Student-Led Climate Assessment Promotes a Healthier Graduate School Environment

Abstract

This article describes a graduate student-led effort to develop a climate survey to assess, advocate for, and improve the well-being and mental health of graduate students and postdocs in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin−Madison. Graduate students have an increased incidence of depression relative to the general population, and given the transient nature of the student population, understanding and addressing mental health concerns can be challenging. The goal of this article is to illustrate how students, with the support of departmental faculty, staff, and existing on-campus mental health resources, can take the lead to investigate and assess issues related to the challenging graduate school environment. We describe the student-led development and implementation of and the subsequent follow-up to a department-wide survey aimed at destigmatizing the subject of mental health and fostering a more supportive community. This article serves as a framework to assist other interested and motivated graduate students who, with the support of local faculty, wish to develop and initiate a similar process in their own departments. We demonstrate that student-led actions can effectively tackle department-level problems and encourage other interested students to initiate a similar effort.

Stories from the Lab: Development and Feedback from an Online Education and Public Engagement Activity with Schools

“…This format would also facilitate peer learning and peer support among the presenters, which can be hugely beneficial for early career researchers. 34,35 A conversational atmosphere could also be facilitated through a live Q&A which may also help create a synchronous shared experience for each school group.…”

“…Initial research for a desired format discovered some initiatives that were already providing live virtual sessions with individual scientists and live text chat sessions with multiple individual scientists. , It was decided that live virtual sessions with multiple short presentations would provide a range of topics to discuss with the students and cater for a broad selection of interests. This format would also facilitate peer learning and peer support among the presenters, which can be hugely beneficial for early career researchers. , A conversational atmosphere could also be facilitated through a live Q&A which may also help create a synchronous shared experience for each school group.…”

Improving Climate and Outcomes for Underrepresented Chemistry Graduate Students at a Major Research University: A Case Study

“…CDEISC consists of representatives from other departmental committees whose work influences climate and diversity. Among these, our Graduate Student–Faculty Liaison Committee (GSFLC) has been particularly impactful . The GSFLC consists of graduate students, postdocs, and faculty representatives committed to bridging the gap between students and faculty.…”

“…GSFLC has also taken on responsibility for improving graduate student mental health and climate-building. GSFLC participants have been especially attentive to the needs of students by giving them a voice in department activities and implementing assessment of departmental climate for graduate students . The CDEISC, GSFLC, and other department structures provide an infrastructure that is ultimately aimed at infusing CDEI as an integral component into the entire fabric of the department.…”

“…A key challenge in years ahead is to more completely incorporate CDEI efforts into hiring, evaluation, and promotion decisions, into long-term financial commitments, and as an integral component of degree programs. , Specific needs include building CDEI programs into core budgets, hiring personnel with specific expertise in CDEI efforts, and developing effective ways to compensate students, staff, and faculty who do CDEI work. Building in a reward system that encourages leadership of and participation in CDEI activities can achieve a double reward by satisfying the moral imperative for equitable treatment of all, while also improving department climate and culture as key components of achieving true excellence for the future …”