We are writing to provide an update on the status of the Graduate Education Task Force and share the status of Tuition Reimbursement Benefit (TRB) supplements for the spring 2020 semester.
Graduate Education Task Force
Launched in January 2019 by Provost Maurie McInnis, the Graduate Education Task Force was charged with recommending strategic solutions for improving education at UT Austin.
At the end of the fall semester, the task force completed its report and has submitted it to the provost. Provost McInnis is reviewing the report and will share it with the campus community soon, along with next steps.
We would like to thank task force members for their service and dedication to helping the university improve graduate education. We would also like to thank the broader campus community for its participation and engagement in these efforts.
During the past year, countless students, faculty and staff members participated in town hall meetings and sent feedback to task force members and the Graduate School. The comments and suggestions received included everything from stipend support and graduate student advising to health care and student services.
We have heard your voices and we are committed to improving the graduate student experience at the university.
Many of the recommendations provided by the task force will require all levels of the university to work together in the coming years to achieve our goals. The Graduate School looks forward to continuing to work with the campus community to make UT Austin the premier university for graduate education.
TRB Supplements
At the end of the fall 2019 semester, the Graduate School announced that the university would award Tuition Reduction Benefit (TRB) supplements to assist graduate students with appointments as teaching assistants (TAs) and assistant instructors (AIs).
The provost has provided funds for TRB supplements (for up to nine credit hours) to graduate students employed as AIs and TAs.
So far, the Graduate School has processed 2,631 TRB supplements for TAs and AIs for the spring semester, and the Graduate School will continue to process the remaining supplements leading up to the tuition deadline.
Qualifying AIs and TAs who have not yet received supplements can contact the graduate coordinator in their department or email: graduate_studies@utlists.utexas.edu to inquire about eligibility and status of supplements.
During the spring semester, TRB supplements will be applied to tuition bills for nine credit hours for students with AI or TA appointments of 20 hours or more. Students with AI or TA appointments of 10 – 19 hours will be awarded TRB supplements that are half of what students with appointments of 20 hours or more will receive.
Visit the TRB website to review supplement amounts for qualifying students and additional information on supplements.
As a reminder, it is important for students and departments to work with the Graduate School to finalize appointments and supplements by today’s Jan. 24, 2020 tuition deadline. Qualifying students who do not have supplements in place by this date should pay any remaining tuition balance and will be reimbursed within one-to-two weeks.
Thank you for your patience with supplements as the university puts in place long-term solutions for the TRB.
Sincerely,
Mark J. T. Smith
Dean of the Graduate School
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
The University of Texas at Austin
Daina Ramey Berry
Associate Dean of the Graduate School
Oliver H. Radkey Regents Professor of History
The University of Texas at Austin