welcome to the april general assembly!. announcements

Welcome to the April General Assembly!

Announcements

CWRU Psychology ClinicGender Researchers Meet & Greet

- April 23rd, 5-7:30 pm (Women’s Center): Meet & greet for all the

gender researchers on campus;

- Find interdepartmental coauthors, faculty members to sit on

your committee, and social support from other researchers

interested in similar topics!

- I’m collecting contact information for everyone who studies

gender (graduate students & faculty) so that I can invite them,

please let me know who in your department studies gender issues.

GSS Year-End Celebration

ALL senators and executives are invited. If you have not received

an invitation, please let Queenie know at [email protected]

GSS Year-End Celebration

Three awards will be presented: an Outstanding Senator,

Outstanding Executive and Graduate Student Organization of the

Year.

• Outstanding Senator – selected by GSS executive board (3/23)• Outstanding Executive – selected by GSS senators (Please fill

out the ballots during GA today and give them to Queenie before

you leave.)• Outstanding Graduate Student Organization – SAL/ Tirth

Graduate & Professional Student Appreciation WeekGPSAW 2015: Schedule- https://students.case.edu/events/gpsaweek/

• Kick-Off Pizza Party- April 6th 12-1:30pm- Free! Please pass on to constituents!- Need volunteers.• 19 awesome events from partners across campus!• 26 special deals when you show you ID (Arts, culture, enter-

tainment, fitness, food and retail)

https://students.case.edu/events/gpsaweek/

https://students.case.edu/events/gpsaweek/

Alumni Networking Night

RSVP Online!

“How to Network” THIS Friday at 12:30Clapp Hall

Activities Committee Update

Melody Maxson

Health & Wellness Committee Update

Stacey Chung

Student Medical Plan Updates

• Dental Plan (Aetna or Discounted option)• Vision plan (discounted)• Integrate Pharmacy & Medical Plan (no more CVS caremark)• Out of pocket max (TBD; currently $5000)• Trying to see if Co-insurance or Co-pay can be adjusted• Deductible is still $100• Will update website• https://students.case.edu/health/

University Counseling Services

- Perception & Awareness

- Appointments- UCS (Sears building) & UHS

- Tiers based on urgency

- Ways to improve graduate student mental health &

wellness

- https://students.case.edu/counseling/

Athletics Facility

- Kristin Conway, Athletics Facilities Supervisor

[email protected]

- Suggestion Box

- Upcoming:

- Remodeling website

- Install directories in Veale

- Intramural sport hours

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

CWRU Psychology ClinicNew Graduate Student Alumni Mentorship Program Launch

- Recruitment update:• 57 graduate students

applied to be mentees• 46 alumni applied to be

mentors- Matching soon- Standardize workflow for

the program

CWRU Psychology ClinicGSS Resolution 2015.01Travel and Research Funding

Why?• Graduate students at CWRU best represent the university by

presenting at leading national and international conferences in

their fields.• Quality research funding is key to scholarly impact and progress

toward degree.• More than 2/3 of our peer institutions are offering better travel

and / or research funding from the university level.• Students with lower stipends receive less support for travel and

research.


• What?• University leadership leads the major fundraising offices in

developing new and enhanced sources for funding graduate

student travel and research.• Graduate students will have voting membership on any task force

assigned to improving travel and research funding.• Equitable availability of new funds. No negative impact on

students.• Ambitious goal: top third in three years, leader among peers in six

years.

CWRU Psychology ClinicAppendix A: CWRU compared with twelve peer institutions

1. Emory University

2. Duke University

3. Carnegie Mellon University

4. Brandeis University

5. New York University

6. Vanderbilt University

7. Northwestern University

8. University of Rochester

9. Johns Hopkins University

10. CWRU

11. Washington U, St. Louis

12. Syracuse University

13. University of Chicago

* Rankings are based on inexact comparison because each university funds differently. Determining factors included size of travel and research awards, frequency with which students can access awards during their careers, and availability of awards to aid students in disciplines that, at CWRU, tend to receive less departmental assistance for travel and research.

