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Best Practices in Graduate Recruiting Session Set Apr. 21

The Graduate School is hosting a virtual session on Apr. 21 at 10 am for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators to participate in an update on best practices and a discussion with Graduate Admission Counselors focusing on strategies to feed the recruitment funnel.

The session also will include efforts Graduate Admissions is making to engage prospective students and applicants and share a few simple things programs can do to deepen that engagement.

Following a brief presentation by Graduate Admissions, Program Directors and Coordinators will be encouraged to share what they are doing to recruit and retain students.

To register, please complete the Graduate Admissions form.

Reynolds CGLL Enrolling Graduate Life Fellows

Each year the Thomas L. Reynolds Center for Graduate Life & Learning selects 7 grad students to serve as liaisons to their peers across campus. These Graduate Life Fellows act as informal mentors while also seeking new ways to support graduate student success and helping to create vital programming. Their input and unique ability to provide the graduate student perspective is invaluable.

Grad Life Fellows also promote CGLL workshops, programs, courses, and initiatives through word-of-mouth, social media, and visits to graduate classes and organizations. You can read about our current Grad Life Fellows here.

Graduate Life Fellows are University leaders with the opportunity to impact graduate education at Charlotte. For their efforts, they receive a $5,000 award (divided across two semesters).

Eligibility Requirements:

  • GLFs must be full-time students living in the Charlotte area during the academic year of their term
  • Have completed at least one year of graduate-level coursework at Charlotte
  • Have a GPA of at least 3.0 and be in good standing

International students and students with assistantships are encouraged to apply!

ETS Webinar Will Address English Proficiency Assessment

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) is hosting a live, 45-minute webinar called What to Know about English Proficiency Assessment Thursday, Mar. 16.  The purpose of this session is to demystify English proficiency – what is measured, how to measure it, and what scores mean.  Specifically, we’ll discuss:

  • The importance of English language proficiency.
  • What English proficiency assessments measure (and how).
  • What test scores mean.
  • Ideas to maximize your team’s use of English language assessments.

Register HERE today (by doing so, you’ll automatically receive a recording of this event). 

2024 Application System Opens April 15

Beginning April 15, 2023, prospective students can apply for 2024 spring, summer, and fall.  

GPDs who want to make changes to their application for 2024, should submit a Slate ticket.  Examples of changes that can be made are:

  • Resume – require it or make it optional
  • Writing Sample – require one
  • Statement of Purpose – provide custom test to applicant
  • GRE/GMAT/MAT – require or eliminate tests

Currently, these are the  programs that require a test:

Program NameGREGRE or GMATGRE or MATPAEP or GMATWaiver Criteria?
Accountancy (MACC)YY
Business Administration (MBA)YY
Business Administration (MBA) in MexicoYY
Business Administration: Finance (PHD)Y
Civil Engineering (MSCE)YY
Civil Engineering (MSE)YY
Civil Engineering (PHD)YY
Computer Engineering (MS)YY
Computer Science (MS)YY
Data Science and Business Analytics (MS)YY
Economics (MS)YY
Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation (PHD)Y
Electrical Engineering (MSEE)YY
Electrical Engineering (PHD)YY
Fire Protection and Safety Management (MS)YY
Health Informatics and Analytics (MS)YY
Mathematical Finance (MS)YY
Nursing Practice (DNP) if concentration is Nurse AnesthesiaY
Optical Science and Engineering (MS)YY
Optical Science and Engineering (PHD)YY
Physics (MS)YY
Public Administration (MPAD)YY
Real Estate Finance and Development (MS)YY
Special Education and Child Development (MED)YY

Record Number of Visa Appointments Expected in India: Make Application Decisions ASAP

EducationUSA reports “From May to August 2023, consular offices in India expect a record number of U.S. visa applications from students looking for appointments in June and July.  Increased demand and staffing constraints will make it more difficult to obtain appointments than in the past two years.” 

For the latest information about wait times, see https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html.  

If possible, admission decisions on international applications should be made by March 15, 2023.

