Graduate students, we invite you to participate in WashU’s inaugural survey of the graduate student experience in the research university (gradSERU).
Contribute to this inaugural survey effort.
WashU is participating in the gradSERU Survey. gradSERU stands for graduate student experience in the research university. This is a university-wide mechanism for gathering opinions on the WashU experience from master’s and doctoral students. This is the university’s first time participating in this survey effort that is also administered at several other leading research universities.
Student feedback leads to change at WashU
Student feedback is important to WashU leadership; here are a few examples of changes made at the graduate and professional-level based in part on student feedback:
- Increased funding for university-wide graduate student groups, including the Graduate and Professional Student Council
- Formation of the Doctoral Council to periodically review PhD programs, oversee policy and governance, and advise the Provost of best practices in graduate education.
- Expansion of The Graduate Center, offering more educational and community-building programs and a dedicated space for graduate and professional students.
- Hiring of a CCE Associate Director for PhD and postdoctoral communities for all WashU PhD (and postdoc) trainees.
- Launch of new funding sources to assist graduate and professional students with unexpected financial hardships – Buchheit Graduate Student Family Support Fund and Graduate and Professional Student Emergency Fund.
- Addition of dental insurance to the student health policy in response to the Graduate Student Senate Strategic Plan recommendation.
- Introduction and enhancement of a university-wide PhD Student Minimum Financial Award.
- Doubling of the amount of the PhD student child daycare subsidy and extended the Child Leave Policy to better support student parents.
- Development of a WashU-curated funding database to help graduate and professional students more easily search for scholarships, research grants, and awards to enhance their graduate education.
Thank you gifts!
We know your time is valuable, and we appreciate your effort as you give us your input. To say “thank you,” we will be giving over 500 respondents a prize. Prizes include Bear Bucks, Southwest Airline vouchers, and a Playstation 5!