The College will increase the variety of Academic Programs
Objective
Secure Permission To Offer A Ph.D. Program In School Psychology
Obtain approval to offer a Ph.D. in School Psychology.
KPI
Securing Permission To Offer A Ph.D. In School Psychology
Given the high bar set by the state for establishing new PhD programs, efforts to expand the size and the credentials of the MA program must continue before a proposal can be submitted to the coordinating board. In the recent past, the Department of Psychology has (1) secured preliminary approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for a new PhD in School Psychology; (2) secured reaccreditation for the current graduate program in School Psychology; and (3) Expanded enrollments in the current SSP program. During 2012-13, the Department will evaluate the success likelihood for TCHEB PhD approval at this time, and if this evaluation results in a positive decision, the Department will draft a formal proposal to offer a new doctoral degree in School Psychology. Meanwhile, the Department will increase enrollments in its current MA program by 10%.
Result
Development Of School Psychology PhD Program
The school psychology MA program did not achieve 10% growth.
However, having secured THECB preliminary approval and National Association of School Psychologists accreditation through 2022, the Psychology Department undertook self-evaluation to determine prospects for final THECB approval of the proposed program.
This self-evaluation has included formulation of a personnel plan, indicating what additional faculty will be required. It has also included creation of a study group consisting of the chair and the current school psychology faculty. Since the first market demand analysis was conducted prior to the original proposal in 2009, the study group is investigating current market trends in school psychology program admissions demand.
Action
Report From Psychology Chair
The chair of psychology will report findings from working group to the dean during the fall 2013 semester. This report will also include specific measures designed to enhance school psychology enrollment growth.
THECB policies, declining enrollment across Texas for school psychology doctoral programs, and University budgeting priorities combined to indicate a likely deferral of any other actions regarding this program.
Objective
Approval For A Minor In Social Work
The college will launch a minor in Social Work.
KPI
Social Work Minor
The college will develop the necessary curriculum to offer a minor in Social Work. We will have an outline of the curriculum by May, 2013.
Result
Progress On The Social Work Minor
The College successfully completed a social work minor proposal and a tentative curriculum for it. The proposal was entered into University adminstrative channels for appropriate review, being approved by the SHSU Council of Academic Deans in April 2013.
Action
Social Work Minor Initial Classes
Classes applicable to the Social Work minor will be offered starting with the fall 2013 semester.
Objective
Postdoctoral Associate Program
Initiate planning for a postdoctoral associate program.
KPI
Approval For Postdoctoral Program
During 2012-13 the college will secure approval for the launching of a postdoctoral associate program in 2013-14.
Result
Inauguration Of The Postdoctoral Program
In the fall of 2012 the College completed planning and won formal approval for the creation of postdoctoral fellowships. The office of the dean then held a competitive proposal submission for all departments in the College. After a selection process incorporating faculty review of proposals, four departments were awarded postdoctoral positions: English (1), Political Science (2), Philosophy (1), and Sociology (1).
All positions were filled by means of nationally advertised searches. The first class of postdoctoral fellows will begin two-year appointments in August of 2013.
Action
Inauguration Of The Postdoctoral Program
The first class of postdoctoral fellows will begin two-year appointments in August of 2013. CHSS departments will monitor the progress of their fellows in teaching and in on-line class development.
Goal
Increase The Quality Of Academic Programs
The College will increase the quality of academic programs by increasing the quality of students and instruction.
Objective
Strategic Planning
Each department in the college will engaged in a strategic planning process.
KPI
Strategic Planning
Strategic planning is essential for the development of departments. Each department must meet and develop a five-year strategic plan that will discuss such items as program development, curriculum review, recruitment and retention, etc. The plans will be submitted to the Dean for review, and then departments will be asked to revise the plans. Five departments are still revising the plans and will submit them this year. All strategic plans will be submitted and accepted by June 2013.
