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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta | Posted: May 2, 2017
Brian Gentry
Graduate Education and Faculty Development
Summary Sentence:
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved a $100 decrease in the Special Institutional Fee for graduate students.
Full Summary:
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved a $100 decrease in the Special Institutional Fee for graduate students.
University System of GeorgiaThe Board of Regents (BOR) of the University System of Georgia approved a $100 decrease in the Special Institutional Fee (SIF) that graduate students pay at its April 18 meeting. The money will be phased into tuition costs starting fall 2017.
“The SIF hits graduate research and teaching assistants particularly hard, because funding sources that cover tuition often don’t cover fees,” said David Scripka, former president of the Graduate Student Government Association (SGA). “We have worked closely with Tech's administration on this issue for many years, and it’s very encouraging to see progress that greatly benefits our current graduate students, as well as Tech's ability to recruit the highest caliber of incoming graduate students nationwide.”
In 2009, the BOR approved a $100 fee to combat a decrease in state funding — a fee that eventually grew to $544. Since 2011, Grad SGA and Tech’s Budget Office have advocated for the shift that allows the money to be paid as tuition, rather than as a fee. The duo first succeeded in 2014 when $100 was moved to tuition costs. This fall, the fee will be reduced to $344 per semester.
“I am delighted to see further progress on this issue,” said Susan Cozzens, vice provost for Graduate Education and Faculty Development. “I hope that Graduate SGA continues to be successful in this arena and eventually succeeds at its goal of eliminating the fee.”
