Quality of Life 2016-2017
The Mechanical Engineering Graduate Association (MEGA) administered a quality of life survey during the two week period from March 20th, 2017 to April 3rd, 2017. MEGA received 108 responses from 50 Doctoral ME students, 42 Masters ME students, 1 Doctoral BME student, 3 Doctoral alumni and 12 Masters alumni. The responses represent 67% of current Doctoral ME students and 36% of current Masters ME students.
Results
For the full report, click here.
Based on the results of the survey and the MEGA executive board's discussion with ME faculty and staff on April 25th, 2017, MEGA submitted the table below as a list of official requests on behalf of the student body. The requests cover the highest priority and most widespread problems uncovered by the survey. MEGA is committed to correcting the problems below by September 1st, 2017.
- Request
- Improve Communication
- Description
- The department does not announce changes in faculty & staff positions. Very little notice is given for renovations, such as the MechTech Lab or ET 252.
- Category
- Administration
- Request
- Adopt Columbia's conference travel policy.
- Description
- The department does not follow Columbia's preferred policies to use p-card and travel agents to book travel.
- Category
- Administration
- Request
- Create a financial fact sheet for TAs, RAs, fellows, and graders.
- Description
- Students are confused about how they are paid, the fees they must pay, and taxation of their income.
- Category
- Administration
- Request
- Expedite expense reimbursements.
- Description
- Students are waiting for 4-6 months to receive reimbursement checks, especially when they travel.
- Category
- Administration
- Request
- Expedite Quartzy orders.
- Description
- 30% of PhD students wait on average 8 days or longer after their PI approves Quartzy orders for the order to be placed.
- Category
- Administration
- Request
- Maintain and clean the TA room.
- Description
- The lock on the TA room door hasn't been fixed. The TA room is used by the general public. Markers don't always work.
- Category
- Academics
- Request
- Improve availability of elective courses.
- Description
- Students find it difficult to register for courses outside the ME department that are required for concentrations.
- Category
- Academics
- Request
- Diversify seminars.
- Description
- Seminars disproportionately feature work from the same one or two fields. Energy seminars should be restarted.
- Category
- Academics
- Request
- Clarify recognition of robotics concentration.
- Description
- The department falsely advertises the robotics cencentration, as it is not formally recognized like the other concentrations.
- Category
- Academics
- Request
- Improve MS student advising.
- Description
- Many MS students have not met their faculty advisors since orientation.
- Category
- Academic Advising
- Request
- Provide feedback and review of PhD students.
- Description
- PhD students do not receive regular feedback on their progress. The annual surveys that PhD students complete are not discussed by their PIs.
- Category
- Academic Advising
- Request
- Provide adviser information on doctoral offer letters.
- Description
- Current offer letters do not include adviser information.
- Category
- Academic Advising
- Request
- Reinstitute TA awards and create other CV builders.
- Description
- The department does not regularly give out the TA award and recognizes fewer students with awards than peer institutions.
- Category
- Career Services
- Request
- Improve alumni relations.
- Description
- Alumni are not contacted by the department after graduation.
- Category
- Alumni Relations
- Request
- Update the website.
- Description
- The website has out-of-date videos and false advertising of a robotics concentration and also lacks clearly defined policies.
- Category
- Technology Resources
- Request
- Assign staff member as Facilties point of contact.
- Description
- Mechanical engineering spaces have incomplete facilities projects and are not regularly cleaned.
- Category
- Facilties
Updates
5/29/2018
New lab signs were hung for all research labs in Mudd.
2/9/2018
The doors to all research labs on the first floor of Mudd were repainted a matching blue color.
1/5/2018
The new TA room furniture was delivered and installed.
7/31/2017
MEGA met with Professor Kysar to discuss progress made on our requests. Going forward, MEGA will meet quarterly with the department chair on quality of life issues.
5/10/2017
MEGA met with Professor Kysar to discuss specific facilities issues in department research labs and the TA room.