Graduate Studies Update - Spring 2020 Newsletter

Fall 2020 | Volume 4 | Issue 2

Graduate Studies Update The Graduate Studies office is happy to welcome students back to school for a most unusual semester.

Events, Workshops, and Deadlines Friday, Nov 6th Graduate Council meeting.

Friday, Nov 9th Money Management for Young Professionals w/ “It Makes Cents�.

Friday, Nov 20th Graduate Council meeting.

Friday, Dec 4th Graduate Council meeting.

Friday, Dec 11th Recommended initial submission date for theses, dissertations, projects, and papers requiring Graduate Studies Office approval (for December graduation). For updates to the thesis and submission process, please follow this link.

(Due to COVID19, all submissions and events will be held virtually.)

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Graduate Studies 223 Graff Main Hall 1725 State Street La Crosse, WI 54601 USA Phone: 608.785.8124 Office Hours (subject to change due to COVID): Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Email: gradstudies@uwlax.edu http://www.uwlax.edu/graduatestudies

UWL has worked to minimize the impact on graduate students during the campus switch to online learning this fall. Graduate classes had the option to continue meeting in person, and graduate students were given continued access to research spaces on campus. You can get a glimpse of the graduate student pandemic experience in the Student Spotlight on the next page.

Given the new challenges we are facing this fall, it is important to keep your mental well-being in mind. If you are struggling we urge you to contact the Counseling and Testing Center, which has a wide array of virtual options available. Other campus supports are listed on the Student Life webpage.

EM of a cell covered in COVID-19 virus particles, false colored.

Image credit: NIAD-RML.

New Graduate Studies Leadership Model Last spring an ad hoc committee was convened by the Provost to explore options for leadership in Extended Learning. One of the models discussed was the idea of combining that unit with Graduate Studies. Stakeholders from Graduate Studies and Extended Learning provided feedback, and ultimately the decision was reached to create a new position, Dean of Graduate and Extended Learning.

The new position was posted for a national search this month. The Dean will provide leadership for the online collaborative graduate degrees, coordinate support for graduate programs within the academic colleges, and oversee and advocate for non-credit programming in Extended Learning. You can review the announcement on the HR website; interested faculty are encouraged to apply.

Dr. Jeffrey Baggett is chairing the search and screen committee. Review of applications will begin November 6.

Student Spotlights With COVID-19 shutting down the university, all students were impacted in some way and had to adjust. We want to share with you some student perspectives on what it is like being in graduate school in the midst of the pandemic.

Khia Yang, Cellular and Molecular Biology “I was lucky enough that at the beginning of COVID, I had already collected the tissue I needed for my experiments. During the two months of quarantine this past spring, I was able to complete my oral defense.

However, since I was not allowed in the lab, I was not able to continue conducting experiments that were crucial to my thesis. With the constant threat that COVID could shut down campus again, it may take me much longer than I expected to complete my degree.”

Jessica Ahrens, Physical Therapy “When the PT program was moved all online last spring/summer, a lot of changes were made. We were required to learn how to use instruments (ultrasound, isokinetic machine, motion capture system), without having the instruments in front of us, and all of the hands-on lab skills we would have learned in person were put on hold. Moving to the fall and being in person, the PT program has taken all the necessary precautions to minimize exposure and terminate any spread of the virus. We do so by protecting ourselves with PPE (glasses, face mask, and A LOT of sanitizer)! With 5 weeks into school, the program is confident in our ability to remain in person to learn valuable skills all the while preparing us to enter the real world next summer as we step out of the classroom and into the clinic.”

Are you interested in meeting graduate students from other programs? Do you want to learn more about graduate student resources or gain networking experience as you complete your professional studies? Join GSO, an organization dedicated to lending a helping hand to graduate students. Please email us at gradstudies@uwlax.edu with any questions, or consider joining us on our MyOrgs page.

Professional Travel Grant

Graduate School Visit Day Every year, UWL invites prospective graduate students to visit campus and learn about graduate program offerings and about life as a graduate student. This year we held the visit in an online format.

The event was opened by the Director of Graduate Studies, Meredith Thomsen.

Participants then had the opportunity to videoconference with graduate program representatives and staff from Financial Aid, Admissions, Veteran Services, and the Office of Multicultural Student Services.

The Office of Graduate Studies and the Student Senate support travel to conferences for graduate students as attendees or presenters. Preference is given to conference presenters. See link for new guidelines regarding COVID. Professional Travel Grant funds may be used towards: 1. Registration 2. Transportation 3. Meals (up to $18/day) 4. Housing (up to $45/ day)

Finally, a graduate student panel was held. Students from various programs were asked about their experiences with UWL, the La Crosse community, their respective programs and faculty, and how they dealt with the pandemic impacting their schooling. We asked some of these students to share their perspectives in the Student Spotlight of this semester’s newsletter.

We’d like to thank everyone who participated, and all the people who volunteered their time to help make the event successful. We hope that next year’s Visit Day finds everyone in less interesting times.

For more information, visit .

https://www.uwlax.edu/graduatestudies/current-graduate-students/ grants/professional-travel/

Upcoming Deadlines: December 11th, 2020 March 12th, 2021 August 9th, 2021

Is there a graduate student you would like to see in our Student Spotlight?

If so, please contact us at gradstudies@uwlax.edu

About the Author Colin McAllister Colin is a 2nd year graduate student in the Microbiology program.

He supports the activities of the Graduate Studies Office by helping run the Graduate Student Organization, providing marketing support, and helping to set up meetings. His goal is to help keep the office events running as smoothly as possible and try to aid in increasing graduate involvement. His advice to graduate students is to set up a schedule early and be on top of deadlines as much as possible. When he’s not working in the office, Colin is working with Myxococcus xanthus, baking/cooking, playing videogames, and reading/listening to history.

Research, Service, and Educational Leadership (RSEL) Grant

UWL provides funding to support graduate student research in the form of RSEL Grants. RSEL Full Grants are available twice per academic year and provide up to $200 in funding. RSEL Mini Grants offer up to $500 in funding. Total RSEL funding is limited to $2400.

NOTICE: Due to funding restrictions, the Graduate Council has voted to reduce the RSEL budget to $2000 per award for the current fiscal year. Applicants should provide detailed information within the Project Budget & Justification Summary Sheet about how any additional reduction in funding will affect their ability to complete the project.

Furthermore, Mini Grant review and awarding is suspended until November, after Full Grants are reviewed for fall.

Visit https://www.uwlax.edu/graduate-studies/current-graduatestudents/grants/research-service-and-educational-leadership-rsel/ for more information.