CWRU Psychology ClinicAppendix B: Funding at CWRU*Data taken from GSS stipend survey.

Travel Funding by School:

1. Engineering

2. Biomedical Sciences

3. Arts & Sciences

4. MSASS

5. Nursing

6. Weatherhead

*Significant gap between top two and bottom four schools.

Funding and Stipend Size:

• Statistically significant correlation between stipend size and travel / research funding. (Higher stipends = more funding; lower stipends = less funding.)

• Stipends perceived to be less competitive correspond to higher need to use stipends to cover travel expenses.

CWRU Psychology ClinicAppendix C: Recent Actions Taken By GSS

1. Spring 2014: Expanded Verhosek Fund travel grant to $250

by shifting $50 for thesis binding toward travel funding.

2. Spring 2014: Voted to increase student activity fee (0.1% of

tuition credit hour, roughly $1) to enhance V-Fund

endowment.

3. Fall 2014: Contributed $10,000 of 2013-14 budget surplus to

V-Fund principal.

4. Spring 2015: Requested modifications to SGS Travel Award.

(Eliminate $1,000 international option; Distribute award over

three separate terms for greater accessibility.)


VOTE! Yes or No

Based on March 16, 2015 meeting with university leaders,

there is a strong indication that this resolution will be

supported and acted upon by the President, the Provost, and

the School of Graduate Studies.

Questions? Email Ray Horton, GSS VP

[email protected]

Stipend Survey Report and GSS Resolution on Stipends: Acknowledgements—THANK YOU!

• Nirmala Lekhak (TF)• Melody Maxson (TF)• Michael Bane (TF)• John Baden (TF)• Imre Treufeld (TF)• Katherine Schaub (TF)• Jenny Birkrant (TF)• Hannah Bergman (Vol)• Claire Wallace (Vol)• David Bradley (Vol)• Alex Uzdavines (Vol)• Chantal Van Esch (TF)• Christine May (TF)• Nick Stauner (Vol)

• GSS O&A Chair Tirth Bhatta• GSS President Queenie Cheong• GSS VP Ray Horton• GSS CAS Exec Shu Situ• SAO Assoc. Director Jennifer Brown• SAO Director Colleen Barker-Williamson• Assoc. Dean Lynmarie Hamel (GS)• Director of Institutional Research Jean

Gubbins• Dean Cyrus Taylor (CAS)• Dean Charles Rozek (GS)• Deputy Provost Lynn Singer• Provost and Exec VP Bud Baeslack• President Barbara Snyder• And many more!

Stipend Survey Report and GSS Resolution on Stipends: Survey Results

• N = 699 Participants*• 598 Complete + 101 Partial • 507 Doctoral + 188 Masters + 4 Staff/Faculty• About 30% of GSS constituency

• 49.3% female, 48.5% male, 2.2% other

• Analyzed the doctoral student data only• See report for survey questions

*185 Missing removed


Table 1: Number of Doctoral Survey Participants by School

School nPercent of Participants

Percent of the Doctoral Students within that School

Arts and Sciences 203 40.0% 59.9%

Biomedical Sciences/Investigation 150 29.0% 35.6% (?)

Engineering 97 19.1% 26.9%

FPBS Nursing 24 4.7% 54.5%

Weatherhead 22 4.3% 16.9%

MSASS 11 2.2% 25%

Total 507 100%

Stipend Survey Report and GSS Resolution on Stipends: Survey ResultsTable 3: Number (Cumulative Percent within School) of doctoral students who…

Overall Arts/SciBiomed Sci/Inv. Engineering Nursing MSASS WSOM

Never received a stipend 30 (6.7%) 6 (3.3%) 5 (3.7%) 6 (7.6%) 7 (31.8%) 2 (20%) 4 (22.2%)

Stipend now $0 17 (10.5%) 6 (6.6%) 1 (4.5%) 6 (15.2%) --- --- 4 (44.4%)

$1 to $11,970 (Federal Poverty Line) 48 (21.3%) 25 (20.2%) 5 (8.2%) 4 (20.3%) 10 (77.3%) 4 (40%) ---