Education USA Offers Access to Student Prospects

Education USA connects students around the world with information about higher education institutions in the U.S. Additionally, they offer a number of opportunities for U.S institutions to connect with and recruit students. These resources include:virtual and face to face recruitment fairs, global education guides, webinars, and forums. A few opportunities highlighted this month are:

1. Call for Session Proposals:  EducationUSA China Request FormEducationUSA China is piloting a new Session Proposal Request Form to streamline virtual and in-person presentation and center visit requests from U.S. higher education institutions. Submit a proposal to present in person or virtually.

To submit a request for March, April, or May 2023, please carefully review the form, enter all required proposal or travel information, and submit.  The EducationUSA China team will respond to each submission directly within a few days for follow-up or confirmation.  For more information, contact the EducationUSA China team.
2. EducationUSA Bangalore:  Let’s Connect Program
Interested in enhancing your recruitment initiatives and virtual presence in India?  Have questions about the typical student profile, center services, and how we can work together, or just want to chat?  Sign up for a 60-minute virtual 1:1 consultation with our EducationUSA advisers.  

3. Find Institutional Partners in East Asia and the Pacific (EAP)!
Share your institutional partnership goals and search for prospective partners in the East Asia and Pacific region!  Launched during International Education Week 2022, the EducationUSA EAP Partnership Board is an easily searchable tool that higher education institutions from the United States and EAP can use to announce their partnership goals and make connections.  Visit this free resource to learn how to add your institution’s information.
For more information on these opportunities and to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter, visit https://educationusa.state.gov/

Encourage Prospects to Sign Up for Reminder

Encourage prospective students interested in applying for 2024 to complete a “Request Information” or “Receive a Reminder” form with us, and on April 15, 2024, we will email them a reminder to apply for 2024.

Tools for College-Level Website Updates

Your college communicator (see list) is your resource for college-level website updates, etiquette and branding. Reach out to them for guidance! If you have difficulty finding your current web contact, you can reference this website or submit a OneIT Help Ticket.

Are you looking to update your program dashboard on the Graduate Admissions website? View the how-to guide.

NSF Mentor Training as part of RECR Requirement Coming

One way to meet the new requirement is through the Graduate School’s Mentor Training for Graduate Faculty. Additional guidance about this new requirement will be shared shortly, but interested faculty should register now for this May 16 training.  Once the training is full, we will begin a waitlist.

Faculty Judges Needed for Graduate Research Symposium

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Faculty Judges Needed: The 23rd Annual Graduate Research Symposium, a student-run, interdisciplinary research conference sponsored by the Graduate & Professional Student Government is on Friday, March 24 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, concluding with an awards reception at 12:30 PM. Faculty judges are critical to the symposium’s success.

“I highly encourage graduate faculty to consider serving as a judge during the Graduate Research Symposium. This event is critical to our mission as a top-tier research university and is an important opportunity for our graduate students to gain valuable feedback specific to their research.”

Pinku Mukherjee, Interim Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Graduate Admissions to Host Info Sessions for Prospective Students

Graduate Program Directors are invited to participate in monthly Information Sessions (for prospective students) offered by Graduate Admissions throughout the fall and spring semesters. Following a general admissions presentation, Graduate Program Directors will be able to meet with prospective students in Zoom breakout rooms to provide program specific information. These sessions provide prospective students with a general overview about graduate programs, admission requirements and the application process, as well as valuable information about funding and financial aid.

How it will work: Graduate Program Directors (or their proxy) can sign up to participate in an Information Session. Following the 20 minute presentation from Graduate Admissions, prospective students will be placed in breakout rooms for the program in which they indicated interest for about 30 minutes. GPDs can use this time to present valuable information on program admission requirements, the selection process and funding/assistantship opportunities, career outcomes, and also answer questions from prospective students. Admissions counselors will be available to answer general questions for prospective students who are interested in a program that is not represented.

In order to advertise these sessions to prospective applicants, Graduate Program Directors must RSVP no later than March 1, 2023 to participate. 

Register below
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwJJRqr9Mdc_vDawof2gEMUMT6KVb7pVk0EDlsq7Mt_rfcsQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Communication Campaign Launches

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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 (Summer 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 (Summer 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.

Thank you to the college and unit stakeholders who collaborated on the campaign review. We appreciate the time you dedicated to these efforts!

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

Diversity Scholars Forum Set for Mar. 24

Sponsored by the Graduate School and in conjunction with the Graduate Research Symposium, the inaugural Diversity Scholars Forum will be held Mar. 24, 12-1 p.m. at Popp Martin Student Union, Multipurpose Room 340.

