CENPA supports GRAs from grants at the standard level of 50%, and pays “graduate operating fees,” which represent the bulk of the University’s tuition charge. A number of smaller fees are not covered.
In the summer months students need more than the standard 220 hours per quarter to accomplish their research, and the supplement provides compensation for an additional 75 hours per quarter (i.e. a total of 67%). This supplement is granted only to students who have passed their Qualifiers (Masters).
The support of students is one of CENPA’s largest costs: in 2015 a senior grad student in PHY800 costs $84,100 per year, with full indirect cost. Time to graduation is therefore important because more students can obtain the PhD, given our limited funding, if the time does not stretch out. Students are now expected to graduate in 6 years or less from the date of entry into UW, which translates to 5 years of CENPA support ($421,000).
Pre-Generals students have a supervisor, and progress is reviewed by CENPA faculty annually. After Generals, students form a committee that is charged with meeting with the student once a year (at least). Students also submit an annual report of activities to the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies. Students are encouraged to meet with a faculty Advisor other than their Supervisor, and/or the Graduate Program Assistant, especially if there are problems with completing the work in a timely way. An agreed-on date for graduation should be decided in consultation with the Supervisor about 6-12 months in advance. If that date passes without graduation, the summer supplement is not granted, and funding of continued RA support has reduced priority.
Students interested in a GRA at CENPA should discuss it with a CENPA faculty member. A good way to get started is with a few credits of PHY600. If that works out well, and there is available funding, the faculty member can arrange for a GRA to be initiated. One quarter of funding is generally considered “no obligation”, in other words the student or the faculty member can simply decide not to go forward. For second and subsequent quarters of funding, there is an implicit expectation that CENPA will continue to support the student to the PhD as described subject to available funding, and that the student will continue to the PhD.