Contribute to an environment that promotes the development and maintenance of quality master's and doctoral programs.
Objective
Promote Faculty Research
Faculty that are active researchers are better prepared to be mentors and bring an expertise to the classroom that promotes knowledge of the literature, appreciation of research and emphasize the scientific practitioner model. Creating and disseminating knowledge is a key component of graduate programs. The Office of Graduate Studies shall contribute to an environment that promotes faculty research.
Indicator
Funds For Faculty Travel
Funding for faculty travel will promote faculty research and development. The amount of funding the Office of Graduate Studies can provide the academic colleges is an indicator of success with respect to promoting faculty research.
Criterion
Increase In Funding For Faculty Travel
An increase of 5% in funding from the Office of Graduate Studies will be indicative of continued and expanded support.
Finding
Faculty Travel Funding
Last year, the Graduate Studies Office funded $125,000 for faculty travel. As research expectations have increase, we increased that amount to $145,000. This is a 16% increase. Thus, we did increase funding by 5%.
Action
Faculty Travel Funding
Although we met our objective, we would like to monitor whether the increase in faculty travel funding is leading to an increase in faculty research. Next year, we will collect data as to whether faculty are producing more research (presentations and publications).
Objective
Promote Student Research
Creating and disseminating knowledge is a key component of graduate programs. The Office of Graduate Studies will encourage and facilitate student research.
Indicator
Funds For Student Travel
Funding for students to travel to present their work at professional conferences serves to promote and reward research. The amount of funding the Office of Graduate Studies can provide the academic colleges is an indicator of success with respect to promoting knowledge of the literature and research among the students.
Criterion
Increase In Funding For Student Travel
An increase in funding of 5% from the Office of Graduate Studies will be indicative of continued and expanded support.
Finding
Funding For Student Research
Last year, Graduate Studies provided $90,000 for student travel and research. This year, there was an increase in funding with $118,916 going toward student research. This is an increase of 32%. Thus, we far exceeded our goal.
Action
Funding For Student Research
We want to attempt to determine if student research is increasing due to the funding support. Thus, next year we will determine a baseline for the amount of student research.
Objective
Promote The Recruitment Of Quality Students
Successful graduate programs must have quality faculty and students. The Office of Graduate Studies will encourage the academic colleges and programs to actively pursue high quality students.
Indicator
Recruitment Funds
While the primary responsibility for recruitment of graduate students lies with the respective academic departments and colleges, the Office of Graduate Studies should encourage the recruitment of quality students by providing funds to do so.
Criterion
Increase In Funding For Recruitment Of Students
An increase in funding from the Office of Graduate Studies will be indicative of continued and expanded support.
Finding
Student Recruitment Funding
Last year, Graduate Studies spent $90,000 for student recruitment. This year, the office provided $94,693 in money for marketing and recruitment. This is a significant increase of 5%.
Indicator
Increase In Enrollments
An increase in graduate student enrollments illustrates an effective recruitment strategy.
Criterion
Increase In Enrollments
Student enrollment will increase by 5% in the spring, summer, and fall.
Finding
Increase In Enrollments
Graduate student enrollments increased significantly. Last year, our enrollments were down in Spring 09 5.54%, in Summer I 09 11.73%, in Summer II 09 13.92%, and in Fall 09 6.65%. This spring, after increasing recruitment and marketing efforts, the enrollment is up 7.84%; in Summer I, it is up 27.5%. Summer II and Fall 10 have not completed enrollments, but currently, the enrollments are up 13.47% in Summer II and 19.85% in the fall. These numbers should change some as more students enroll for the second summer session and fall. GIS is having difficulties filling the student slots. Sociology is also remaining flat in enrollments. Administration master's program is finding difficult competition from Higher Education Holdings who are offering the program for a much lower price.
Action
Increased Enrollments
We had significant increases in several colleges (CJ, Education, Business and Humanities and Social Sciences). Arts and Sciences is still lagging in fall enrollments. We will meet in August to choose programs which have the most potential for growth if given more resources for recruitment and marketing. These programs will be monitored for growth. In addition, we are adding some programs that are struggling in the traditional format to an online format, such as Sociology. We will continue to work with the GIS program to come up with recruitment options to increase the struggling program. We will also explore some alternative scholarships for education students in the Administration program that lost students to Higher Education Holdings.
Objective
Promote Program Assessment
Graduate programs should develop and maintain processes and procedures to assess their effectiveness. The Office of Graduate Studies will promote the development of a university-wide process for program reviews.
Indicator
Development/Maintenance Of Systematic Process For Program Review
A systematic process for program review promotes quality. A process that encourages a self-study to include an external component contributes to a continuous improvement process.
Criterion
Creation Of Program Review Process
The creation of a program review manual for doctoral programs is the targeted end product for this objective.
Finding
Program Review
A manual is completed. The Criminal Justice Ph.D. program's self-study has been sent to the outside reviewers. An onsite visit will be scheduled for the Fall semester. All programs have a schedule for their review. See attached schedule.
