February Message from the NDSU Ombuds
Posted: 2026-02-06 11:06:02 Expiration: 2026-03-01 11:06:02
Kristina Paranica, NDSU Ombudsperson, is a confidential resource for instructors and graduate students.
This month's message from the NDSU Ombuds talks about why language and labels matter.
What Do We Mean by "Graduate and Professional Students"?
Feb. 4, 2026
We often use the phrase “graduate and professional students” (or G&P students) and at first glance, it sounds simple enough. But the more time I spend in conversation, the more I realized how that label can be misunderstood.
It's not that it’s wrong. It’s just… incomplete. And that incompleteness has consequences.
I talk with graduate and professional students, postdocs, staff and faculty all the time from all areas of the institution. And I’m often asked the simple question: When might someone reach out to the Ombuds? My answer is typically consistent: “Anytime is a good time to reach out to the Ombuds. Especially before a decision is made that then cannot be changed”.
Yet when asked for an example of “a time when,” my answer is sometimes insufficient because it’s only one example of literally thousands of scenarios. And when you multiply that by all the types of G&P students at any one institution, it becomes impossible to capture the full picture in one isolated scenario.
One story might describe a MS or PhD student navigating a lab conflict with their advisor, or a post-doc unsure of where to raise a concern, and another a one-year professional master’s student worried about a sudden change in a practicum placement. All these examples are accurate. And each one leaves out a lot of other experiences.
Many Pathways, Many Experiences
When I say “graduate and professional students” I mean everyone from doctoral students in sciences and humanities to research-based master’s students to one-year professional master’s programs (Meng, MPH, MPA) to professional schools—law, medicine, business, veterinary medicine—to hybrid programs like MD-PhDs.
Each group has its own timelines, its own rules, its own power dynamics. And each comes to the Ombuds for very different reasons.
For Example:
A doctoral student in a lab might quietly worry that their advisor controls authorship, funding, and networking opportunities. They don’t come asking for a solution, they need someone to help them see the options they didn’t realize they had.
A one-year professional master’s student suddenly learns their required practicum has changed. Graduation is on the line. They need clarity fast, and the stakes feel high because the schedule doesn’t allow wiggle room.
An MBA student leaves a class feeling dismissed and unsure whether what happened crossed a line. They quickly realize that reporting channels in professional schools operate very differently than in other graduate programs.
A student in a hybrid clinical program struggles to navigate overlapping expectations from faculty and supervisors. The challenge isn’t a person. The challenge is the structure itself, and they’re not sure which rules apply.
All of these are “graduate and professional students” yet none of them are living the same experience.
Why It Matters
Students who don’t fit the assumed mold may hesitate to reach out. They may navigate difficult situations alone, believing no one understands their path. This matters because language shapes how we see problems and how students see themselves. Policies, resources, and guidance often assume a single type of graduate student: someone on a multi-year doctoral track. But that assumption leaves out huge swaths of the student body.
Another Way
So, instead of asking “Who counts as a graduate or professional student?” I’ve learned it’s more helpful to ask:
What kinds of academic relationships, power dynamics, timelines and institutional dependencies shape this person’s experience?
That question opens the door to nuance. It helps institutions design policies and support systems that reflect reality rather than shorthand. And it signals to students across programs: your experience is legitimate, even if it doesn’t fit a familiar mold.
An Invitation
The work of an Ombuds includes noticing patterns. And one of the clearest patterns I see is that language matters. Labels matter. And, noticing who and what is left out matters.
So, the next time you hear “graduate and professional students” it’s a great time to pause and ask: Who are we picturing? Who might be missing from that image? What would change if we noticed the full range of experiences?”
Because, in a complex institution, clarity isn’t a luxury. It’s how we ensure care reaches everyone who needs it.
*By permission of fellow Ombuds, Tracey Brant COOP, PCC
-- Academic Affairs: Melissa Lamp