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CGLL Offers Support for Dissertation Work

September 13, 2021 by White, Brian

The Center for Graduate Life and Learning (CGLL) offers dissertation support to UNC Charlotte students at all stages of the dissertation process.

Through the CGLL, writers can learn tailored strategies for managing the dissertation process, as well as how to:

Plan, draft, revise, and edit their dissertation writing
Work more effectively with dissertation chairs and committee members
Create strong writing habits and set reasonable writing goals
Manage their time and be more productive
Deal with barriers to writing, such as writer’s block and procrastination

Students may email Dr. Lisa Russell-Pinson, lpinson@uncc.edu, Assistant Teaching Professor of Writing in the Graduate School, to schedule an appointment.

Dissertation Writing Group
Wednesdays 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

The Dissertation Writing Group (DWG) meets Wednesdays, 10-12:30 p.m. and provides a supportive, virtual forum to help dissertation writers:

Form or refine productive writing and work habits
Break isolation and build community
Take advantage of structured writing time

The first DWG session begins Wednesday, Sept. 29. The group is facilitated by Dr. Lisa Russell-Pinson, Assistant Teaching Professor of Writing in the Graduate School.

To be eligible to participate in this group, writers must be doctoral students who are actively working on their dissertation and able to commit to attending each 2.5-hour session for eight weeks.

Please visit the DWG registration site to join this group.

Research & Econ. Dev. Announces Change in F&A Distribution

September 13, 2021 by White, Brian

New F&A distribution guidelines announced recently by Research and Economic Development include funds for colleges and centers to help support strategic research initiatives.

Starting with FY2022 (July 1 2021-June 30, 2022) receipts, 4% of the generated F&A will be returned to the investigator’s college. If the project is also affiliated with a center or institute, these funds will be split evenly (50/50) between the college and the center/institute. Over time, the plan is to increase the allocation to faculty/staff and departments.

The original announcement from Dr. Rick Tankersley, Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development, is available for download. Also available for download is the full policy statement.

Ventureprise Launches Student-Focused Campaign

September 13, 2021 by White, Brian

With a goal to engage many students across all colleges, Ventureprise is looking to work with faculty, staff and campus organizations to highlight student opportunities, ideas and research. This semester’s 49er Impact will include panels, workshops, mentoring and conclude with a pitch competition during Global Entrepreneurship Week, November 8-12. We aim to provide students with experiences, professional development and co-curricular activities in a variety of forms. We are looking for faculty and campus support in a few ways; check out the ways you can be involved and have students sign up through September 23. Email Laura Smailes, lsmailes@uncc.edu, with any questions or recommendations.

New Grade Mode Introduced for Doctoral Dissertation and Master’s Thesis Research

September 10, 2021 by White, Brian

Last Spring the Faculty Council approved a new grade mode option for graduate research credit. Beginning Fall 2021 the default grade mode for Doctoral Dissertation Research and Master’s Thesis Research will be Satisfactory Progress /Unsatisfactory Progress (SP/UP).

Programs that offer a MASTER’ S THESIS option may request that a Standard Letter grade (A, B, C, U) be assigned instead of SP/UP grades by contacting the Graduate School no later than October 1, 2021.

You will find the Grade of SP/UP (Satisfactory Progress/ Unsatisfactory Progress) Option in the 2021-22 Graduate Catalog under Degree Requirements and Academic Policies/ Grading and Related Policies.

You will find more information specific to Master’s Thesis Research under Degree Requirements and Academic Policies/ Master’s Degree Requirements.

If you have questions, please contact Sandra.Krause@uncc.edu

GPD Summit Recording Available

September 10, 2021 by White, Brian

The GPD Summit on Sept. 10 covered a range of topics from policy updates to research authorship, funding and fall enrollment.

A full recording of the event is available and the PowerPoint presentation is available for download.

Tips for Successful Recruitment

September 10, 2021 by White, Brian

GPDNet has Tips for Successful Graduate Recruitment and associated resources that can help you jumpstart your recruitment plan. Here’s a quick overview:

Maintain an up-to-date website
Communicate regularly with prospective students and applicants
Host an information session
Participate in a graduate recruitment fair
Buy GRE Search and/or TOEFL Search records
Recruit your undergraduates and alumni
Network with other institutions and faculty
Leverage academic events
Advertise in professional journals and conferences
Develop promotional materials

Check out the Graduate School’s recruitment event listings for 2021-22, as well as archived workshops and training materials for:

Graduate School Recruitment
Recruiting Students from Feeder Schools
Early Entry: Recruiting the Best from UNC Charlotte
Establishing Prospective Student Pipelines at HBCUs
Social Media Recruitment 101

For more information, please contact Maryanne Maree-Sams, MaryanneMaree-Sams@uncc.edu, Director of Graduate Recruitment.

