July Newsletter

Indiana University Graduate School Bloomington July Newsletter

Greetings from the IUB Graduate School!
We hope you are having a relaxing yet productive summer.

Dean's Memo

The past year has seen significant improvements in the minimum stipend for student academic appointees (SAAs) as a result of recommendations made by the Task Force on the Future of Graduate Education, the IUB 2030 Strategic Plan, and actions taken by the Provost and President. These include increasing the minimum 10-month 0.5 FTE SAA stipend to $22,000, relief from mandatory fees for SAAs, re-establishment of the Bloomington Faculty Council SAA Affairs Committee, and a charge to the Dean of the IU Bloomington Graduate School to benchmark average stipends by discipline on a biennial basis. This stipend increase met and exceeded the targets identified by the Task Force, moving IUB into the top third of minimum graduate stipends of the Big Ten universities.

To add to these improvements, for the coming academic year, the Provost has included all returning SAAs in the salary policy for the academic year 2023-24. These appointees will receive a 3% stipend increase, which matches the increase offered to full-time faculty and staff. For returning SAAs, further details can be obtained from the hiring department or school budget officer.

As the Fall semester approaches, we look forward to further implementation of the IUB 2030 Plan and our support for graduate students.

David Daleke
Dean, IUB Graduate School

2023 University Distinguished PhD Dissertation Award Winners

Each year, the Indiana University Graduate School selects “truly outstanding” dissertations, from two of four rotating broad field categories, for the Indiana University Distinguished Dissertation Award. This year’s competition was in the areas of Biological/Life Sciences and Arts & Humanities. Nominations were evaluated by a committee of the IU Graduate Faculty Council and it is our pleasure to announce this year’s awardees:

Wenzhe Jiao - Earth Science, IU Indianapolis, “Examining Ecosystem Drought Responses Using Remote Sensing and Flux Tower Observations.”

Sean Sidky - Comparative Literature and Religious Studies, IU Bloomington, “No Letters Arrive Anymore: American Yiddish Holocaust Literature.”

Congratulations to Sean and Wenzhe! Both of these dissertations will become our nominees for a national award, the Council of Graduate Schools/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award.

Next year’s categories for these awards will be Mathematics, Physical Sciences, & Engineering and the Social Sciences. The window of eligibility for these awards is two years and we encourage all recent and upcoming Ph.D. graduates to consider submitting their dissertation.

A similar competition is also held for masters theses and the deadline is in the fall. See additional details below!

Free virtual mental health care services for graduate students

IU Chief Health Officer Aaron Carroll announced recently that Indiana University will soon provide free virtual mental health care services to all graduate and undergraduate students on allvIU campuses through TimelyMD.  The roll out began this past March and services should be available later this summer.  Stay tuned for more information.

Upcoming events and deadlines - Mark your calendars!

August 16 • 3:00 - 5:00pm • Wells Library Scholars' Commons (1st Floor, East Tower)

Graduate Student Fall Reception

All IU graduate students are invited to attend the Graduate Student Reception, presented by the IU Libraries, the Graduate and Professional Student Government, and the Graduate School. Students will have the opportunity to peruse a variety of library and research resources, network with other students, and start building their professional identity. Snacks and drinks will be served.

Deadline: September 25

2024 Distinguished Masters Thesis Award

Nominations are being accepted for the 2024 IU Bloomington Distinguished Masters Thesis Award. Similar to the PhD dissertation award, this competition will recognize two theses, one in the field of Biological/Life Sciences and one in the Humanities and Arts. Next year’s competition will be in the Social Sciences and in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and Engineering.

Each award includes a $1,500 stipend, recognition at the annual Graduate School Awards event in April and the thesis will become the IUB nomination for the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award. For further information about submitting a thesis for this competition, contact Jen Barron at ugsward@indiana.edu.

Fall application Deadline: October 9

Grant-In Aid Competition

Grant-in-Aid (GIA) awards provide Bloomington M.F.A and doctoral students funding for unusual expenses incurred in connection with M.F.A projects or doctoral dissertation research. Visit the Indiana University Graduate School Bloomington Fellowships and Awards page for more information on eligibility, award amount, and the application process.

July 10 – August 25

Fulbright US Student Program Boot Camp

Are you considering applying for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program? Look no further than the GradGrants Center's Fulbright U.S. Student Program Boot camp! This comprehensive online course, hosted on Canvas, will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to craft a compelling application. 

Hosted on Canvas by the GradGrants Center 
Enroll:  https://iu.instructure.com/enroll/W3J98W 

The GradGrants Center Fulbright U.S. Student Program Bootcamp is designed to help you develop a complete Fulbright proposal for both types of awards: Open Study/Research and English Teaching Assistant. Throughout the bootcamp, you'll engage with weekly readings and assignments that will guide you through the application process step-by-step. 

Our course objective is to empower you to draft your materials early, as Fulbright polls have shown that successful applicants dedicate a minimum of two months to their applications. Don't miss this opportunity to gain a competitive edge and increase your chances of securing a Fulbright grant. 

 For more details about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, visit: https://us.fulbrightonline.org/ and https://nsa.indiana.edu/awards/fulbright-us-student-program.html.

July Newsletter

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