Would anyone here be interested in having/contributing to an art history specific funding doc, similar to what people in English lit have done here?
Personally, I had no idea what I could expect in terms of funding when I was applying to schools. I think if people had a better sense of what schools were offering, it could help future applicants plan accordingly, or even save on application fees if they knew beforehand a school just couldn’t meet their needs. While “follow the money” may not be universally true advice, financial considerations when selecting schools are something to be taken seriously, especially for people moving with spouses or families.
I’m also imagining this could be helpful for people on waitlists who might want a sense of what a potential funding package could look like when weighing it with other options.
Lastly, as someone very interested in labor equity, organizing, and activism, perhaps transparency in this area could empower students to advocate for better compensation in programs where it is lacking. A few years ago a sit-in at the University of Houston was effective in raising the graduate student compensation for English PhDs from 9k to a “living wage,” with the chancellor pledging $1 million to go towards increased stipends. Similarly, students at UW-Madison, U Missouri, and others have recently organized for livable stipends.
I’m very grateful for the funding packages that I’ve been able to secure, and I hope this doesn’t come as rabblerousing OR money-grabbing. On the contrary, I’m hoping that sharing the few data points I’ve gained in the process could be of benefit to someone else, and if there was a critical mass of participation, could give a clear and transparent picture of the field at large, and the financial considerations one would have to make to attend graduate school.
I’m happy to start the doc, if people think this is a good idea/beneficial/would contribute.
