Meeting with UNCW Provost
& Deans July 25th 2011
Graduate Studies at UNCW
Student Issues & Challenges
Graduate Studies at UNCW
• 1,333 students
• 43 programs
– 31 Masters
– 2 Doctoral
– 9 Certificate
• Many new programs
being planned &
implemented.
• Enrollment projected
to as much as double
over the next decade
Graduate Studies at UNCW
• 1,333 students
• 42 programs
– 31 Masters
– 2 Doctoral
– 9 Certificate
• Many new programs
being planned &
implemented.
• Enrollment projected
to as much as double
over the next decade
Graduate Student Life Report
UNCW
• Evaluate the current needs of the graduate
student population
– Financial
– Academic
– Professional
• Use this information to better plan for UNCW’s
expected growth.
Graduate Student Life Report
• Three parts:
• Student Survey:
– Student finances & cost of living
– Evaluate university support:
» Financial, academic &
professional
– Access to campus resources
Student Survey Demographics
• 407 Graduate students responded
– ~30% of total population
• 65% - Full Time
• 82% - In-state
• 38% - Married/Domestic partner
• 22% - Have dependents
• 28% Male & 68% Female
Graduate Student Life Report
• Three parts:
• Student Survey:
– Student finances & cost of living
– Evaluate university support:
» Financial, academic &
professional
– Access to campus resources
• Analysis of tuition & stipend at
UNCW (2000-2010)
• Comparisons with 14 peer
institutions (phone survey)
Graduate Student Life Report
• Financial issues were dominant:
– Cost of living
– Graduate tuition & fees
– Availability of assistantships & campus jobs
– Assistantships stipends
– Student loans
Graduate Cost of Living
• Basic expenses have $25,000
increased by 16.9% Other Basic Expenses
($2,100) since 2005. Rent
$20,000 Tuition & Fees
• + 19.7% ($3,563) when $15,000
including tuition and
fees
$10,000
• Basic expenses include $5,000
rent, utilities, food,
transportation, health
care & insurance. $0
2005-06 2007-08 2010-11
Academic Year
Graduate Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition & $5,000
fees have increased
Annual Tuition & Fees
$4,000
by 192% (+$2,647)
since 2000. $3,000
• 2011-12 T&F will be
$2,000
$4,219 $1,000
• 207% increase over $0 20 -01
20 -02
20 -03
20 -04
20 -05
20 -06
20 -07
20 -08
20 -09
20 -10
1
-1
the past 12 years.
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
20
Academic Year
Graduate Employees: Who are they?
• Teaching Assistants
– ~50% are primary instructors
– ~50% are support for faculty
• Graduate Assistants
– Administrative work for various
departments & divisions
• Research Assistants
– Supported by external funds
– Bring in grant money
• 2010-11 Biology: $263,044
Assistantships Stipends (TA)
• 2010-11 Stipend (Masters) 40
Tuition & Fees / Stipend
– $10,000 / $10,500 /
35
$11,000
% of Annual Stipend
30
• Stipends have not kept
up with tuition & fee 25
increases
20
• ~40% of stipend is paid
back to the UNCW as 15
tuition & fees.
20 -01
20 -02
20 -03
20 -04
20 -05
20 -06
20 -07
20 -08
20 -09
20 -10
1
-1
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
20
Academic Year
• ~50-60% of cost of living
Assistantships Stipends (TA)
• 2010-11 Stipend (Masters) $25,000
– $10,500 / $11,000 Other Basic Expenses
Rent
$20,000 Tuition & Fees
• Stipends have not kept
up with tuition & fee $15,000
increases
$10,000
• ~40% of stipend is paid
$5,000
back to the UNCW as
tuition & fees.
$0
2010-11
• ~50-60% of cost of living Academic Year
Net Annual Stipend
Co
l
le
U. ge
W of
isc N
on ew
$4,000
$8,000
$12,000
$16,000
$0
si
Co n Je
rs
-E
lle au e y
ge C
of la
U. C ire
of ha
N rle
or st
To th on
w er
so n
Io
Peer Avg: $7,374
n w
Ca U a
l. ni
UNCW: $5,979-6,979
Po ve
rs
Net Stipend ~6th lowest
ly. it y
UN St
at
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U
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Net stipend (after tutition & fees)
hi U.
Net tuition & fees as % of stipend
U. ng
Te to
n
xa U
Peer Avg: 25%
s .
UNCW: ~38-40%
-D
al
la
s
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
% Tuition & Fees
3rd highest % of stipend paid as tuition
Stipends & Tuition: Peer Comparisons
Graduate Assistantships
• 53% of students have an off campus job
– Includes 20% who are also working a full time job on
campus.
• 63% - Prefer on campus jobs if available.
• Graduate students
often unaware
where/how to find
campus jobs.
Student Loans
• 63% take out loans (2010-11)
– Up from 41% in 2007
• Avg. debt is $23,940 (Masters)
– 57% over $20k
– 36% over $30k
– National Avg.: ~$20-25k
• This is in addition to existing
undergraduate loans
Report Summary
• Stipends are increasingly lagging
behind cost of living & tuition increases.
– Increased student debt
– Not a sustainable trend
– ~ 60% of stipend will be paid back as tuition
by 2020.
Report Implications
• This trend may lead to:
– Reduced competitiveness with peer institutions
– Reduced student recruitment (quality & quantity)
– Difficulty to grow and expand programs
– Reduced teaching & research quality
Looking forward……
• How do we stay competitive,
recruit talented graduate students,
and grow programs in a time of
reduced state funding?