Duke genetics - please help

[berba9]

I was told this:

 

 

...the grant which pays your stipend for the first 2 years will be refunded, so that's in the bank. With respect to your funding for the rest of your graduate education, it depends a lot on the lab you go into. Typically you will find a home that will have an existing funded grant to pay you from, or if the PI loses funding s/he will back stop your salary, or the Department in which the PI has their academic appointment, will backstop your salary - the strong emphasis is on making sure you will be funded!

 

What exactly does that mean (backstop)?
As far as I had understood, the program funds students for the 1st 2 years (which seems to be confirmed here) and after that only professors who have grant funding take students since  we're supposed to get our stipends from them (if we don't get fellowships).

 

Any ideas what this mail means???

[ERR_Alpha]

Basically, it seems like your PI would have to fund you. From what I'm gathering the "backstop" would be your PI borrowing money from the department or grad school to pay for your salary with the intent to pay it back. So basically, you won't ever be without a pay check.

Edit: found this Duke link https://gradschool.duke.edu/sites/default/files/documents/policy_phd_student_affiliation_and_backstop.pdf

Edited April 11, 2015 by ERR_Alpha

[berba9]

Thanks

When I googled backstop I ended up with some consulting company website!

Anyway, the link is both good and bad news (POI won't take me if he doesn't get a grant) I guess.

[stmwap]

Thanks

When I googled backstop I ended up with some consulting company website!

Anyway, the link is both good and bad news (POI won't take me if he doesn't get a grant) I guess.

Well you don't want to be in an underfunded lab anyway.