[Faculty] UCR Graduate Division Faculty Quarterly Newsletter Winter 2026

[GRADsuccess .]

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Winter 2026

Faculty Quarterly

*Welcome back to a new quarter!*

We are excited to begin the year and grateful for the energy, creativity,
and commitment you bring to graduate education at UCR. We invite more
programs to join our new Graduate Student Mentoring Network and encourage
faculty to participate in CIMER mentoring training as we continue to
strengthen our culture of effective and inclusive mentorship.

We are especially pleased that the new Student Management System will be
fully launched this year, making admissions, offers, and funding easier to
track and manage across campus. Thank you to all who completed the Annual
Mentoring and Evaluation form with your students. Your thoughtful feedback
is already shaping improvements. Our goal is a 100% completion rate this
year and to begin sharing dashboard data that programs and colleges can use
to celebrate student progress and productivity. We also successfully
completed the HSRU *Preparing the Next Generation of Scholars: Academic Job
Search Series* for postdocs in Engineering and the Physical Sciences. Our
plan is to continue offering the series of workshops and extend it to all
postdocs on campus. We are grateful to all the faculty who served as
workshop facilitators and panelists. We will be reaching out to many of you
to engage with us to make this opportunity available to postdocs from your
areas of scholarly work.

 As always, we welcome your ideas, feedback, and continued partnership.

Lidia Kos
Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies


*UCR Faculty Award Nominations*
Supportive mentorship can make all the difference to the success of our
graduate students. To recognise their time, effort and impact, please
consider nominating your colleagues for the Senate "Doctoral Dissertation
Advisor/Mentor Award" and Graduate Division’s "Commitment to Graduate
Diversity Award”.

Nomination letters can be submitted *here
<https://form.jotform.com/253456655251157?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->.
*



Graduate Admissions
*Application Submission and Program Recommendation Deadlines*
Please note these important dates on your calendar to ensure
recommendations are processed for the upcoming quarters.

*Spring 2026*

   - International
      - Application Submission Deadline: December 1, 2025
      - Admission Recommendations: December 8, 2025
   - Domestic
      - Application Submission Deadline: February 1, 2026
      - Admission Recommendations: February 9, 2026

*Summer 2026*

   - International (Deadlines Passed)
      - Application Submission Deadline: March 1, 2026
      - Admission Recommendations: March 9, 2026
   - Domestic
      - Application Submission Deadline: May 1, 2026
      - Admission Recommendations: May 8, 2026

*GradSMS Admissions Module Replacing GradSIS for 2026-27 Recruitment Cycle*
For the Summer and Fall 2026 recruitment cycle, graduate programs will be
using the new GradSMS Admissions module to create financial support charts.
Training is available on the GradSMS Training website
<https://sites.google.com/ucr.edu/gsms-training-materials?usp=sharing&utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->
for Admissions Graduate Advisor and Program Staff users responsible for
building charts and approving funding. The Graduate Division will host
additional office hours in January and early February to support the
transition to the new system.
Programs recruiting for Spring 2026 will use GradSIS to create financial
charts.



Academic Preparation,
Recruitment, & Outreach

*Grad Slam: Coming in Winter 2026*
Please encourage your graduate students to participate in Grad Slam
<https://gsrc.ucr.edu/grad-slam-2026?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->.
Grad Slam is a UC-wide public speaking competition and professional
development opportunity in which graduate students describe their research
in three minutes and one slide for cash prizes. Interested students should
contact graduate program coordinators to learn how to participate. For more
information, please APRO at apro at ucr.edu.


*MSRIP & UC LEADS Grad App Reviews*
Graduate Division’s Summer Internship Program (MSRIP
<https://apro.ucr.edu/undergrad/msrip?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->
and UC LEADS
<https://apro.ucr.edu/undergrad/uc-leads?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->)
scholars are now applying for admission to UCR graduate programs. MSRIP and
UC LEADS are academic preparation for graduate school programs, where our
scholars engage in intensive research with UCR faculty mentors alongside
academic preparation for graduate school. Look for their graduate
applications and *contact us <apro at ucr.edu>* if you would like more
information.


Funding & Employment
*Program Fellowship Nominations*
The deadline for program fellowship nominations is *January 16th.* All
applications for the Dissertation Completion Fellowship (DCFA),
Dissertation Year (DYFA), and Pre-professoriate HSI Fellowships (PP-HSI)
need to be complete, including letters of recommendation and nomination by
the program. These fellowships provide a stipend, tuition, and fees, and
aim to relieve students of teaching duties to focus on their research.

