Pitt works with graduate student groups on campus to continually enhance the services and resources available to graduate students.
The Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG) helps to foster a sense of community through annual events including the University-wide orientation (which was expanded in August 2016 to include facilitated workshops), TEDx University of Pittsburgh, Pitt Day in Harrisburg, and many more.
The GPSG coordinates roughly 50 graduate and professional representatives on more than 30 University-wide committees, and through this work, graduate students have a voice in all areas of campus. Some notable accomplishments include:
- In January 2020, a new graduate and professional student lounge officially opened as a space on campus for graduate and professional students to socialize, grade papers or take a break in between teaching and classes.
- Most schools have designated staff or faculty members to help students confidentially assist graduate students to navigate school and department policies and to help resolve conflicts and problems.
- The Graduate Student Parental Accommodation Guidelines were developed by the University Council on Graduate Study in consultation with student focus groups in order to help new student parents successfully integrate their academic and personal pursuits.
- In fall 2012, a Dissertation Writing Room for social science and humanities dissertation students was opened in Hillman Library. This dedicated space provides comfortable chairs and individual work spaces with locked drawers in which students can leave their research materials and other belongings. It has also led to the emergence of a student community of dissertation writers that assists and supports each other.
- In fall 2018 as part of renovations to Hillman Library, a second quiet space for graduate students was opened.
- Graduate (and undergraduate) students on the Provost Advisory Committee for Women’s Concerns collaborate closely with the Department of Parking, Transportation, and Services. As a result, several improvements have been made to the campus shuttles, particularly the SafeRider program, which provides safe transportation during evening and early morning hours.