Stipend Issue

[LadyL]

So the lab I'm joining offered me extra money to come to their program. There was never a specific amount, just several mentions of "making the [department's] offer more financially competitive." Before I accepted I followed up and said that some programs in areas with a similar cost of living offered stipends in the high 20s. I got a reply reassuring me that they were sure they could match any other offer. I asked the graduate director if he knew when more specific information would be available, and he said that my PI would work that out with me since the extra money would be coming from his grant and would probably involve summer funding (for next summer presumably).

Well, I haven't heard anything from anyone and am not sure whether to follow up again, or what I should say. I would like to know what my "supplemented" stipend amount will be because I need to know my budget while looking for an apartment. I don't feel like it's unreasonable to mention that and ask for an update, or at least a time line for when decisions will be made, but you never know what people will see as pushy.

Having been in a grant funded position at my job I know that the process can be a bit murky and a lot of PIs don't want to deal with it until budgets are due. If my funding supplement won't be until next summer it's fine if it's not 100% nailed down right away, as long as it isn't ignored completely. I did consider the worst case scenario, that the PI won't actually give me anything extra or won't be able to, and decided that I could live with just the departmental stipend if need be. Of course that wouldn't be great for my relationship with my adviser, but there are several other labs I could transfer to in the department, again worst case scenario.

Thoughts? How would you broach the topic?

[Riotbeard]

So the lab I'm joining offered me extra money to come to their program. There was never a specific amount, just several mentions of "making the [department's] offer more financially competitive." Before I accepted I followed up and said that some programs in areas with a similar cost of living offered stipends in the high 20s. I got a reply reassuring me that they were sure they could match any other offer. I asked the graduate director if he knew when more specific information would be available, and he said that my PI would work that out with me since the extra money would be coming from his grant and would probably involve summer funding (for next summer presumably).

Well, I haven't heard anything from anyone and am not sure whether to follow up again, or what I should say. I would like to know what my "supplemented" stipend amount will be because I need to know my budget while looking for an apartment. I don't feel like it's unreasonable to mention that and ask for an update, or at least a time line for when decisions will be made, but you never know what people will see as pushy.

Having been in a grant funded position at my job I know that the process can be a bit murky and a lot of PIs don't want to deal with it until budgets are due. If my funding supplement won't be until next summer it's fine if it's not 100% nailed down right away, as long as it isn't ignored completely. I did consider the worst case scenario, that the PI won't actually give me anything extra or won't be able to, and decided that I could live with just the departmental stipend if need be. Of course that wouldn't be great for my relationship with my adviser, but there are several other labs I could transfer to in the department, again worst case scenario.

Thoughts? How would you broach the topic?

I would just ask (I think the apartment thing and budgeting is a good context for when you ask), but they know we are poor grad students and need/want to know what we can afford, etc. It's not like you are a millionaire penny pinching. It's a reasonable question, and they know the students positions.

[BionicKris]

I agree with Riotbeard. Just send him/her a quick e-mail requesting updated information. You are, after all, expected to live on this "supplemented" stipend, it's only fair that they let you know how much, especially considering that you will be using this to pay rent, buy food, etc. Good Luck!