 Please contact the Faculty Graduate Program Advisor for your graduate
program more specific information.


*Central Fellowship Funding Update*
There is an upcoming change in how central fellowship funding will be
handled starting in Winter Quarter 2026:

   - Students in most STEM fields who are on a central fellowship (i.e.,
   first-year fellowships provided by your college or Grad Division) will
   receive a 25% fellowship and a 25% GSR position rather than a 50% fellowship
   - The pay is the same as if they were still on a 50% fellowship
   - Stipends will be processed and distributed as usual, without
   involvement of UC Path
   - Students will gain an experience point for quarters in which they have
   this split appointment, and are eligible for union membership.
   - Students WILL NOT receive additional quarters of fellowship funding
   beyond what was expected; the original fellowship promise is simply
   converting to a 25/25 split structure.

Academic Personnel (AP) is taking the lead on implementation, but Associate
Dean Kate Sweeny <kate.sweeny at ucr.edu> in the Graduate Division is an
additional source of information if you have questions.




Academics

*R’Grad Petition System*
Reminder – if you receive an email from *RGrad*, please open it! The email
is to alert you there is a petition in your queue. Review petitions in a
timely manner; deadlines are strictly enforced. Your students will
appreciate your support! If you have any questions about the R’Grad system,
please contact rgradfeedback at ucr.edu.


*Graduate Division Hooding Ceremony*
Planning has begun for the Graduate Division Hooding Ceremony! Please keep
an eye on your email for information regarding registration and regalia
ordering deadlines for faculty. If you have a PhD or MFA student
participating in the ceremony that you will be hooding, there are steps you
need to complete by March. Please review the* commencement website
<https://commencement.ucr.edu/?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->*
for more information.


*Need Help?*
Graduate Division has recently created a shortcut *Need Help?* slide to
assist faculty, students, and staff determine the correct path for
assistance. You can find it on the *Need Help?* website
<https://graduate.ucr.edu/need-help?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->
.




Grad Success
*Graduate Student Re-Orientation*
 Re-Orientation
<https://graduate.ucr.edu/graduate-student-re-orientation?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->offers
graduate students the opportunity to connect with campus resources they may
have missed during new student orientation. Activities include a campus
partner resource fair, coffee and food, activities, and a raffle. All
currently enrolled graduate students are invited. Faculty, postdocs, and
graduate program staff are also welcome to attend but are not eligible for
the raffle.

No RSVP needed. Please encourage your graduate students to attend, and we
hope you can make it, too!

Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Highlander Union Building Room 302
1:00 - 4:00 pm
Special Coffee Social from 3:00-4:00 pm
*LEARN MORE*
<https://graduate.ucr.edu/graduate-student-re-orientation?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->

*Wellness in Motion*
Faculty, Graduate Students, Postdocs, and Staff are invited to join us for
a brief and energizing health discussion, followed by uplifting mind-body
fitness sessions such as Pilates, Yoga, or breathwork.
*Register Here
<https://recreationregistration.ucr.edu/Program/GetProgramDetails?courseId=e6039c08-6029-4ad1-8063-97246ead89e3&utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->*

*Graduate Writing Circle*
This weekly 3-hour writing circle for graduate students and postdoctoral
scholars is hosted on campus and via Zoom. The Writing Circle is intended
to foster a collaborative graduate writing community.
Facilitated by Graduate Writing Center staff, each Writing Circle will
begin with a check-in for participants to set goals, followed by dedicated
time for writing. At the end of each session, participants will discuss
roadblocks and successes from the writing session, share resources, and set
writing goals for the next week.
Tuesdays from Week 2 to Week 10
When: 9:00a - 12:00p
Where: On Campus and Zoom
*LEARN MORE
<https://gwc.ucr.edu/programs/dissertation-support/writers-room?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->*

*GradQuant Winter Workshops*
GradQuant offers workshops in a variety of topics ranging from remedial and
introductory methods to advanced, specialized training including R, Python,
and more.
*Learn More and Register
<https://gradquant.ucr.edu/current-quarter-workshops?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->*

*TADP Workshops*
TADP offers workshops on core teaching and pedagogical development areas.
Workshops focus on enhancing teaching skills and classroom strategies.
Everyone is welcome, and each workshop directly aligns with the Stay TA
Ready Certificate.
*Learn More and Register
<https://tadp.ucr.edu/resources/workshops?utm_source=UC+Riverside+Master+List&utm_campaign=2ed53b8b1d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_08_08_57_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b69786bfc4->*

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