Improved Financial Support for Doctoral Students
- 56% increase in base stipend for doctoral students (AY 2017-18 compared with 2004-05)
Rose in 12 out of 13 years
Annual gain ranges from 2.5% to 6.25%
- Began offering five-year guarantee in 2006 (stipend, tuition remission, a health-services fee, and a health-insurance subsidy)
- Transitional stipend for incoming doctoral students (fall 2018)
- 4 summers of support since Fall 2010, up from three summers
- New summer support approach for doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences results in 84% increase in Graduate School summer stipend in 2017-18, compared with 2016-17.
- 5th summer of support added for all humanities and social science students receiving 6th year support (Summer 2015)
- Began offering a six-year guarantee for students in the humanities and social sciences (Fall 2022)
- 6th-year financial support available for doctoral students in the humanities and social sciences who need additional time beyond the guarantee, are in good standing, and are recommended by the graduate program.
New Dental Insurance Support
Began offering no-cost dental insurance for doctoral students with health insurance and stipends (2015-16), regardless of appointment
New Parental Relief Policy
Enables eligible students to select a full semester or summer for parental relief (July 2016)
Enhanced Quality-of-Life Support
- Completed $2 million construction of graduate student study center in the Rockefeller Library (Fall 2016)
- Created strategic indicators and measurements in Campus Life reports
- Increased frequency of Campus Climate Survey for graduate students, making them annual, and tailored surveys for graduate, master’s and MFA students (2013-14)
- Added opportunities for graduate students to interact with Corporation Campus Life Committee
- Funded renovation of Graduate Student Council Lounge (2013)
Improved New Student Preparation and Graduate School Orientation
- Offered new outreach on Brown’s historical links to slavery (2016)
- Added Title IX training to Orientation (2015) and Title IX online training course (2017)
- Expanded International Orientation to two days from one (2014)
- Added Graduate Student of Color Orientation (2017)
- Instituted improved online training course to convey and reinforce Brown’s academic and student conduct codes (2011/2017) and made the course mandatory (2012)
- Created advising and mentoring guidelines (2010)
- Began surveying new students, using feedback to improve Orientation (2008)