Institutional Phone Sample - University Administrators

Institutional phone Interview Sample (20 Institutions)

Interview Protocol

NSF is interested in learning how some particular policies of the GRFP are working and the extent to which they could be improved. We are interested in both your experiences with these policies as well as your opinions, suggestions for improvement, and ideas.

• How would you describe the goals of the GRFP program?

• Let’s talk about how the Fellows in your department actually use their Fellowships. When do most Fellows use the three years of the Fellowship? How common is it for Fellows to place their Fellowship on reserve for one or two years? Has this pattern changed over the past few years?

  • How are most Fellows funded when they are not receiving GRFP support? What supplemental funding, if any, is provided to Fellows by the department? How do the GRFP policies on when Fellows may utilize their funding affect the experiences of the Fellows and the department? How do the policies affect the Fellows’ progress to degree completion?

  • Does the current amount of funding provided by the GRFP adequately meet the needs of graduate students at your university? How is the cost-of-education allowance provided by the Fellowship used by the university? How does the institution cover tuition if the cost-of-education allowance of $10,500 is insufficient?

• How do the experiences of Fellows differ from those of other students in the program? Probe for:

  • whether Fellows are fully integrated into the program or if their source of funding isolates them;

  • whether the GRFP funding provides greater autonomy/flexibility since it is not tied to an advisor or lab;

• What kinds of supports are offered to Fellows that are different than those offered to other graduate students? In your opinion, are these helpful to Fellows in terms of timely progress towards degree or better integration into the department?

• What are the requirements and opportunities for TAing and RAing in the department? Do Fellows participate in these opportunities to the same degree as their peers? How do the program guidelines about the amount of service Fellows may provide to the institution while funded by the GRFP affect the experiences of Fellows and the department? Could this policy be improved for the Fellows? How has the service provided by Fellows changed over the past few years?

• The program requires that the status of Fellows is decided on an annual basis—i.e. whether they are in a “Tenure” or “Reserve” status for the following GRFP Fellowship year. How do you think this policy works? Is there any need to change it?

• The program also requires that Fellows are affiliated with a U.S. institution. Are there instances (for example, in particular fields) where you would suggest revisiting this policy?

• Is there anything about the program policies [refer to the Administrative Guide if needed] that, if changed, would improve the program or be beneficial for your institution, the graduate programs, or Fellows?