The Department of History will enhance its image and increase its public exposure
Objective
Faculty Scholarship
The Department of History will increase faculty research and scholarly activities.
Indicator
Faculty Research
The History faculty will contribute to the field by presenting at professional meetings and by publishing in scholarly venues.
Criterion
Faculty Research
At least 50% of the graduate faculty will publish a scholarly work each year. The total number of pages published by history faculty will average at least 30 published pages per graduate faculty member per year.
Finding
Faculty publications
During 2007, 70% of the tenure or tenure track faculty published scholarly work. The average per capita number of pages published during 2007 among the tenure or tenure track faculty was 90 pages. These levels of scholarship exceeded our expectations for faculty scholarly productivity.
Criterion
Faculty Research--presentations
At least 50% of the graduate faculty will present in scholarly venues each year.
Finding
Faculty Presentations
During 2007, 65% of the tenure and tenure track faculty presented papers at scholarly meetings. This met our expectations.
Indicator
Grant Activity
The history department will be involved in seeking grants to support student enrichment opportunities, professional development and scholarly research.
Criterion
Grant Activity
At least 50% of the graduate history faculty will submit at least one grant proposal each year, and at least one of these proposals will be funded.
Finding
Faculty Grant Activity
During 2007, 50% of the tenure or tenure track faculty were active in searching external and internal grants. This level of activity met our expectations.
Action
% Faculty Publishing
The data suggests that the incentives built into the department''''s Faculty Evaluation System are creating the desired outcomes. No changes are needed in the departmental policies concerning publications at this time.
Action
% Faculty Grant Active
The department is not satisfied with the 50% rate of grant activity during the past merit review period. In response, the department will create a committee to review the current section of the Faculty Evaluation System that is designed to provide incentives for grant activity. The department will act on the recommendations of this committee during the fall semester of 2008.
Action
Faculty Presentations
With 65% of the tenure or tenure track faculty presenting scholarly papers during 2007, the department met its benchmark goals in this area. No changes in departmental policies are needed at this time.
Objective
Faculty Diversity
The Department of History will recruit, maintain and development a faculty that represents the gender and ethnic diversity of the student body
Indicator
Faculty Diversity
When hiring tenure track faculty, the Department of History will advertise widely and actively seek women and minority faculty
Criterion
Maintaining diverse faculty
The Department of History will maintain and development a faculty that represents the gender and ethnic diversity of the student body.
Finding
Maintaining Diverse Faculty
During 2007, the department conducted national searches and hired two new faculty members, one female and one male. The result of this search met our expectations for hiring a well-qualified, diverse faculty that represents the profile of our students.
Action
Faculty Diversity
The data suggests that our current policies designed to reach this objective are creating the desired outcomes. No changes are needed in the departmental policies at this time.
Objective
Doctoral Program
The Department of History will bring to approval a History doctoral program.
Indicator
Doctoral Program
SHSU will receive a letter from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board indicating final approval of a History PhD Program
Criterion
THECB Approval of PhD Program
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will approve a new History PhD Program
Finding
PhD Approval
During 2007, the department drafted a response to the request of the Texas Coordinating Board for a needs justification for a new PhD program in History.
Action
PhD Proposal
No further action can be taken on this item until a response is received from the Texas State Coordinating Board.
Objective
Faculty Teaching
History instructors will be rated above the national average on the Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA) instrument.
Indicator
IDEA Student Ratings
History students will use the IDEA student evaluations
Criterion
IDEA Student Ratings: % Classes
At least 60% of the classes taught by History faculty will have IDEA Student ratings at or above the national average among professors of history at institutions using the IDEA system.
Finding
IDEA Student Ratings
During 2007, 85% of the classes taught by History faculty scored above the national average on the IDEA instrument.
Criterion
IDEA Student Ratings: Average
The average adjusted student evaluation of all SHSU History teachers as measured by the IDEA Center will place the History faculty in the top one-third among History teachers in the nation.
Finding
IDEA Student Ratings - Average
During 2007, 75% of the tenure and tenure track History faculty placed within the top one-third of professors nationwide who were accessed by students using the IDEA instrument; 80% placed in the 65th percentile or above among faculty at institutions using the IDEA instrument.
Indicator
Students Taught By PhD Faculty
Undergraduate students will be taught by faculty holding the PhD.
Criterion
PhD faculty
The number and the percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD will exceed the number and percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD during the previous year.
