Procure Appropriate Resources To Facilitate The Academic Mission Of The Department
The department will monitor the classroom, laboratory, research, and out-reach (service) needs of the unit. Budget requests will reflect these needs.
Objective
Recruitment Of Graduate Assistants
The department diligently recruits graduate assistants in an effort to reduce the number of undergraduates teaching laboratory sections.
KPI
Number Of Graduate Assistants
In an effort to lower the number of undergraduate assistants in the lab, there is a need for an increase in graduate assistants.
Result
Increase In Number Of Graduate Assistants
In the fall 2012 semester, there were 10 graduate assistants (Gayan Adikari Appuhamillage, Siva Angalakurthi, Deepthika De Silva, Secondra Holmes, Desiré Lopez, Samitha Panangala, Namini Paranawithana, Manjula Senanayake, Poorna Wansapura, Chamari Wijesooriya). There were 13 graduate assistants (Gayan Adikari Appuhamillage, Siva Angalakurthi, Justin Day, Deepthika De Silva, Harshani Jayabahu, Nilan Kamethewatta, Desiré Lopez, Samitha Panangala, Namini Paranawithana, Nuwan Rammawadu, Manjula Senanayake, Poorna Wansapura, Chamari Wijesooriya) during the spring 2013 semester. Secondra Holmes graduated and there were 4 new students. This is an increase over previous years and needs to be increased further or at least maintained.
Action
Make Offers To New Students
One of our graduate assistants completed her degree in the fall semester and four more are expected to complete their degrees this summer term. In order to increase the number of graduate assistants, we have made offers of admission and assistantship to qualified applicants.
Goal
Provide Appropriate Personnel Resources For The Unit
The department will assess the personnel (staff and faculty) needs of the unit on an annual basis. Annual funding requests will reflect these needs and hiring decisions will be based on these needs. The department office will provide appropriate resources and encourage faculty and staff to participate in development opportunities.
Objective
Request Additional Faculty Lines
The department is still in need of additional faculty lines to meet the demands for upper level and core courses. A request will be submitted through the PBR process for new lines.
KPI
New Faculty Line(s)
Even though we were fortunate to receive and fill a position last year, we still need more positions, so new faculty lines will be sought even in economically bleak times.
Result
No New Postions
We did not receive any additional positions this year.
Action
Continue Seeking Additional Positions
While we are hampered by lack of research and office space, in order to meet our ever increasing course load demands, we need additional positions. The core curriculum discussions give support for the need for laboratory coordinators to oversee core laboratories. We will continue to make the case that we need additional faculty lines.
Goal
Mentor Graduate Students In Research Publications
Faculty researchers will mentor graduate students in research publications.
Objective
Graduate Students Will Demonstrate Skills In Publishing Research
During the master's program, graduate students will demonstrate the research skills to publish their research findings.
KPI
Research Publications
The number of research publications with graduate student authors or co-authors will indicate departmental success in preparing students to report research findings in written form. We expect that all graduate students who complete their M.S. degrees will have one or more publications, and most will have more than one presentation.
Result
Graduate Research Publications
For the 2012 calendar year, there was one graduate co-author. She co-authored 3 separate peer-reviewed publications. Once again I will remind the reader that publication often lags behind student completion. The number of presentations with graduate co-authors is much larger (7 graduate students on 25 presentations).
Action
Research Communication
We will evaluate and direct our graduate students' progress in communicating their research results both at scientific meetings and in the peer-reviewed literature during 2013-2014.
Goal
Encourage Graduate Student Presentations At Professional Meetings
Mentoring graduate students in professional conference presentations is the goal.
Objective
Graduate Students Will Demonstrate Skills In Conference Presentations Of Research
During the master's program, graduate students will demonstrate the presentation skills to present their research findings at professional conferences.
KPI
Student Presentations
The number of presentations by graduate students at professional meetings will indicate the success of the department in preparing students to orally present their research results. We expect that every graduate student who completes their M.S. degree will have one or more publication, and most will have more than one presentation.
Result
Graduate Research Presentations
The number of presentations with graduate co-authors was 25. This number exceeds the number of graduate students in the department.
Action
Research Presentations
We will evaluate and direct our graduate students' progress in communicating their research results both at scientific meetings and in the peer-reviewed literature during 2013-2014.
Goal
Chemistry-Related Careers Or Advanced Graduate Studies
The success of any program is whether its graduates find related work or pursue further graduate education.
Objective
After Degree Placement
Upon completion of the BS or MS program graduates will either find a chemistry-related job upon graduation (such as working in a research or analytical lab) or will go for graduate or advanced graduate studies.
KPI
Job Or Advanced Program Placement
The indicator will be the proportion of our graduating MS students who either find a chemistry-related job or go for advanced graduate studies.
Result
Successful Graduate Placement
One student completed her M.S. degree at the end of the fall semester. She moved to Virginia where her husband is stationed. Recently she has been looking for a job in that region. Four students are completing their M.S. degrees this summer. All four are going on to Ph.D. programs: two at the University of Texas, Dallas, one at Louisiana State University and one at the University of Kansas.
KPI
Job Or Graduate Program Place For BS Graduates
The indicator will be the proportion of our graduating BS students who either find a chemistry-related job or go for graduate studies.
Result
Undergraduate Placement
Since last spring, 29 students graduated with chemistry majors and 6 students graduated with forensic chemistry majors. One of the chemistry majors also earned a chemical engineering degree from Texas A&M University. Of the 29, 5 have gone on to graduate programs, 11 are employed in chemically related jobs, 6 are actively looking for jobs and we don't have any information on 7 of them. Of the 6, 3 have gone on to graduate programs, 2 are employed in chemically related jobs and one is actively looking for a job.
Action
Follow Former Students
We will continue to follow our former students as they seek employment and admission to graduate programs. This is a continuous process.