Two online mentoring sessions set for August are already full.
Additional sessions have been scheduled for October 1 & 2 (9:30 – 12:30 each day) and January 13 & 14 (9:30 – 12:30 each day).
The Center for Graduate Life has introduced a New Graduate Student Onboarding Portal to help prepare incoming graduate students for their move to Charlotte and a successful transition to graduate school.
The site includes the basics they’ll need to get started, with information on everything from finding an apartment to parking passes to course selection. Additional information on academic tools and campus offices that support graduate student success will be added to the portal by mid-August.
Representatives from the UNC Charlotte Graduate School participate in several recruitment fairs each year. These fairs present great opportunities to connect with prospective students.
Graduate Admissions maintains a spreadsheet of current opportunities available to UNC Charlotte faculty and staff. Please contact MaryanneMaree-Sams@uncc.edu for more information.
Admitted students physically located in embargoed countries like Iran may not be allowed to take fall semester classes online, according to John Jacob, Facility Security Officer and Export Control Officer in Research and Economic Development.
“The Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) considers (online courses) a service to that country/individual that requires a export license from OFAC for a student to take an online class from an embargoed country,” Jacobs said.
Additional information on the policies guiding delivery of online coursework will be shared as it becomes available.
Newly admitted non-resident graduate students recently were sent information from Residency Compliance Manager Brenda Sawyer outlining steps needed to qualify as a resident for tuition purposes.
A sample of the Residency message is available for download.
Questions on residency should be directed to the Residency Determination Service (RDS) at 844-319-3640, rdsinfo@ncresidency.org or to Brenda Sawyer, Brenda.Sawyer@uncc.edu
The International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) issued new guidance for international students after ICE/SEVP rescinded policies issued July 6 governing participation in online classes.
The full text of the ISSO statement sent to students via email is available for download.
The UNC System Office will host an online workshop on Designing Effective Online Courses July 20. The workshop is free, but space is limited, and registration is required. Learn more and register.
The material will be aimed at instructors who have minimal proficiency leading online learning environments, but experienced instructors will also find new tips, hot topics, and useful activities.
The two-week session begins on July 20. Participants can finish the work at their own pace, but are encouraged to complete the program by July 31.
Learn More: The syllabus provides additional detail. Visit the Digital Learning Initiative website to register.
Please forward questions to Dr. Jim Ptaszynski, Vice President for Digital Learning.
The Office of Undergraduate Research is recruiting faculty to participate in the OUR Scholars and Federal Work Study (FWS) Research Assistant Program through July 24.
The two programs provide research experience, mentorship and professional development. Faculty are invited to submit a research project to be paired with an undergraduate student for the 2020-2021 Academic Year.
The OUR scholars program will include eight OUR scholars each in the fall and spring semester. There is no cap on the FWS Research projects. Projects will be selected based on faculty members’ mentorship record and breadth of research experience that will be provided to the students.
To get involved, please complete the form for 2020-2021 Call for OUR Academic Year Research Opportunities.
For more information, please contact Erin R. Banks, ebanks10@uncc.edu.
UNC Charlotte graduate admissions staff will host online sessions in July to explain the basics about applying for a graduate certificate. Scheduled July 15 and July 28, the webinar will provide a general overview of funding, fellowships, financial aid, and assistantships..
Included in the session will be information on one of the newest graduate certificates, Workplace Competencies.
A graduate certificate provides specialized training in a particular academic and/or occupational area and can augment professional skills to help advance the career. See the range of graduate certificates on the Graduate School’s Programs web page.
Webinar Dates:
July 15, 2020 1:00-2:00 pm EST WebEx
July 28, 2020 12:00-1:00 pm EST WebEx
The Council on Graduate Schools (CGS) released a statement expressing concern with the recent guidance from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program regarding international students’ participation in online courses.
Read the full statement from the CGS.
In a memo to UNC Charlotte leaders, the International Student and Scholar Office (ISSO) addressed guidance for F-1 students from the the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued by news release July 6.
The ISSO memo is available for download.
The original SEVP news release is available from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
We have started summer graduation pre-clearance. Please review DegreeWorks to ensure your summer graduates have satisfied all degree requirements.
Resources for planning for the Fall 2020 reopening are available on the Office of the Provost website. This includes new information about faculty training and classroom technology upgrades, as well as FAQs related to course delivery.
In the 2019-2020 report from the Graduate Ombuds, the challenges students face are changing and growing more complex.
Bruce Taylor, Ph.D., serves as the Graduate Student Ombuds. In his report to the Graduate School, Taylor noted that the per student time spent in consultation increased slightly over the previous year owing to increased complexity of consultations. He said the more complex situations involve interpersonal challenges among students or between a student and a faculty member. This type of situation represents 44 percent of the cases in the past year.
“The COVID-19 pandemic brought some new concerns—access to campus services and labs, changing expectations for graduate assistantships and changes to the content and format of dissertations,” Taylor said. “However, many of the concerns continued to center around relationships with faculty mentors and programs.”
A summary of the Ombuds Report is available for download.
Distance Education has introduced a new tuition and fee structure for out of North Carolina non-resident students.
The Distance Education Out-of-NC Non-Resident Tuition Rate Fact Sheet is available for download.
More on Distance Education Tuition and Fees can be found at Niner Central.
At the outset of the pandemic, with testing centers closed around the world, Graduate Program Directors were given autonomy to waive testing requirements for summer/fall 2020 applicants. Given the ongoing challenge for people to access physical testing centers, and/or the lack of personal equipment and settings to sit for an online test, coupled with significant financial challenges, many programs are considering waiving the standardized test requirement for 2021 applicants.
To address these challenges and opportunities and brainstorm viable alternatives, join Associate Dean Johnna Watson and Director of Graduate Admissions Kathy Giddings for a Zoom meeting on: Wednesday, July 8, at 11 AM.
Meeting ID: 976 7162 5105
Password: 6vywP3
The required cut-off date for applying any RDS determination has been extended from 30 to 45 days from the start of term for fall 2020 through spring 2021. The change was made to allow for adjustments to Census Day reporting in the wake of COVID-19.
The changes were outlined in a letter from Kimberly van Noort, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer for the UNC System. The letter is available for download.
