Academic Affairs Department Chair Notes - Message #22

Recruiting and retaining graduate students is becoming increasingly competitive. Graduate students fuel our research engine and play a vital role in educating and mentoring our undergrads. We must support our students academically, emotionally, and financially.

There are resources to ensure your students’ funding packages are competitive. Most programs provide a stipend, fee remission, and health insurance. Depending on various factors, students are funded via fellowships, bursar accounts, or a Student Academic Appointee (SAA). Sources of funding include: schools, grants, IUPUI Graduate Office, IU Foundation, and state and federal financial aid.

According to this 2020 report, Trends in Student Aid, the average 2019-2020 graduate student aid (100% FTE) was $27,310. IUPUI recommends a minimum of at least $15,000. Factoring in your student investment prior to budget construction is crucial. The stipend matters, and is tied to mandatory insurance. If the insurance minimum stipend is met for a fellow or SAA the premium is charged to the account used to post that stipend. The Waiver Request Form should be used if the student has existing coverage. IU rates / minimums are published each spring for the following fiscal year.

Resources:

• Best Practices
  • Council of Graduate Schools
  • IUPUI Graduate Office
  • Graduate Mentoring Center
• Paying Students: Guidelines
• Financial Aid: ude[dot]iupui[at]diadarg
• Tuition Remission: Office of the Bursar
• Funding DACA Students: DACA @ IU
• University, Diversity, and Travel Fellowships / Block Grants
  • Katina Reedy – ude[dot]ui[at]kydeer   
    
  • IUPUI Graduate Office
• Student Academic Appointments (AC3)
  • Website
  • IUPUI-specific Appointment Form
    
• Insurance
  • Student Academic Appointee, Postdoctoral, and Fellowship Health Insurance
  • IU Rates Page
  • Fellowship Eligibility
  • Graduate Appointees / Postdoctoral Eligibility

Nominations are open for campus awards.

How can we support you as you consider nominating faculty for these awards?

Please email feedback to nosugreF eigraM.

The sabbatical leaves process is underway. Per IU Policy ACA-47, an academic appointee is eligible to apply for one sabbatical leave for each period of seven years’ full-time service in faculty rank following the completion of the first six years of full-time service at Indiana University.

Applications from individuals in core campus and system schools will be considered by the Sabbatical Leaves Committee on the campus where he or she resides, except for Social Work, Medicine, and Nursing, which will be reviewed by the IUPUI committee.

Please review eligibility and process details on our website and note important deadlines below.

• October 14, 2022: Deadline for schools to submit list of faculty requesting sabbatical leave consideration.
• November 9, 2022: Deadline for applications approved by the schools to be uploaded into the sabbatical leaves system.

• Next month, we will discuss hiring and managing staff appointments.

Reminders

• Fall Promotion and Tenure Workshops
• November 23–November 27: Thanksgiving Break Week – No Classes
• November 24–November 25: Campus Holiday for Staff and 12-month Academic Appointees

• NEW! Searchable Faculty Affairs Resource Library: this is replacing much of what is in shared Faculty Affairs Guidance folder, and is being thoroughly updated this summer. 
  
• New Faculty Notes: Just-in-time monthly guidance to new faculty who cycle through New Faculty Orientation each year.
  
• Hiring Best Practices.
  
• The Forum Network: An integrated coordinating structure that supports faculty collaboration and creativity.
  
• Faculty Crossing: A technology-rich collaboration space for faculty and teaching staff of all appointments. Part workroom, part café, the space provides a welcoming environment that promotes creativity and innovation. This space will reopen in the fall.
  
• Review the official long-term calendar for refresher on holidays and breaks for AY 2022-2023.