Marquette graduate students have been through the college experience once already, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve some of the same amenities undergrads receive.

For instance, undergraduate students are provided a U-PASS, which has a one-semester price tag of $45 and is included in tuition.

Graduate student tuition, on the other hand, does not include a U-PASS. If a graduate student wanted to purchase a bus pass, he or she would have to go through the Milwaukee County Transit System to pay $64 for a monthly pass.

Some graduate students do not live in walking distance of campus like many undergraduates do, so a bus or car are the only commute options. With a parking pass — purchased through Parking Services — costing $452 for an academic year, and a bus pass adding up to $576 for nine months of use, graduate students are stuck in a limbo of high transportation costs.

Even though graduate students have voted against the U-PASS option in past surveys, Marquette should still allow them the chance to add the $45 pass to their tuition if they so choose. That would have no effect on those who know they won’t use it.

Thus far, the university has done well in its efforts to provide graduate students with nationally ranked programs and services to help them succeed.

McNair Scholars prepares students for graduate school with monthly seminars, academic advising, admissions and financial-aid assistance, as well as opportunities to meet visiting scholars and attend professional conferences.

The Preparing Future Faculty Program, sponsored by the Graduate School and the Center for Teaching and Learning, provides leadership opportunities and encourages graduate students to grow in their profession.

Throughout the year, workshops and events are scheduled for graduate students interested in academic careers. The events focus on developing knowledge students will need to be successful in the job market, such as resume writing and job interviewing skills.

Graduate students also have access to helpful services like day care for their children.

“We are always looking for ways to improve our programs,” said Jeanne M. Hossenlopp, vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School, in an e-mail. “Last week, the directors of Graduate Studies met with me, and one topic of discussion was how to expand upon professional development opportunities and programming for graduate students.”

Still, small things can be done to be more inclusive of graduate students.

Along with more academic programs, offering specialized graduate student housing close to campus would be helpful for those who spend a large amount of time on campus.

Allison Berg, a graduate student in the College of Communication, said she would like to see more apartments or dormitories created specifically for graduate students, in order to build a community atmosphere among peers.

Berg did not attend Marquette for her undergraduate degree and did not live in Milwaukee until now. She came from a small, rural college and believes that if she had been able to live around other Marquette graduate students, she would have had the opportunity to meet more people, and would have more easily adjusted to a larger city.

Marquette makes quality academic programs available to all students, but there are changes — both big and small — that could greatly improve their postgraduate experience.