Result
Drafted Strategic Plans
Before the end of the spring 2013 semester, departments of the CHSS submitted their strategic planning documents. In consonance with the college vision of developing into a "Tier I Balanced" institution, departments set up plans for faculty recruitment, curriculum enhancement, and the creation and funding of centers of excellence in specified fields.
Action
Activation Of Strategic Plans
Consonant with University budgeting constraints, the CHSS and constituent departments will conduct faculty searches with results reported in the next cycle.
Having completed curriculum changes per their plans, the departments of CHSS will submit those requests to the University curriculum committee in the fall of 2013 with results reported by CHSS in the following cycle.
Objective
Improve Graduate Student Credentials
Increase the quality of credentials of incoming graduate students.
KPI
Increase GRE And GPA Scores Of Incoming Graduate Students
Increase GRE and GPA scores of incoming graduate students in departments with underachieving admissions criteria. During this academic year, average GRE and GPA scores of incoming graduate students in the departments of COM, SOC and FOL will increase by 2%.
Result
Incoming Graduate Students GRE Scores
In 2013, departments of the CHSS recorded the following GRE admissions performance: ENGL improved from a 2012 average GRE of 1012 to a 2013 average of 1176. COMS improved from a 2012 average GRE of 957 to a 2013 average of 1190. HIST improved from a 2012 average GRE of 1093 to a 2013 average of 1102. POLS improved from a 2012 average GRE of 1064 to a 2013 average of 1128. SOCI improved from a 2012 average GRE of 863 to a 2013 average of 1083. FOLG declined from a 2012 average GRE of 820 to a 2013 average of 650. PSYC improved from a 2012 average of 1046 to a 2013 average of 1173.
Overall, CHSS programs increased average entering GRE scores by 7.9%.
Result
Incoming Graduate Students GPA
SHSU has recently undergone a significant reorganization of the university data infrastructure. As a result of these changes, SHSU Institutional Research cannot readily retrieve GPA data on incoming graduate students.
Action
GPA And GRE Score Assessments
CHSS graduate programs proved successful improving the GRE credentials of incoming graduate students. The FOLG program showed a 20% decrease, but this was on a total sample size of 3. Indeed, CHSS will research ways to grow and strengthen this very young program.
Setting aside FOLG, the overall college performance was an average increase of 12% for incoming GRE scores. Having met the KPI, CHSS will work to increase incoming GRE scores a further 2% for the subsequent academic year.
Lastly, we will research the difficulties at IR in determining incoming graduate GPA. Likely solutions will include changing the unit organizational levels at which we collect such data, or changing the metrics rubric for graduate recruitment performance to rest upon readily obtainable information.
Objective
Graduate Program Review
Each graduate program in the CHSS will undergo a thorough program review before August 2019.
KPI
Graduate Program Review Process
The College will complete program reviews of all its graduate programs according to the following schedule:
Review Year Program 2012-13 History MA 2013-14 School Psychology SSP 2015-16 Political Science MA 2015-16 Public Admin MA 2015-16 Communication Studies MA 2016-17 Sociology MA 2016-17 Spanish MA 2017-18 Dietetics MA 2017-18 Family & Consumer Sciences MA 2018-19 English MA 2018-19 Clinical Psychology MA 2018-19 Clinical Psychology PhD
Scheduled completion of the History department review before closure of the 2012-2013 reporting cycle will indicate timely initiation of this process. All departments will fulfill the process by submitting thorough program self-studies conducted according to a rubric provided by the Office of Graduate Studies. Each department will then host on-campus visitors from peer institutions/programs to review the reports and to make further recommendations. Departments will conclude the process by submitting responses to visitors' reports and any additional program planning inspired by the overall program review.
Result
Graduate Program Review--History
In accordance with the College plan, the History department completed its graduate program review report. The report, finished in the fall, served as the basis for an on-campus visit from an outside referee. That visit generated observations gathered into the visitor's report. The History department concluded the process with an action plan addressing issues in the visitor's report and projecting program planning into the future.
