Faculty in the Department of English will demonstrate quality in the instruction of their classes.
Objective
Quality Instruction
The Department's faculty will maintain a level of instruction at or above the average for all departments at SHSU.
Indicator
Student Evaluation Of Teaching
Successful teaching will be demonstrated by faculty performance on the Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA) Class Evaluation System. The IDEA survey is a nationally normed, university-adopted evaluation instrument developed at Kansas State University and scored by the IDEA Center at KSU that measures student perception of instructor teaching.
Criterion
IDEA Scores, 2010
The faculty of the Department of English will average at least 3.9 (the university's average) on the IDEA student evaluations of teaching. Part of the quality instruction is also adherence to stringent student evaluation; courses need to be interesting yet not too easy.
Finding
Idea Scores For 2010
Student evaluations for English full faculty averaged 4.37, with the range from 3.5 (low) to 4.8 (high). The ones with scores lower than the university average have been invited to contact the Professional and Academic Center for Excellence (PACE) for consultation.
Adjunct IDEA-score averages were also calculated. They were 3.94--right at the university average. The range was from 2.04 (low) to 4.57 (high). The ones with low scores were asked to contact PACE for consultation.
Action
Providing Teaching Support For Adjuncts
Starting from Fall 2011, full faculty will observe adjuncts' classes in order to identify excellence as well as space for improvement. Those who had low IDEA scores will receive consultation within the department from experienced 'master teachers.'
Goal
Research And Creative Activities Productivity
The Department's tenured and tenure-track faculty will engage in research and publication.
Objective
Research Agenda
Each of the Department's faculty will develop and maintain an active research agenda.
Indicator
Research Agenda
The number of peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and grant proposals by the Department's tenured and tenure-track faculty will serve as indicators of active research agendas.
Criterion
Research Productivity
Presenting a paper at a meeting of a professional association and/or publication of one article will certify research productivity. [Note: given that the research interests of English faculty range widely, "article" will be construed to mean creative work that is article length--e.g., short story, 5 poems, or book-length work.] Presenting papers at conferences must not be weighed as much as publishing peer-reviewed articles.
Finding
Rise In Research Productivity
According to the CHSS office, the English Department's research productivity rose 32% from 2009. The Department published 3 books, 3 edited books, 5 articles, 4 book chapters, 14 poems (equals roughly 3 articles according to our set criteria), 1 short story, 1 creative nonfiction essay, 2 book reviews, 1 creative work, and 51 other publications. Not counting the last three categories, the Department published 20 (at least) article-equivalent tokens of publications per 24 faculty members. Faculty also presented 37 conference papers. The sum of publications and presentations is 61. This gives 2.5 tokens of research per one faculty member, which would satisfy the set goal. However, if the goal is to weigh publications more than presentations, the Department average is only 0.8 publications per professor.
Action
Increasing Number Of Publications Without Compromising Their Quality
The Department will focus on turning presentations into publications so that the average publication productivity would reach 1 article-length-equivalent publication per faculty member in 2011-12.
Last year, the research productivity increased by 32%. Next year the goal is to reach a 40-percent increase compared to 2009.
Goal
Professional Service And Activity
The Department's faculty will engage in professional activities and service at a level appropriate for the individual faculty member's rank.
Objective
Professional Service Activities
English faculty will take part in service activities at local, state, regional, national, and/or international levels.
Indicator
Professional Service Activities
The number of professional service activities--local, state, regional, national, and/or international--by the Department's tenured and tenure-track faculty will indicate engagement in professional service.
Criterion
Professional Service
Each faculty member will engage in an aspect of professional service at the department, college, university, profession, and/or community level.
Finding
Number Of Service Tokens
The tenured and tenure-track faculty listed the following service tokens: -Department service (86 tokens) -College service (22 tokens) -University service (62 tokens) -Community service (16 tokens) -Professional offices (13) -Editorships (editor or associate/assistant editor) 10 -Ad hoc reviewing (7) The total of these service-activity tokens is 216. The average per faculty member is 9.
Action
Increasing (inter)national Activities And Local Community Involvement
National and international service and connections bring the university visibility. Faculty are encouraged to serve in roles in professional organizations, serve as readers for non-local conferences, and act as reviewers for grant proposals.
On the local level, involvement in service learning should be increased. We presently have only two adjuncts who teach ACE-classes.
The faculty are encouraged to keep current in their research. Participation as presenters in the monthly faculty forum is a way to boost research activities. Also, a more informal forum for progress updates on research projects will be re-launched in fall 2011.
Goal
MA In English Program Curriculum Development
We will continue to develop the existing English MA Program by periodically reviewing the curriculum and introducing new courses that reflect developments in the field and best serve the needs of our students; by encouraging English graduate faculty to provide the best professional models as researchers, writers, and teachers; and by recruiting qualified students.
