Resolution Commending the USAF and USA Administration for Increasing Graduate Stipends

January 19, 2005

Whereas competitive graduate stipends are crucial to recruiting outstanding graduate students and giving them the wherewithal to devote themselves fully to their studies;

Whereas graduate stipends at the University of South Alabama (USA) fall well below regional and national averages;

Whereas graduate stipends at USA have not been increased in more than a decade;

Whereas The University of South Alabama Foundation (USAF) recently agreed to provide 90,000 dollars toward increasing graduate stipends;

Whereas the USA Administration agreed to match the USAF contribution and to provide an additional 54,000 dollars toward increasing graduate stipends, so that the 117 awards could be increased by an average of 2,000 dollars each;

Be it hereby resolved

The USA Faculty Senate commends the USAF and the USA administration for increasing their financial commitment to graduate study at USA;

And be it further resolved that the USA Faculty Senate encourages the USAF and the USA Administration to continue to increase graduate stipends regularly as funds become available.