Graduate Advising Townhall
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Graduate Advising at MIT Where we are Where we should go MIT Graduate Student Council ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 The Role of Advising The most significant academic factor in the graduate student experience relationship with an advisor allows a + positive student to learn, be inspired, and feel supported relationship with an advisor causes a ─ negative student to feel unconfident, isolated ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 The Questions What is the current state of graduate advising at MIT? ask students what they think! statistical data through a survey What can we do to most effectively improve it? we already know the answers – just get students, faculty, and administrators to talk about them ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 The Goal Understand and Improve Graduate Advising » Go beyond anecdotes » Connect issues in various departments » Learn from best practices » Find new proactive solutions ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Agenda Introduction Overview of Initiative Survey Data Focus Group Highlights Next Steps Questions Dinner Social (lobby 13) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 The Goal Understand and Improve Graduate Advising » Connect issues in various departments » Learn from best practices » Go beyond anecdotes » Find new proactive solutions ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 What We Have Done So Far » GSC Subcommittee formed in Summer 2004 » Wrote letter in New Faculty Orientation Handbook on advising » Wrote letter to First-year students on How to Find an Advisor » Consulted with senior faculty and administrators throughout the process » Designed questions for 2004 Graduate Student Survey » Organized focus groups on Improving Advisor/ Advisee Relationships ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 The Process Solution-driven approach » Identified typical problems » Understood key themes related to graduate advising Improving Mentoring @ MIT Finding/Changing Advisors Understanding Mutual Work Expectations Funding Resolving Conflicts between Advisor and Students Resolving Ethical Dilemmas Concerns of Students in Transition (close to graduating) Career Advising Parallel Action » Design of survey questions » Discussions to identify potential solutions ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 About the 2004 Graduate Student Survey Included questions regarding: » Institute level support and services » Department level support and services » Awareness of research ethics » Quality of advisor-advisee relationship Encouraged participation based on intended use Sponsors: Provost’s Office (Institutional Research) Graduate Students Office (GSO) Graduate Student Council (GSC) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 About the Focus Groups Two sessions in mid-November, 1.5 hours each Charge: Brainstorm recommendations to earlyidentify and prevent potential problems related to: Improving Mentoring @ MIT Finding/Changing Advisors Understanding Mutual Work Expectations Funding Resolving Conflicts between Advisor and Students Resolving Ethical Dilemmas Concerns of Students in Transition (close to graduating) Career Advising ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 About the Focus Groups 85 participants in 8 focus groups: » 15 faculty, 25 Administrators, 45 Grad students » 25 Departments » All graduate student service Offices Collective perspective of faculty, students and administrators (first-ever!) Highlighted the difference between functioning of various departments Positive & encouraging feedback from all participants ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Participants GSC Subcommittee Members Facilitators / Scribes KRISHNAN SRIRAM MAUREEN LONG EMILIO SILVA VINAY MAHAJAN PETER RYE EMILY SLABY ERIK LARSEN ANNA MRACEK EMILIO SILVA KRISHNAN SRIRAM NICOLE TREEMAN PETER RYE SARAH SIEGEL WALEED FARAHAT ASHFAQUE KHANDEKAR NATHAN CRANE NINA TANDON BRENDEN EPPS HAYLEY DAVISON MARIA CHAN SIDDHARTHA JAIN Survey Analysis Consultants BRENDEN EPPS KRISHNAN SRIRAM NATHAN CRANE MAUREEN LONG LYDIA SNOVER RACHEL GREER Dr. MARY ROWE Dr. TAMI KAPLAN ERIK LARSEN ASHFAQUE KHANDEKAR NINA TANDON BARUN SINGH BARBARA LECHNER HAYLEY DAVISON MARIA CHAN NINA TANDON RACHEL PYTEL SOMMER E GENTRY YUE CHANG GREG HARRIS DEAN IKE COLBERT JEANNETTE GERZON 85 participants in the Focus Groups ~3,000 survey respondents ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Agenda Introduction Overview of Initiative Survey Data Focus Group Highlights Next Steps Questions Dinner Social (lobby 13) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Data from 2004 Graduate Student Survey 1. Demographics 2. What skills are important to students? 3. What training do students get and what is their satisfaction level? 4. Whom do students turn to for support? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Survey Demographics 2,960 respondents (~50% of all graduate students) Representative of student demographics Survey 33% Women 38% International Institute 30% Women 35% International ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Data from 2004 Graduate Student Survey 1. Demographics 2. What skills are important to students? 3. What training do students get and what is their satisfaction level? 4. Whom do students turn to for support? