Introduction to an Innovation in Our Department

Enhanced Advising

State University of New York, Stony Brook

Department of Mathematics

What is the issue we are trying to address?

Although it may be difficult to make every single student feel part of a community, we want to try. We believe that students who feel they are part of a supportive and encouraging enviornment will in turn become role models for newer graduate students, and will also complete their graduate work more quickly.

How do we know that this is an issue?

We know these are issues because of questionnaires sent to former students and discussions held with current students of the department. This data-gathering was in large part due to encouragement from the CID. We feel that the information we have gathered has been highly informative and encourage all doctoral programs to do their best to keep communication channels open with all of their current as well as former students.

What is the change or innovation that is intended to address this issue?

We have implemented an enhanced advising system for pre-orals students in order to help keep them on track. Each new student now has a faculty advisor who meets with them several times a semester offering advice as needed. The advisor will meet with the student at least until the student has chosen major and minor advisors for the oral exam. (Before this, all advising was done by the graduate director.) It is hoped that the new arrangement will help bridge the gap between beginning students and the faculty.

We modified the long standing graduate-run seminar to make it more accessible to students in their first and second years at Stony Brook. These students are encouraged to give talks on subjects that interest them. We have also been encouraging graduate students to organize social activities. For example, besides having nicer cookies at tea time, pizza is often served after the graduate student seminar and there are weekly movies in the Common Room.

Why did we select that approach?

Our choice of approach was based upon suggestions made by former graduate students in their responses on the questionnaires we sent them, and from discussions we had with other departments at CID convenings. In regard to social activities, we feel it is important for graduate students to take an active role in planning these instead of it being done for them by faculty.

What is the intended effect of the innovation?

We wish to make sure that no one "disappears into the cracks" or is unnecessarily hindered from finishing the program in a timely fashion. We also feel it important to make the department as welcoming and healthy a learning environment as possible. Students who feel part of a community tend to be more highly motivated and productive.

What data or evidence will demonstrate the effect of our innovation?

In the short term: we have noted that the Common Room is used more effectively. Students sit around discussing mathermatics more than they did before.

We will monitor the graduate student seminar, and work to keep it active. (But so far it runs by itself.)

We have asked for and received feedback from faculty about the effectiveness of the new mentoring efforts.

We would hope to see more students progress through the various stages of the degree in a timely way.

In the longer term: we would hope to see more students complete their graduate work in an excellent and timely manner. As noted above, we used questionnaires to decide which issues to address, and we will continue to use questionnaires to assess the effectiveness of our innovations. We have extensive records of where are former graduate students are now, and they provide an essential resource for assessment purposes.