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

Updated Graduate School Contact Information

Graduate School contact information updated by task or activity has been posted on the Graduate School web page. We hope this will assist you in directing inquiries to the appropriate points of contact.

Graduate School FAQs Related to COVID-19

The Graduate School's list of frequently asked questions addresses if/how Graduate School and university deadlines, events, and procedures have been impacted as a result of K-State's limited campus operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Spring Commencement to be Combined with Fall Commencement

As announced last week, the traditional commencement ceremony for spring 2020 graduates will be combined with the fall 2020 ceremonies scheduled for December 11. As has always been the Graduate School's practice, masters and doctoral graduates unable to attend the commencement ceremony associated with their semester of graduation are welcome to attend a later commencement ceremony. Graduates who plan to attend a later commencement ceremony simply need to notify the Graduate School.

Graduate School Document Submission

Since the Graduate School is physically closed and the team members are working remotely, it is imperative that all documents are submitted electronically, preferably using the electronic forms available on the Graduate School website. Ballots and other documents that cannot be submitted using electronic forms should be sent via email as PDF document(s) to the designated degree analyst or to grad@ksu.edu for processing. View a list of Graduate School contact information for various tasks and activities.

Note: Approval forms cannot be processed without having an approved Program of Study in place with the Graduate School.

Use of Zoom to Schedule Defenses and Processing of Ballots

The Graduate School team is supportive of graduate students continuing their scheduled defenses during this modified class schedule so they can meet graduation deadline. Major professors should work with their graduate students, members of their supervisory committees, and outside chair for doctoral students to conduct the defenses via Zoom. The video conference form will not be required during the modified class delivery time period. Major professors should contact their designated degree specialist to notify them of their defense plans. Please note that Request for Final Examination should be submitted electronically during this time.

Ballots will continue to be sent to outside chairs for doctoral students and major professors for masters. The ETDR ballot will be sent electronically to major professors.

Emails with votes for final examination of committee members can be sent to outside chair for doctoral students and to major professors for masters. These ballots can be sent as PDF document to the assigned degree analyst. Votes for ETDR ballots should be sent to the major professors. These should be submitted as PDF documents to the designated degree specialist.

For programs that normally require other students to attend the public component of defenses (seminar), the Zoom session can be recorded and the link shared with the students to view at a later date. If the public presentation is recorded, it is strongly recommended to schedule two Zoom sessions: one for seminar/public presentation and one for the committee meeting.

Home Testing & Webinar Series for TOEFL and GRE At Home Tests

ETS is pleased to announce expanded availability of at home testing for the TOEFL iBT® test and GRE® General Test. The tests will now be available in all locations where the computer-delivered tests are normally available, with the exception of Mainland China and Iran. While currently there is sufficient capacity for students to register immediately and test a few days later, we suggest that you encourage prospective students to register as soon as possible for the best chance to secure their preferred date and time.

Registration for the at home solutions for the TOEFL iBT® test and GRE® General Test is open for students in selected locations. Learn more about this new test delivery method at an upcoming webinar. There are several dates available — register today! In the meantime, find details about security measures and answers to other questions you may have on the TOEFL® and GRE® web pages dedicated to this purpose.

Online Version of IELTS

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) has launched IELTS Indicator, an online English language test for test takers who are currently unable to take IELTS due to the pandemic.

IELTS Indicator will assess a test taker's English language proficiency across all four skills, in a timed test that matches the structure of an IELTS test. The academic questions have been developed using the same high-quality standards as IELTS to ensure that it remains reliable, fair and accurate. IELTS Indicator uses standard IELTS marking procedures and official IELTS Examiners. The speaking test is delivered via video call with an expert Examiner, maintaining the IELTS focus on assessing conversational English proficiency.

IELTS Indicator will launch in countries where IELTS testing has been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Registration opens April 22.

