Thursday, October 18, 2012

Graduate Student Life Initiative

McMaster University has once again stepped up to the plate where graduate students are involved, starting up the Graduate Student Life Initiative. The brainchild of the Graduate Student Services Committee, comprised of individuals from Student Affairs, Graduate Studies, and the Graduate Students' Association,the goal is to determine the needs of graduate students and develop a framework to meet those needs. Prompted by feedback from a survey conducted by the Student Success Centre, key areas of concern have been identified, such as time management skills; academic support; and employment and career advice. Two years ago, McMaster created the position of assistant dean of Graduate Student Life and Research Training, the first of its kind at a Canadian university. That position is currently filled by Peter Self. Graduate student enrolment at the university currently stands at over 4,000 students, an increase of over 75% since 2000. But McMaster has made it clear that the management and servicing of this growing student population is a key priority, along with recruitment efforts, setting a great example for other Canadian universities to follow. Let's hope that they do.

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