The event features graduate student and postdoctoral research related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The Diversity Scholars Forum showcases research that centers on DEI issues related to the community - both on campus and in the greater Charlotte community. To showcase their work, amplify their voices and celebrate the value of diversity, student presenters will give short lightning-round style poster presentations about their research projects.

VPN Now Required for eGEM Access

Effective immediately, off-campus access to eGEM, including GPDNet, requires logging into the University’s Virtual Private Network (VPN). The move was made to increase the security of the University’s information resources.

More information on VPN access is available in UNC Charlotte Spaces, including information for accessing the VPN from your mobile device.

Recruitment Opportunity

The Southern Regional Honors Council (SRHC) annual conference will be in Charlotte from Mar. 30-Apr. 1.  The Graduate School Fair is on Mar. 31, 2023. This annual conference presents a great opportunity to recruit some of the most engaged students in the south. 

The event, to be held at The Westin Charlotte Hotel, will attract more than 400 undergraduate honors students.

The registration fee of $250 covers for one day on Friday. You will receive the following:

·  6’ display table in Exhibitor Hall (No skirting or access to electricity) 

·  Lunch

·  Institution/Program Logo, Description, Website Link, and Social Media Links on conference website

·  Institution/Program Logo, Website Link, and Social Media Links posted at the conference

Don’t miss out on your chance to reach so many amazing students in such a concentrated area.  Space is limited, so please register soon.  Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the registration page for the Graduate School Fair registration options.

Spring 2023 Graduate Education Summit Resources

Thank you to all who attended the Graduate Education Summit. We encourage you to review the resources from today’s session by viewing the slide deck and reading the additional resources discussed. A special thank you to our guest presenters: Sarah Edwards, Kaela Lindquist and Deb Thomas.

Webb Receives CSGS Regional Master's Thesis Award

Eric Webb, MS, 2020, Earth Sciences, received the 2023 Master’s Thesis Award from the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools’ (CSGS) for his work, “Reanalysis of the Extended Multivariate ENSO Index.”

Webb and two others were recognized last fall by UNC Charlotte for outstanding master’s theses.

Read more from the Graduate School.

Julie Goodliffe promoted to Assistant Dean for Graduate Funding and Research

Julie Goodliffe, Director of Funding and Fellowships for the Graduate School, has been promoted to Assistant Dean of the Graduate School for Funding and Research by Johnna Watson, Associate Dean of the Graduate School for Enrollment Management.

Read more from the Graduate School.

Charlotte Grad Programs Remain High in National Rankings

UNC Charlotte’s online graduate programs received national recognition in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Online Master’s Programs rankings, which were released Tuesday, Jan. 24.

Read more from the Graduate School.

Reynolds Leadership Award Deadline Mar. 1

Graduate program directors and coordinators play an important and pivotal role in the success of graduate programs. In addition to managing enrollment, Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators must track and manage their students, while implementing programs and services to promote their success. Doing this well deserves recognition and praise.

This award recognizes excellence in the overall management of a graduate program. The winner will receive $1000, an engraved plaque, and their name will be engraved on a perpetual trophy on permanent display at a central location on campus.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Evidence of either growth in enrollment and/or improved graduation from the program; • Evidence of best practices as an advisor, mentor, and advocate for students (such as tracking, nominating, funding, etc.); • Effectiveness as a program administrator; • Evidence of efforts to improve the program experience for students; • Effective communication with the Graduate School and within the college.

NOMINATIONS:

• GPDs and GPCs must be nominated, but the nomination can come from anyone (two-page limit). • Once nominated, a GPD or GPC must submit a written statement reflecting his or her philosophy of graduate education and the role of the GPD or GPC (two-page limit). • Include two letters of support – one of which should be from a current or former student (two-page limit). • The Dean of the College must endorse nominations. A simple statement of support is appropriate. • Nominees must have served in the role at least two years in order to be nominated.Selection committee – comprised of members from the Graduate School staff, Graduate Council, GPSG and previous winners.

Winners will be announced by early spring 2023.

Please visit https://sites.google.com/uncc.edu/gs-award-gateway/home/thomas-l-reynolds-leadership-award to submit your nomination.