GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS

Present: Carol Seager, Janet Roecker, Keith Ellis, James Owen, Glen Marotz, John Augusto,
and Dee Steinle.

Handouts:

• Student Characteristics (Demographics) Report – On-campus Headcount Enrollment
• Application & Enrollment Data for the Graduate & Professional Schools
  
  Average age of graduate/professional students is 22-29.
  We are not looking for new services to offer – we are looking at communicating to this group the services that are currently available to them.
  
  First time professional students are predominantly on campus fulltime
  Master students are mostly on campus fulltime
  Doctoral students are generally at other areas than campus
  
  Characteristics of Professional & Graduate Students
  Not local (Kansas) – 50%

Information Gathering:

• Survey – What was learned from the survey of graduate students (James Owen)
  
  Survey response was minimal but from the results we did receive, the following was indicated:


• Primary source of information came from their department by
  their website/publications/postings
• Information also obtained in the UDK
• Were most aware of the following services: Bookstore, libraries,

Recreation Center, Lottery for the parking garage and local transportation.

• What are various units currently providing to new students?
  
  • Look at the School of Business – good model?
    Look at International Student Orientation – good model?

Existing Communication Systems:

1. OISS – International students by email
   
2. Apply to a broader audience.
   
3. KU Portal – lack of recognition
   
   • let advisors see what the students see
   • very cumbersome (web mail & KU portal need to talk to each other)
   • lots of steps – should be no more than 2 clicks
     
4. Financial Aid has a one page form that could be circulated and it is available on their
   website.
   
5. Websites of various departments.
   
6. Orientation processes (variable)
   

Potential New Communication Systems:

1. Staged communications to incoming students.
   
1. Student Success one page flyer to be included in initial department mailings
   to graduate and professional students
2. Email to newly arrived graduate and professional students focused on basic
   needs: food, shelter, transportation, regulations, etc.
3. Follow-up communications based on problem solving via links to graduate
   office website.
   
2. Department websites linked to Student Success websites.
   
3. “Smooth Transitions” – could go to electronic format (James will bring copies to the
   next meeting)

Continuing Needs:

1. Once students are here – how do they get information? Need to get these students
   connected. Is there a difference between full time and part time?
   
2. Is “orientation” a possibility?

For our next meeting:

• James will bring copies of “Smooth Transitions”
  
• Dee will bring information on other portals
  
• Judy will contact the Edwards campus and get a copy of their annual survey
  
• John will bring data on what counties students are coming from and will also bring
  
  • information on what the various units on campus are providing the graduate &
    professional students.

Submitted by Judith Pinegar