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Importance / Development of Skills Is this skill important to you? How well was this skill developed at MIT? Importance Development Critical thinking Research Communication Writing Time management Teamwork Leadership Research Ethics 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Percent of students who say "very important" or "somewhat important" "greatly" or "somewhat" developed 100% / ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Importance / Development of Skills Have you received advice/feedback on... Yes your research? preparing for candidacy examinations? publishing your work? standards of academic writing in your field? dealing with conflicts? writing grant proposals? 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Percent of students who say"yes" ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Importance / Development of Skills How satisfied are you with your training in research methods ? Very dissatisfied Generally dissatisfied Generally satisfied Very satisfied 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 23% of students are generally or very dissatisfied ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Data from 2004 Graduate Student Survey 1. Demographics 2. What skills are important to students? 3. What training do students get and what is their satisfaction level? 4. Whom do students turn to for support? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Advisor My dissertation advisor... Agree or Strongly Agree helped me secure financial support established a respectful and collegial relationship gave me constructive feedback was accessible and responsive returned my work promptly communicated expectations clearly assisted me in my employment search 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Percent of students who"Agree" or "Strongly Agree" ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Advisor Are you satisfied with your relationship with your advisor? To what extent does your advisor... show you respect very satisfied somewhat satisfied somewhat dissatisfied very dissatisfied slightly moderately considerably greatly ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Advisor Are you satisfied with your relationship with your advisor? To what extent does your advisor... show you respect very satisfied have reasonable expectations somewhat satisfied somewhat dissatisfied very dissatisfied slightly moderately considerably greatly ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Advisor Are you satisfied with your relationship with your advisor? To what extent does your advisor... show you respect very satisfied have reasonable expectations somewhat satisfied consider your concerns somewhat dissatisfied very dissatisfied slightly moderately considerably greatly ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Advisor Are you satisfied with your relationship with your advisor? To what extent does your advisor... show you respect very satisfied somewhat satisfied have reasonable expectations somewhat dissatisfied consider your concerns be open and honest about financial support very dissatisfied slightly moderately considerably greatly ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Advisor What are the best qualities of your advisor-advisee relationship? Friendly, Caring Relationship Enthusiastic and Supportive Open, Honest Communication Independence and Autonomy Respectful, Collegial Relationship Knowledgeable, Experienced Note: one respondent may articulate multiple themes Guidance and Mentoring Available and Approachable 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Number of the 626 respondents ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Advisor What do you wish your advisor had done differently? Lack of Attention or Feedback Lack of Guidance or Mentoring Unfriendly, Impersonal Relationship Not Available or Approachable Unclear Expectations Too Demanding Note: one respondent may articulate multiple themes Uninvolved or Not Supportive Disrespectful, Unprofessional Relationship 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Number of the 626 respondents ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Advisor Do you meet with your advisor often enough? Far too often Too often Just right Not enough Not nearly enough 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 33% of students say that they do not meet with their advisor enough ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Program Have you received advice on... Yes degree requirements? ethics and responsible conduct in research? developing professional contacts outside your program? academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism? searching for a job? preparing a resume or curriculum vitae? 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Percent of students who say "yes" ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Training and Advising - Program Have you received advice on... Whitaker Coll of HST ethics and responsible conduct in research? Sloan Sch of Management Science Engineering developing professional contacts outside your program? Architecture Hum, Arts & Social Sciences 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Percent of students who say "yes" ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Obstacles to progress at MIT Rate the extent to which the following factors are an obstacle to your academic progress. Cost of Living Housing Situation Program structure or reuqirements Personal relationships Work/financial commitments Availability of faculty Course scheduling Family obligations Immigration laws or regulations Attitudes toward your race / gender / nationality / religion / sexual orientation Ethical dilemmas related to authorship or collaboration 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Percent of students who say "Minor Obstacle" or "Major Obstacle" ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Institute Resources Institute Resources: Frequency of use? Quality of experience? 