Ask a Dean Category: Fellowships and Funding
Could we be provided clarity on who was eligible for and received the emergency summer fellowships?
Category: Fellowships and Funding Date: July 2020
Dear Deans, I was wondering if we could be provided some clarity on who was eligible for and received the emergency summer fellowships that was announced by Dean Kahabka in April. DGSs from two different graduate fields (totaling over 100 Ph.D. students) have shared that none of their students were approved for the fellowship despite nominations…
Can we take a “leave of absence” without losing our scholarships/fellowships?
Category: Fellowships and Funding Date: July 2020
Hi, Can we take a “leave of absence” for Fall ’20 and Spring ’21 without losing our scholarships/fellowships? -Learning about my options Response Dear learning about my options, There are two types of leave of absence available through the Graduate School: a health leave of absence or a personal leave of absence. Both types of…
Will I have a gap with no stipend due to the delayed start of my assistantship appointment?
Category: Fellowships and Funding Date: July 2020
Dear Deans: I saw in Cornell’s announcement of plans for the next academic year that classes will be starting on September 2. This is about a week later than usual, and I’m concerned that the start of my assistantship appointment will be delayed as well. I’m seeing predictions on Twitter that I’ll have to deal…
Will my FY21 stipend be reduced due to measures being taken to address Cornell’s budget deficit?
Category: Fellowships and Funding Date: July 2020
Hello deans, Last week, Cornell announced additional measures to address Cornell’s FY21 budget deficit. Those actions include reducing staff salaries and wages in contract college units, with reductions up to 5%. I am a Ph.D. student on a teaching assistantship in a contract college. Will my FY21 stipend be reduced? -Concerned about my stipend Response Dear…
Will conference grants still be supported by the Graduate School?
Category: Academics, Fellowships and Funding Date: July 2020
Dear deans, I would like to attend a virtual conference, will conference travel grants be available in Fall 20? Interested in a conference Response While University travel is restricted, the Graduate School is modifying our Conference Travel Grant program to help cover the cost of student participation in online conferences. To be eligible, student must…
Why are international students not allowed to work remotely from abroad?
Category: Fellowships and Funding, Policies and Requirements Date: May 2020
Dear Deans, I have a question about the following question/answer I found in the COVID-19 related FAQ section of the Office of Global Learning website: Question: I am an F-1 or J-1 student. I need to leave campus and return to my permanent home residence. Am I authorized to work remotely? Answer: International students who…
Is it possible for the stipend to be extended?
Category: Fellowships and Funding, Policies and Requirements Date: May 2020
Hello Deans, The graduate stipend was extended to May 20th but there are a sizable number of TAs that are still working (and will continue to do so through the weekend and into next week grading). We’re essentially working without pay. Is it possible for the stipend to be extended to the end of the…
Why is the Provost Diversity Fellowship not open to all students?
Category: Fellowships and Funding Date: May 2020
Dear deans, I hope you are safe and healthy – and your families too. And thank you for this opportunity of expressing our concerns directly to you. As I progress in my Ph.D. program, I recently started to explore options for the future and I came across the Provost Diversity Fellowship which would be a very…
Does the assistantship extension and stipend supplementation also apply to students with external fellowships?
Category: Fellowships and Funding Date: April 2020
Dear Dean Kahabka, I am a Ph.D. student funded on a fellowship this semester. I saw the message regarding the extension of the spring assistantship period and stipend supplement, and I am wondering if these changes also apply to students with an external fellowship like me. As the amount of my fellowship stipend is lower…
How flexible will the Graduate School be if students need extra time to complete their academic milestones?
Category: Academics, Fellowships and Funding Date: April 2020
Dear Deans, How flexible will the Graduate School be if students need extra time to complete their academic milestones? All of the graduate students I know are working hard to make progress towards their degree virtually, but many students absolutely need to do physical experiments or collect data in a certain location to finish their…