C1.5 Recommended Departmental Retention Efforts
Updated: August 31st, 2011
• Seek and obtain federal and private funding to provide fellowships and research assistantships to support a diverse student population through each stage of students’ academic careers. Adequate funding is critical to a student’s ability to complete a graduate program.
• Establish an effective communications network to disseminate departmental and University information (for example, fellowship deadlines) to all students.
• Provide social networking events for all students and faculty in your department (monthly receptions, weekly teas, etc.).
• Establish a procedure to monitor all students’ progress each semester or on an annual basis.
• Provide research opportunities.
• Establish an effective mentoring program within your department. Identify faculty and senior graduate students who understand and appreciate the unique difficulties that students from diverse backgrounds might face; ask them to serve as mentors to incoming students.
These recommendations by no means exhaust the list of creative retention efforts in which your department can involve itself. If you would like to discuss additional ideas for your department, please contact the Graduate Diversity Program at 643-6010, grad.diversity@berkeley.edu).
The GDP Program Director is available to assist students undergoing difficult issues pertinent to advancement and retention. All consultations are kept confidential.
See All Topics in the Category: C. Diversity, Guide to Graduate Policy
