In our February 2021 issue, the CAMB Student Newsletter published a special interest article assessing the need for an independently-run Human Resources (HR) department for BGS graduate students. We conducted a BGS-wide anonymous survey asking students their thoughts. Sixty-five doctoral students spanning the seven BGS graduate groups participated in the survey to share their views with us. 78.5% of respondents agreed that graduate students could benefit from an independent HR department. 64.6% admitted that they had faced problems (personal, health, or work-related) at least once, and kept them private because they didn’t feel they had somewhere to turn. 72.3% of students mentioned that they find it fairly difficult to communicate about sensitive topics entailing interpersonal relations, training, and career opportunities with their PI and program leadership. Unfortunately, these statistics indicate a gap in communication between students and their mentors in academia, with many students feeling as if they lack the resources needed to address certain issues.
In response to these results, Dan Kessler, CAMB Program Chair, and Craig Bassing, CAMB Vice Chair, contacted the CAMB Student Newsletter team to learn more about the survey results and begin a conversation on student resources and unmet needs. Through our conversations with Dan and Craig, we learned more about their roles as advisors, mentors, and advocates for CAMB students. We heard their thoughts on our survey results, learned how they can help mediate the myriad of challenges faced by graduate students, and reviewed the many resources currently available for CAMB students. Eager to work together to generate solutions, Dan and Craig helped brainstorm ideas for new programming and events to begin addressing the concerns raised in our survey. We share below interview responses from Dan and Craig summarizing their thoughts on these topics. Interview responses have been edited for space and clarity.
Can you outline your role as graduate group chair?
Dan Kessler (DK): I have many roles and responsibilities as graduate group chair, but foremost among those is as advocate for and supporter of the success and wellbeing of CAMB students. Working closely with the program chairs, the administrators, and the CAMB Executive Committee, I am responsible for all academic requirements, policies and standards for coursework, laboratory rotations, thesis research, student advising and recruitment, as well as other duties listed here.
Craig Bassing (CB): While I have administrative roles in helping Dan oversee all aspects of CAMB, my most important and rewarding role is serving as a mentor and advocate for students to help them grow their scientific and professional skills and identify and pursue their career objectives.
How can you assist students who may be having issues? What does that process look like?
DK: I strive to build a sense of trust and connection with the students, making myself readily available so that a student in need will feel safe reaching out to discuss the issue they’re facing. Some students use my regularly scheduled office hours (every other Wednesday 2-4p), and I frequently meet with students outside of office hours, typically within a day of the initial contact. In nearly all cases I can maintain confidentiality, and do not share details with other faculty or administrators without the permission of the student. Once a student or faculty mentor has identified an issue or concern, the CAMB team (graduate group chair, vice chair, CAMB administrators, faculty mentor, thesis committee chair) works together to support the student and identify solutions. Sometimes this is simply a conversation with the student to provide feedback, suggestions and support, validating the student experience, and identifying productive steps a student might take on their own, or together with faculty, to resolve the issue. When necessary, I will recommend external support available through BGS and the University…In nearly all cases, the plans and solutions are developed in collaboration with the student, and actions or intervention rarely occurs without the consent of the student.
CB: I can and frequently listen to students explain their issue(s), provide them with my perspective, and advise and/or direct them to the appropriate on-campus resources. This can be through email, in-person (or virtual) meetings, or phone conversations where I try my best to create a safe and understanding environment. I always keep these conversations confidential unless the student gives me permission to speak with others (i.e. their mentor).
What kind of issues can students bring to you?
DK: I am available to discuss any issue or concern that impacts the progress, success, and wellbeing of the student. These include academic and research issues, concerns about mentoring and relations with the PI and others in the lab, struggles with physical or mental health, family and partner problems, financial challenges, questions or concerns about career path, and any incident of bias, harassment or disrespect. In these circumstances and others I am prepared to provide support and guidance, seek out needed resources, work together with the students and mentors to define solutions, and in all cases advocate for student success and wellness.
CB: Anything. Issues have included: an illness of themself, a family member, or a partner that is impacting their wellbeing and performance in graduate school; questions about choosing lab rotations, a thesis mentor, or committee; problems with their thesis mentor or others in their thesis lab that they need advice on how to raise or do not feel comfortable raising on their own; how to gain exposure to and skills for the many diverse career opportunities; how and when to go about considering and applying for a position after graduate school; how to ask their mentor and/or committee for permission to write and defend; and disagreements about the content, timing, or process for finishing a study, writing it into a manuscript, and the journals to consider.
What are your thoughts on the survey results/article?
DK: I’m very much concerned when any student feels that they do not have the support and resources needed for their success and wellbeing, and the article makes clear that this is the case for some CAMB students... I view your efforts in doing the survey and reporting the outcome as an effective form of student advocacy. The article offers an opportunity for us to learn from the students and to further our efforts to provide needed support, whether from within CAMB or through the establishment of new resources at the BGS or University level, such as the suggested BGS Department of Human Resources.
