In the Government Concentrates Section of the October 8 issue of C&E
News, AW comments on Graduate School Applications. The Council of Graduate
Students reports that universities have noted a Master's Degree enrollment drop
of 2.1% from 2010 to 2011, and a PhD enrollment increase of 0.5% for all
disciplines. Grad school enrollments in the Physical and Earth Sciences showed
an increase of 0.5%. Applications for all graduate programs were up 4.3% from
2010 to 2011.
The Council of Graduate Schools President said, "We must respond with strong investment in graduate programs and student funding."
I strongly disagree with her statement. The figures do not indicate that we have any calamitous decline in production of scientists with advanced degrees. More significantly, I completely disagree with her statement of responding with student funding. Her statement is likely intended to mean taxpayer funding for graduate students through grants or similar funding techniques. This is completely unnecessary. Universities were turning out well-educated scientists well before government even thought about funding graduate students.
Funding can be accomplished by the universities themselves as payment (stipends) for graduate students performing laboratory teaching assistant duties. Private companies (anything non-government) can also develop contracts with professors for research projects involving graduate students, for which the students are paid a small stipend for living conditions.
The Council of Graduate Schools President said, "We must respond with strong investment in graduate programs and student funding."
I strongly disagree with her statement. The figures do not indicate that we have any calamitous decline in production of scientists with advanced degrees. More significantly, I completely disagree with her statement of responding with student funding. Her statement is likely intended to mean taxpayer funding for graduate students through grants or similar funding techniques. This is completely unnecessary. Universities were turning out well-educated scientists well before government even thought about funding graduate students.
Funding can be accomplished by the universities themselves as payment (stipends) for graduate students performing laboratory teaching assistant duties. Private companies (anything non-government) can also develop contracts with professors for research projects involving graduate students, for which the students are paid a small stipend for living conditions.
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