Dear Rice community,
As part of Rice’s ongoing commitment to promote the well-being and success of our graduate students, the university is making additional investments to support the graduate student community. Beginning Fall Semester 2024, graduate support over 12 months (in the form of a stipend or other compensation) will increase to a minimum of $34,000 for doctoral students who are enrolled in full-time study and who are in good standing with the university. This increase builds on last year’s establishment of a minimum stipend and a broad array of graduate student support. The amount will be prorated for doctoral students who are on nine-month appointments, and a stipend will be provided for the term described in the original offer letter. Rice will continue to review the minimum stipend annually and will adjust it annually to address changes in the cost of living.
In addition, some programs may provide a higher stipend than the minimum. Rice continues to encourage all graduate programs to annually increase stipends to compete with peers and to address changes in the cost of living.
This semester, we are also excited to share news about some dining options that we hope are of value to graduate students. Farmer’s Fridge, a new vending option, provides fresh, convenient meals around the clock, ideal for late-night study sessions. These innovative machines are strategically located in the BioScience Research Collaborative and the Brockman Hall for Physics and include vegan and vegetarian options. The new Dandelion Cafe in the O’Connor Building for Engineering and Science offers fresh, local and healthy food options. Their menu boasts all-day breakfast tacos, made-to-order smoothies, coffee drinks, vegan and vegetarian options, and grab-and-go meals, making it easy to grab a quick bite from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
As we develop Rice’s strategic plan, we maintain a strong focus on doctoral students and their important work and contributions. We are committed to providing doctoral students with the mentoring, financial support and other resources to flourish in pursuit of their research and scholarship. We are especially grateful for the partnership of the Graduate Student Association, GSA President Dhiraj Jain and the GSA officers. We look forward to continuing to work with each of you.
Warm regards,
Amy Dittmar, Howard R. Hughes Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Seiichi Matsuda, Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies