Graduate Advising at MIT Where we are Where we should go

1. Graduate Advising at MITWhere we areWhere we should go MIT Graduate Student Council

2. The most significant academic factor in the graduate student experience positive relationship with an advisor allows a student to learn, be inspired, and feel supported negative relationship with an advisor causes a student to feel unconfident, isolated The Role of Advising + ─

3. 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 The Questions

4. Understand and Improve Graduate Advising Go beyond anecdotes Connect issues in various departments Learn from best practices Find new proactive solutions The Goal

5. Introduction Overview of Initiative Survey Data Focus Group Highlights Next Steps Questions Dinner Social (lobby 13) Agenda

6. Understand and Improve Graduate Advising Connect issues in various departments Learn from best practices Go beyond anecdotes Find new proactive solutions The Goal

7. 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 What We Have Done So Far

8. 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 The Process

9. 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) About the 2004 Graduate Student Survey

10. Two sessions in mid-November, 1.5 hours each Charge: Brainstorm recommendations to early-identify 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 About the Focus Groups

11. 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 About the Focus Groups

12. GSC Subcommittee Members KRISHNAN SRIRAM ASHFAQUE KHANDEKAR MAUREEN LONG NATHAN CRANE EMILIO SILVA NINA TANDON VINAY MAHAJAN BRENDEN EPPS PETER RYE HAYLEY DAVISON EMILY SLABY MARIA CHAN ERIK LARSEN SIDDHARTHA JAIN Participants Facilitators / Scribes ANNA MRACEK BARBARA LECHNER EMILIO SILVA HAYLEY DAVISON KRISHNAN SRIRAM MARIA CHAN NICOLE TREEMAN NINA TANDON PETER RYE RACHEL PYTEL SARAH SIEGEL SOMMER E GENTRY WALEED FARAHAT YUE CHANG Survey Analysis BRENDEN EPPS ERIK LARSEN KRISHNAN SRIRAM ASHFAQUE KHANDEKAR NATHAN CRANE NINA TANDON MAUREEN LONG BARUN SINGH Consultants LYDIA SNOVER GREG HARRIS RACHEL GREER DEAN IKE COLBERT Dr. MARY ROWE JEANNETTE GERZON Dr. TAMI KAPLAN 85 participants in the Focus Groups ~3,000 survey respondents

13. Introduction Overview of Initiative Survey Data Focus Group Highlights Next Steps Questions Dinner Social (lobby 13) Agenda

14. Data from2004 Graduate Student Survey 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?

15. Survey Demographics 2,960 respondents (~50% of all graduate students) Representative of student demographics SurveyInstitute 33% Women 30% Women 38% International 35% International

16. Data from2004 Graduate Student Survey 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?

17. Importance / Development of Skills

18. Importance / Development of Skills

19. Importance / Development of Skills 23% of students are generally or very dissatisfied

20. Data from2004 Graduate Student Survey 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?

21. Training and Advising - Advisor

22. Training and Advising - Advisor

23. Training and Advising - Advisor

24. Training and Advising - Advisor

25. Training and Advising - Advisor

26. Training and Advising - Advisor

27. Training and Advising - Advisor

28. Training and Advising - Advisor 33% of students say that they do not meet with their advisor enough

29. Training and Advising - Program

30. Training and Advising - Program

31. Obstacles to progress at MIT

32. Institute Resources

33. Departmental Resources

34. Whom Do You Turn To For Support? first Institute contact

35. Introduction Overview of Initiative Survey Data Focus Group Highlights Next Steps Questions Dinner Social (lobby 13) Agenda

36. 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 Focus Group Topics

37. MIT/ School Level 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 Periodic assessment of advising involving students Open communications on expectations and goals Regular research progress meetings with students Peer/ faculty/ alumni mentorship Support networks Peer/ faculty/ alumni mentorship Support networks Regular graduate administrator round table discussions New faculty orientation/ training on advising Increase amount/ awareness of conflict resolution resources Dept Level Faculty Level Student Level Overarching Recommendations

38. 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 1. Improving Mentoring at MIT

39. 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 2. Finding/ Changing Advisors

40. 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 3. Improving Understanding of Mutual Work Expectations

41. 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 4. Avoiding Problems Related to Funding

42. 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 5. Resolving Conflicts between Advisors and Students

43. 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) 6. Avoiding Ethical Dilemmas

44. 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 7. Concerns of Students Near Graduation

45. 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 8. Obtaining Career Advising

46. Periodic assessment of advising involving students Open communications on expectations and goals Regular research progress meetings with students Peer/ faculty/ alumni mentorship Support networks 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 Peer/ faculty/ alumni mentorship Support networks Regular graduate administrator round table discussions New faculty orientation/ training on advising Increase amount/ awareness of conflict resolution resources Overarching Recommendations

47. Introduction Overview of Initiative Survey Data Focus Group Highlights Next Steps Questions Dinner Social (lobby 13) Agenda

48. What Have We Found? The advisor plays a critically important role

49. What Have We Found? What is missing? Personal guidance & mentoring → This needs to be emphasized through faculty orientation and training

50. 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