David Constant was appointed interim dean of the graduate school at the end of the spring semester after William Worger was ousted from his position.Worger who was dean for only eight months told The Daily Reveille in May that he was surprised by the University’s actions and that the departure was not his decision.Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Astrid Merget declined to comment on Worger and only replied “circumstances” when asked about the sudden change in leadership.  After the quiet dismissal by the University, a group of graduate students began to protest the Provost’s decision.  A group of eight graduate students met with Merget on Tuesday and presented a list of ideas to improve the graduate school, said Kip Britton graduate student and Worger’s former assistant. The students did not ask about Worger, he said. “We were careful not to mention Bill by name,” Britton said. Charisma Edwards, engineering doctoral candidate, said the group was advised not to talk about Worger but instead take a different approach.  “We developed a list of questions that needed improvement,” Edwards said. “Things that started under [Worger’s] tenure.” She said the meeting went well because the Provost was receptive to their improvements. The meeting was centered around the idea that the graduate school needs to have a student-centered focus, Britton said. “Because the graduate school is so removed from students, [they] have very little sense of community,” Britton said. Another issue the students found alarming was a travel awards fee that all students must pay but few benefit from, Edwards said. A big problem is how difficult it is for graduate students to get funding, she said. The Provost’s response to the students requests was “These things can all be done,” Britton said. But no one asked at the meeting and no one at the University has given reasons why Worger was released from his position.When the group of students initially protested the University’s decision, a petition suggested his departure was linked to his stance on diversity at the graduate school. The petition no longer exists, but the students have the same opinion, Britton said. Merget described Worger as a “superb scholar” who she would like to see continue his long standing tenure in the history department.When Worger was hired in September, one of the first things he mentioned for his plans at the University was increasing the amount of international students in the graduate program. Constant, who was appointed interim dean until a new dean is appointed, said he is not in communication with Worger but is seeking help from the graduate staff during the transition of leadership. Constant said Wednesday he has four major goals for the graduate school, which include more development, diversity, dissemination and accountability.In the engineering department graduate program, the international ratio of students is about 80 percent, and all other races only account for 20 percent Constant said. Diversity needs to be a priority in that program, he said.Constant said some efforts have been made in the past to increase diversity, but he plans to increase that amount.—-Contact Joy Lukachick at [email protected]