Regarding the specific idea proposed, a BGS Department of Human Resources, I do agree that having trained staff that are dedicated to student support would be ideal. I am, however, cautious about instituting a formal human resources department for graduate students. From my experience as an employee, faculty member, and graduate group leader, I am sensitive to the differences between student and employee status, and the unique flexibility students need as they navigate their educational and research paths. An HR Department for students would need a system of expectations, requirements, and resources that were designed for the particular needs of graduate students doing discovery-focused thesis research, an educational and work experience fundamentally different from that of faculty and staff. To be clear, I am fully committed to the goal of developing a support system that includes trained dedicated support staff that focus exclusively on the needs and experiences of graduate students.
CB: I was sad to learn that CAMB leadership needs to better and more frequently communicate to our students that there are helpful, experienced, and confidential resources available within CAMB, BGS, and/or Penn. [We need to help identify] these [resources], [in order to better] assist our students with any issue that they may encounter.
What existing resources would you suggest to students who may be struggling with the topics mentioned in our survey?
DK: I would strongly recommend that students work actively to build a support network of trusted CAMB faculty, including mentors and graduate group leadership, and the CAMB administrators, who are deeply experienced with navigating the challenges that students face. In many cases these individuals have received training in handling student crises, and are knowledgeable of the many institutional resources available to students. Such resources include Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)... Student Health Services (SHS), Weingarten Learning Resources Center...Graduate Student Center, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), [among others]...In addition, CAMB has supported the establishment of the Peer Support Network, which is currently active, and the Minority Support Network which is now under development. These are critical new resources that provide support from trained faculty and peers, and will provide valuable additional sources of support.
CB: The existing resources are diverse to reflect the different types of issues that typically arise and are listed on the CAMB and BGS websites. However, I would emphasize that CAMB leadership and the CAMB office are excellent first points of contact to help direct students to the appropriate resources.
What kind of measures or changes do you envision CAMB making to help support students and create a safe space?
DK: It is critical that we provide greater transparency in the support offered and the response processes once a student asks for help. As an important first step, we are planning regular Town Hall meetings with students to address their concerns and to offer a better understanding of how the faculty leaders and administrators of CAMB work as a team to engage resources in supporting students. We will start with meetings focusing on the specific needs of students as they progress through the stages of graduate school. For the first year students in May, we will meet to discuss balancing research and classes, optimizing summer research efforts, aligning expectations with your rotation advisor, and conflict resolution in the lab. In June for the second year students, we will meet to discuss aligning expectations with your thesis advisor, conflict resolution in the thesis lab, preparation for the prelim exam, and career and professional development activities. Additional sessions will be planned to address the needs of students at later stages, as well as sessions focused on specific topics of relevance to students at all stages, including gender and racial equity, workplace bias and harassment, medical and family leave, and others. For each session we will emphasize the role of faculty, administrators and peers in accessing needed support, the graduate group processes employed in supporting students, and the function of BGS and University resources in student support. The goal is to demystify the “who, what, and how” of student support in CAMB. It is my hope that these conversations will provide a greater sense of comfort and understanding, allowing students to reach out more easily when in need, and to do so with confidence in the people and processes of the support systems.
CB: [To help support students, we’re] launching open discussion forums on general topics [chosen by] students, as many [will] encounter [similar issues] and can learn from each others' experiences. [We’d like to better] communicate typical issues our students encounter and the resources available to help them through these.
Is there any last message you’d like to share with the students?
DK: As a graduate student you are engaged in creative, original work that is exciting and rewarding, but also inherently uncertain and risky in its nature. Doing such work involves productive failure that can provoke anxiety and doubt. The relationships with faculty, peers and others in the lab can be intense and challenging at times, and difficulties in your personal and family life can create barriers to success. Building a supportive network of faculty, peers and friends is essential for your success and wellbeing, and asking for help when in need is essential. In my role as graduate group chair, I welcome the opportunity to hear the experience of each student, and to work with students individually and as groups to develop plans and solutions that will create opportunity, and support success and wellbeing. Working together with the students and faculty, I commit to further developing the resources and support that you, the students of CAMB, identify as necessary. My goal for the students of CAMB is for you to grow as scientists, professionals and individuals, and to have a positive experience that deepens the love of science that brought you to CAMB in the first place.
CB: Please do not hesitate to contact me or others in CAMB leadership or the CAMB office with any issues or questions that you might have no matter how trivial or serious you think they may be. We are here to help you, and we want to do so.
As discussed above, Dan and Craig are planning Town Hall discussions to facilitate open communication with graduate students. These discussions will address some of the various issues identified by our survey results, including but not limited to conflict management, career development, and reporting workplace harassment.
We encourage our readers to share feedback about these Town Hall discussions! Interested in a specific topic that you would like to see discussed? Have an idea for how to structure the Town Halls? Looking to help CAMB administration with organizing a Town Hall? Please write to us at cambstudentnewsletter@gmail.com to let us know!
Finally, we strongly encourage any student facing an issue or looking for advice to meet with Dan and/or Craig at their regularly scheduled office hours (every Wednesday, 2:00 - 4:00PM). Students can also email Dan and Craig directly to set up meetings outside of these assigned office hours.
We thank Dan and Craig for sharing their perspectives with us and for their continued support of CAMB students. As CAMB students, we strive to work together with Dan, Craig, and CAMB administration to help initiate positive change and improve our graduate school experience. We hope that our endeavours will pave the way to a more transparent, fulfilling, and memorable graduate school experience.