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February 3, 2006

Graduate Students

Graduate assistants’ tuition discussed

The GSS hopes to give discounts to some science and engineering students.

Story by: I’sha Gaines

The Shorthorn staff

The Graduate Student Senate met Thursday to discuss tuition discounts, waivers and grants for science and engineering doctoral students who are graduate research assistants.

Collins Watson, senate president and biochemical engineering graduate student, said the senate is trying to offset tuition costs because the state mandated that graduate students pay $50 per credit hour more than undergraduate students and because federal funding is declining.

Provost Dana Dunn said administrators are doing what they can to alleviate the increase. She said they need the money for higher energy cost, a high quality staff and their salaries. That way, the university will be able to attract more students to pursue a doctorate and a master’s degree, she said.

“We have done research,” she said. “We don’t have the resources — we could take away things, or we can raise tuition. The rate of increases significant but minimal to moderate in terms of overall dollars.”

Watson said many top-tier universities give traditional graduate students tuition waivers and stipends if they teach or do research. He said adopting a similar policy here would be a move toward becoming a top-tier university.

Watson said that since the university is trying to become a top-tier research institution, the administration is exploring ways to move toward a similar policy. He said the university will start with science and engineering.

He said all assistants are students who assist professors in class and research, and most or all of their tuition is paid for.

Dunn said professors can cover a student’s tuition by applying for grants. She said that as the university begins to save money from the grants given, they can start applying them to other programs. She said that in another two years, they can work toward developing other ways graduate students save money.

Political science junior William Knisley said the UT System Board of Regents is reviewing a proposal that would increase tuition and convert UTA to flat-rate tuition. He said the board will also determine if the graduate school can give out merit scholarships.

“They are doing things to help and make the graduate school more attractive,” he said.

Dunn said that if the board approves the tuition proposal, the university will set aside more than a half-million dollars for financial aid and merit scholarships. She said she doesn’t know when they will be able to distribute aid because they are waiting for a decision. She hopes they can begin distributing this fall.

Dunn said that if they have the luxury of changing the proposal, they will take students’ suggestions under consideration. She said they can e-mail her or contact President James Spaniolo.

“The value of a degree is important in the future,” she said. “We want to keep it affordable to attract qualified students.”

Correction

The article should have stated that Provost Dana Dunn said federal funding for graduate students is declining.