$11,971 to $12,500 18 (25.3%) 15 (28.4%) --- --- 1 (81.8%) 1 (50%) 1 (50%)

$12,501 to $16,826 (CWRU Undergrad Cost of Living) 47 (35.9%) 42 (51.4%) 1 (9%) 2 (22.8%) 2 (90.9%) --- ---

$16,827 to $17,194(2010 CLE Living Wage) 4 (36.8%) --- --- 4 (27.8%) --- --- ---

$17,195 to $20,000 46 (47.1%) 33 (69.4%) 1 (9.7%) 7 (36.7%) --- 3 (100%) 2 (61.1%)

$20,001 to $25,000 102 (70%) 50 (96.7%) 12 (18.7%) 33 (78.5%) 2 (100%) --- 5 (88.9%)

Above $25,000 134 (100%) 6 (100%) 109 (100%) 17 (100%) --- --- 2 (100%)


Table 6: Percentiles of doctoral students stipends amounts overall and by school

Percentile Overall

Arts & Sciences

Bio. Sciences

Engineering Nursing

MSASS WSOM

10th $6,000 $8,000 $25,000 $1,680 $6,000 $650 $025th $15,297 $12,000 $27,000 $19,000 $6,000 $3,000 $033rd $18,000 $15,000 $27,500 $20,680 $6,000 $5,880 $11,40050th $23,000 $17,500 $27,500 $24,000 $6,000 $10,740 $20,08066th $25,000 $20,000 $27,500 $25,000 $9,360 $17,640 $20,94075th $27,500 $23,000 $27,500 $25,000 $13,000 $18,000 $21,90090th $27,500 $24,000 $27,500 $29,000 $22,800 $18,000 $30,000100th $36,000 $32,000 $32,000 $36,000 $24,000 $18,000 $30,000

Note: Federal Poverty Line = $11,970; CWRU Undergrad Cost of Living = $16,826; 2010 Cleveland Minimum Living Wage Estimate = $17,194


Table 8: Comparison of Stipend Related Variables Between Schools

School Stipend Satisfaction (1-7) Mean (SD)

Stipend Mean (SD)

Stipend Competitiveness (1-4) Mean (SD)

Arts and Sciences 3.66 (1.79)AB $16,913.71 ($6,574.96)AB 1.77 (.07)A

Biomedical Sciences 4.59 (1.53)AC $26,108.98 ($5,352.50)ACD 2.14 (.66)A

Engineering 4.59 (1.51)BD $21,951.48 ($8,621.86)AB 2.09 (.73)Nursing 2.46 (2.07)CD $9,261.54 ($6,533.70)BC 1.80 (.92)MSASS 3.50 (1.92) $13,500.00 ($5,744.56)D 2.00 (.82)WSOM 4.45 (1.70) $17,836.36 ($10,108.84)C 2.00 (.94)Similar superscripts in the same column denote significant differences between those two schools.


• Higher stipends linked to…• Greater satisfaction with research progress• Higher motivation to succeed with:

• Professional achievements• Research progress

• Stipends are more sufficient in:• Covering basic living expenses• Helping maintain physical and psychological well-being• Helping reach professional and research goals

• Additional income/funds are less necessary to:• Cover basic living expenses• Helping maintain physical and psychological well-being• Helping reach professional and research goals

• Stipends perceived as more competitive• Greater satisfaction with stipends


• Higher stipend satisfaction linked to…• Greater satisfaction with

• Professional achievements • Research progress

• Stipends are more sufficient in• Covering basic living expenses• Helping maintain physical and psychological well-being• Helping reach professional and research goals

• Additional income/funds are less necessary to• Cover basic living expenses• Helping maintain physical and psychological well-being• Helping reach professional and research goals

• Stipends perceived as more competitive• Higher overall life satisfaction• Less negative mood in general


• Higher perceived stipend competitiveness linked to…• Greater satisfaction with professional development• Stipends are more sufficient in

• Covering basic living expenses• Helping maintain physical and psychological well-being• Helping reach professional and research goals

• Additional income/funds are less necessary to• Cover basic living expenses• Helping maintain physical and psychological well-being• Helping reach professional and research goals

• Higher overall life satisfaction


• Over 7% use stipend to pay for tuition

• Over 22% have stipends that end before expected graduation

• Over 70% of students report supplementing their stipend income

• Over 70% consider this to be “Some” to “Completely” necessary to meet their basic living expenses.


