Travel Support

Departmental Student Travel Funds

General Principle

Whenever department resources permit, the department will try to partially support a student who attends a conference to present a paper or who attends a conference at which a paper which s/he has co-authored is being presented by the advisor. Faculty with extramural (grant) funding may choose to supplement this departmental support so that their students are fully reimbursed for their travel expenses.

Due to the State and the University budget cuts, there is no department travel fund available at this time and until further notice.

Application & Evaluation Procedure

1. The student should apply for funds from other sources.  In particular, the student should apply for travel funds from the Graduate Student Senate and from the conference (if such funds are available). Travel funds from the Graduate Student Senate must be applied for within the first two or three days of classes each semester.  Further, many conferences have travel grants for students, or provide funding for student volunteers, or provide funding for students participating in conference events such as a Doctoral Symposium -- if such funds are available, the student should apply.
2. It is important to note that the window of opportunity to request certain funds, e.g., Graduate Student Senate funds and graduate student support from individual conferences, may be very limited.  However, failure on the student's or advisor's part in requesting these funds in a timely manner will not be grounds for requesting compensatory funds from the department.

Graduate Student Senate

Overview

The Graduate Student Senate (GSS) represents the concerns of the graduate student community of Kent State University. The Graduate Student Senate also serves as an allocation body by providing funding to graduate students and graduate organizations for speakers, workshops, social events, capital equipment purchases, and professional travel.

The GSS is composed of representatives chosen by procedures established by the graduate departments / schools of Kent State University. The GSS also appoints graduate student representatives to a variety of university committees.

GSS general meetings are held four times each semester. Gradfests are held for all graduate students following the general meetings.

Additional information regarding the GSS can be obtained from the GSS office at (330) 672-2406.

CS GSS Representatives

Jamal Alsakran

GSS Travel and Research Support

The Graduate Student Senate provides partial funding for graduate students to attend conferences and make presentations. Graduate students are encouraged to apply. It is best -- and maybe even necessary -- to request these funds within the first 7 calendar days of the semester.

"The total available funds will be equitably distributed among approved applicants who submit requests within the first 7 calendar days of the semester. The rate of reimbursement will be a percentage based on the total available funds divided by the total estimated expenditures requested by all applicants."

Applications submitted after the first seven days will be funded on a first-come-first-serve basis "if additional funds become available". Application forms are available online at the GSS site. Completed forms should be returned to the Graduate Student Senate Office, room 120L of the Student Center. In order to be considered for funding, a student must provide an OFFICIAL COPY of your current semester schedule from the Registrar's Office, 122 MSC. Any form received without this will be invalid.