Graduate Program Directors

Message from Provost Taber: Remote teaching and learning will continue for summer school 2020

Read the full message at the link above. K-State will continue remote teaching and learning for intersession and summer school 2020 sessions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All Kansas State University summer school courses on all campuses will be online. Recognizing the financial challenges facing students and their families in this COVID-19 environment, K-State is significantly reducing its online fees for summer school undergraduate and graduate courses this year. Please note that this tuition and fee model applies to 2020 summer school courses only. For additional information, please see related FAQ.

Maintaining Communication with Admitted Students

The Graduate School continues to process applications for summer 2020 and fall 2020 admission, and we are working to stay connected with admitted and incoming graduate students. We will inform summer admits that K-State will continue remote teaching and learning through the summer term. We also will share information about resources to assist admitted students with making a decision on their admission offer (if they have not done so already) and to help them prepare for their graduate career if they have accepted their admission offer. Additionally, the Graduate School strongly encourages graduate programs to stay connected with prospective, admitted, and incoming graduate students during this period of limited campus operations. It is important that these students know you are thinking of them and will continue to provide a quality graduate experience while teaching and learning continues remotely through the summer.

The Global Postgraduate Diversity Resource

The Council of Graduate Schools, with support from Educational Testing Service (ETS), has created The Global Postgraduate Diversity Resource. This online tool is designed to help universities improve their diversity programming by looking at resources written by university leaders, researchers, government officials, and journalists. The website currently includes over ninety resources from universities across the globe as well as essays on pressing issues in global higher education diversity from university leaders. The website aims to help faculty, postgraduate students, and administrators develop a common language for improving diversity and inclusion at postgraduate institutions around the world. This resource will be updated with new essays and resources throughout the year. If you would like to request the addition of a resource or resources, please use this online form or email Matthew Linton.

Pre-arrival Online Graduate English Support Courses

Due to test postponements as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, online versions of DAS 176 (Reading), DAS 177 (Writing), and DAS 178 (Listening) will be offered April 6-May 29, 2020 for students eligible for admission to graduate programs for Fall 2020 who have iBT TOEFL or IELTS scores that are close to those needed to meet the English Proficiency requirement. These courses allow students the opportunity to improve their English and demonstrate proficiency by earning grades of B or above in these courses prior to their arrival on campus. Registration requirements can be found here.

Nomination Deadline Extension: MAGS Distinguished Thesis Award

The Graduate School will continue to accept nominations for the MAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Thesis Award until May 29, 2020. This year's award categories are 1) Mathematics/Physical Sciences/Engineering and 2) Social Sciences. The award serves to recognize theses that make an unusually significant contribution to their field. Each graduate program may submit one nomination. Please visit the award web page for more information. Nominations must be submitted to Megan Miller (mmmiller@ksu.edu) no later than 5:00 pm on May 29, 2020.

Annual CollegeNet Updates

Annual CollegeNet Updates are due May 31st. The Graduate School is requesting all programs to review their program specific area of the online graduate application for annual updates. Changes should be submitted to Joe Horan, the admissions coordinator, at jphoran@k-state.edu.

Graduate Faculty

K-State Graduate Research, Arts, and Discovery Forum Abstracts

As a result of K-State's limited operation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's K-State Graduate Research, Arts and Discovery Forum (K-GRAD) had to be canceled. The GSC Research Forums Committee compiled an abstract booklet to share the work of the graduate students who had registered to participate in this year's K-GRAD Forum. View the K-GRAD Abstract Booklet to explore K-State graduate student research and scholarship.

LabStats Remote Computer Access to Specialty Software

Remote computer access is being provided to allow students, staff, and faculty remote access to specific computer labs on campus. This will allow the use of any specialty software installed on these computers. Popular specialty software includes SAS, SPSS, Mathematica, and Matlab. For more information and to see a list of all software available in the computing labs, visit the LabStats Remote Computer Access page on the K-State Information Technology website.

