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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.

Application Fee Waiver Added for Military Students

The Graduate School waives the application fee for eligible McNair Scholars, UNC Charlotte permanent employees, and effective immediately, for United States military students.  Refer to the UNC System Office, The Code and UNC Policy Manual, Policy 700.7.1 [R]  for details.

For applicants who do not meet the criteria for a fee waiver, programs may purchase waiver codes they can distribute to their prospective applicants.  Details on the purchase of fee waiver codes are available in Slate Reader

Graduate Admissions to Host Virtual Office Hours on Graduate Student Recruitment

Graduate Admissions Counselors are hosting bi-monthly virtual office hours where Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators can drop in to ask questions, give updates, and collaborate with the Graduate Recruitment Team. 

Jump in for a few minutes or stay for a full hour. There is no formal presentation, just an opportunity to connect! To register, visit Graduate Admissions.

Charlotte Recruiting Fairs Planned

The Career Center  will host two fairs this spring in the Student Activity Center (SAC). STEM Fair – Feb. 10, in person, 10am-2pm. info and reg: https://charlotte-csm.symplicity.com/events/stem23Spring Fair – March 9, in person, 10am-2pm. Info and reg: https://charlotte-csm.symplicity.com/events/scif23

For more information about possibly reserving a table for your program, please contact Brooke.Brown@uncc.edu.

For more information please visit the Career Center.  If you have questions for Graduate Admissions about the fair contact MaryanneMaree-Sams@uncc.edu.

Graduate Education Summit Planned Feb. 10

The Graduate School staff and guests will share information about new initiatives and opportunities for graduate programs, as well as general information.

February 10, 2023 – 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Halton Reading Room – Atkins Library

Topics will include:

  • Highlights of the Graduate School’s Strategic Plan
  • Updates on the Academic Integrity Process
  • The U.S. Supreme Court Ruling that could end Affirmative Action Policies in Admissions
  • An Overview from the Office of Research
  • Graduate School Updates
  • Q & A

Coffee and tea will be available at 9:00 a.m. We encourage you to wear green or UNC Charlotte gear in true Niner spirit!

Please share this event with people in your area who might find this session helpful or interesting. 

Women in Data Science Conference Set for March

The Charlotte Women in Data Science (WiDS) Conference is an event hosted and sponsored by UNC Charlotte’s School of Data Science and Lowe’s, prior to our full-day Analytics Frontiers Conference. It will be held at the UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. The conference aims to inspire, educate, and engage current and future data scientists in the Carolinas, regardless of gender, and to support women in the field by providing training, networking, and mentoring opportunities.

More information and register at Women in Data Science Charlotte.

Register International Teaching Assistants for English Language Assessment

From Nicole Lanieri, Director of UNC Charlotte’s English Language Training (ELTI) Institute: Please remember to have international teaching assistants (ITAs) sign up for an English language assessment.  ITAs who have previously earned a passing score on the UNCC assessment do not have to be evaluated again. As a reminder, this is required by state law. 

All international teaching  assistants who are paid from Teaching Assistant funds, regardless of assigned duties, are required to attend an English language assessment session. This requirement is specified in the TA contract. Neither length of time in the U.S. nor prior attendance or employment at a U.S. institution exempts ITAs from this requirement. ITAs who do not pass the assessment may be enrolled in ELTI’s ITA Communication Course to support their language development. This course is free to ITAs and is non-credit bearing.

Program directors were sent the following survey to distribute to their students. If you did not receive it, it means you were not on our list. If that is the case, please email Patricia Chukwueke at pchukwue@uncc.edu  so that we can update our lists. You may access the survey link here.

If you have any questions about the general process for ITA testing, please contact Patricia. ITAs with questions about the testing process and other queries should email itasupport@uncc.edu.

Q&A Sessions on Slate/Admissions Scheduled for Faculty and Staff

To learn more about Slate or Admissions, join an upcoming session hosted by Slate Captains:  Kathy Giddings, Director of Graduate Admissions and Ash Bowers, IT Analyst.  

Slate user guides are located in GPDNet.

Sessions offered at 3:00 p.m. EST via zoom each of the following dates:

January 30, 2023 (Monday)

February 27, 2023 (Monday)

March 28, 2023 (Tuesday)

April 24, 2023 (Monday)

Let us know if you are interested in a customized training session or would like to meet on a different day/time by submitting a Slate help ticket.

Graduate Admissions to Provide "Eligible to Register" List

Graduate Admissions is now providing GPDs with a list of new and continuing students in their program who are eligible to register but have not.  The report will be distributed weekly from start of registration until the close of registration for each term. .

Programs are encouraged to reach out to these students and urge them to register.

If you have questions, please contact Maryanne Maree-Sams, MaryanneMaree-Sams@uncc.edu.

Course Offers Juniors, Seniors Insight into Graduate Education Possibilities

COL 3401 – Graduate Educational Opportunities is a 1 credit-hour, first-half session course offered by the Graduate School in the spring semester for juniors and seniors to explore various aspects of graduate education. Now in its 12th year, the course was designed to provide talented students who affiliate with less represented groups a deep dive into graduate education, including what it is, admissions requirements, funding opportunities, and finding the right program. If you have undergraduate students you believe might be well-served by taking the course, please encourage them to enroll. [CRN: 24520, MW, 12-1:15 pm, 1st half-session, Fretwell 410]. For additional information, please contact Johnna Watson, Associate Dean of the Graduate School.

Join Graduate Admissions for Virtual Office Hours on Graduate Student Recruitment

Graduate Admissions Counselors are hosting bi-monthly virtual office hours where Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators can drop in to ask questions, give updates, and collaborate with the Graduate Recruitment Team. 

Jump in for a few minutes or stay for a full hour. There is no formal presentation, just an opportunity to connect! To register, visit Graduate Admissions.

Pinku Mukherjee Appointed Interim Associate Provost and Graduate School Dean

Pinku Mukherjee, Irwin Belk Distinguished Professor for Cancer Research and associate dean for research and graduate education in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, has been appointed interim associate provost and dean of the Graduate School effective Jan. 3, 2023, succeeding Tom Reynolds, who will retire after 40 years of service to the institution. 

Read more at Inside UNC Charlotte.

2023 Enrollment and Graduation Projections Due Friday, Dec. 9

The Projections Manager, located in GPDNet, is still open for enrollment and graduation projection
submissions. The information you provide is vital to help advance the university’s Strategic Plan to
expand post-baccalaureate education and enroll over 7,000 students within ten years.

Careful planning to achieve enrollment goals is more important now than ever. Programs should
maximize existing program capacities and provide context for additional resources needed to grow
enrollment only after careful analysis.