In May 2013, 3446 graduate students were sent a short survey asking for their evaluation of the advising they received at ISU. 1836 responses were received for a response rate of 53%. The goal of the survey was to gather information on the current state of advising so we can have a concrete discussion on what can be improved.

The Graduate Student and Post‐Doctoral Research Associate Scholarly Activity Survey was administered during the spring 2013 semester by the Survey and Behavioral Research Service at Iowa State University. The purpose of the survey was to gain a comprehensive view of the endeavors of graduate students and postdocs at ISU during the 2012 calendar year.

In Spring 2016, the Graduate College surveyed all students seeking graduate and professional degrees about their experiences as students and the climate at ISU. A total of 999 students responded to the survey out of 4863 graduate/professional students, a response rate of 20.5%.

• 35% of the graduate population reported negative experiences in their graduate program based on their personal characteristics. The most frequent types of negative experiences were based on gender (12%), race/ethnicity (10%), age (7%), and country of origin (6%).
• 38% of students reported personally experiencing bias/harassment/discrimination in the form of verbally offensive comments. Minoritized populations reported the following higher rates of verbally offensive comments: 75% of transgender and gender non-conforming students, 56% of LGB students, and half of the students of color: 49% of students of color (74% of Black/African American students, 50% of Asian American students, 40% of Hispanic/Latino students).
• 28% of students indicated feeling that their ideas/suggestions in an academic/research discussion were disregarded because of personal characteristics.
• 13% reported feeling threatened verbally or physically. Minoritized populations and international students reported the following higher rates of feeling threatened; 40% of transgender and gender non-conforming students, 24% of women students, 19% of international students, and 19% of LGB students.

The application cycles fall 2007 to fall 2010 produced a steady increase in the number of applications to graduate school. Total applications to Iowa State University increased from 5048 in the fall of 2007 to 5993 in the fall of 2010, representing nearly a four percent increase per year.

During the spring 2012 semester, a task force of graduate students, staff, and faculty created a survey to gather information from women graduate students about their experiences at Iowa State University (ISU). The survey was adapted from similar surveys at MIT and University of Maryland. Our survey had four main sections: (1) Campus climate, (2) Professional development and academic services, (3) Student workload and student services, (4) Wellness, family and housing.

The AAU Doctoral Exit Survey collects data on doctoral recipients’ satisfaction of their doctoral program and university. For the academic year of 2013-2014, ISU collected 87 responses and other AAU institutions (a total of 24) reported a total of 13,044 responses. This is the first time that ISU has reported data for this survey to AAU. The response rate was relatively low (26%). It is expected that the response rate for future years will be higher based on improved survey administration procedures. Comparison of ISU’s and other AAU institutions’ responses suggests that ISU’s doctoral programs perform well in certain areas, while improvement is warranted in some areas.

Learning communities in higher education and at ISU have primarily focused on small groups of undergraduate students with connections made via linked curricula or living‐learning communities. While the student focus may be different, there is a foundation for Iowa State University to further develop and implement graduate student learning communities (GLC).

The Early Engagement Survey was emailed to first year graduate students on October 16, during the 9th week of the semester. The purpose of the survey was to identify key behaviors of new graduate students that might provide an early indication of difficulties transitioning to graduate school. Students were asked about their academic integration, social integration, and possible causes of financial stress—three factors identified as possible explanations as to why students leave graduate school without a degree. We also know that the largest attrition rates occur during the first year of graduate studies, but we do not know whether early student behaviors during the first few months of graduate school correlate with a decision to leave by the end of the first year.

The purpose of this survey is to assess the diverse climate of graduate students’ experiences at ISU.

The retention and persistence of graduate students at ISU continues to be an ongoing topic of conversation within the graduate college and academic departments. Graduate students play an integral role in research and scholarship on campus and it is critical that the department and lab climate foster a positive environment for all graduate students at ISU. In an unhealthy climate, students are less likely to adjust academically and are less likely to develop a sense of belonging on the campus. Assessing campus climate and then taking action to create and sustain a healthy climate are essential steps to creating an environment that supports the fundamental mission of the university —teaching, research, and service. Addressing climate benefits all campus community members, not just historically underrepresented students, faculty and staff.

Our aims are to provide an outlet for graduate students to share their experiences within departments, bring awareness of climate issue, and equip faculty, staff and students with the skills and tools need to address current and future problems.

AGEP alumni from ISU, UoI, UNI were survey in 2012 as part of the closeout activities of the NSF AGEP grant. Here is a summary.