The Graduate School launched its Writing Initiative in 2007 to ensure that all graduate students have access to formal writing support services designed to help them plan and complete their dissertations and theses in a timely manner. This may mean developing new tools or services, but more often means building bridges and finding new ways to augment, coordinate, or more widely publicize existing services and support offered by various campus organizations, departments, faculty, or students themselves. Specific needs to be addressed by the Writing Initiative have been identified through surveys of graduate students and Directors of Graduate Studies.

The Writing Initiative is one of three priorities of the Graduate School for this biennium. It was initially developed out of a prize-winning proposal for a dissertation writing intervention that received an award in the University-wide competition for Innovations in Graduate Education in spring 2006.

One result of the initiative is the Graduate School Writer's Nexus. Many other projects are underway as we continue to work together with students, faculty, and staff to achieve the purpose of the initiative--and to help our graduate students achieve their goals.

Writing Initiative Staff and Advisory Board

Under the leadership of Dean Gail Dubrow, the Writing Initiative is staffed by Patricia Jones-Whyte, Noro Andriamanalina, and Anne Carter, all part of the Graduate School. The Initiative also draws on the expertise and experience of an advisory board made up of people from across the University who share the goal of improving the graduate student experience. Current members of the advisory board are, in alphabetical order:

• Ilene Alexander, Center for Teaching and Learning
• Barbara Beers, Center for Teaching and Learning
• Bernadette Longo, Writing Studies
• Tim Gustafson, Writing Studies
• Geoff Hart, COGS
• Jeanne Higbee, Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning
• Sheryl Holt, Writing Studies
• Kirsten Jamsen, Center for Writing
• Katie Levin, Center for Writing
• Mitch Ogden, Center for Writing
• Kate Peterson, University Libraries
• Eric S. Nelson, Minnesota English Language Program
• Scott Slattery, University Counseling & Consulting Services
• Jerilyn Veldof, University Libraries

More Information about Ph.D. Completion and Attrition:

• Program Attrition and Completion Data from Ph.D. Completion Project Study
• Analysis of data from Ph.D. Completion Project