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Graduate students are at the core of MSU. As our partners in research, as ambassadors of MSU in the scholarly community, as teachers, and often as friends, graduate students are a critical part of the foundation of our community. Their contributions help shape MSU as a premier land grant AAU institution: Their collaboration in inquiry and research with others on campus is perhaps our greatest asset when it comes to generating new ideas and pushing out the frontiers of knowledge and understanding. Their outreach and engagement efforts across the community, state, country, and world are crucial to MSU’s land grant mission. And the impact they have on the lives of the thousands of undergraduate students while dedicating themselves to their educational goals and pursuits is immeasurable.
 
This is true now more so than ever. Graduate student TAs proved critical in supporting faculty to make the transition to online and remote instruction; facilitating course discussions, preparing class materials, and troubleshooting in all sorts of ways. While supporting faculty in making this transition successfully, they also provided tremendous support to our undergraduate students enrolled in these courses. Many undergraduate students find success because a graduate teaching assistant provided the boost they needed to cross the finish line. In this semester the importance of graduate student support for undergraduates was heightened even more: Our graduate students were often faced with similar circumstances as the undergraduate students they were supporting. In many instances graduate students were making the transition to take their own classes remotely even as they, too, were facing added educational and personal stressors; while at the same time assisting undergraduate students in navigating these challenges as well.
 
When graduate students are instructors on campus, they are often the most innovative; their fresh, bold approaches ensure we remain at the vanguard of teaching and learning. In shifting to online and remote instruction this nimbleness and creativity proved critical for many students to succeed. And throughout all this, because our graduate student population is so diverse, they frequently become key mentors who connect with undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds. This mentorship is essential to the functioning of our university, especially in such unusual and stressful times. The collaborative environment they foster at MSU deepens our disciplinary understanding and broadens the appreciation of knowledge among the many members of our community.
 
To our graduate students pursuing the limits of possibility in their fields, while also continuing to support our students even during this time of crisis: you deserve the gratitude and the admiration of all of us in the Spartan community.
 
 

MSU's online handbook on graduate student rights and responsibilities, establishing expectations for what role grad students play on campus.

This article from the Chronicle of Higher Ed discusses some of the transitions involved in becoming a new faculty member by using and synthesizing the experiences of several interviewees.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute provides fellowships for international doctoral students. Students in their second or third years of study in biomedical or related sciences may apply for funding for their third, fourth, or fifth years of study.

MSU Council of Graduate Students (COGS) represents graduate and professional students at MSU through advocacy and development of best practices.

An article from the Guardian on major differences between life as a student and life as a professional employee. While focused on the experience of undergraduates, its emphasis on the much broader expectations for working with others outside of academia is generally applicable.

Career Services at the University of Pennsylvania explains the key features of the cover letter for the academic job search, as well as provides cover letter samples.

Click the image above to access a PDF of the Quick Guide. Remote Communication With Your Students
This quick guide provides an introduction to communicating with your students as you move to remote teaching. It outlines key steps to Plan, Modify, and Implement when making this move to optimize student learning. As with any steps you take in moving to remote teaching, it’s important to anchor your decisions in course learning objectives and to be transparent, flexible, and generous with students.
Plan
Michigan State University has shifted to remote teaching, which means your course will be moving to a digital environment. Remote teaching is a way to continue instruction when face-to-face meetings are disrupted and you are not able to meet in person. When planning for remote teaching, it’s important to develop a communication plan for helping students transition to a remote environment.
Modify
It is important that you develop a communication plan for maintaining ongoing contact with your students about the course. Consider the following:

Clarify your modified expectations and course elements:

When your class will meet. Schedule any virtual sessions during the time your course already meets. This guarantees that students have the availability.
How you will deliver content (e.g. Zoom, recorded lectures, etc.).
How students will engage with one another.
How students will be assessed moving forward.
Changes to assignments.


Tell students how they can contact you and how soon they can expect a reply from you.
Consider using the D2L announcements and discussion board tools to push out course-level communications.

 
Even if you have not yet finalized all the changes to your course, it is important to send a message to your students so they know how to reach you. To get started, here is a sample email you might send:
 
Dear [insert course name here] students,
 
I’m writing to let you know that the University is implementing a remote teaching strategy in response to the novel coronavirus. What this means for you is that we will not be meeting at our normal class location. Instead, we will meet online at the same time our class normally meets. However, I will be hosting the class through Zoom. We will also be using our D2L course site to deliver and collect materials for the class. To access the course, go to https://d2l.msu.edu/. Once you log in with your NetID and password, you should see our course listed under “My Courses”.
 
Over the next few days, I will keep you informed about how our course experience will change. Know for now that we are planning to move forward with the course, and please be patient while we get things shifted for this new mode. I will be back in touch soon with more details.
 
Best,
[Insert your name]
Implement
As your initial form of communication with students, it is important to inform your class often about course changes and expectations. To send emails, you have several options:

D2L email classlist function
The Instructor Systems email tool from the Registrar’s website
Spartan Mail for individual and small group communications

Additional Help
For additional help and support, please check out the other Remote Teaching articles here, or contact the MSU IT Service Desk at local (517) 432-6200 or toll free (844) 678-6200.
 
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