Quarterdeck Volume 4, Number 2, Summer 1996
Recruiting New Students
In this issue the article "Facing the future," by graduate student Jeff Morin, includes a graph that shows the number of oceanography graduate students enrolled and graduated in academic years 1990 through 1996. The figure illustrates a recent downturn in new students and total enrollment that is similar to the experience of other major oceanographic institutions in the United States.
The decline results from a complex mix of factors, including reduced federal support for students, a reluctance of faculty to accept new students in times of uncertain funding, and a perception that graduates are facing greater challenges finding acceptable employment after graduation. As Morin notes, some have suggested that admissions of new graduate students should be restricted to reduce competition for academic jobs. Rather than limit admissions, our approach is to develop a broader range of educational opportunities for students, particularly in environmental areas, recognizing that there are many satisfying and rewarding fields of endeavor other than the traditional university faculty position. It is part of our mission to produce graduates who find satisfying careers addressing problems of concern to society.
We have recently revised our procedures for recruiting and retaining the best graduate students. In earlier years, when research funding was growing rapidly, large numbers of well-qualified students competed to pursue careers in oceanography. Frankly, not much recruiting effort was necessary. In today's climate, however, good students usually have multiple opportunities, and they understandably choose the most attractive combination of financial support, committed faculty, institutional facilities, and appealing environment. We have increased student stipends to more competitive levels, and generally we accept new students only when financial support for at least three years and a faculty mentor have been identified. Support packages are derived from fellowships, scholarships, external funds, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships.
We received 46 applications for the upcoming academic year. Nineteen offers were made, and 15 new students will enroll in the fall, a 25% increase from the previous year. We expect several additional students in the spring semester. It is too soon to claim success for our recruiting efforts, but indications are positive.
For next year we are planning a two-day recruiting fair in February. During the first day, potential students will be introduced to Texas A&M University and oceanography in College Station. On the second day they will visit our coastal campus in Galveston to meet students and faculty, tour the ships and port facility, and generally experience the marine environment. Our goal is to increase new enrollments modestly over the next few years, leading to a stable population of 95 to 100 graduate students. |
Comments to: web@ocean.tamu.edu
Last updated February 5, 1997