Graduate School Offers Expert Assistance for NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

September 09, 2021 by White, Brian

Graduate School Director of Funding and Fellowships Julie Goodliffe is conducting an outreach to potentially eligible candidates to apply for an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

Dr. Goodliffe, an experienced NSF reviewer at the national level, offers live information sessions and assistance in completing the Fellowship application.

For more information, contact Julie Goodliffe, jmgoodli@uncc.edu.

Graduate Admissions System Migration Delayed

September 09, 2021 by White, Brian

Important Information – Graduate Admissions System Migration Status

Due to an unforeseen technical issue, the UNC Charlotte Graduate School is delaying migration to a new graduate admissions system. Once the new platform is ready to launch, additional information will be provided to prospective students, recommenders, graduate program directors and affiliated administrators, and the University community. Thank you for your patience as we continue to improve the user experience.

3-Minute Thesis Competition Open for Registration

September 07, 2021 by White, Brian

The Center for Graduate Life and Learning (CGLL) is now accepting registrations for this year’s 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition.

3MT provides an opportunity for researchers to sharpen public speaking skills and practice sharing research to outside audiences. The top winner this year will receive a cash award of $750 and a trip to represent the University at the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools’ (CSGS) Annual Meeting in Raleigh.

To register, please visit the CGLL’s Registration site. More details are available from the CGLL.

Ventureprise Launch Applications Due Sept. 9

September 07, 2021 by White, Brian

Applications are due Sept. 9 for the fall 2021 Ventureprise Launch National Science Foundation I-Corps Virtual Cohort.

The Ventureprise Launch program provides UNC Charlotte faculty, staff and students with commercialization training and new NSF funding up to $5,000 for a research or business idea.

This virtual cohort is designed with a tiered approach, launching on September 15. The next stage is a six-month $50,000 NSF I-Corps Teams grant.

Applications are reviewed as they are submitted, closing on Sept. 9. More information and the application form can be found on the NSF I-Corps webpage.

For questions, contact Devin Collins or Laura Smailes.

Alliance will Fund Research on COVID-19's Impact on Women and Girls

September 07, 2021 by White, Brian

The Women + Girls Research Alliance (W+GRA) announced it will provide seed funding for new or ongoing research efforts that highlight the issues that women and girls face in the workforce as a result of, or exacerbated by, COVID-19’s impact on the economy and society.

Issues may cover a variety of areas, such as:

exposure of gender-biased employment practices during COVID
disproportionate burden that the pandemic placed on single mothers
relationship between employment and housing security
over-representation of women of color in low-wage jobs, particularly front-line workers, and their increased exposure to the virus
lack of affordable childcare for working mothers

From Oct.1-15, 2021, W+GRA will accept proposals for funding in the amount of $1,000-$5,000 for projects that focus on one or both of the following:

Supporting an ongoing research project or a new research project that addresses the intersectional nature of the problem along the lines of race, class, gender, age, ability, immigrant status, language, location, access to helpful resources, and income.
Tangible projects that will support the work of the W+GRA such as conference presentations, workshops, research papers, training, or programs that address the “she-cession” and women missing from the workplace.

More details are available from the Women + Girls Research Alliance.

de Silva, First Citizen Awards Nominees Sought

September 03, 2021 by White, Brian

The Graduate School currently seeks nominations for the 2022 First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal and Harshini V. de Silva Graduate Mentor Award.

Awarded since 1988, the First Citizens Medal recognizes a senior full-time faculty member for outstanding scholarship, creativity, and/or research. Nominations may come from any UNC Charlotte faculty member. Last year’s honoree was Dr. Akinwumi Ogundiran, Department of Africana Studies.

The award includes a cash prize, framed citation and a medal. It will be presented in the spring semester at a ceremony and reception presided over by the Chancellor, officials of First Citizens Bank, the Dean of the Graduate School, and University officers.

Information on this year’s First Citizens award can be found in the Graduate School. The deadline for nominations is 5:00 pm, Nov. 13, 2021.

The 2022 Harshini V. de Silva Graduate Mentor Award, established in memory of the noted professor of biology, recognizes a full-time member of the graduate faculty who evinces outstanding graduate mentoring. Nominations should come from a chair of the academic department.

The award comes with a crystal obelisk, a framed citation, and a cash prize and will be presented in the spring semester at a ceremony and reception presided over by the Chancellor, the Dean of the Graduate School, and University officers.

Information on this year’s competition can be found in the Graduate School. The deadline for nominations is 5:00 pm November 5, 2021

CGLL to Host Atkins Library Series

September 02, 2021 by White, Brian

The Center for Graduate Life and Learning (CGLL) will host an Atkins Library Workshop Series this semester to build student awareness of the library’s spaces and resources.

It began with a Grad Student Open House Sept.1 that will be followed by two virtual workshops in September:

Atkins Library Research Fundamentals for Graduate Student Success Sept. 9 and
Atkins Library Area 49 Workshop Sept.15.

