April 7, 2003 NEWS Page 4 U of A Considers Waiving PhD Tuition School tries to stay competitive in tightening market By Leah Collins, Gateway tives has Graduate Student is one the U of A will follow. tee: large numbers of students in EDMONTON (CUP) — Association President Brad Owram says the University has, the education program have not Competition to attract top scholars Wuetherick very excited and wait- since U of T’s announcement of been funded at $12,000, and the for PhD programs is heating up ing to see how other universities guaranteed funding for PhD stu- institution is forced to watch its between Canadian universities. respond. dents, been definitely contemplat- enrolment very carefully: every Last week, the University of “A tuition waiver type program _ing how to attract PhD students. time a student enrols, the cost of British Columbia’s (UBC) Board of _ here at the U of A, I think, is a min- Owram estimates approximate- instruction plus the promised Governors announced it would imum if you’re going to compete ly 80 per cent of current U of A $12,000 must be provided. waive tuition fees, a value of with what some of the other insti: PhD students receive enough But the U of A is researching approximately $3,200 a year, for tutions are going to do. It’s a good funding to cover their tuition, leav- _ what plan of attack will best suit it, the first four years of full-time doc- toral students’ studies. UBC's announcement of guaranteed funding for PhD students-as well as similarly enticing offers to PhD students made by the University of Toronto in 2001 (PhD students there are guaranteed funding of $12,000 annually)-has the University of Alberta (U of A) con- templating whether it should offer time to be a grad student. It’s a good time to consider going to grad school if you’re an under- grad,” he said. “Tt bodes well for graduate stud- ies across the country, and to the accessibility of PhD programs across the country when these types of things are being imple- mented. Because frankly, after fin- ishing a Bachelor’s degree and a ing around 20 per cent who receive nothing or relatively little. “So if you're trying to attract stu- dents, the question is where you put your money and. does guaran- teeing everyone $4,000, $5,000 real- ly attract the best students, because the best students will want a lot more than that anyway.” “If people want to go to an insti- tution, they’Il go to an institution. and Owram said Dean of Graduate Studies Mark Dale is currently investigating the financial situa- tion and possibilities for the University’s best PhD enticing strategy. A decision on how the University will proceed could be ready between the end of spring and the fall. Ultimately, Owram expects nothing will be affected Photo Katie Tweedie coe. : j 4 : 4 : 5 ‘It’s a good time tobe agrad student’ Similar incentives to bring PhD Master’s degree with a whole lot They’re not going to change their _ until around 2005. GSA President Brad Wuetherick students to campus. of debt, these types of programs to mind for $5,000. They might But, said Owram, as universities The possibility of such incen- convince people to gointo the PhD change their mind for $20,000 across the country have recognized program are worthwhile. It’s not that much money to the various universities involved, but it is a lot of money to the students who because it'll give them enough to live on.” For Owram, the biggest attrac- tion for PhD students would be an a need for PhDs in the next ten to 15 years, especially to replace pro- fessorial positions, the University must remain competitive with Can't get the courses receive the support.” offer of full living-support scholar- _ other institutions. Wuetherick hopes the U of A ships. “However we do it, we have to you need? will “follow the coattails” of UBC, But such an offer will be a huge _ ensure we're competitive. We want but U of A _ Vice-President challenge for the University. to get the best students.” Getting th F i dential (Academic) and Provost Doug Owram cited U of T as having dif- etting the university credentials Owram is unsure if UBC’s model _ ficulties with their $12,000 guaran- you need is not always easy— Re Se lsteletententontantontentententontentontentententententententententententen | This coupon good for one free | volunteer opportunity. ! Redeem at Over The Edge: a ss sos se, a sa es fe eS it i a cS ine Se ma Het in eta Tr A NTED*** Enterprising Students to Join the Orientation Crew!! 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