Prospective Grad Student Travel Award Program

To enhance enrollment and the recruiting of top grad students, UI Enrollment Management is investing $15,500 in a one-time, experimental, prospective grad student travel grant program.  The program is intended to help colleges recruit their top fall grad applicants, who may be on the “fence” and undecided in their choice of university.  As shown in the table below, each college will receive allocations (proportional to their total number of graduate students on the fall 10^th day) to assist grad students in traveling to visit the UI. 

To receive the travel award allocations, each college should contact Marilyn Pope in Steve Neiheisel’s Office to arrange the budget transfer.  Colleges/departments will then follow normal travel reimbursement paperwork procedures.  Travel reimbursements cannot exceed $300 per student.   

College                % Total Grad Students*                  Travel Award Allocation

CALS                                    14%                                                      $2,000

A&A                                     7%                                                        $1,000

Bus                                       5%                                                           $700

Ed                                         --                                                          $1,000

Eng                                      17%                                                      $2,400

COGS                                   5%                                                        $1,000

CLASS                                  20%                                                      $2,800

NR                                        15%                                                      $2,100

Science                               18%                                                      $2,500

                                                                                                         $15,500

*Education grad students and Engineering Outreach grad students were subtracted from the total number of grad students to calculate the percentage of grad students in each college.  Out of the original $15,500, $1,000 was specifically awarded to Ed, and $300 was specifically awarded to COGS for a “Law grad student” majoring in one of the Interdisciplinary Programs.  

Guidelines for Prospective Grad Student Travel Awards

·        Travel monies should be used to “recruit” the best grad students in the college pool by assisting in their travel to visit the UI.  Monies should not be used to bring committed students to campus to look for housing or to enhance their transition to grad school.

·        Travel monies should be used judiciously.  To extend the range of these monies, colleges are encouraged to seek matching monies from departments and faculty members.  Travel allocations cannot exceed $300 per student.

·        Each department/program should carefully plan the visit which could include a tour of campus; tour of department facilities; and meetings with pertinent faculty, Department Head, Dean/Associate Dean, grad students, Grad Admissions, Financial Aid, etc. as desired by the student.

·        All unspent allocations must be returned to UI Enrollment Management by July 30.

·        Each college must submit a brief e-mail report to Sarah Morra by September 30 summarizing how the money was used, the names and relevant quality characteristics of students who visited campus, the money expended per trip, and the enrollment outcomes. 

In October, the success of the travel grant program will be evaluated by COGS and Enrollment Management, and then decisions will be made as to continuation and level of support for the following year.