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
Faculty Travel Funds
Last year, we gave $115,000 in faculty travel support initially, with $11,000 more coming at a later date. This year, we provided $100,000 initially and an additional $15,000 at a later date. Due to budget constraints, we were unable to increase faculty travel support.
Action
Faculty Travel Funds
We are unable to secure more funds for faculty travel; thus, we will try to work with ORSP toprovide more research support on campus.
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
Funds For Student Travel
We provided $108,000 in student travel support last year. This year, we were able to use student fees to provide $115,000. This is a 6.5% increase.
Action
Funds For Student Travel
We will continue to use travel funds to support student research travel. Additionally, we will provide workshops on how to present to improve the students' research presentations.
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
Web Optimization
Graduate Studies will work with a web optimization team and improve the landing pages for 6 of the programs, as well as design the new landing page look to be fully implemented Fall 2015.
Result
Web Optimization
Landing Pages were created for Dance, History, Instructional Technology, Library Science, Communication Studies, and Higher Education Administration. The design was created and these programs were moved into the new design. Gradually, all of the programs will have new landing pages that should help market the programs.
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
Graduate enrollment increased by 4.88%. In addition, Chemistry has achieved enough enrollments to graduate enough students if sustained. Thus, they should be removed from low-producing status. Dance has also increased enrollments to avoid being low-producing.
Action
Recruitment Of Quality Students
The Graduate Studies Office will no longer be involved in marketing and recruitment. Thus, we will a recruitment plan suggestion for Graduate Admissions. We will continue to work with DELTA to complete the landing pages for all of the degrees.
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
Complete Reviews Of 6 Graduate Programs.
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 reviews of 6 graduate programs and make changes to the programs based on outside reviewers' suggestions.
Result
Program Reviews
The following program reviews were completed, including a self-study, review team report, and instituional response: History, MBA, EMBA, Agriculture, Ed.D. Educational Leadership, Administration, Accounting, and Criminal Justice. Reports were sent to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Action
Program Reviews
We will implement some of the changes for the programs next year that came about due to the program reviews, including changes in curriculum, support for graduate advisors, facilities planning, and dissertation review process. We will review 6 programs next year.
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
Catalog And Website Improvements
Make improvements to the catalog both undergraduate and graduate in order to make them more effective for students. Make website improvements in order to improve communication with prospective and current students.
KPI
Improve Catalogs By Adding Search Engines, Automated Updates, New Process For Change Requests, And Standardization.
Improvements to the catalogs are necessary since they are now completely online. The improvements need to make the catalog more user friendly and more accurate.
Result
Catalog Improvements
The Graduate Catalog was improved by adding a Google search, having all departments represented, having an Index Bar for Course Descriptions, leading with 4-digit course numbers and adding the latest curriculum and prerequisite changes.
KPI
Improve Websites To Make Them More User Friendly For Prospective And Current Students.
Websites need to be optimized, including updating communications through Hopson's for prospective students.
Result
Website Optimization
Website improvements began for landing pages. Hopsons staff person hired. Communication process completed in Hopsons.
Action
Catalog And Website Improvements
Since we are no longer housing Graduate Admissions, we turned over all of the Hobsons communications to Graduate Admissions. We will continue to complete the new landing pages for each program. Two more improvements to the catalog were suggested by faculty: creation of a catalog change request form and Faculty Listing to include Graduate Faculty Status. The whole process to identify Graduate Faculty and to pull this data from our system will be worked on for next year.