• The larger the program is…• The higher are stipends• Stipends are more sufficient in

• Covering basic living expenses• Helping maintain physical and psychological well-being• Helping reach professional and research goals

• Additional income/funds are less necessary to• Helping reach professional and research goals

• Stipend variables do not mediate any links between program size and variables re: satisfaction, motivation ,or well-being = reducing program size is not an effective way to increase stipends, student well-being, satisfaction, or motivation

Stipend Survey Report and GSS Resolution on Stipends: Survey Results by Program

• Results are also reported by program in the report, alongside benchmark data

• Please keep the AAUDE data confidential• A non-confidential report to be emailed out soon

• Per Grad Studies, lowest stipend• Clinical Psychology PhD (6 year program) at $12,000/year for 4 years

• Per Grad Studies, highest stipends • Biomedical Studies programs at $27,500/year

However…


• Grad Studies’ numbers for most programs only represent the 1st year.

• Students in a variety of programs report receiving less than Grad Studies listed, some even getting $0

• Stipends vary greatly by student, year/cohort, and program.


• Many programs’ 1st year stipends fall below stipends of Case’s aspirational institutions


• Several programs’ 1st year stipends fall below benchmark data:1. Anthropology PhD; MA/PhD;

PhD/MPH2. Clinical Psychology PhD3. English PhD4. History PhD5. Mathematics PhD6. Mathematics (Applied) PhD7. Music (Historical Performance

Practice) DMA8. Computer Engineering PhD9. Nursing PhD10. Bioethics PhD

11. Computing and Information Sciences PhD (for some students)

12. Electrical Engineering (for some students)

13. Systems and Control Engineering PhD (for some)

14. Design and Innovation PhD15. Designing Sustainable Systems PhD16. Probably more


• Several programs’ 1st year stipends fall below or near the 2010 minimum living wage estimate for Cleveland:1. Anthropology PhD; MA/PhD; PhD/MPH2. English PhD3. History PhD (1st year only)4. Mathematics PhD5. Mathematics (Applied) PhD6. Music (Historical Performance Practice)

DMA7. Musicology PhD (current students)8. Sociology PhD9. Bioethics PhD10. Probably more


• Several programs’ 1st year stipends fall below or near the federal poverty line:

1. Clinical Psychology PhD2. Music Education PhD3. Nursing PhD4. History PhD (after 1st year)5. Physics PhD (for some)6. Computer Engineering PhD7. Computing and Information Sciences PhD (for some)8. Electrical Engineering (for some)9. Systems and Control Engineering PhD (for some)10. Design and Innovation PhD11. Designing Sustainable Systems PhD12. Probably more


• Remember, these are first year stipends.

• More than 25% of students report losing their stipends before their program’s expected graduation.


• Qualitative results are also telling. Look at the report!• Many depend on an outside job, family, or partner’s income• At least one student is on food stamps while many others

qualify for similar government assistance• Several students are in debt, some over $100,000• Many were unaware that their stipend would decrease or be

gone altogether at some point in their program• Some students believe that all Case grad students receive the

same stipend• Most students live with a partner or roommate to split costs


• Students use a wide variety of strategies to cut costs• Most students want this issue addressed• Several reported extending their time in program due to

having to take on outside work to cover basic living expenses

Stipend Survey Report and GSS Resolution on Stipends: Survey Results Summary1. Stipends are a significant concern for many students, several

falling below competitive levels, a 2010 estimate of Cleveland minimum living wage, and even the federal poverty line.

