Graduate Student Funding Model Task Force
Task Force Activity Paused
The task force has temporarily paused its activities to ensure Penn State fully complies with state unionization laws administered by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, as graduate assistants have filed a petition to unionize. The University remains committed to open dialogue, and the task force believes this pause is important to respect the potential intersection between its efforts and future collective bargaining discussions.
The Graduate Student Funding Model Task Force is a University-wide task force that seeks to explore graduate student funding models and and propose a new model for Penn State to adopt in the future. Convened in the spring 2024 semester by Levon T. Esters, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School, the task force has several subgroups and goals.
Overview
In the evolving landscape of higher education Penn State needs to develop a comprehensive funding model that ensures equitable financial support for graduate students. As such, the Graduate Funding Model Taskforce is being established to respond to this growing need for a more effective funding model for graduate students. The increasing financial burden on students resulting from general inflation and increasing housing costs in State College and surrounding areas necessitates us to take action to reassess and redesign existing funding structures.
The Graduate Funding Task Force is charged with comprehensively examining the current state of graduate student funding within the University and formulating recommendations to enhance the financial support, stipends, and benefits provided to graduate students. The task force will address various aspects of graduate student funding, including but not limited to the utilization of general funds, stipend levels, full support packages, internal and external fellowship programs, funding efficiencies, HR processes tied to graduate student assistantship and fellowship appointments, and the development of policies and guidelines.
Additionally, the Graduate Funding Task Force will align its efforts closely with existing University initiatives and strategic plans to ensure alignment with broader institutional goals. By integrating with the University's overarching efforts, the task force aims to ensure that the Graduate School and graduate programs most effectively serves its role as an integral component of the academic ecosystem. This alignment will foster synergy between graduate student funding strategies and other University initiatives, enhancing the overall coherence and effectiveness of our institutional framework.
Goals
- Review graduate funding and support packages to improve financial support for students.
- Develop a scalable and sustainable graduate funding model for graduate students.
- Perform a thorough examination of existing policies and guidelines regarding graduate funding to develop recommendations for updated ones in line with a new funding model.
Membership
The task force comprises twenty-one faculty members, students, and staff members from different colleges, campuses, and graduate programs.
Subgroups
- Data Gathering for Current State
- General Education/Policies
- Benchmarking
- Communications & Engagement
- Student Advisory Board