Finding
PhD Faculty
During 2007-08, 5923 of 7553 History students (78.4%) took classes from History faculty holding the PhD degree. During the previous two years (2005-06 and 2006-07 respectively), the number and % of students taught by PhD faculty were 5026 and 5539, and 74.0% and 78.8%. Comparisons of this data with current data indicate that the number of History students taught by PhD faculty has increased each year during the last three reporting periods. The percentage of students taught by PhDs, however, was not significantly different from the percentage taught by PhDs during the previous reporting period.
Action
Quality of Teaching
The department met all of its benchmarks for successful teaching. No policy changes at needed at this time.
Action
PhD Faculty
Although the numbers taught by PhD faculty continue to increase, the percentage of students taught by PhD faculty is stagnant. Since the unexpected loss of a PhD faculty contributed to this stagnation, in 2008-09 the department will seek funding for the hiring of a PhD to fill this tenure track position.
Goal
Quality Programs
The Department of History will provide quality programs at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels.
Objective
Faculty Scholarship
The Department of History will increase faculty research and scholarly activities.
Indicator
Faculty Research
The History faculty will contribute to the field by presenting at professional meetings and by publishing in scholarly venues.
Criterion
Faculty Research
At least 50% of the graduate faculty will publish a scholarly work each year. The total number of pages published by history faculty will average at least 30 published pages per graduate faculty member per year.
Finding
Faculty publications
During 2007, 70% of the tenure or tenure track faculty published scholarly work. The average per capita number of pages published during 2007 among the tenure or tenure track faculty was 90 pages. These levels of scholarship exceeded our expectations for faculty scholarly productivity.
Criterion
Faculty Research--presentations
At least 50% of the graduate faculty will present in scholarly venues each year.
Finding
Faculty Presentations
During 2007, 65% of the tenure and tenure track faculty presented papers at scholarly meetings. This met our expectations.
Indicator
Grant Activity
The history department will be involved in seeking grants to support student enrichment opportunities, professional development and scholarly research.
Criterion
Grant Activity
At least 50% of the graduate history faculty will submit at least one grant proposal each year, and at least one of these proposals will be funded.
Finding
Faculty Grant Activity
During 2007, 50% of the tenure or tenure track faculty were active in searching external and internal grants. This level of activity met our expectations.
Action
% Faculty Publishing
The data suggests that the incentives built into the department''''s Faculty Evaluation System are creating the desired outcomes. No changes are needed in the departmental policies concerning publications at this time.
Action
% Faculty Grant Active
The department is not satisfied with the 50% rate of grant activity during the past merit review period. In response, the department will create a committee to review the current section of the Faculty Evaluation System that is designed to provide incentives for grant activity. The department will act on the recommendations of this committee during the fall semester of 2008.
Action
Faculty Presentations
With 65% of the tenure or tenure track faculty presenting scholarly papers during 2007, the department met its benchmark goals in this area. No changes in departmental policies are needed at this time.
Objective
Faculty Diversity
The Department of History will recruit, maintain and development a faculty that represents the gender and ethnic diversity of the student body
Indicator
Faculty Diversity
When hiring tenure track faculty, the Department of History will advertise widely and actively seek women and minority faculty
Criterion
Maintaining diverse faculty
The Department of History will maintain and development a faculty that represents the gender and ethnic diversity of the student body.
Finding
Maintaining Diverse Faculty
During 2007, the department conducted national searches and hired two new faculty members, one female and one male. The result of this search met our expectations for hiring a well-qualified, diverse faculty that represents the profile of our students.
Action
Faculty Diversity
The data suggests that our current policies designed to reach this objective are creating the desired outcomes. No changes are needed in the departmental policies at this time.
Objective
Doctoral Program
The Department of History will bring to approval a History doctoral program.
Indicator
Doctoral Program
SHSU will receive a letter from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board indicating final approval of a History PhD Program
Criterion
THECB Approval of PhD Program
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will approve a new History PhD Program
Finding
PhD Approval
During 2007, the department drafted a response to the request of the Texas Coordinating Board for a needs justification for a new PhD program in History.
Action
PhD Proposal
No further action can be taken on this item until a response is received from the Texas State Coordinating Board.
Objective
Faculty Teaching
History instructors will be rated above the national average on the Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA) instrument.
Indicator
IDEA Student Ratings
History students will use the IDEA student evaluations
Criterion
IDEA Student Ratings: % Classes
At least 60% of the classes taught by History faculty will have IDEA Student ratings at or above the national average among professors of history at institutions using the IDEA system.
Finding
IDEA Student Ratings
During 2007, 85% of the classes taught by History faculty scored above the national average on the IDEA instrument.