12 11 Use Quality Library facilities Main office of your current program 10 On-campus computer facilities 9 Dining services 8 International Students Office 7 Parking 6 Career Services 5 Graduate Students Office 4 Counseling and support services 3 2 1 Intellectual property counseling Ombudsperson's Office 0 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Percent of students who "frequently" or "occasionally" use is "excellent", "very good", or "good" 80% 90% 100% / say the quality ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Departmental Resources Department Resources: Frequency of use? Quality of experience? Use Quality Administrative staff Department reading rooms and libraries Academic advisor Department laboratory facilities Graduate student groups or associations Graduate officer Graduate support groups Department counseling / mediation services Department ombudsman 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Percent of students who "frequently" or "occasionally" use is "excellent", "very good", or "good" 80% 90% 100% / say the quality ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Whom Do You Turn To For Support? Whom do you turn to for support? Peers, friends Boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse Faculty Advisor Parent or other family member first Institute contact Department staff Other faculty Mental health service provider Graduate Students Council (GSC) Graduate Students Office (GSO) Ombuds Office 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Percent of students who say "yes" ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Agenda Introduction Overview of Initiative Survey Data Focus Group Highlights Next Steps Questions Dinner Social (lobby 13) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Focus Group Topics » Improving Mentoring at MIT » Finding / Changing Advisors » Improving understanding of mutual work expectations » Avoiding problems related to funding » Resolving conflicts between advisors and students » Ethical issues in advisor-advisee relationship » Concerns of students in transition » Career advising ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Overarching Recommendations MIT/ School Level Dept Level Faculty Level Regular graduate administrator round table discussions New faculty orientation/ training on advising Increase amount/ awareness of conflict resolution resources Standard format of student research progress assessment Departmental orientation for graduate students Separate academic and research advisor Periodic assessment of advising involving students Student Level Open communications on expectations and goals Regular research progress meetings with students Peer/ faculty/ alumni mentorship Support networks ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 1. Improving Mentoring at MIT MIT/ School level • Increase resources offered by and visibility of the GSO Department/Advisor level • Recognize exemplary advisors • Discuss potential problems on advising among faculty and students • Help students build contacts outside the department (alumni, dep’t student conferences, etc.) Student level • Involve of senior graduate students as mentors ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 2. Finding/ Changing Advisors MIT/ School level • Organize forums for incoming graduate students Department level • Hold departmental orientation for incoming grads • Provide buffer time for incoming students to choose their advisors • Publicize available RA positions Advisor level • Discuss expectations with incoming students ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 3. Improving Understanding of Mutual Work Expectations MIT/ School and Department level • Orient and train new faculty regarding advising Department level • Evaluate advisors’ performance regularly • Provide regular formal assessment of student research progress Advisor level • Openly communicate expectations and goals • Hold regular research progress meetings with students ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 4. Avoiding Problems Related to Funding MIT/ School level • Provide central list of available funding sources Department level • Allow for unexpected situations (departure of advisors) • Provide better TA training • Provide travel grants for students Advisor level • Let students know about future funding status before TA deadline ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 5. Resolving Conflicts between Advisors and Students All levels: Increase conflict resolution resources MIT/ School level • Revive “Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities” Department level • Adopt formal process when progress is not being made • Involve senior faculty members Student/ Peer level • Speak up in case of conflict • Develop and utilize peer support networks ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 6. Avoiding Ethical Dilemmas MIT/ School level • Distribute “Fostering Academic Integrity” booklet widely • Provide online resources on research ethics Department level • Hold departmental training on mediation and ethics • Publicize about research ethics and academic integrity Advisor level • Encourage students to utilize existing resources (e.g., “Research Practice” seminars) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 7. Concerns of Students Near Graduation MIT/ School level • Clarify intellectual property guidelines • Increase awareness of the roles of various offices Department/ Advisor level • Share experiences among research groups Student level • Provide peer-level mentoring on essential skill-sets • Participate in “Research Practice” seminars ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 8. Obtaining Career Advising MIT/ School level • Organize workshops for faculty on career