Priming Graduate Program Directors for Success
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The Graduate School welcomed new and continuing Graduate Program Directors (GPDs) during its inaugural GPD LAUNCH event, previously known as the 'fall welcome' for GPDs. This year's program was framed less as an informal welcome with a more robust program designed to share actionable resources and updates for the coming academic year.
The morning began with an hour long onboarding for new GPDs. Graduate Dean Katherine Reeves welcomed over 45 new program directors and provided the group with a helpful overview of the Graduate School's many support units including the Office of Professional Development, the Office of Inclusion and Engagement, the Office of Student Success, the Graduate Assistantship Office, and the new Office of Grants and Fellowships. Dean Reeves' remarks were followed up with a warm welcome from Executive Deputy Provost Michelle Budig, who spoke about the tremendous value GPDs hold in an evolving graduate education landscape.
Attendees were then given an overview of the Graduate School's support offices with an opportunity to hear from the senior leaders directing each unit. One of the highlights from this segment was the introduction of the new Office of Grants and Fellowships, directed by Heidi Bauer-Clapp. OGF has been designed with the current grant and funding landscape in mind, offering impactful guidance and support for students seeking grants and fellowships.
The Graduate School support office presentation was followed up with an official announcement from Dean Reeves. Attending, new GPDs were joined by over 30 current and experienced GPD community for this segment of the program as Dean Reeves walked through her priorities and her objectives as the head of the Graduate School. Enrollment, time to degree, and student persistence were all named as priorities for the Dean as she shared relevant data and strategies with attendees.
GPDs were then greeted by two more guest speakers, this time from beyond the Graduate School: Ryan Morse from the Office of Equal Opportunity & Access; and Ken Reade, Summer Cable, and Katie Ahlman from the Office of Global Affairs.
Morse spoke about the ways his unit works with program directors on actionable reporting of Title IX concerns, and he provided guidance on how to best navigate complicated student challenges. He also shared how essential a consistent and accessible touchpoint is for his team and their work. To that end, Morse shared ways GPDs can get in touch with his office along with actionable methods for reporting concern.
Speakers from the Office of Global Affairs then took the podium to speak candidly about the latest Duration of Status rulings and their impact on graduate education. Ken Reade opened the floor to questions and shared insight on where the ruling may land after early October, as well as how to proactively prepare for coming challenges.
GPDs were invited to enjoy light breakfast and to mingle near the end of the morning's program. As the event concluded, many program directors spoke about the valuable insights they received from this year's training, and their excitement for upcoming GPD LEAD workshops.
Our team looks forward to continued collaborations with our strong GPD community, and we thank everyone who was able to join us in late-September for our official fall kickoff.