Objective
MA Curriculum
The English MA Program will demonstrate that it is both current in its course offerings and responsive to student curricular needs and to developments in the profession of English literature, language, and writing disciplines.
Indicator
MA Program Review
The English MA program will assess graduate catalogue descriptions and the existing MA curriculum in light of student curricular needs and developments in the profession of English literature, language, and writing disciplines. The Graduate Director and the Chair, in consultation with the entire graduate faculty, will periodically review the existing curriculum and will make necessary changes through appropriate academic channels.
The addition of the MFA program will be implemented gradually as hiring becomes possible. Recruitment efforts will start in 2012.
Criterion
Comparability Of MA Curriculum And Responsiveness To Student Needs
The English graduate faculty will agree that the curricular needs of English MA students are met by the existing curriculum and that the SHSU MA curriculum is comparable to, or more comprehensive than, English MA Program curricula at peer and aspiration institutions.
Finding
Emphasizing Our Strengths And Foci Formally
In a faculty meeting, a proposal to emphasize our strengths by possibly implementing a certificate system for English graduates was discussed. The faculty will meet in the fall of 2011 to discuss the possible concentrations for the certificates (e.g., British Literature, Classical Tradition, Multicultural Literature) and plan the best route for implementation.
Action
Reviewing The English Block System
The English block system will be reviewed by the entire graduate faculty with the possibility of developing foci for students on which to concentrate. A possibility of a certification in our various strengths will be discussed and possibilities for implementation will be weighed by the entire faculty.
Goal
MA In English Program Faculty Development
We will continue to develop the existing English MA Program by periodically reviewing the curriculum and introducing new courses that reflect developments in the field and best serve the needs of our students; by encouraging English graduate faculty to provide the best professional models as researchers, writers, and teachers; and by recruiting qualified students.
Objective
Graduate Faculty Credentials
English graduate faculty will demonstrate their professional competency and credentials for teaching graduate courses and serving as models for students continuing their graduate education, entering the teaching profession, and entering other professions that require graduate-level training in English language and literature.
Indicator
Graduate Faculty Credentials
English graduate faculty will demonstrate that they are current in their fields and are qualified to teach graduate courses and to serve as models for students entering the profession.
Criterion
Graduate Faculty Currency
As demonstration that they are current in their fields and are qualified to teach graduate courses, all graduate English faculty will show that they are actively engaged in the profession by one or more of the following means: one article or significant creative work published in a peer-reviewed publication every three years; one book published by a recognized press every seven years; one conference presentation every two years; one significant editorial project every three years; a leadership role in a professional organization. As part of the faculty research colloquium established to encourage scholarly and creative production, at least two graduate faculty members will present their work to the Department during each assessment period.
Finding
All Faculty Not Yet Producing Annually
Even though there has been an increase in research activities, especially in the form of published edited monographs, a number of faculty members are not conceptualizing their work as including high-profile publishing.
Indicator
Maintaining Currency
Graduate faculty will maintain and strengthen their credentials by active participation in research activities.
Criterion
More Publication, More Quality Publications
The faculty are encouraged to be continuously engaged in publication activities: always have something coming out, something submitted, something being revised, something in the plans.
Finding
More And More Faculty Initiating Research Activities
The reputation of the department as a low-producing one is gradually changing. Faculty report many submissions and acceptances, as well as book contracts. Most faculty are working on research projects even though they may not have earlier.
Action
Defining Currency Of Research
How to define what currency in research means will be discussed in graduate faculty meetings. What the English requirements for graduate faculty membership are must be clarified.
Action
Increasing (inter)national Activities And Local Community
National and International service and connections bring the university visibility. Faculty are encouraged to serve in roles in professional organizations, serve as readers for non-local conferences, and act as reviewers for grant proposals.
On the local level, involvement in service learning should be increased. We presently have only two adjuncts who teach ACE-classes.
The faculty are encouraged to keep current in their research. Participation as presenters in the monthly faculty forum is a way to boost research activities. Also, a more informal forum for progress updaters on research projects will be re-launched in fall 2011.
Goal
MA In English Program Student Recruitment
We will continue to develop the existing English MA Program by periodically reviewing the curriculum and introducing new courses that reflect developments in the field and best serve the needs of our students; by encouraging English graduate faculty to provide the best professional models as researchers, writers, and teachers; and by recruiting qualified students.
Objective
Graduate Student Recruitment
The English MA Program will continue to recruit qualified graduate students. There is a conscious effort to increase the numbers of graduate students also.
Indicator
Graduate Student Recruitment
The English MA Program will demonstrate its commitment to recruiting qualified graduate students by continuing to identify graduate prospects with promise, advertising the program, and inviting qualified individuals to apply. Without compromising the high admission standards, the graduate faculty will contact larger numbers of qualified students with the aim of recruiting them.
