May 29, 2019    Events and Deadlines

This newsletter is distributed to department heads, graduate program directors, graduate program contact staff, and graduate faculty. 

Graduate Program Directors 

Annual CollegeNet Updates are due May 31st

The Graduate School is requesting all programs to review their program specific area of the online application for annual updates. Changes should be submitted to Joe Horan, the admissions coordinator, at jphoran@k-state.edu.

Deadline extended to submit MAGS Distinguished Thesis Award nominations

The deadline to submit nominations for the MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Thesis Award has been extended to June 4, 2019. This year’s award categories are 1) Biological/Life Sciences and 2) Fine Arts and Humanities. This award serves to recognize theses and dissertations that make an unusually significant contribution to their field. Each graduate program may submit one nomination. Please visit the award webpage for more information. Nominations must be submitted no later than 5:00 pm on June 4, 2019.  Because the Graduate School will be in the process of relocating to Waters Hall later this week and next week, email submission with all documents combined in a single PDF file is preferred.  Please submit materials to Megan Miller (mmmiller@ksu.edu), or contact Megan if you would like to submit hard copy materials.

Graduate School staff temporary summer relocation

Due to construction occurring in Eisenhower Hall this summer, the Graduate School will temporarily relocate to the third and fourth floors of Waters Hall for the summer.  Some staff will move soon after commencement, and everyone will be moved by June 1.  We will return to Eisenhower Hall by August 1. Our main office will be at 344 Waters, and our main office phone number will remain 532-6191. Email will be the preferred communication method since only the main telephone line will be transferred.  The Graduate School team members will be available to meet with students, faculty, and staff throughout the summer. We encourage scheduling appointments in advance so that the designated team member can indicate where to meet them.

Fall 2019 Graduate Student Orientation

The Graduate School and other campus support units will host welcome and orientation activities for new graduate students admitted to graduate programs for the summer and fall 2019 terms during the week of August 19th. A tentative schedule of sessions and activities is available on the Graduate School website. A detailed schedule will be posted by early June. Incoming graduate students who have accepted their admission offer in CollegeNet will be sent a direct email notification about orientation. To ensure that all students receive this information, graduate programs are encouraged to promote graduate student orientation activities to their new and current graduate students.

Faculty  

Summer Undergraduate Professional Development Seminar Series

As part of the Graduate School’s Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (SUROP), the Graduate School will host a professional development seminar series for students participating in SUROP, REUs, and other K-State undergraduate research programs.  K-State undergraduates who are not participating in a formal program also are invited to attend the seminars, which cover topics related to the research experience, applying to graduate school, graduate student life, networking, and career development, and presenting and communicating research.  The seminars will be held at 3:00 pm every Monday, June 10-July 15, in Fiedler Auditorium.

Graduate Student Parental Leave Accommodation

As was shared with department heads, graduate program directors, and contact staff at the Graduate School’s spring 2019 update meeting, the Graduate Council approved a policy for Academic and Employment Accommodation and Leave for Pregnant and Parenting Graduate Students in December 2018. The policy appears in Chapter 1, Section F of the Graduate Handbook. Graduate students who wish to request academic and/or employment leave for the purpose of welcoming a new child (whether through childbirth, adoption, or foster care) must complete the Graduate Student Parental Leave Academic and/or Employment Accommodation Application. The form is to be submitted to the student’s graduate program, employing unit, and the Graduate School four months prior to the anticipated delivery date or placement date if the child(ren) is to be welcomed through adoption or foster care. If four months’ notice is not possible under the circumstances, the form should be submitted as soon as possible.  Departments seeking financial support to help fund employment accommodation must submit the Departmental Work-Life Grant Application.  Application forms are available in the Miscellaneous section of the Graduate School’s Forms page. 

Iman Outstanding Faculty Awards - nominations

Through the generosity of Dr. Ron and Mrs. Rae Iman, the K-State Alumni Association annually honors K-State faculty for outstanding accomplishments in teaching and research. Nominations are accepted from current K-State faculty and staff, so we encourage you to promote this award to your staff. Dr. Ron and Rae Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Research will be awarded to a full-time K-State faculty member who has distinguished him or herself in their chosen profession and who have contributed significantly through research to improve the betterment of the educational experience or whose research has had a significant impact on their area of study. Dr. Ron and Rae Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching will be awarded to a full-time K-State faculty member and is designed to honor excellence in high quality of instruction, strong relationships with students inside and outside of the classroom, and reputation for scholarship and distinguished service to the university.
The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Friday, June 28. The awards presentation will be held at the K-State Alumni Center on Monday, October 7 and the nominee must be able to attend. For information on the criteria for the awards and a nomination packet, please visit Iman Outstanding Faculty Awards - nominations.

Graduate Students  

Spring 2019 graduates: Important information regarding final transcripts and diplomas

Friday, May 31 is the last day for students who graduated Spring 2019 and will not be enrolled in Summer or Fall 2019 to order transcripts at no charge.

To secure a transcript at the end of the Spring 2019 term with final grades included, there are important actions graduating students must take. Diplomas for Spring 2019 graduates will be mailed approximately eight weeks after spring commencement. Graduates must be sure their desired mailing address is listed for their degree/diploma address in KSIS.