Is this the best use of money, to install decorative picket fences that require frequent repairs? - Winston Sill/ Freelance Photographer

What's up at UWI?

The following article was submitted on behalf of the Mona Association of Postgraduate Students (MAPS).

In the Caribbean, the University of the West Indies (UWI) has regarded itself as the leading institution in the area of research. The university brags about its numerous publications in top international journals and research relevant to our West Indian and wider global societies.

At the UWI Mona campus, the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences houses the most research students. Research from within that faculty has impacted the Caribbean and the world. Areas of research include medicine, bauxite, agriculture, food-processing industries, disaster management, crucial geological data and theories, atmospheric physics, notably global warming. Some of us can recall the issue of the salt that we export to Guyana becoming discoloured before arrival, ackee research, sickle cell, etc. The faculty has also produced many scholars in the areas of inorganic-reaction mechanisms, catalysis, organic synthesis, polymers, natural products, carbohydrate chemistry, climate-impact studies, Caribbean tectonics (geology), and Mona geographic information systems (GIS). Names such as Bert Fraser-Reid, a Nobel Prize nominee in chemistry, come to mind. Research within the Faculty of Social Sciences, while having a smaller impact globally, has had significant regional impact. One area of research that has had a more recent and notable impact are the policies on early-childhood education, most of which was based on research at UWI, Mona.

Unlocking full potential

Research is critical to a tertiary institution gaining increased international recognition.

A part of the university's mission statement speaks to unlocking the full potential of the region through high-quality teaching and research. But one would think that a tertiary institution would be better managed than a typical institution even, for example, the Government of Jamaica. Whereas our government(s) speak of development yet invest very little in research, we would expect that a university trying to stamp its name even more markedly on the global scale would invest in research.

Over the decades, the university (and here we refer to the efforts of numerous graduate students and lecturers) has been putting out high-quality publications in top peer review journals. Yet, despite talk of attaining an increased research output and an increase in the research population, the university does not increase the overall funding of the research programme and has to a large extent, disregarded its graduate student population.

An explanation of the core structures of the university might be in order here. The university is divided into three main sections of hierarchy. There is a top-heavy section called administration. Whereas in other renown tertiary institutions, administration accommodates only one floor of a building and can be easily missed by a visitor, the UWI, Mona administration has a block for itself and is the first set of buildings that catches the eye when one enters through the main gate.

Now, next in line, are lecturers (including professors) and other miscellaneous workers. For an academic institution, it is amazing how much less lecturers are paid than a top-heavy administration.

Then, last on the list, are students (undergraduates and postgraduates). The undergraduate population is huge and to compound the problem, each year the population increases. The undergraduate stage (for the uninitiated) is the stage where persons acquire a first degree (BSc, BEd, BA etc). For persons within the academic hierarchy, this is one notch above a high-school diploma, and because of their increasing numbers, coupled with the lack of appreciation for higher learning in our society, they are treated and paid in industry in a similar manner.

Next in line is a master's degree.

This degree is of two kinds: taught masters (for example MA, MSc, MEd, etc.) and research master's (MPhil.) A taught master's is a mere upgrade on a first degree. Next in line, is a doctorate degree (PhD). An MPhil is one step below a PhD as they are both centred on research with the depth required for an MPhil being obviously less than a PhD.

What many persons outside of the university do not know is that full-time research students are an integral part of the university, as they are often the link between the undergraduate students and lecturers. In the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, graduate students practically run the laboratories and some tutorials, while some of them are 'employed' as teaching assistants. In the other faculties, they are 'employed' as teaching assistants and they often run tutorials. Globally, there is a significant shortage of well-trained persons in scientific research. In the United States, they are begging students to engage in further studies, more specifically, research. In Canada and Europe, the plea is the same and for full-time students, it is the norm for the institution to cover tuition expenses while providing a substantial stipend (US$1,000-US$2,000 per month) for various living expenses. In addition, the students are provided with research grants to cover research expenses. It is the work of graduate students that results in the publications that have given and continue to give the university - inclusive of lecturers - recognition over the years. Irrespective of the vast number of undergraduate students that an institution produces, if it does not have good research, leading to quality publications, it will never have any recognition internationally.

Lack of vision

In Jamaica, corporate bodies do not fund research, largely because they lack vision. If they offer to fund 'research', they expect results within a year. India is now only reaping the rewards of investing in research some 30 years ago. With this in mind, no graduate student in his rightful mind would expect UWI, Mona to give graduate students a stipend of US$1,000!

But, let us examine some other facts. Of the more than 3,000 graduate students at Mona, approximately 20 per cent are research students. So, the vast majority are engaged in taught master's programmes such as the famous MBA and other MA programmes, etc. Of the 20 per cent research students, approximately 30-40 per cent of this population is part time, which means that they have to pay their tuition fees and they are not given any stipend. So, the university only caters for about 400-500 full-time research students out of a total population of over 10,000 students.

