GSAS Expansion of Family Friendly Resources

January 01, 2020

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce an expansion of family-friendly initiatives and resources for fully-funded doctoral students in Arts and Sciences programs. Beginning in the fall 2015 semester, GSAS will offer:

  1. A twelve-week period of Parental Accommodation. Students who give birth, adopt, or become legal guardians or foster parents, as well as students whose spouse or partner gives birth, can have responsibilities associated with their doctoral program suspended for twelve calendar weeks. During that time, students will retain any GSAS funding they were scheduled to receive. Parental Accommodation typically begins after the date of birth, adoption, or guardianship, but must begin no later than three months after this date. (Please note: This policy supersedes the Policy on Suspension of Responsibilities.)
     
  2. An optional semester of unpaid accommodation, in addition to the 12 weeks of paid accommodation. Students who elect to take a semester of unpaid accommodation after their Accommodation for Parental Responsibilities concludes will not receive a stipend, but will continue to have access to CU housing, campus facilities, and insurance, provided they maintain continuous registration. International students will have uninterrupted legal immigration status.
     
  3. A $2,000 child-care subsidy per academic year for each child who is under the age of five and not yet attending kindergarten. If both parents are GSAS students, both of them may now apply individually for the child-care subsidy.
     
  4. An Adoption Assistance Program that will provide a reimbursement of up to $5,000 to help with the costs incurred by a graduate student parent who adopts while in a doctoral program.
     
  5. A new campus lactation room, located in Butler Library, that will provide a private and convenient space for graduate students, faculty, and staff this fall.

GSAS is committed to supporting students with families and those who become parents while in graduate school. Contact [email protected] with any questions.