The Department of History will engage in scholarly activities to maintain a high-quality curriculum.
Objective
Faculty Scholarship
The Department of History will increase faculty research and scholarly activities.
KPI
Faculty Research Publications
The History faculty will contribute to the field by publishing in scholarly venues. At least 55% of the graduate faculty will publish a scholarly work each year. The history faculty will average at least 35 published pages per graduate faculty member per year.
Result
Faculty Publications
During 2011, 63% (as opposed to 48% in 2010, 42% in 2009, 77% in 2008, 70% in 2007 and 68% in 2006) of the tenured or tenure-track faculty published a peer reviewed scholarly work. In 2011, three of the History faculty published works in a top-line journal or of book length. During the previous three-year period, about 56% of the faculty had major publications each year. The average per capita number of pages published during 2011 was 41 pages. This was much lower than the 104 page average in 2009, and significantly lower than the 95, 92 and 77 page average productivity levels for 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
KPI
Faculty Research Presentations
At least 60% of the graduate faculty will present in scholarly venues each year.
Result
Faculty Presentations
Owing to three consecutive years of exceeding this criterion, the department raised the target rate to 60% of the graduate faculty presenting in scholarly venues each year. During 2011, 63% of the tenured or tenure-track faculty presented papers or served on a panel at scholarly meetings. This compared to 71% for 2010. It was lower compared to 79% levels of 2009 and the 73% levels of 2008, and comparable to the 65% and 68% levels of 2007 and 2006, respectively. The total number of 45 presentations for 2011 was lower than the 55 presentations during 2010. The total number of scholarly presentations of tenure or tenure track faculty equaled the 45 presentations of 2009, and exceeded the 40 presentations of 2008, the 28 presentations of 2007, and the 30 presentations of 2006. This success was in part a result of the fact that the department was able to provide $2500 per faculty for the support of scholarly activity. Our level of scholarly activity in 2011 met our expectations.
KPI
Grant Activity
At least 60% of the graduate history faculty will submit at least one grant proposal each year, and at least one of these proposals will be funded.
Result
Grant Activity
Because three of the last four cycles saw the department exceed this criterion, the history department raised the target rate to 60%. During 2011, 50% (as opposed to 57% in 2010, 68% in 2009, 41% in 2008 and 50% in 2007) of the tenured or tenure-track faculty were active in seeking external and/or internal grants. Eleven grants submitted by History faculty during 2011 were funded.
Action
Faculty Publication Future Trends
Given the performance of the last five years, the department proposes to keep the base goal of annually publishing faculty to 60%. We acknowledge that total page count per member has declined, but argue that we are witnessing a proliferation of publications, even of a shorter nature. That overall trend, we argue, bodes well for developing a community of scholars who see writing and publishing as integral to their participation in department life. Even as we increase the annual percentage of publishing scholars, we look forward to fostering more substantial publications. We substantiate this hope by our increasing financial support for faculty leave opportunities, our 2012-13 commitment to increase research travel budgets by 20%, the increasing number of faculty who have established relationships with publication venues and editors.
Action
Faculty Presentations Future Trends
The department has experienced a decline in the number of presentations by faculty. However, we have also experienced significant personnel turn over. We operated the 2011 academic year with 16 tenured/tenure track members as opposed to our normal strength of 20. We argue that the likeliest remediation of the decline in presentations will be the successful hiring cycle just completed. For academic 2012, the department will field 19 tenured/tenure track members.
Action
Grant Activity Future Trends
The department will keep a goal of 60% faculty annually active in the granting process. Current trends of decline relate to personnel shortages, which are being remediated by current hiring. For the academic year of 2012, the department will increase strength to 19 tenured/tenure track members (still short of the full complement of 20) and thus expects to return to increased grant seeking performance.
Goal
Faculty Recruitment And Retention
The department will recruit and retain high quality faculty.
Objective
Faculty Diversity
The Department of History will recruit, maintain and develop a faculty that is able to offer a well-rounded curriculum and that represents the gender and ethnic diversity of the student body.
KPI
New Hires
When hiring tenure track faculty, the Department of History will advertise widely and actively seek PhD faculty able to offer courses that support a well-rounded curriculum. Special efforts will be made to attract minority candidates for these open positions. Actual new hires will be indicator. We to hire at least one minority faculty member.
Result
New Hires 2012
The History department successfully concluded two tenure track hiring searches. Of the two new faculty members, one was Hispanic.
Action
New Hires 2012-13
The History Department initiated a new job search for 2012-2013, seeking a faculty member with expertise in migration studies.