Now, there are certain stipulations that govern the definition of a full-time versus a part-time student. One of the most pertinent rules for our discussion is a clause stating that a full-time student may not take employment for more than 12 hours per week without losing his or her full-time registration status. Now, note carefully, that a student is not normally accepted for research with less than a second-class honours undergraduate degree. Unless a student received a scholarship from the board of graduate studies or has opted to pay his or her way, the student is given what is called a departmental award and he/she is required to work for eight hours per week in laboratories and sometimes more for tutorials.

Now, note that in the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, lab work will run over time and the marking of the scripts will easily run over the eight hours recommended.

We have another problem. The university is accepting more students, and that means more students from the lower end of the performance scale are being accepted. It means more work for the graduate students within the required hours.

The university will argue that it is giving stipends to the full-time students and that they are not working (so, in short, the university is doing the students a favour). And there are those lecturers who believe that graduate students should not be paid anything, even as they reap from the efforts of the same students.

But, again, let's examine the facts. Graduate students are indeed working indirectly for the university. It is the work of graduate students that gives lecturers and the university recognition. Another fact is that lecturers are promoted (eventually to) professors, based on the number of publications with their names affixed. Not many persons know this, but numerous professors did not do the 'hands-on' for the work that gave them the prestige and credit. That credit belongs to their graduate students.

The university needs graduate students for research and its daily operations and there is no question about it. Yet, some lecturers and administrators will argue that it is probably cheaper to employ an outsider (a person with a first degree) to man the laboratories. Cheaper in what sense? While a person with a first degree can probably man the preliminary and introductory labs (at ridiculous salary rates, as is being done as a temporary measure in one department), there is no way that someone without a deeper understanding of the respective scientific fields can effectively man the advanced laboratories and mark the scripts.

This measure will only aid in accelerating an already deteriorating system, bearing in mind that we have many below-standard students in the system already. Also note that weaker graduate students can have a hard time coping with the advanced laboratories, and it is the experienced graduate students who assist in bringing them up to speed. So what would happen with persons not engaged in research?

Ridiculous stipend

The stipend that the university gives for departmental awards is in the order of $265,000 per annum while for the UWI postgraduate scholarship, it is $330,000 per annum. The disbursements are paid quarterly. So, graduate students have to live on $22,000-$27,500 per month. This is just above minimum wage for a person with a first degree! And note that rent within the vicinity (including on campus sites) begins at $16,000 per month and we haven't even begun to tally food, utilities, loan repayment, transportation and other expenses.

Another issue is that if a graduate student applies (and he has to show the need, with a detailed budget, including pro-forma invoices) he can access US$2,000 strictly for research expenditure. For persons within the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, this can hardly purchase reagents for sophisticated experimentation; yet, somehow, people manage to engage in relevant research.

What have been the results of the scant regard paid to graduate students at UWI, Mona? Graduate students take a longer time to complete the programme, because they have to take up odd jobs on and off the campus to fill the gap in their budget (many times outside of the university's knowledge or they would be punished!) Many students are switching to part time, which results in more work for those who remain as full-time students, and again, a significantly greater time to complete the programme is the result. So, where a student should ideally take no longer than three years to complete an MPhil programme, he or she ends up taking up to five or seven years, and instead of the five years for a PhD, he or she takes sometimes up to seven to ten years.

Expansion

Now bear in mind the university found millions of dollars to erect additional buildings to expand an already top-heavy administration. The university installs numerous air-conditioning units (there is minimal investment in solar power technology), expensive clay tiles in highly mobile open areas (when good old concrete would do), picket fencing (reportedly using cheap untreated lumber) along the Queen's driveway that is in constant need of repair. And these are just a few examples of the annual wastage. Nevertheless, the university neglects to invest in areas that would improve the required image (in terms of international recognition, not visual recognition), such as research and research students.

What have the graduate students done? In the past and at present, the Mona Association of Postgraduate Students (MAPS), under the auspices of the Guild of Students as well as other concerned individuals, has highlighted the plight of the graduate students; but administration has swept their concerns under the carpet. This has resulted in strikes by graduate students in the past. About four or five years ago, the students were given a marginal increase that was barely in line with inflation - and they were already being grossly undercompensated.

The cost of living has more than doubled since then and no increase has been forthcoming, despite numerous pleas on and off the record. What is even more frightening is that some lecturers seek to intimidate their graduate students and a significant portion are afraid to take a stance. There are those, however, who are willing to tackle the administration and it appears that it is heading in this direction, since administration is trying to sweep the woes of graduate students under the mat again.

Since we are intellectuals, we do not wish to engage in marches and protests while carrying placards, but if this is what it takes to bring attention to our plight, we just might have to resort to such measures, along with other drastic measures.