Action
Program Reviews
Now that the process is in place and the reviews are beginning, the next step will be to make appropriate changes suggested by the external reviewers. We will not have this information until the end of Fall 2010 for the CJ program.
Objective
Quality Theses And Dissertations
Graduate Studies will ensure the quality of theses and dissertations produced.
Indicator
Quality Theses And Dissertations
A rubric will be used to assess the quality of theses and dissertations across the disciplines. A sample of theses and dissertations across all of the colleges will be collected and a committee of three faculty members will score the theses and dissertations. Each thesis or dissertation will be scored by two faculty members with the third member serving as a tie breaker.
Criterion
Quality Theses And Dissertations
100% of the theses and dissertations will score at the level of "Meets Expectations" and 10% will score at the level of "Exceeds Expectations."
Finding
Quality Theses And Dissertations
12 theses and dissertations were randomly selected. 8 were rated as "Meets Expectations." 4 were rated as "Exceeds Expectations." Thus, 33% exceeded expectations and 100% met expectations. The strengths were methodology and literature review. The weaknesses were significance of findings, writing, and that many of the samples were limited to Texas or a small area of Texas.
Action
Quality Theses And Dissertations
We will work with the Graduate Council to find ways to improve the significance and scope of the theses and dissertations. We will also pilot dissertation reviewers from the Graduate Studies Office in the College of Education.
Goal
Effective And Efficient Administrative Practices
The Office of Graduate Studies will contribute to the creation and maintenance of effective and efficient administrative practices.
Objective
Effective Shared Governance
Graduate programs are best served when the faculty and administration take joint responsibility for program quality. The Office of Graduate Studies will create procedures that promote shared governance.
Indicator
Develop/Maintain Avenues For Shared Governance
Creating multiple venues for input promotes faculty buy-in and encourages the sharing of ideas. The number of official venues for input is a measure of success.
Criterion
Avenues For Shared Governance
Increase the number of avenues for input for faculty and students and increase the avenues to disseminate information.
Finding
Avenues For Shared Governance And Information Dissemination
Last year, Graduate Studies met with the graduate advisors and the Graduate Council. This year, we continued that process but added meetings with doctoral faculty in Education to discuss issues with dissertation processes, meetings with the faculty in CHSS at the general faculty meeting, meetings with programs who wished to get help with recruitment, and meetings with the science and social science faculty concerning stipends. This is an increase in the opportunities for information sharing and shared governance. Communication of changes in policy needs to be communicated in a more efficient manner.
Action
Shared Governance And Information Dissemination
Changes in policy will now be posted on our website for up to one semester. Advisors, Graduate Council, and Deans will continue to be notified.
Objective
Maintain Currency Of Policies
Policies should be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that policies are aligned to promote university and college objectives.
Indicator
Number Of Policies Reviewed
A regular review process is an essential component of maintaining currency and effectiveness. The Office of Graduate Studies, in conjunction with the Graduate Council will review policies directly impacting graduate education and make recommendations to the Council of Academic Deans.
Criterion
Number Of Policies Reviewed
A regular review process should ensure that over a designated period of time, all policies directly impacting graduate studies are reviewed for currency and relevancy to the institution's mission. All of the policies related to graduate studies should be reviewed each year.
Finding
Policies
All policies were reviewed for functionality, currency and relevancy. Those needing changes were changed and sent to the Council of Academic Deans and the Academic Policy Council for approval.
Action
Policies
Changed the Graduate Faculty Status policy to allow non-tenured/tenure track faculty and staff to hold Associate Membership. This change will allow highly qualified adjuncts to teach graduate classes and serve on committees.
Objective
Maintain An Effective Records System
The administration of graduate studies requires an information system that promotes efficient and effective input and use of data. The Office of Graduate Studies will work with Computer Services to develop and maintain an information system that promotes the effective and efficient administration of graduate programs.
Indicator
Maintain/Improve Records System
The ability to track student progress, whether in the admission process or during their academic career, is an essential component in administering graduate education. The Office of Graduate Studies will regularly monitor the records system and suggest/make improvements, as needed.
Criterion
Records System Related Initiatives And/or Improvements
Evidence that initiatives and/or improvements took place is indicative of developing and/or maintaining an adequate records system.
Finding
Record System
The need to track the number of students who applied, were accepted, and enrolled was found to be impossible for our office. In addition, we wanted to track inquiries about our graduate programs, which at the beginning of the year, we were unable to do. Improvements were suggested to Institutional Research and Computer Services.
Action
Record Systems
Institutional Research built us a database of information that allows us to get information on applications, enrollments, and acceptances, as well as GRE and GPA averages. Computer Services built a program to provide us with information on new and returning graduate students who are enrolled by major. We used BRAD services to track inquiries for some of our programs and created an inquiry page that tracks the inquiries through Hobsons.