Graduate and Professional Student Summary
Below is a summary of the discussion held by graduate and professional students who focused on two of the five strategic directions contained in the current plan. The group looked at ways to upgrade the plan as it relates to the learning experience and improving the quality of campus life.
1. Learning Experience: Establish and sustain a superlative learning experience that builds upon the unique values and attributes of WSU.
- Reduce class sizes.
- Institute more systematic and comprehensive mentoring programs for graduate students.
- Encourage faculty to balance the dual demands of research and teaching so that teaching remains a priority.
- Using a proactive approach, refer and encourage students to utilize the Academic Success Center.
- Provide greater resources for students with learning and physical disabilities; ensure that faculty refer special needs students to available services and programs.
- Clarify the role of the Graduate School in relation to student advising and support services
- Use the School of Medicine’s student support services as a model for the rest of the campus.
3. Quality of campus life: Enhance the quality of life on campus by nurturing a culture of success and excellence.
- Improve student services, particularly financial aid.
- Provide a comprehensive orientation to WSU and Detroit for new graduate students.
- Make Purdy/Kresge Library more welcoming, install safety features and provide additional computers and printers in the graduate lounge.
- Explore the option of constructing housing designed specifically for graduate students, including housing close to the medical school.
- Improve the quality of life at the Chatsworth Tower Apartments by reducing truck traffic noise, upgrading wiring and enforcing rules regarding the number of people living in individual apartments.
- Develop public-private partnerships to provide additional housing for graduate and married students.