Criterion
Graduate Student Admissions
As demonstration that the English MA Program has been successful during the assessment period in its efforts to recruit qualified applicants, the number of graduate students accepted in regular admission status will increase from the previous academic year or at least remain equal to graduation rates.
Finding
Admission Of Graduate Students Increases
10 students graduated with a Masters in English this academic year. 20 new students have been admitted to the program during the same time.
Action
Focusing On Our Own High-quality English BAs
Recruitment emails will be sent to English majors who are getting ready to graduate and who have over 3.6 GPAs.
More attention will be given to the quality of the students. A handful of students are still admitted as probationary; these students tend to struggle, and they lower the intellectual level of discourse in the classrooms, or they feel as outsiders. A gradual shift in raising the GRE requirement will remedy this weakness.
Goal
Advanced Graduate Studies
To produce graduates who are measurably well-prepared for further graduate studies in English (PhD or MFA)
Objective
Preparation For Continued Graduate Education
MA graduates will evidence the knowledge, skills, and professional preparation to be well-prepared for further graduate education in English (as for example, the PhD in literature, creative writing, and composition and rhetoric; or the MFA in creative writing).
Indicator
Acceptance Into Advanced Degree Programs
Acceptance of a representative number of English MA students and recent graduates into advanced degree programs will serve as an indicator that students have acquired the breadth of disciplinary knowledge and the necessary critical thinking and writing skills for advanced graduate education in English and related fields. Advanced degree programs could include the PhD in literature, creative writing, technical and professional writing, and composition and rhetoric; the MFA in creative writing; the JD; and the terminal professional degree in a discipline like Library Science or Speech Pathology.
Criterion
Placement In Advanced Degree Programs
As demonstration that the English MA Program has successfully prepared its students for advanced graduate work, at least three students and/or recent graduates will be accepted into advanced degree programs (PhD or MFA) during the assessment period.
Finding
Acceptance Rate In Advanced Degree Programs
During the reporting period, five of eight MA graduates were accepted into advanced degree programs for Fall 2011, one into an MFA program (Virginia Polytechnic Institute) and four into PhD programs in literature and language (one at the University of New Brunswick, one at Texas Tech University, and two at Kent State University). The findings demonstrate that the English MA Program exceeded the criterion.
However, several of our earlier graduates are still without fully meaningful employment. Some adjunct for our own department and are looking for more permanent employment and/or have given up the prospect of further graduate study.
Action
Advanced Graduate Study In English
As part of an extensively revised program web site, the Graduate Director wrote a general guide to graduate school, which treats such issues as pursuing a degree that best serves one's professional goals; finding the best program for one's means; applying to programs; securing funding; and meeting expectations for scholarship and productivity. The guide serves not only our own students who may be interested in pursuing advanced degrees but also any person who is seeking such information. It thus serves a larger purpose than merely providing local information. As another initiative, the department continues to post a web page of graduate student success stories, which lists both graduates who have gone on to PhD programs, law degrees, and various other terminal degree programs and creative and scholarly publications by current and former students.
Professors will increase their efforts in encouraging graduate students' publication efforts. Research assistantships are given to select graduate students to ensure their placement in Ph.D. programs after they have completed our program. A condition for a research assistantship is a submitted publication after the award semester.
Goal
Advanced Professions - Teaching
Preparation to enter the teaching professions requiring graduate-level training in English language and literature.
Objective
Preparation For Professions
Master of Arts graduates will be well-prepared to enter teaching professions requiring graduate-level training in English language and literature
Indicator
Teaching Positions
The number of recent MA graduates as instructors at two-year and four-year institutions and/or dual credit teachers at high schools will serve as an indicator.
Criterion
Four Graduates Will Teach
As demonstration that the MA Program has successfully prepared its students for English teaching, at least four MA graduates will secure the following kinds of positions during the assessment period: (1) full- or part-time instructors of composition and rhetoric, literature, and/or creative writing at two-year institutions; (2) full- or part-time adjunct instructors of composition and rhetoric and/or literature at senior colleges; (3) dual credit instructors of English in public high schools.
Finding
Placement Rate In Teaching Positions
During the reporting period, two MA graduates took up positions as adjunct instructors at a four-year college (one will begin MFA study in the fall; the other will begin PhD work). Two others began positions as instructors at two-year colleges. The findings show that the English MA Program met the criterion.
A weakness, however, is demonstrated by the fact that a number of our graduates cannot find employment or are not accepted into Ph.D. programs. Each year, some find temporary employment by adjuncting for our own department. The work is not well paid and it is temporary in nature. Some of these students came in with somewhat low GRE scores.
Action
Teaching Placement
The Graduate Director in English maintains contacts with local two-year college administrators, who routinely send information about job openings, and immediately sends out such information to current students and recent graduates.
Making sure that not too many probationary or otherwise marginal students are admitted may help the problem of placement after the MA degree is earned.