Untitled Document

Date: Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:22:09 -0400
From: Jane Waters <jewaters@mtu.edu>
To: acadforum-l@mtu.edu
Subject: Graduate Tuition + Stipend Changes

All - In January 2007, Michigan Tech's Executive Team charged a group with
examining university policies related to graduate tuition and stipends. The
final report was presented to the Executive Team in May, 2008. The Executive
Team accepted the report and will be discussing it with the Board of Control
at the Board's upcoming meeting. It is the Graduate School's intention to put
all but one of the recommendations into place for Fall 2008. The one
recommendation that will not be implemented was associated with a cost of
approximately $1M per year. The changes should help students move through their
degree programs more easily, and should provide financial assistance to students
who are conducting full-time research as well as advisors who are supporting
those students using external funds.

The key changes planned for implementation this fall are outlined below.
The entire report is available on the President's website at:
www.mtu.edu/mtuonly/reports/

If you have any comments or questions, please let either me (Jackie Huntoon)
or Nancy Byers Sprague (in the Graduate School) know. We will try to
answer any questions or address any concerns.

Key changes:

Tuition -
1) PhD students who have completed both exams and have completed all
required courses for their degree can move into full-time research-only
mode. These students will be charged a new tuition rate (= to 1/3 of the
normal graduate tuition rate).
2) MS students who have completed all required courses and the required
number of credits for their degree can also move into full-time
research-only mode and pay the new research tuition rate.
Purpose is to provide assistance to faculty who are supporting graduate
researchers on external funds, assist self-supported students who wish
to be full-time, and international students who must be full time for
reasons related to immigration.

Stipends - (changes to the minimum support levels only)
1) Entering PhD students lacking an MS degree will be paid at the MS
level (current students are "grandfathered")
2) PhD students who have passed their first exam (e.g.,
qualifying/comprehensive) will receive an increase of $250/semester
3) PhD students who have passed their second exam (e.g.,
candidacy/proposal defense) will receive an additional $250/semester
Purpose is to encourage students to complete required milestones and
move into research-only mode in a timely manner

Degrees -
1.Graduate faculty associated with PhD-offering programs should consider
offering an "MS-on-the-way" to PhD students who have completed
requirements for an MS and do not already possess an MS in the
discipline. PhD research proposals (used for students' proposal defense
exam) could potentially be considered a "report" for report-option MS
degrees. PhD students who take many courses could potentially use those
courses for a coursework-only MS degree.
Purpose is to encourage the growth of graduate research.

Continuous Enrollment -
1. Allow students who must take a "time-out" due to extenuating
circumstances or lack of available online courses (for students in
online or blended degree programs) to register for a no-fee section of
UN5951.
2. Eliminate UN5952.
3. All students must continue to be enrolled continuously, now for a
minimum of 1 credit whether on or off-campus. Off-campus students will
not be charged fees.
Purpose is to eliminate fee for UN5951, eliminate the 0.25 credit course
UN5952, standardize the required minimum enrollment, and reduce the
financial incentive for students to leave campus prior to completing
their degrees.

--
Jacqueline E. Huntoon, Ph.D.
Dean of the Graduate School
Michigan Technological University
411A Administration Building
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931
Email: jeh@mtu.edu
Voice: 906.487.2327
Fax: 906.487.2284