Action
Ongoing Graduate Program Review Process
The College will continue with the graduate review process by completing a review of the School Psychology SSP program before the closure of the 2013-2014 reporting cycle.
Goal
Increase Research And Scholarly Activity
Increase publications and extramurally funded research in the College.
Objective
Increase Student Research
Increase the number of undergraduate and graduate students involved in research, scholarship, and creative activities.
KPI
Number Of Students Presenting And Publishing
As research and scholarly activity increases with faculty, the college would like to see more students involved in the research process. The process of creating knowledge is essential to each discipline, and exposing students to this process provides quality instruction. The College will collect data concerning the number of peer-reviewed presentations and publications by undergraduate students and by graduate students and compare this to last year's data. The College will increase by 2% the number of undergraduate student and graduate students who are involved in research that result in publication or presentation at professional conferences.
Result
Student Presentations And Publication 2012
In calendar year 2012, 64 undergraduate students presented papers, while 15 published for a total of 79 undergraduate research activities. The totals were 75 for 2010 and 81 for 2011. Undergraduate student research activity declined by 2% in 2012 but was up by 5% over two years ago.
In calendar year 2012, 107 graduate students presented papers while 42 published for a total of 149 graduate student research activities. The totals were 89 in 2010 and 119 in 2011. Graduate student research activities increased 25% over 2011 and by 39% in the last two years.
Action
Promotion Of Student Research And Publication
The College has amply succeeded in its efforts to promote and increase graduate student research and writing and will continue current efforts in this regard. Undergraduate research activity has not grown at anything like the same pace. While the slight decline from 2011 to 2012 draws our attention, nonetheless the overall pace of growth for 2010, 2011, and 2012 is still over 2% per annum net.
To strengthen undergraduate research participation and to make the overall trend more consistent, the College will directly encourage faculty in cultivating undergraduate research and writing. Fostering departmental undergraduate writing awards and rewarding faculty for assisting undergradutes with on-campus research presentation opportunities are two immediate means to improve performance in this area.
Objective
Increase Per Capita Peer-Reviewed Publications
The faculty in the College will increase the per capita number of peer-reviewed publications.
KPI
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Universities must produce new knowledge and understanding. The college will collect data on the number of peer-reviewed publications and compare this with the previous year. Because these are peer-reviewed publications, the quality of the research also is measured. The college will increase the per capita number of peer-reviewed publications by 2%.
Result
Assessing Faculty Publications
During 2012 CHSS averaged .60 journal articles per faculty, a 25% decrease from the .80 per capita articles published in 2011. In 2012, per capita books also declined to about 3.5% from 7%. Book chapters increased to 20% from 17%. The overall faculty publication measure did not meet the college's overall 2% increase goal.
Despite some prodcution declines in 2012, since CHSS began monitoring faculty publication levels in 2005 per capita journal publications have increased by 90%, and per capita books and monographs by 100%.
Action
Faculty Research
The college will encourage increases in faculty publication levels by assessing faculty scholarly productivity and by providing linkage between peer-reviewed publication levels and faculty merit raises, promotion and tenure decisions and departmental budgets. To further promote faculty scholarship, research awards will be presented to outstanding faculty researchers at a Fall meeting of the college faculty and staff.
Objective
Increase Per Capita Conference Presentations
The faculty in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences will increase the per capita number of professional conference presentations given.
KPI
Number Of Conference Presentations
Universities must not only produce new knowledge, but they must also disseminate this knowledge. Conference presentations are one method of disseminating knowledge. The college will collect data on the number of presentations at professional, peer-reviewed conferences and compare this with the previous year. Because these are peer-reviewed presentations, the quality of the research is also measured. The College will increase by 2% the number of per capita professional conference presentations by faculty in the college.
