Existing contracts for GAs should not be shortened or reduced in hours except under the most extreme circumstances. If a program wishes to change a contract for any reason, they should contact the Graduate School at gradassist@uncc.edu first to discuss. As a reminder, under this special circumstance only, GAs are eligible for Paid Administrative Leave as long as they remain on their current contract. It is critical to keep a student’s contract in place to ensure no disruption in the students’ pay. The Graduate School monitors any change or cancellation of a graduate assistantship.
Graduate School News
Being Timely in Recruitment
With closures to many testing centers around the world, particularly in China, we encourage holistic review of available application materials for 2020 summer and fall applicants. In light of required English language proficiency and testing center closures abroad, Graduate Admissions is investigating the possibility of using a Remote English Proficiency Assessment tool on an interim basis. Stay tuned on more information.
Of utmost importance is the timely review of application materials for applicants so they may be nominated for graduate assistantships and funding prior to the April 15th National Signing Day. If you need assistance with the review process, please contact Graduate Admissions.
With your help, we can enroll the 2020 fall class. If you don’t already, please consider the following:
- Communicate regularly with your applicants and enrolled students
- Help new and continuing students connect to your program in multiple ways (FacebookLive events, emails, chats, WebEx, phone calls)
- Encourage all students who are ‘eligible to enroll’ to do just that~
- Offer virtual Information Sessions for prospective students as well as applicants offered admission (Graduate Admissions can help!)
- Explore resources to support Graduate Enrollment Management online at: https://egem.charlotte.edu
- Make timely recommendations for admission, funding, and assistantships
- Support continuing students in new, creative ways, as necessary
CTL Resources Boost Teaching During Crisis
The Center for Teaching and Learning has developed an extensive resources to help faculty remain productive during crisis.
Included are a worksheet to help develop a continuity plan for courses and tips for staying productive while working remotely.
Learn more by visiting the CTL’s website
GPDNet Will Serve as Resource During Coronavirus Pandemic
In the coming days, the UNC System and our Chancellor will be issuing guidance as to how various units work through the coronavirus pandemic. We do plan to operate under the guidance provided.
Please know that GPDNet will be an active resource for the most up-to-date information regarding Graduate School process and policy. Our goal is to be as flexible as possible with graduate students and faculty when it comes to graduate enrollment management, graduate academic affairs and graduate student affairs. Next week we will launch an FAQ here on GPDNet as a new resource. We will also send out email blasts to our GPD/C audience as warranted by changes and updates. Once again, please bookmark GPDNet, and use the Comments box below if you have questions you’d like answered by Graduate School staff.
ETS to Offer GRE, TOEFL Online; IELTS Posts Closings
ETS announced this week they are implementing a secure online GRE and TOEFL® testing solution to allow students in some areas affected by the coronavirus outbreak to take the test from home until test centers reopen.
In a related move, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) has published a list of testing centers that have been temporarily closed and is encouraging students who are ill to stay away.
ETS said, in a published statement, “We are targeting this solution to be introduced by the end of March in selected locations outside Mainland China. ETS is also working closely with the relevant government agencies in Mainland China on ways to launch this solution there as soon as possible.”
For updates on testing, visit IELTS or check “Important Updates” on the ETS website.
Natl. Society of Black Engineers Postpones Meeting
Concerns over the spread of coronavirus has delayed the annual convention of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), originally planned for San Antonio in late-March. The event will be rescheduled.
Another recruiting opportunity will be available when the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) holds its annual conference in September. The conference will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando Sept. 21-24.
For updates on both conferences, please visit NSBE and NOBCChE.
Free Graduate Courses Available Thanks to Tuition Waiver
The Graduate School will conduct an information session March 18th from 12-1 pm for University employees who wish to pursue their graduate education. Graduate School staff will explain the easy application process, and share information about the tuition waiver and free textbook rental programs. The session will be held in Cato 248.