Goal
Advanced Education
The history department will promote matriculation undergraduate students into advanced educational programs
Objective
Promoting Advanced Degree Work
History majors will demonstrate competency in knowledge and skills in historiography with the ability to seek advanced degrees in history and related fields.
KPI
Admission Into Graduate School
Admission of history students to history graduate programs will indicate success. The department will seek to place at least 10% of BA or BS graduates into history MA or other history graduate programs.
Result
Admission Into Graduate School
In 2011, the History department graduated 74 undergraduate majors. Of these 4 or 5% were placed into history graduate programs.
KPI
Advanced Degree Programs Outside Of History
Admission of history graduates to programs for other advanced degrees, such as the PhD, the JD, and the M.L.S. will indicate success. The History Department will encourage such study and will seek to place at least 3 BA, BS, or MA graduates in programs for advanced or specialized degrees at other universities.
Result
Advanced Degree Programs Outside Of History
The History department placed 4 BA, BS, and/or MA graduates in other advanced degree work.
Action
Admission Into Graduate School Future Trends
This category has proved an ongoing weak spot in department metrics. We acknowledge that we have not yet devised effective assessment rubrics. In previous years, the chair and the director of graduate studies have attempted informal, direct contact surveys but achieved less than 5% response rates. The department intends to consult with CHSS administration to improve this situation in the 2012 academic year.
Action
Advanced Degrees Outside Of History Future Trends
As with assessing history graduate school matriculation of major graduates, this category has also proved an ongoing weak spot in department metrics. We acknowledge that we have not yet devised effective assessment rubrics. In previous years, the chair and the director of graduate studies have attempted informal, direct contact surveys but achieved less than 5% response rates. The department intends to consult with CHSS administration to improve this situation in the 2012 academic year.
Goal
Instructional Evaluation
Instructional faculty receive high ratings of their teaching.
Objective
Faculty Teaching
History instructors will be rated above the national average on the Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA) instrument.
KPI
IDEA Student Ratings: % Classes
At least 70% 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.
Result
IDEA Student Ratings-Above Average
In 2011-12, 88% of all History classes met or exceeded the national average professor IDEA ratings. This compared favorably to 2010-11 when 90% of classes taught by History faculty met or exceeded the national average.
Additionally, in 2011-12, 70% of all History classes ranked in the top 25% nationally, and 37% of all History classes ranked in the top 10%.
These results exceeded our expectations.
KPI
IDEA Student Ratings: Average
The average adjusted student evaluation of all SHSU History teachers as measured by the IDEA Center will place the average SHSU History faculty in the top quartile among teachers in the nation who use the IDEA instrument. We expect that 70% of faculty will be in the top quartile.
Result
IDEA Student Ratings
We easily made the 70% in the top quartile and will plan to raise the criterion for next year.
KPI
Students Taught By PhD Faculty
During any academic year the percentage of history students taught by faculty holding the PhD will exceed 80%.
Result
% PhD Instruction Fall 2011
In the fall 2011, 88% of 3349 total students enrolled in history classes were taught by PhD faculty.
Result
% PhD Instruction Spring 2012
In the spring 2012, 87% of 3156 total students enrolled in history classes were taught by PhD faculty.
Action
IDEA Student Ratings-Above Average Future Trends
The History Department will raise this criterion to 80%, having exceeded it in the past two years.
Action
Students Taught By PhD Faculty
The History Department will increase this criterion to 85% for the academic year 2012-2013.
Goal
Graduate Success
Students who graduate from the Department of History with a major or minor will find success in their endeavors.
Objective
Careers In History
History graduates will reach their career objectives
KPI
History TExES Exam
80% of all teacher education students who major or minor in History will pass the TEXES examination.
Result
History TExES Results
During 2010-11, 70% of history majors passed the Texas Examination for Educator Standards (TExES) exam for future history teachers and 100% history majors passed the Social Studies TExES.
Both of these results were unreliable because of very small sample sizes. Due to sharp reductions in state educational funding, many students opted not to pursue teaching careers in 2011-2012.
Breaking down the general results, it was apparent among all passing test takers that they performed comparably in Domain I (World History) and Domain II (US History).
KPI
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/she was a student at SHSU.
Result
Alumni Publications
In 2011, one SHSU History alum reported publications.
Action
Alumni Publications
To increase outcomes for this KPI, the History Department will undertake to cultivate graduate students for increased conference presentations with the object of developing those proects into publishable scholarship.