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.
KPI
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. Funding for faculty research will increase 5%.
Result
Support For Faculty Research
We funded $115,000 initially in faculty travel. We then funded another $41,500 in support for faculty research and another $11,000 in faculty travel. This is a total of $167,500 or an increase of $10,500 or 6.6%. All of the faculty travel was connected to research presentations. The faculty did ask that we provide more of the funding up front in the fall semester, so they can know what support they have for the year. We will try to accomodate this request next year. Faculty also requested that funds be available for release time for faculty.
Action
Support For Faculty Research
We increased our support for faculty research, but were unable to give all of the funding up front in the fall semester. We will try to provide more funding intitially. Additionally, we will try to provide more funding for equipment and release time for faculty.
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.
KPI
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. We will increase funding by 5%.
Result
Support Of Student Travel And Research
We provided $108,000 initially in student travel. We were unable to provide more support for student travel because of budget constraints. We began highlighting student research in a Graduate Studies magazine. The first issue will be released in the fall.
Action
Support Of Student Travel And Research
We will produce another magazine with highlights of student research for next fall. We have negotiated the addition of advising fees to our budget for the support of student travel. Thus, we should be able to add additional travel money for students througout the year.
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.
KPI
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. The Graduate Studies Office will increase its support of recruitment and marketing by 5%.
Result
Recruitment Funds
We spent $71,000 on marketing and another $97,000 on recruitment. For a total of $168,000. Most of this was focused on the low-producing programs and the new programs or programs that were online. We targeted specific programs outlined in the SEM report (Strategic Enrollment Management). We provided an additional $708,000 in scholarships and $119,500 in Assistantships. This is an increase in support for marketing and recruitment of $55,576 or 5%. Departments expressed a need for knowledge of assistantships earlier in the academic year prior to the students receiving funding. Departments also asked for more web support.
KPI
Increase In Enrollments
An increase in graduate student enrollments illustrates an effective recruitment strategy. Graduate enrollments will increase by 4%. All low-producing programs will increase enrollments to a level no longer low-producing.
Result
Enrollments
Fall enrollment went from 2,590 to 2,675 for an increase of 3.3%. Spring enrollment went from 2,578 to 2,712 an increase of 5%. We were able to move Health and Sociology off of the low-producing programs. Sociology increased from 7 students to 62. Health from 6 to 39. The new Spanish program started the year with 20 new students, and the Higher Ed. Administration program started with 41 students. Fall enrollments of minority students also increased with an increase of 14% in African-American students, 5% increase in Hispanic students, 38% increase in Asian students and an 18% increase in Native American students.
Action
Recruitment And Enrollments
Although we did not increase by the amount we wanted, we did increase 3%. Each of the low-producing programs also increased and are no longer in the low-producing range. For next year, we will target the new Ed.D. in Developmental Education Administration and the new Creative Writing MFA with extra marketing and scholarships. We will work to remove the Chemistry MS from low-producing programs by adding assistantships and scholarships for the Chemistry program. We will also form a Web Optimization team to help graduate programs improve their web presence.
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.
KPI
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. Complete Master's Program Review Manual. Create 7 year program review schedule, including all graduate programs.
Result
Program Review
Completed 7 year Program Review Schedule. Completed Master's Program Review Manual.
Action
Program Review
Manuals have been completed for both doctoral and master's programs. We will now begin the program reviews in the fall. We have provided each of the programs up for review with data to help them complete their program reviews. We have requested reviewers names from each of the programs.
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
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.
KPI
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. Cognos reports for enrollments, payments, and admission information will be developed.
Result
Records System
We have created reports for which admissions materials are missing and for which students have applied, had a decision made, or have an incomplete application. Additionally, we have developed a Cognos enrollment report. We do not have a Cognos payment report yet.
Action
Records Systems
We are still working with IT and our Cognos report person to improve the enrollment report to include Student Credit Hours and to correctly identify graduate students. Additionally, we are hiring a new person to work on a complete student information Cognos report and a person to work on Hobson's communication.