szeri_ivy_mediumPeriodically, we in the Graduate Division ask you, the students, how we’re doing, since primarily we’re here for you.

For example, every year we ask those of you who’ve newly completed your doctorates how your experience here was and what your immediate professional plans are.  (That confidential survey gauges satisfaction with everything from financial support to the quality of graduate-level teaching and the usefulness of advice and guidance from faculty members and your department.)  Last year we held an informal Town Hall with the Graduate Dean that covered a wide band of student concerns.

In November 2012, we asked more than 2,000 of you (selected randomly) about any interactions you may have had with our key offices that provide student services, which are:

  • the Graduate Division Fellowships office;
  • the Graduate Division Degrees office;
  • the Graduate Division Appointments (student academic employment) office;
  • the GSI Teaching and Resources Center;
  • the Graduate Academic Services office;
  • the Graduate Diversity Program.

We can always count on you to be very frank and thoughtful. We were on tenterhooks waiting for your answers to arrive and be compiled, and let out a big sigh of relief when we saw the results. On average, almost 80 percent of respondents rated the offices as excellent or good.  (The star of stars was the Graduate Diversity Program, all of the rankings of which were excellent or good, with none in the fair or poor categories.)  So we’re especially glad we asked!

We’ll report more detailed survey results in an upcoming issue.

If you have yet to interact with any of these offices and are curious what they do for you, take a look at the descriptions on our website.

We’re all looking forward to helping you in any way we can.  Come by and see us!

Happy Holidays!

Andrew Szeri signature
Andrew J. Szeri
Dean of the Graduate Division