[Plsfaculty] Results of graduate admissions survey

[Betsy Arnold]

Dear colleagues,

Thank you to all who participated in our survey regarding philosophy and
practice in graduate admissions.

A total of 25 responses were recorded. Of these, 11 selected option A
(admission decision can be decoupled from funding in special cases); 5
selected option B (admission decision can be decoupled from funding in
special cases, with strongly worded letters indicating expectations); and 9
selected option C (admission must be coupled with funding in all cases).
The results suggest that we have a variety of perspectives in the School,
but also provide a fairly clear statement that there is widespread support
for, in special cases, decoupling admission decisions from funding
guarantees (16:9).

Comments from faculty were particularly insightful and merit further
discussion. In the aggregate they suggest that if such a 'special cases'
policy were implemented, it would indeed be a 'special case only' situation
and would not lead to blanket treatment of applications. Such steps would
only be taken following careful discussion with the PI/putative advisor,
and this policy would not be forced on any faculty member. Several faculty
members are strongly opposed to options A or B; several faculty are equally
strongly opposed to C.

Your GSPC will discuss this at our next meeting and will welcome the chance
to work with faculty toward a policy that serves our two graduate majors.
We'll keep everyone appraised of our progress and will welcome input. Our
recommendation will go forward to the School Director for a final decision.

Thank you again for sharing your perspective.

Betsy


-- 
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A. Elizabeth (Betsy) Arnold
School of Plant Sciences
The University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721

http://arnoldlab.net
arnold at ag.arizona.edu
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