advising • Increase resources of MIT Careers Office • Promote programs such as ICAN, Externship Department level • Use feedback from graduate alumni • Involve alumni for mentoring Student/ Peer level • Participate in professional development series ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Overarching Recommendations Regular graduate administrator round table discussions New faculty orientation/ training on advising Increase amount/ awareness of conflict resolution resources Standard format of student research progress assessment Departmental orientation for graduate students Separate academic and research advisor Periodic assessment of advising involving students Open communications on expectations and goals Regular research progress meetings with students Peer/ faculty/ alumni mentorship Support networks ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Agenda Introduction Overview of Initiative Survey Data Focus Group Highlights Next Steps Questions Dinner Social (lobby 13) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 What Have We Found? Whom do you turn to for support? Peers, friends Boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse The advisor plays a critically important role Faculty Advisor Parent or other family member Department staff Whom do you turn to for support? Other faculty Mental health service provider Peers, friends Graduate Students Council (GSC) Boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse Graduate Students Office (GSO)Advisor Faculty OmbudsParent Office or other family member 0% 10% Department staff 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% OtherPercent faculty of students who say "yes" 70% 80% 90% Mental health service provider ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Students Council (GSC) Graduate Student Council Graduate Students Office (GSO) Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 What do you wish your advisor had done differently? What Have We Found? Lack of Attention or Feedback Lack of Guidance or Mentoring Unfriendly, Impersonal Relationship What is missing? Personal guidance & Not Available or Approachable mentoring Unclear Expectations What do you wish your advisor had done differently? Too Demanding Note: one respondent may articulate multiple themes Lack of Attention or Feedback Uninvolved or Not Supportive Lack of Guidance Disrespectful, or Mentoring Unprofessional Relationship Unfriendly, Impersonal Relationship 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Number of the 626 respondents Not Available or Approachable → ThisUnclear needs to be emphasized through Expectations faculty orientation and training Too Demanding Note: one respondent February 22, 2005 may articulate multiple themes ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Uninvolved or Not Supportive Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting What Have We Found? What is missing? Awareness of or confidence in Institute resources 48% face obstacles in personal relationships Yet, only 10% use Counseling & Support Services 17% say they face discrimination Yet, only 4% use the Ombuds Office Satisfaction level for users is high → Publicize existing resources better, explain what they are for ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Administrative staff Use Satisfaction What Have We Found? Dept. reading rooms / libraries Department Resources: Academic advisor Frequency of use? Quality of experience? Department Use laboratory facilities What is missing? Department-level resources Quality Administrative staff Graduate student Department reading rooms and libraries groups or associations Academic advisor Graduate laboratory officer Department facilities Graduate student groups or associations Graduate support groups Graduate officer Department Graduate support groups counseling / Department counseling / mediation services mediation services Department Department ombudsman ombudsman 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Percent of students who "frequently" or "occasionally" use / say the quality → Increase department-level resources: they "very good", or "good" 0.0% is "excellent", 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0% are more highly utilized than/ use Institute-level! satisfaction ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 What Have We Found? Is this skill important to you? How well was this skill developed at MIT? What is missing? Non-technical training Importance Development Critical thinking Research Communication Writing Time management Teamwork Leadership Research Ethics 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Percent of students who say "very important" or "somewhat important" / → Adopt formal training programs (classes, "greatly" or "somewhat" developed seminars, etc.), learn from best practices… ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 What Have We Found? Recognize the importance of peer support 80% of students turn to their peers Satisfaction levels for Graduate Student Groups & Peer Support Groups is very high: 90% - 95% → Encourage and support formal peer network programs at the departmental level ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Next Steps Need to consider all issues and data on school and department level » Work with department heads, school deans, MIT offices » Determine what can be done at various levels » Implement policy changes This is an ongoing discussion – regular assessment is key ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005 Thank you: International Students Office Graduate Student Life Grant Questions? Dinner social in Lobby 13 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graduate Student Council Advising Town-Hall Meeting February 22, 2005
