Need for increased scholarship funds
  • Insufficient funds were provided when the former TUNS programs were included in the scholarship reallocation process. These programs still feel hard done by. On the other hand, all other things being equal, the programs they have joined will suffer losses in their scholarship allocation unless the shortfall is made up.

  • Several questions were aimed at the urgent need for us to be able to make competitive offers to outstanding students. The following account provides a vivid illustration. After being admitted, an NSERC-funded student visited my department 2 years ago to help him decide whether to come here. Afterward he wrote, "I've been trying to decide between the U of C and Dalhousie all week. I think that the atmosphere is more friendly at Dal, and as a group the Dal neuroscience researchers are probably stronger. However, I am leaning towards the U of C at this point. I won an Alberta Heritage award that will provide a $5,000 top up to my NSERC, and it will also provide a $1,000 research allowance. In addition, the U of C has a "Fee Scholarship" that pays the tuition of students that apply with a peer-reviewed national or international award. I'm not in it for the money - otherwise I would have applied to medical school :-) - but by going to the U of C I can stay out of debt."
    This is but one of many examples of our problem. The solution rests in securing additional funds.

  • Whereas, thanks to the forward thinking Killams, Dalhousie has a healthy endowment for the support of graduate scholarships, we are nevertheless disadvantaged by the fact that unlike most other provinces, Nova Scotia does not have its own scholarship program. An effective lobbying effort, preferably involving the cooperation of our sister Universities with graduate programs, must be put in place to convince the Nova Scotia Government to establish a province-wide graduate scholarship system. That Premier John Hamm's son earned a PhD from Dalhousie a few years ago may help us succeed in this.

  • A dedicated fundraising effort, with the fullest support of the University, must be aimed at graduate scholarships.

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