Resident Tuition. Please nominate your master’s TAs in eGPS.

Fall Virtual Orientation Set for New Students

June 19, 2023 by White, Brian

The Reynolds Center for Graduate Life and Learning will host a virtual orientation for new graduate students Aug. 17 from 4-6 p.m. The session will offer information on transitioning to graduate school, managing the reading load, balancing school and family and finding your way around campus.

For more information and to register, please visit the Reynolds Center for Graduate Life and Learning.

Restrictions on 1-Hour Grad Courses Disqualify GRAD 7999 and 9999 for Financial Aid

June 06, 2023 by White, Brian

The Graduate School was recently notified by the Office of Financial Aid that Title IV regulations do not permit use of Federal funds for courses that are not required for completion of a student’s academic program.

To meet that requirement GRAD 7999 and GRAD 9999 will no longer be considered full-time enrollment for financial aid eligibility, effective immediately.

GRAD 7999/9999 will no longer push a student to full-time status
GRAD 7999/9999 will no longer be eligible for financial aid awards.

Note: Students who are registered for GRAD 7999/9999 will remain eligible for Assistantships and GASP.

Because the courses will no longer push a student to full-time status, students enrolled in GRAD 7999/9999 will trigger the financial aid loan repayment clock.

If any of your students need to retain financial aid eligibility, and/or retain full-time status, they will need to change their Fall 2023 registration to GRAD 7800 or GRAD 9800. (3 credits that push a student to full time status).

Students can request a permit for GRAD 7800/9800 with an academic petition.

F1/J1 International students who wish to remain in GRAD 7999/9999 must contact the International Student and Scholar Office to request a reduced course load in their last semester in order to meet their immigration enrollment requirements.

GRAD 7999/9999 are one-credit placeholder courses which can be utilized by students who need enrollment while completing the dissertation or thesis defense within the first 4 weeks of the term, finishing a non-credit-bearing capstone, or finishing an Incomplete-graded course.

The Graduate School has sent emails to all students already enrolled for summer and fall 2023, and will offer guidance as petitions are submitted.

If you have questions please contact Sandra Krause, Assistant Dean for Graduate Academic Services, Sandra.Krause@charlotte.edu.

Summer Fellowships Awarded to 75 Doctoral Students

June 05, 2023 by White, Brian

From 103 applicants, the Graduate School awarded 75 Summer Fellowships for 2023.

The Summer Fellowship Program (GSSF) provides doctoral students funding to continue research at a time when few other options exist. The program is available to new and repeat applicants and eligible applicants can receive $8,000 to support progress toward the degree.

The program application deadline is in March, annually.

For 2023, Computing and Information Systems had both the highest number of applicants (20) and the highest number of awards (15).

Remaining awards by program are listed below:

Applied Mathematics-PhD-3

Bioinformatics-PhD-1

Biology-PhD-8

Business Administration-PhD-1

Civil Engineering-PhD-3

Computing & Info Systems-PhD-15

Counselor Educ & Supervision-PhD-2

Educ Rsch, Measure & Eval-PhD-2

Electrical Engineering-PhD-4

Geography-PhD -2

Health Psychology-PhD-8

Health Services Research-PhD-1

Infrastructure & Environ Sys-PhD-5

Mechanical Engineering-PhD-5

Nanoscale Science-PhD-3

Optical Science & Engineering-PhD-6

Organizational Science-PhD-1

Public Health Sciences-PhD-1

Public Policy-PhD-2

Special Education-PhD-2

2023 SAEOPP McNair/SSS Scholars Research Conference June 23-25

June 05, 2023 by White, Brian

The McNair/SSS Scholars Research Conference is scheduled for June 23-25 in Atlanta, attracting undergraduate and graduate students from all TRIO programs within the U.S. and the Trust Territories.

The conference will provide opportunities for young scholars to share their research, provide exposure to the key issues in research and higher education, facilitate the interaction between graduate school representatives, graduate faculty, McNair and SSS scholars, and provide forums for discussion of intellectual issues.

The Graduate School Admissions team will have a table on site. If you like to send any materials to share with students, please contact Maryanne Maree-Sams, MaryanneMaree-Sams@charlotte.edu

Changes Coming to GRE General Test

June 05, 2023 by White, Brian

Beginning September 22, 2023, testing time for the GRE will be reduced by half, from nearly four hours to just under two, and the official score turnaround time will reduce from 10-15 days to 8-10 days.

Combined, these changes are intended to provide test takers with a better experience that values their time and reduces anxiety and fatigue, ultimately helping them to complete and submit their applications more quickly.

More information is available from ETS.

ABRCMS Biomedical Research Conference Set Nov. 15-18

May 30, 2023 by White, Brian

The Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS 2023) will take place in Phoenix, AZ, November 15-18 and is the place to connect with the most talented and diverse scientists in STEM.

For over 20 years, ABRCMS – recipient of the 2019 AIMBE Excellence in STEM Education Award – has been the go-to conference for underrepresented community college, undergraduate and post baccalaureate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As ABRCMS has continued to grow and evolve, it has also become a space for graduate students, postdocs, faculty, program administrators and more.

The Graduate School has paid for one booth. If you would like to attend, and reserve a space in the booth, please contact Maryanne Maree-Sams at MaryanneMaree-Sams@charlotte.edu. The cost is $625.00 to join the Graduate School booth. There is a separate cost for housing (filling up quickly).

If you would like to reserve a booth for your program, please find information on the ABRCMS website.

LGBTQ+ Graduate Coalition Seeking Executive Board Members

May 29, 2023 by White, Brian

The LGBTQ+ Graduate Coalition is seeking executive board members for the 2023-2024 academic year. Interested graduate students may complete an Interest Form by May 31.

Reduced Course Load Available to International Students in Final Semester

May 22, 2023 by White, Brian

International graduate students graduating in fall 2023 who need less than a full-time course load to finish can apply for a Reduced Course Load (RCL).

The International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) encourages students who have no prior RCL requests to register and expect approval.

Students planning to graduate in fall 2023 who need only one class to graduate, yet hold on to more, place an unnecessary strain on program resources and possibly prevent newly admitted students from planning their schedules.

More information on RCL is available from the ISSO.

Mentee Training Set for Doctoral Students

May 16, 2023 by White, Brian

The Thomas L. Reynolds Center for Graduate Life and Learning (Reynolds CGLL) is launching mentee training for doctoral students based on the curriculum developed by the Center for the Improvement of the Mentored Experience in Research (CIMER) Institute. In this first session, students will learn strategies for communicating clearly with their research advisors about goals and expectations. Facilitated by Dr. Jill Huerta, Reynolds CGLL director, and Sandra Krause, assistant dean for graduate academic services.

For more information and to register, please visit the Reynolds CGLL.

American International Recruitment Council Offers Certificate in International Student Recruitment

May 09, 2023 by White, Brian

The American International Recruitment Council (AIRC) is offering a Professional Certificate in International Student Recruitment and Enrollment online between Dec. 2023 and Sept. 2024.

Through AIRC’s Professional Certificate in International Student Recruitment and Enrollment, recruitment staff can develop a recruitment and marketing strategy and earn a certificate and digital learning badge.

For more information and to register, please visit AIRC.

ISSO Newsletter Carries Key Requirements Information

May 08, 2023 by White, Brian

The International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) publishes a monthly newsletter which carries important Visa, travel and other information of interest to international students and their faculty.

The latest edition of the ISSO newsletter is at this link.

School of Professional Studies to Launch Summer Google Certificate Academy

May 04, 2023 by White, Brian

The School of Professional Studies will launch a Grow with Google Career Academy this summer at no cost.

From May 1-Aug. 20, UNC Charlotte participants can access up to 10 courses and earn a sharable digital certificate at completion to use on the LinkedIn profile or resume.

Certificate content is provided by Google and hosted by Coursera.

Visit the Summer Microcredential Opportunity page to enroll. If a license is not available, complete the request form to get on the waiting list.

More information on the program is available from Inside UNC Charlotte.

Govan, Wu Cited for Graduate Leadership

May 03, 2023 by White, Brian

Dr. Jy Wu, Infrastructure and Environmental Systems, and Carmalita Govan, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, were selected to receive the Thomas L. Reynolds Leadership Award for 2022-23.

The Reynolds Leadership Award honors excellence in graduate program administration and is presented annually to a Graduate Program Director (GPD) or Graduate Program Administrator (GPA). Recipients are selected by a committee of previous winners, the Graduate Council chair and Graduate School staff.

Brabblerose, Zendels Take Top TA Awards

May 03, 2023 by White, Brian

Caitlin Brabblerose, Biology, and Philip Zendels, Health Psychology, were named top Teaching Assistant and Instructor of Record, respectively, in the Graduate School’s 2022-23 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards.

Embedding Website Lead Generation within Departmental/Program Websites

April 26, 2023 by Sam Finley

The Graduate School and its partners, like you, continue to manage and support enrollment management efforts to recruit, enroll and retain students in more than 150 graduate programs of study. We recognize the need to place emphasis on improving awareness of UNC Charlotte’s graduate offerings, which includes increasing lead generation and cultivating applicant connection throughout the admissions process to grow enrollment.

The Graduate School will be partnering with a trusted vendor, Carnegie, to implement a website lead generation strategy and we need your help.

Key Terms
Lead Generation	Nurturing
Lead generation is the process of attracting future students to our portfolio of programs and increasing their interest through nurturing − with the end goal of converting them into a student. Generating leads is a fundamental point in an individual’s journey to becoming a satisfied student. Website lead generation and reporting are critical components of an effective graduate student funnel. The website lead generation forms will collect key information like first and last name, email and cell phone number and automatically associate the contact record with the program they are searching for.	Lead nurturing is the process of building relationships with prospective students by building trust, educating, anticipating needs, establishing awareness, and building brand recognition. Nurturing is important because it’s our opportunity to provide value to future students and help them learn more about UNC Charlotte. Website leads are approximately seven times more likely to convert compared to other sources. All leads/contacts will feed into the current Slate communication campaigns and begin nurturing.

Current State
- Over 80% of UNC Charlotte graduate program web pages do not have a lead generation form on their website.
Future State
- The ‘Request for Information’ form will be embedded on each graduate program webpage by OneIT before the fall 2023 semester (Phase 1). If you prefer to opt out of this lead generation form, please email grad-comm@uncc.edu with the programs that will be opting out by May 5, 2023.
- Phase 2 will include embedding each form on the college-level program webpage during the fall semester.
- All contacts will feed into the current Slate communication campaigns and begin nurturing.
How You Can Help
- If you have a graduate program that would not like to embed a lead generation form on your program website, please let us know by sending an email to grad-comm@uncc.edu with the programs that will be opting out by May 5, 2023.

Thank you for your partnership,

Pinku Mukherjee, Ph.D.
Irwin Belk Distinguished Professor of Cancer Research
Interim Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Sam Finley
Director of Marketing and Communications
UNC Charlotte | The Graduate School

Sources:
HubSpot Academy, Understanding Lead Generation
Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) Graduate and Online Enrollment Workshop