2. Stipends are consistently linked to student productivity and well-being.

3. Students are unclear about the details of their stipends.4. Many stipends decrease or end before expected graduation.5. Reducing program size OR the stipends of other programs

are not effective means to increase stipends or maintain/improve student well-being.

Stipend Survey Report and GSS Resolution on Stipends: Resolution Purpose

• Request that the University 1. significantly increase transparency around graduate student

stipends, 2. improve competitiveness of graduate student stipends in

comparison to similar programs at other universities, 3. and identify and address graduate student stipend issues

associated with graduate student well-being and productivity.

Stipend Survey Report and GSS Resolution on Stipends: Resolutions

1. Resolved, that the university provide an annual stipend equal to or more than current estimates for minimum living wage in Cleveland (e.g., adjusted amount based on 2010 estimate $17,194) to all doctoral students until their program’s expected graduation date


2. Resolved, that for each program, the university intentionally and annually establish and provide competitive stipend amounts that support student well-being and productivity


3. Resolved, that within this process, the university first address those stipends that fall below Cleveland living wage estimates, beginning with those below or near the poverty line and those that end before their program’s expected graduation


4. Resolved, that the university ensures students are fully informed of the stipends and tuition waivers they are guaranteed to receive each year, starting when the student is made an offer to attend


5. Resolved, that the university post and annually update a publicly accessible online list of each program’s baseline stipend, range of stipend by program year, benchmark data, and years of tuition waivers


6. Resolved, that the university and graduate student government annually review stipend, tuition waiver, and benchmark data to ensure competitive stipends and tuition coverage for all programs


7. Resolved, that the university track data on applicants who do not accept offers based on stipend and tuition support and report this information to graduate student government


8. Resolved, that graduate student representatives shall be given voting membership on any university task forces and committees established for the purpose of addressing tuition and stipend funding, and that said representatives shall be appointed by graduate student government


9. Resolved, that each school’s management centers present a plan to the university and graduate student government by September 1, 2015 for how they will increase all low stipends within each school to at least minimum living wage for the Cleveland area and identify competitive stipend goals for each program within their school


10. Resolved, that any financial actions taken on behalf of this resolution will not negatively impact any other remuneration or compensation currently offered to graduate students, including stipends currently above the minimum living wage or competitive levels, nor on student enrollment, faculty employment, faculty hiring, or the funding and budgets of those departments that are currently poorly funded


11. Resolved, that this resolution be sent to the following individuals listed in the resolution

Stipend Survey Report and GSS Resolution on Stipends: Resolutions• Questions or concerns re: the resolution?• Errors to the report?

GSS Resolution 2015.02Graduate Student Stipends

VOTE! Yes or No

Based on meetings on March 11th, 16th, and 25th , 2015, with university

leaders, there is a strong indication that this resolution will be supported and

acted upon by the President, the Provost, the Deputy Provost, and the Dean

of Graduate Studies.

Questions? Contact Steffany HomolkaStipend Task Force Chair and Psychological Sciences Senator

[email protected]

Stipend Survey Report and GSS Resolution on Stipends

Thank you!

Graduate Student Council: What’s next?

- Vote passed! - GSS: 26 in favor, 7 against, 1 abstain- GPC: 22 in favor, 0 against, 0 abstain- Upcoming this month:- Recruit representatives for election- Informational event for those interested in executive positions in

Mid-April- Nominations for executive positions due one week before

elections- Elections for executive positions end of April

- More information to come soon by e-mail! - Questions, comments? E-mail [email protected]

Graduate Student Council: Student Funding and Finances Committee

• Idea brought about from the stipend, travel funding task forces of GSS

• Brought idea to GPC executive team, they want to get more information about committee purpose, bring to their constituents, but supportive of idea

• Support for idea also from GSC’s partners

• More deliberation needed, will be brought to new government

• Questions, Comments? E-mail [email protected]

New Business

• New Business– Comments on the Year?– Announcements?

• Motion to Adjourn?– Second?

welcome to the april general assembly!. announcements

Documents

program slide

retail slide

educounseling slide

eduhealth slide

clapp hall slide

outstanding executive

gss senators

outstanding senator