Online Course Design Institute replaces K-State Online Essentials

To assist faculty in transitioning new courses to the online modality, the Online Course Design Institute has been created by a partnership between Global Campus, the Teaching and Learning Center, iTAC, the Polytechnic Campus and other campus partners. This institute replaces K-State Online Essentials, previously offered to faculty. This program includes a comprehensive checklist to guide the course design process and is customizable to each instructor's experience and comfort level. For more information, visit the Keep Teaching website or contact Katie Linder at kelinder@k-state.edu, executive director for program development at Global Campus.

Graduate Students

Transcript and Diploma Ordering for Spring 2020 Graduates

Ordering a transcript with final spring 2020 grades: Prior to May 19, 2020, graduates should check for holds in their Student Center in KSIS. Holds must be cleared prior to ordering a transcript. Final grade posting for the spring 2020 term finishes on May 19, 2020.  On the morning of May 20, 2020, graduates should check their Student Center in KSIS to verify that spring grades have posted, and then order their transcript through the Other Academics tile in KSIS.  Students graduating in the spring 2020 term, or who will not be enrolled in future terms, have until May 29, 2020, to order transcripts at no charge.  More information about ordering transcripts is available on the Office of the Registrar website.

Receiving your diploma: Spring 2020 graduates will receive their diploma by mail approximately eight weeks after spring 2020 degrees post in June. Graduates should have verified their degree/diploma address in their KSIS account where they would like their diploma to be mailed by last Friday, May 8^th,   Graduates who have not updated their address should do so immediately. It is the student's responsibility to make sure the degree/diploma address is correct in KSIS. If a diploma is mailed to the incorrect address, the graduate will be responsible for having the diploma replaced and will be charged $20 to have a new diploma mailed. 

Accepting Applications for Graduate Student Ambassadors

The Graduate School is accepting applications from current K-State graduate students to be Graduate Student Ambassadors. Graduate Ambassadors respond to emails from prospective students and/or provide campus tours to prospective students. We are looking for graduate students who are eager to share their K-State experiences with future Wildcats and to welcome prospective and incoming graduate students to the K-State community. Applications are requested by June 1, 2020.

Virtual Brown Bag Lunch Discussion

Graduate students are invited to join Dean Shanklin, Associate Dean Dissanayake, and Dr. Miller for the final virtual brown bag lunch Wednesday, May 13th at noon. This is an opportunity for graduate students to ask questions and stay connected. Join the discussion via Zoom.

LabStats Remote Computer Access to Specialty Software

Remote computer access is being provided to allow students, staff, and faculty remote access to specific computer labs on campus. This will allow the use of any specialty software installed on these computers. Popular specialty software includes SAS, SPSS, Mathematica, and Matlab. For more information and to see a list of all software available in the computing labs, visit the LabStats Remote Computer Access page on the K-State Information Technology website.

Taking Care During COVID-19: Resources to Support Graduate Student Success and Well-being

The Graduate School has created several one-page informational resource sheets to support graduate student success and personal well-being. Resources address academic success, physical and mental wellness, financial support, and food security.

Temporary online access granted to books in K-State Libraries' collection

K-State Libraries has activated the Emergency Temporary Access Service as a member institution of HathiTrust Digital Library. The service will provide access to the digitized version of more than 50% of K-State's physical collection to authenticated K-State students, staff and faculty. Users must log in on the HathiTrust website using their K-State eID and password to view materials. Detailed instructions about how to log in and use the service are available online. 

MD Anderson Cancer Center's TRIUMPH Translational Postdoctoral Fellowship

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is currently accepting applications for the CPRIT TRIUMPH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Translational Cancer Research. This three-year fellowship provides basic, translational, and clinical training and aims to further develop talented PhD or MD/PhDs into successful clinical/translational research scientists. Applications are reviewed quarterly with the next cycle due date of June 30, 2020. Additional information regarding eligibility, application process, and current trainees and program alumni profiles are found on the CPRIT TRIUMPH website. Please contact Dr. Kari Brewer Savannah, Program Manager, with any questions.