250 University Hall  |  230 N. Oval Mall  |  Columbus, OH  |  43210  |  (614) 292-6031  |  www.gradsch.osu.edu

Message from the Dean

I am pleased to report changes in registration and graduate tuition policies for post-candidacy doctoral students. Our expectation is that these changes will enhance the numbers of graduate students who can be supported on external grants while also covering the costs associated with graduate education. A top-level principle is that implementation of these changes should not have negative effects on students, including current students.

The task force formed by Provost Joe Alutto to examine graduate tuition released its report on January 30, 2008. Based upon its analysis, the task force recommended: 1) reducing the definition of full-time to three credit hours per quarter for all post-candidacy doctoral students; 2) requiring continuous academic year registration for post-candidacy doctoral students admitted Autumn Quarter 2008 or after (although leaves of absence could be requested); 3) making summer quarter registration optional starting in Summer Quarter 2009; and 4) retaining flexibility for colleges in how tuition is charged to external grants.

The provost has approved these changes to be implemented across the university starting Autumn Quarter 2008 with the understanding that the remaining implementation issues for optional summer registration in 2009 need to be worked out during the 2008-09 academic year.

There will be questions as all of us work through these changes. The Report of the Task Force on Graduate Tuition and the Charges to External Grants (January 30, 2008) contains detailed calculations regarding this change. Graduate program administrators, staff, and graduate faculty should read the full report. Please also consult the Graduate School's summary and FAQ document referenced below, and let us know if you have additional questions.

Patrick S. Osmer
Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate School

News

Full-time Status for Post-Candidacy Doctoral Students Reduced to Three Credits

Following recommendations of a task force charged with examining graduate tuition at Ohio State, Provost Joseph Alutto has approved reducing the definition of full-time status to three credit hours per quarter for all post-candidacy doctoral students. This change is effective starting Autumn Quarter 2008 and applies to current post-candidacy doctoral students. This new policy applies to post-candidacy doctoral students who are self-funded and those who are funded (graduate associates, fellows, or trainees). A detailed summary and frequently asked questions (FAQ) is available. Contact: Ann Salimbene, assistant dean, 247-7268.

Continuous Enrollment To Be Required for Post-Candidacy Doctoral Students

The new continuous enrollment policy pertains only to graduate students who begin their graduate programs Autumn Quarter 2008 or after and who have achieved post-candidacy status. Continuous academic year enrollment is not required for current doctoral students, including those who are currently post-candidacy, who began their graduate programs prior to Autumn Quarter 2008. Summer quarter registration will be optional starting in Summer Quarter 2009. Current graduate students (those who began their programs prior to Autumn 2008) are not subject to continuous enrollment post-candidacy. These students, however, must continue to meet existing Graduate School rules regarding enrollment, including post-candidacy residency requirements. A detailed summary and frequently asked questions (FAQ) is available. Contact: Ann Salimbene, assistant dean, 247-7268.

Publicize Outstanding Graduate Students at Commencement

University Relations wants to feature outstanding graduate and undergraduate students at commencement on June 8. They are looking for students who have "done something great" or have a compelling or newsworthy story to tell. These stories are also offered to media for possible wider distribution. Graduate programs are encouraged to promote their graduating graduate students. Contact: Amy Murray, assistant director, media relations, 292-8385.

Reminders When Hiring International Students

The Office of International Affairs reminds hiring departments that international students with F-1 and J-1 visa statuses are permitted to work only a cumulative total of 20 hours per week on campus. As a consequence, international students are only permitted to hold appointments that are 50 percent FTE or less. Any appointments greater than 50 percent will cause the student to fall out of legal status. Students who hold 50 percent appointments are not permitted to work any additional hours in other employment. Contact: International Students and Scholars, Office of International Affairs, 292-6061.