Full-time employees can take three classes per year, tuition free. Additionally, employees can apply easily apply for admission as a post-baccalaureate (non-degree) student, without standardized tests, transcripts, or recommendation requirements.
To reserve your seat, complete the online registration.
Data Science Summer Funding Available for Faculty
The School of Data Science is accepting research proposals through Mar. 15 for summer 2020 funding.
This grant opportunity provides up to $30,000 per award for UNC Charlotte and partnering faculty and researchers. Proposals must be submitted by teams composed primarily of UNC Charlotte researchers.
Proposals must be submitted as one single PDF via email to jhertel@ucc.edu. For more information, visit the School of Data Science.
Student Volunteers Sought for Discovery Place Partnership
The Office of Undergraduate Research, the Graduate School and other community partners will be celebrating the exciting research that is happening at UNC Charlotte through a partnership with Discovery Place Science. We are recruiting both undergraduate and graduate students to present their research at this event. The event will take place at Discovery Place Science on Wednesday, April 1, 2020 from 10 am-1 pm.
For more information on this event or how to sign up, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Research, 704-687-5316, or undergradresearch@uncc.edu. Students can also sign up online at Discovery Place Science Participation Form.
The call for participation for this event will close on February 10, 2020.
Young Named to National Board
Aura Young, Assistant Director of Professional Development and Doctoral Support for the Graduate School, recently was named to the board of the U.S. Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Association (USETDA).
USETDA is a non-profit association that develops and disseminates best practices information for electronic thesis and dissertation submission.
Young has led thesis and dissertation administration for UNC Charlotte since 2017. She holds a master’s degree from Duke University and a PhD from Yale University.
Perez Quinones Honored by the Association for Computing Machinery
Dr. Manuel Perez Quinones, College of Computing and Informatics (CCI) professor and Graduate School Faculty Fellow, was named a Distinguished Member by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) for his outstanding contributions to computing education.
For more information, please visit the College of Computing and Infomatics.
Florence Martin Takes GPD Leadership Award
Dr. Florence Martin, Education Leadership, is the recipient of the inaugural Thomas L. Reynolds Leadership Award for excellence in graduate program administration. She is a professor in Learning, Design and Technology, Graduate Program Director (GPD) of the Post-Master’s Certificate of University and College Teaching and Program Coordinator of the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Learning, Design and Technology.
For more information on Dr. Martin and the Graduate Program Leadership Award, please view Recent News on the Graduate School website.
DOE Rescinds Gainful Employment Regulations
On June 28, the Federal Student Aid office of the U.S. Depart of Education (DOE), issued a notification that a “rule rescinding the Department’s gainful employment regulations” would be published in the Federal Register.
The new rule includes instructions for how institutions can do should they choose early implementation.
Institutions that do not early implement the rule are expected to comply with the 2014 rule until the rescission becomes effective on July 1, 2020.
To read the entire memo, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.
De Silva Mentor Receives International Education Award
Dr. Chuang Wang, Professor of Educational Research and 2018 recipient of the 2018 Harshini V. De Silva Graduate Mentor Award, was recently selected to receive the UNC Charlotte’s 2019 International Education Faculty Award.
More information on Dr. Wang’s latest award can be found in the Academic Affairs Weekly Digest.
2018-19 TA Awards Presented
Yuehan Shao, Ph.D., Applied Mathematics, and Katie Wilkers, MS, Kinesiology, were named Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistants (TA) for 2018-19.
More information on the awards can be found in Graduate School News.
First Citizens Award Goes to Org Science Researcher
UNC Charlotte Chancellor’s Professor Steven Rogelberg is the 2019 recipient of the First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal, UNC Charlotte’s most prestigious faculty award in recognition of excellence in research. He was honored formally at an awards ceremony Tuesday, April 2, at the Harris Alumni Center at Johnson Glen.
Read more on Inside UNC Charlotte.
First-Time International Graduate Enrollment Beats National Trend
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) recently released its annual International Graduate Admissions Survey report, revealing a second consecutive year of decline in international graduate applications in the U.S.