The CGLL also will host Atkins Library for two workshops on How to Use Endnote Citation Management Software, a face-to-face session Sept. 15 and a virtual session Sept. 21.

Programs to Determine Testing Requirements

August 31, 2021 by White, Brian

The Graduate Council voted unanimously on Mar. 9 to eliminate the standardized test requirement for applicants to graduate programs, beginning with the 2022 application cycle. Subsequently, on April 29, 2021, the Faculty Council also voted to support the proposal. Accordingly, graduate programs may choose to require the GRE, MAT, GMAT, MCAT, PAEP or other types of tests as part of their admission application requirements but a test is not required by the Graduate School. Additional information, including standardized test procedures and what program directors may need to consider and/or do in light of this change, is available for download.

Admissions Application and eGRAD Unavailable Sept. 8-15

August 24, 2021 by White, Brian

Graduate Admissions is transitioning to a new recruitment and admissions system (Slate) on September 15th, and mygradschool.uncc.edu AND eGRAD will be brought down on September 7th at 11:59 pm. Prospective students are being encouraged to submit their application and supporting materials on or before September 7th, else they can submit materials in the new Slate system beginning September 15th. Similarly, Graduate Program Directors are encouraged to make recommendations on all Ready for Review applications prior to September 8th or wait until after the Slate go-live on September 15th. Slate training will be available beginning September 13th, so stay tuned to GPDNet for additional details.

Between September 8th – 15th, applications and supporting materials will be migrated to Slate and prospective students for 2022 will be emailed new system credentials to access the new system on or around September 15th. Similarly, recommendation providers are being encouraged to submit references by September 7th at 11:59 pm; otherwise, they will be provided new system and login credentials for Slate on or around September 15th.

Some Doctoral Students May Get Advanced Standing

August 24, 2021 by White, Brian

Doctoral students who enter with a relevant master’s degree may be admitted to an Advanced Standing track in some doctoral programs.

In those programs offering this option, the Graduate Program Director must recommend admission to the Advanced Standing track for the term in which the student begins their graduate study.

Please send these requests to Sandra.Krause@uncc.edu.

Online Catalog Update Petitions Available

August 24, 2021 by White, Brian

Students may now submit 2021-22 catalog update requests through the Graduate Academic Petition system. As a reminder, Catalog Update petitions are automatically processed under the term in which they were submitted. This means that if you submit a Catalog Update petition during the Fall 2021 term, the student’s catalog will reflect the NEW 2021-22 catalog.

Spring/Summer 2021 Graduation Statistics

August 24, 2021 by White, Brian

Spring/Summer 2021 Graduation Statistics

The Graduate School is pleased to announce the following statistics for Spring/Summer 2021 graduation:

Spring 2021:

Docs – 99

Masters – 981

Certs – 322

Total – 1402

Summer 2021:

Docs – 43

Masters – 203

Certs – 62

Total – 308

Congratulations to our hard-working faculty and staff for moving the class through during these difficult times.

CGL Introduces New Name, Logo

August 24, 2021 by White, Brian

The Center for Graduate Life has changed its name to the Center for Graduate Life and Learning in order to better capture the breadth of our offerings. In recent years, we have expanded our professional development portfolio with new programs such as Accelerate to Industry, the Graduate School Teaching Fellowship, and the STEM Communication Fellows Program. We’ve also added several credit-bearing academic courses (under the GRAD prefix), including Leadership Essentials for Graduate Students, Navigating Graduate School, Topics in Diversity and Inclusion, and Making Dissertations Happen. Finally, we launched the Certificate in Workplace Competencies degree to help graduate students learn essential professional skills and demonstrate their career readiness to employers. Look for two new GRAD courses this spring on verbal communication and financial literacy!

Although our new name reflects a growing emphasis on professional development and academics, we’re still the same friendly, welcoming, community-building place that we’ve been since our creation in 2010! Graduate students can stop by anytime, Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 to ask questions, explore our programming, or just relax in our lounge. Later this semester we’ll be moving to a newly renovated space in Atkins Library, directly across from the University Career Center. You can follow construction updates on our Instagram, Linkedin, and Youtube accounts.

EducationUSA Global Guide Now Available

August 20, 2021 by White, Brian

The 2021 EducationUSA Global Guide and COVID supplement are available on the EducationUSA website and are also uploaded to GPDNet.

The Global Guide provides detailed information on current recruitment trends, country highlights and government scholarships written by experts on the ground. The Global Guide also provides statistics on in-person and virtual outreach, along with tips on the best means of communication with students from the region.

EducationUSA has also published a supplement to the Global Guide which offers guidance to higher education institutions formulating recruitment plans and developing strategies to engage prospective international students in light of the ongoing global health crisis.

Access the EducationUSA Global Guide and COVID supplement from EducationUSA and on GPDNet under the Graduate School Data tab.