By MARK NIESSE
Staff Writer

The dean of the Graduate School disputed a student group’s accusation that the school neglects student needs, calling the group’s account of a grant awards process unfair and inaccurate.

"I spend my entire time working for graduate students’ welfare," said Gordhan Patel, dean of the school. "It’s unfair to the whole institution when (Georgia Graduate Forum Coordinator Aristide Sechandice) makes untrue statements."

The forum is a group of graduate students advocating more benefits for graduate students who are employees at the University.

Members of the GGF were disturbed when the availability of research assistantships was cut. Called University Wides, the assistantships – which contribute $3 million per year to graduate students – are granted to 300 students a year for research in their fields of study and do not require them to teach.

Patel said Sechandice inaccurately reported the way University Wides are granted.

Sechandice said 60 students from the department of ecology went through an application process uninformed of a change in how grants are awarded.

"There is no application process," Patel said. He said departments nominate potential recipients instead.

"There may not be an application form," Sechandice said. "But you do have to have credentials. It doesn’t matter if there’s an actual application process. The people in the ecology department were disappointed in the way they were told at the last minute that they aren’t eligible."

Under the new system, students who already have the assistantships automatically will be renewed for another year pending departmental approval.

The remaining 100 University Wides will be awarded to incoming graduate students. Current graduate students can’t get University Wides unless another recipient isn’t renewed and a space opens up.

Patel said discussions for a change in the process began two or three years ago, so the transition should not be a big surprise.

The change was made in hopes of attracting incoming graduate students to the University, Patel said.

"We need new blood each year," Patel said. "If we can support students for two or three years and other schools can’t, students are going to choose to come here."

Patel also pointed out that the new University Wide policy will be re-examined before awards are granted next year.

"We have $25 million for assistantships," Patel said. "Students have options to get other assistantships."