Recruitment

2007 Ohio State SROP Scholar  Awarded Ford Foundation Fellowship

Kenton Williams, who will graduate this week with a B.S. in mechanical engineering, has been awarded a Ford Foundation Fellowship that will support three years of his doctoral studies. In Summer 2007, Williams participated in the Graduate School's Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) and conducted research on the computer simulation of a biped robot. His Ohio State faculty mentor was Dr. Jim Schmiedeler, assistant professor in mechanical engineering. Williams plans to continue his study of robotics and bio-mimicry while pursuing his doctoral degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His Ford Fellowship will cover his annual tuition costs and will provide an additional $20,000 annual stipend.

Through its diversity fellowships program, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation's college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. The Ford Foundation Fellowship grants approximately 60 pre-doctoral fellowships each year across the United States. Contact: Cyndi Freeman, director of graduate student recruitment and diversity initiatives, 247-6377.

2008 SROP Cohort Set by Graduate School

Initiated in 1986 by the graduate deans of the Committee for Institutional Cooperation (CIC), the Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) provides intensive, faculty-mentored summer research experiences, professional development and enrichment, and participation in an annual research conference for talented undergraduates. SROP is a strategy for identifying top students among the nation’s diverse talent pools, establishing relationships with these students pools, and successfully recruiting them into graduate programs.

This year, the Graduate School has recruited over 60 Ohio State faculty from across the university to be actively engaged in the SROP program as mentors. Along with these faculty members, the Graduate School is partnering with departments to ensure that Ohio State's 54 undergraduate participants from across the country have valuable undergraduate research experiences that will successfully bridge those students into graduate programs.

The 2008 SROP cohort at Ohio State has a 3.48 average GPA. Students will engage full-time in their research for nine weeks from June through August. Of those 54 students, 25 will be conducting research in STEM fields, and 29 will be conducting research in non-STEM fields. Seven students attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and seven attend universities in Puerto Rico. Fifteen are current Ohio State students. Contact: Cyndi Freeman.

Free Recruitment Opportunity: CIC Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) Annual Research Conference

Graduate programs and graduate faculty interested in recruiting highly talented prospective graduate students are encouraged to attend the 2008 CIC Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) annual research conference at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, July 25-27. This research event brings together a diverse cohort of 600 of the nation's most promising and ambitious undergraduates who are conducting faculty-mentored research at CIC universities. Representing virtually all areas of study, SROP scholars are bound for graduate study and are drawn from colleges and universities across the country. Fifty of these scholars will be spending the summer in Ohio State's SROP program, which is directed by Cyndi Freeman, director of graduate student recruitment and diversity initiatives. There is no registration fee for faculty who wish to participate in any part of the conference. Lodging and all meals are provided. The Graduate School wants to coordinate Ohio State's participation in the conference. Contact: Cyndi Freeman.

Recruitment Materials Available for Free

The graduate student recruitment print pieces produced by the Graduate School are available for free to all graduate programs. The one-page "Graduate Study at The Ohio State University" brochure is a general recruiting tool for any prospective graduate student expressing interest in Ohio State. The four-page "Do Something Great" brochure provides detailed information for highly desirable prospective students. This brochure is best used with graduate program-specific materials. The Graduate School also has "Request for Information" contact cards, which all graduate programs are encouraged to use during recruitment events to capture prospective student information. Those cards are then forwarded to Graduate Admissions where they are entered into a prospect database. Please contact the Graduate School as far in advance as possible so we can have the appropriate number of brochures printed. Contact: Joe Papio, assistant to Cyndi Freeman, 247-6377.

Save the Date

• Ohio State Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP): Formal Research Presentations, Friday, August 15, 9 a.m.-noon.

• Ohio Science and Engineering Alliance (OSEA): Research Forum, Thursday, August 7, and Friday, August 8.

Deadlines

• Commencement: Sunday, June 8, Ohio Stadium. Visit the commencement website for more information.

250 University Hall  |  230 N. Oval Mall  |  Columbus, OH  |  43210  |  (614) 292-6031  |  www.gradsch.osu.edu