Criterion
IDEA Student Ratings: Average
The average adjusted student evaluation of all SHSU History teachers as measured by the IDEA Center will place the History faculty in the top one-third among History teachers in the nation.
Finding
IDEA Student Ratings - Average
During 2007, 75% of the tenure and tenure track History faculty placed within the top one-third of professors nationwide who were accessed by students using the IDEA instrument; 80% placed in the 65th percentile or above among faculty at institutions using the IDEA instrument.
Indicator
Students Taught By PhD Faculty
Undergraduate students will be taught by faculty holding the PhD.
Criterion
PhD faculty
The number and the percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD will exceed the number and percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD during the previous year.
Finding
PhD Faculty
During 2007-08, 5923 of 7553 History students (78.4%) took classes from History faculty holding the PhD degree. During the previous two years (2005-06 and 2006-07 respectively), the number and % of students taught by PhD faculty were 5026 and 5539, and 74.0% and 78.8%. Comparisons of this data with current data indicate that the number of History students taught by PhD faculty has increased each year during the last three reporting periods. The percentage of students taught by PhDs, however, was not significantly different from the percentage taught by PhDs during the previous reporting period.
Action
Quality of Teaching
The department met all of its benchmarks for successful teaching. No policy changes at needed at this time.
Action
PhD Faculty
Although the numbers taught by PhD faculty continue to increase, the percentage of students taught by PhD faculty is stagnant. Since the unexpected loss of a PhD faculty contributed to this stagnation, in 2008-09 the department will seek funding for the hiring of a PhD to fill this tenure track position.
Objective
Careers In History
History graduates will reach their career objectives
Indicator
Future Teachers
Teacher education students who major or minor in History will pass the TEXES examination.
Criterion
Future teachers
80% of all teacher education students who major or minor in History will pass the TEXES examination.
Finding
Future Teachers
During 2007-08, 24 of 38 (63%) history majors or minors passed the TeXes exam for future teachers.
Indicator
Student Professional Growth
The History Department will create and launch a systematic plan that is designed to monitor the professional and career advancement of former history graduates.
Criterion
Surveying Student Professional Growth
At least 80% of history students five years after graduation will report on the survey instrument that the degree skills they acquired as a student has enabled them to meet their career goals.
Finding
Student Professional Growth
By July 10, 2008, 6 History graduates from the Class of 2003 had returned the survey instrument asking 2003 graduates to assess the degree that their training at SHSU (a) prepared them for their post-graduate careers, (b) aided them in their intellectual growth, and (c) helped them in the development of their oral and written communication skills. Half of the respondents (3 of 6) gave the highest possible ratings on each of the three categories; 83% gave the highest ratings in two of the categories, and 100% gave the highest ratings to at least one of the categories. Of the 18 responses to the three categories, 17 were favorable, 0 were unfavorable, and 1 was marked "no opinion."
Indicator
Alumni Publications
The History Department will prepare its graduates to publish in their respective fields.
Criterion
Alumni Publications
At least once every two years, a SHSU history graduate will publish a scholarly work within his/her field that was begun while he or she was a student at SHSU.
Finding
Alum Publications
During 2007-08, the MA thesis of Phil Caudill (MA, 2007) was accepted for publication by Texas A&M University Press. The monograph is scheduled for release in Fall 2008 or Spring 2009.
Indicator
Post Graduate Student Progress
Each year at least two History graduates will be admitted into a graduate program in pursuit of a higher degree
Criterion
Pipeline into graduate programs
At least two history graduates will be accepted into a graduate program each year
Finding
Pipeline into Graduate School
During 2007-08, 4 former undergraduate students and 6 former graduate students were accepted into graduate programs.
Action
Student Professional Growth
Efforts to survey former graduates will be increased. During 2008-09, the department will mail survey instruments to former history majors who graduated between 2004 and 2008.
Action
Future Teachers
Only 63% of SHSU history majors or minors who took the TExES exam successfully passed the exam during 2007. This passing rate does not meet our expectations. Our efforts to address this concern by hiring a tenure track faculty member in 2006 to focus attention on the development of future teachers were delayed when this faculty member took a maternity leave for the 2007-08 year. Efforts need to be made in 2008-09 to readdress this concern. The department will create a study committee to make recommendations for increasing the passing rate of our students with desires to become future teachers.
Action
Pipeline into Grad School
With 10 students (4 former BA students and 6 former MA students) accepted into graduate programs during 2007-08, the department met its benchmarks for sending students into graduate schools. No changes in policy is needed at this time.