SURVEY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The responses to our Fall 2023 Graduate Student Issues Query (GSIQ) are in! Huge thanks to everyone who submitted their survey.

Below are some of the anonymous data we received. The Graduate Student Union has a lot to negotiate for!

STUDENT ISSUES

The following questions were answered by UMassD graduate students (either current or former students).

Answer options were:

YES, this is a TOP student issue for me!
Yes, this is a mild/moderate student issue for me.
No, this isn't an student issue for me.

Prompt: "Are you a current or former UMass Dartmouth graduate student?"

Prompt: "I know at least 1 graduate student who is struggling to stay in school because of the stress."

Note: If you answered Yes, check out our Hope and Laugh webpages with words of encouragement and humor from fellow graduate students!

Prompt: "The health insurance is confusing."

Note: If you answered Yes, check out our Health Insurance webpage for more info!

Prompt: "The student fees are suspicious and seem like excuses to charge us more money."

Note: If you answered Yes, check out our Fees webpage for more info!

EMPLOYMENT ISSUES

The following questions were answered by UMassD graduate students who were also hired by the university (either currently or in a previous semester). Employment issues are primarily addressed by the GSU, not the GSS.

Answer options were:

YES, this is a TOP employment issue for me!
Yes, this is a mild/moderate employment issue for me.
No, this isn't an employment issue for me.

Prompt: "Are/were you a graduate student employee (aka grad worker) with UMass Dartmouth; in other words, do/did you get a paycheck from the university?"

Current grad worker this semester
Grad worker in the past

Current AND past grad worker
Never been a grad worker (skips the Employment section)

Prompt: "My employee pay is too low."

Prompt: "Tuition waivers are processed too slowly, so my student loans are stuck in my student account when I need the money."

Prompt: "The health insurance 50% subsidy is confusing."

GSS CO-SPONSORSHIP

Huge thanks to the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) for co-sponsoring this Graduate Student Issues Query with the GSU!! Together, we hope to improve the conditions of all UMass Dartmouth graduate students and our university.