Nationally, the 240 colleges and universities participating in the survey had a 4% decline in international graduate applications, and a 1% decline in first-time enrollment from 2017-18. For the same period, UNC Charlotte’s international graduate applications declined 21%, while first-time enrollment actually increased by almost 15%.
CGS attributed the slowdown in international graduate applications to “uncertainty over U.S. visa policies, political rhetoric regarding immigration and strained relations with China.” Hardest hit fields were engineering, physical and earth sciences and public administration and services.
“UNC Charlotte is a great place for international students to call home,” said Johnna Watson, Associate Dean for Graduate Enrollment. “They choose us because of our stellar faculty and graduate programs, but also because of the warm welcome provided by the entire University community and the City of Charlotte.”
More information on the study is available from the Council of Graduate Schools.
Veterans’ Fellowship Named for Donor, Rules Changed
The Graduate School’s Veterans Scholarship, an $18,000 GPD-nominated grant, was recently named in honor of Commander F.M. (Mike) Reynolds, a Graduate School donor and brother of Associate Provost and Graduate School Dean Tom Reynolds.
Commander Reynolds retired from the U.S. Navy after more than 30 years of service. During the Vietnam War, he served as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Impervious, a minesweeper operating along the coast of South Vietnam and later in the Gulf of Tonkin. During his tour as C.O., Reynolds earned the nickname “Iron Mike” for his steadfast service, fearless dedication to duty, and unwavering leadership under the most arduous conditions of war.
“The University of North Carolina at Charlotte recognizes the many sacrifices our veterans made while serving our country,” Dean Reynolds said. “This scholarship was established to provide the opportunity for veterans to continue their higher education to become the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to the service of others.”
The Reynolds Veteran’s Scholarship is open to military veterans from any branch of service and admitted to any master’s or doctoral degree program at UNC Charlotte.
In addition to the name change, the first year of this scholarship is service-free. In the second year, the student has the option to hold an assistantship (TA or RA) or continue with the service-free award.
Details on this and all other fellowship opportunities are available on the Graduate School’s Fellowships page.
New Additions, New Roles for Graduate School Staff
Katherine Hall-Hertel, Associate Dean, Graduate Academic and Student Affairs, today announced staff changes and realigned duties in the Graduate Academic and Student Affairs work groups.
Sandy Krause joins the Graduate Academic Affairs group as Assistant Dean, Academic Services. She will oversee the graduation process and will manage policy exceptions, including those submitted through petitions. Sandy joins the Graduate School from the College of Computing and Informatics where she was Program Coordinator.
Janet Morse, formerly Project Manager-DegreeWorks, has an expanded role that includes day-to-day responsibility for graduation clearance in addition to her existing role supporting DegreeWorks. Janet assumes the position of Associate Director previously held by James Birkett, who now is pursuing his Ph.D. at N.C. State University.
Portions of Birkett’s former role will be distributed among other staff members:
- Aura Young and Julie Green now share formatting responsibilities; Julie Green will work with master’s thesis students, while Aura Young will coordinate doctoral student services, as well as post-doctoral programs. Julie will continue to manage the Graduate School’s annual Fellowship competitions.
- Michelle Hypki, who joined the Graduate Academic Affairs team several months ago, will manage petitions and student records.
On the Student Affairs side of the house, Dr. Jill Huerta became director for the Center for Graduate Life (CGL) early in July. Jill is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day management of the CGL. Coren O’Hara continues as Associate Director and Dan Jones recently joined the team as Events and External Relations Associate, managing both areas for the Graduate School.
For more information, contact the Graduate School at 704-687-5503.
2018 Grad Ed Summit Planned
Mark your calendar for the GPD Graduate Education Summit, Sept. 14, 9-12 in the Lucas room, Cone University Center.This year’s summit will focus on plans to improve graduate education in the coming year and provide an opportunity to raise questions and issues for discussion.
