Financial Aid for Cross-Disciplinary PhD Students

April 2 , 2008

We are experiencing increased cross-disciplinary research that engages faculty and students from different programs. This is a direction that I want to encourage, however it raises legitimate questions from program chairs regarding the source of financial aid (tuition and stipends) for these students. As we gain experience supporting cross-disciplinary initiatives, we will adapt our processes to accommodate the goals of a unified faculty. My intention regarding cross-disciplinary financial aid is to annually allocate a portion of our financial aid budget to this purpose and to manage it centrally. I also expect continued collaboration among program chairs to resolve specific situations as they arise, and to keep me apprised. I anticipate working with the SIS Council to develop appropriate guidelines to make this process as smooth as possible.