Now that the semester is winding down, I wanted to congratulate you on completing a successful academic year and wish you a happy, productive summer. Whether you are graduating or continuing your studies, you have shown great resolve and dedication during this past year. Below, please find some updates with news and resources for graduate students leading into the summer.
Strategic Plan
You may have seen the president’s recent announcement of the university’s new strategic plan, Change Starts Here: UT’s 10-Year Strategic Plan to Increase Impact. In the coming months, the Graduate School will be providing more information on steps that the Graduate School will be taking to further graduate education in support of this plan.
Many of the plan’s goals regarding graduate education build on needs identified by the Graduate Education Task Force. Since the task force issued its report, the Graduate School has been working to implement its recommendations, and you can view the status of task force recommendations on the Graduate Education Transformation Tracker. Additionally, several of the updates below address task force recommendations.
New Graduate Student Housing
On April 18, the university broke ground on a new affordable graduate student housing development in East Campus at 21st Street between Comal Street and Leona Street. The project will include 784 beds in studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, and will offer graduate students a residential option adjacent to campus.
The complex will feature public courtyards, an outdoor classroom and amphitheater, a fitness center, private and group study spaces, and a flexible multipurpose room available for graduate student and community events. The building is scheduled for completion for fall 2024.
CARE Counselor
I am excited to announce that the university has approved funding for a Graduate School counselor for the Counseling and Mental Health Center’s Counselors in Academic Residence (CARE) Program. This new position will provide additional mental health resources for graduate students.
While CARE counselors currently provide services for both undergraduate and graduate students within colleges and schools across campus, this new position will be organized within the Graduate School and work exclusively with graduate students. Services available will include short-term counseling, mental health workshops and consultation.
We are still in the process of hiring the new counselor and determining where services will be provided—we hope that the new counselor will be available to graduate students next fall. I’d like to thank the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) for their support and encouragement of this new position. We look forward to sharing more details as we have them.
Academic Calendar
Earlier in the semester, the provost announced changes to the university’s academic calendar beginning in the 2022-23 academic year. The changes will better support the quality of our curriculum, student well-being and success, and federal and state compliance. I encourage you to review the Changes to the Academic Calendar webpage, with an overview of the changes and frequently asked questions.
I wish you a happy and successful summer with friends and family.
Sincerely,
MARK J. T. SMITH Dean of the Graduate School Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs The University of Texas at Austin
This communication is from Graduate Students – Official. View this email online.
