A focus on graduate education highlighted UF President Bernie Machen's State of the University address Thursday.
At the first faculty Senate meeting of the school year, Machen said the administration intends to add up to $7 million to graduate student stipends and create more student fellowships.
Although he did not address where the funds may come from, he said the increases would mean higher stipends and more graduate students.
Citing the findings in a report commissioned last year to evaluate doctoral programs, he said UF's programs need a plan for the future.
"More than anything, they are a call to action - one that couldn't be more timely in the light of the changing higher education climate nationally," he said.
He said each department has been asked to draft a five-year plan to address its deficiencies.
The UF committee analyzed the findings of a National Research Council survey to see where UF stood among its peers.
Compared to other universities in the Association of American Universities, UF ranked 53 out of 61 in its percentage of programs that are among the best in their disciplines.
Machen acknowledged concerns faculty had with the NRC survey, which used six-year-old data. But together with UF's report, he said, the survey still matters.