Result
Assessing Conference Presentations
In 2012, the college faculty of 117 made 352 academic presentations for an average of 3.00, an increase over the 2.71 average for 2011 and the 2.52 average for 2010. The increase represented growth of 10%, exceeding the college goal of 2%.
Since CHSS began monitoring per capita faculty conference presentations in AY2005, the per capita mean of scholarly presentations has increased by 79%.
Action
Conference Participation--Sustained Growth
A multi-year pattern of success for this objective has emerged over the last reporting cycles. The CHSS will continue to foster a sustained minimum growth of 2% for ths objective. The College will continue to foster an internal culture that encourages faculty presentations at scholarly meetings. The CHSS and constituent departments will supply funds to support faculty travel to these meetings, and link faculty merit raises, promotion and tenure decisions, and departmental budgets to the number of faculty presentations at scholarly meetings. The CHSS will maintain the schedule of bi-weekly college colloquiums and the Spring research conference to encourage and recognize ongoing faculty scholarship.
Objective
Increase Extramural Funding
Increase the number of competitive grants submitted and funded in the College.
KPI
Increase Grants Submitted And Funded
One measure of the productivity of faculty is the number of outside grants funded. Outside funding shows that the research of the faculty is of high quality. The amount of funding varies by the discipline as do the funding opportunities. The College will collect data on the number and amounts of outside funding received by our faculty, as well as the number of grants submitted. These numbers will be compared to last year's numbers. The College will increase by 2% the per capita number of grants externally submitted and the percentage of submitted external grants that are funded. Measurements of per capita grant activity and grant success rates also will be analyzed.
Result
Grants Submitted And Funded--Results
In calendar year 2012, 117 CHSS faculty members submitted 42 grants, of which 25 were funded. The per capita submission rate for this year was .36 while the success rate was 60%. Compared to a 2011 submission rate of .28 with success of 58% and a 2010 submission rate of .33 with a success of 51%, performance for 2012 in both categories showed marked improvement.
Submissions in 2013 increased 29% over 2011 with a success rate 2% higher, while increasing 9% over 2010 submissions and also 9% over 2010 successes.
Action
Increasing Grant Activity
Having made grant activity a College-wide objective in 2011, the CHSS enjoyed success in meeting its basic goals. Efforts to encourage faculty to more grant seeking activity and tying that activity to merit produced positive results.
The College will continue with these efforts in order to demonstrate sustained growth through the next reporting cycle.
Objective
Develop Centers For Focused Scholarly Activity
Develop centers and departmental foci for focuses scholarly activity within departments.
KPI
Centers Of Scholarly Excellence
Each department will present to the dean of the college at least one area of focused scholarly excellence for that department. The college will support the establishment of at least two interdisciplinary research centers recommended by CHSS faculty.
Result
Centers Of Scholarly Excellence--Creation
Departments in the CHSS presented plans for the development of centers. Two departments of the CHSS actually inaugurated new centers of excellence: ENGL-The Center of Medieval and Renaissance Thought and POLS-The Emergency Management Research Center.
This represented complete fulfillment of this objective for 2012-2013.
Action
Centers Of Scholarly Excellence--Continued Development
The College will continue to solicit faculty proposals and suggestions for creating programs of organized scholarship. Efforts in 2013-14 will concentrate on planning for centers in PSYC, HIST, and FOLG.
Goal
Improve Faculty Quality And Morale
Improve faculty evaluation procedures, faculty orientations, and number of full-time faculty to improve faculty quality and morale.
Objective
Improve New Faculty Orientation And Workshops
Improve new faculty workshops and orientation sessions.
KPI
New Faculty Orientation
First year CHSS Faculty will attend a University New Faculty Investment orientation presented by the Professional and Academic Center for Excellence (PACE) Center. Evaluations received by participants at the New Faculty Investment will rate the helpfulness of each presentation on a scale of 1 (best) to 5 (worst). Scores of 80% paticipating faculty rating presentations 1 or 2 will indicate success.
Result
CHSS New Faculty Orientation
Seven new tenure-track faculty from the CHSS participated in University-wide orientation presentations, as well as a designated orientation session for the CHSS alone. 50% of respondents to satisfaction surveys rated the overall experience 1 or 2 on a 5-point scale of helpfulness/usefulness.
Across 16 categories of subject matter, the scores ranged from a low of 34% approval to a high of 66% approval. The process has not yet achieved expected levels of success.
Action
Improvement Of New Facult Orientation
The general Univesity New Faculty Orientation is conducted under the auspices of the Professional and Academic Center for Excellence (PACE). Working to provide technical institutional information for a body of new faculty diverse in background and experience is a daunting task. PACE leadership discuss plans to strengthen their portions of new faculty orientation on their own OATDb page.
Sections conducted by CHSS personnel can respond to written survey feedback comments by the following: 1) more careful condensation of information; 2) increased focus on issues of immediate practical faculty concern (survery results showed highest ratings for use of the Student Advisement and Mentoring Center and for the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects and least interest in Recreational Sports and reports from the Dean of Students); 3) development of presentation materials to assist new faculty with acculturation issues regarding east Texas and the SHSU student base.
CHSS will retain the overall 80% satisfaction rate as the desired outcome.
Objective
Salary Equity Allocations
The Dean's Office will ensure salary equity for faculty. Ensuring gender and racial equity, as well as equity for those who have served the university for a long time is essential to maintaining faculty morale.
KPI
Salary Equity Allocations
The Dean's Office will identify faculty whose salaries are not on a par to national salaries for faculty who are productive. The Dean's Office will then allocate market adjustment money to correct salary inequities identified by the salary equity study. Our goal is to make at least one market adjustment based on these findings during 2012-13.
Result
Salary Equity Allocations Results
In 2012-13, as in previous years, CHSS undertook to monitor salary distributions. Differences in pay were contolled for gender, minority status, and research and teaching performance. Across categories, the average differences were all within 0.5% and sometimes significantly less. Additionally, existing distinctions between individuals correlated well with job performance indicators tracked the faculty merit performance system.
Result
Market Adjustment Results
University budgeting did not allow for the distribution of market adjustment raises in 2012-13.
Action
Salary Equity Allocation For 2013-2014
CHSS will continue to collect and analyze data relevant to equitable salary distributions. Within the constraints of University budgeting decisions, the college will endeavor to make such adjustments as justified by that data.
Goal
Increase Enrollments
Encrease graduate and undergraduate enrollments in the College.
Objective
Increase The Number Of Graduate Students
Increase the enrollment of graduate students in the programs in the College.
KPI
Increase Enrollments In Graduate Programs
Increase enrollments in graduate programs by 10%.
Result
Graduate Enrollment Performance
In 2011-2012, CHSS recorded 761 graduate student enrollments for 5116 student credit hours. In 2012-13, CHSS recorded 897 graduate student enrollments for 5961 student credit hours. These figures represented an 18% increase in student enrollments and a 17% increase in total graduate student credit hours. All departments in CHSS recorded growth in both categories.
Action
Graduate Enrollment Performance Plan
CHSS has experienced rapid growth in graduate enrollments in last two academic years. It is now important to ensure all programs have the necessary resources and personnel to manage these expanded populations. As part of that careful development, CHSS will maintain a graduate student increase goal of 10% for the following academic year.
Objective
Increase Undergraduate Enrollments
Increase undergraduate majors in programs of college by 2%
KPI
Increasing Undergraduate Majors
Increase undergraduate majors in programs of college by 2%
Result
Undergraduate Enrollment Performance
In the academic year 2011-2012, CHSS recorded 4439 undergraduate student enrollments for a total of 55796 student credit hours. In 2012-2013, CHSS recorded 4395 undergraduate student enrollments for a total of 55836 student credit hours. These figures represented a 1% decrease in student enrollments and a statistical equilibrium in student credit hours.
Goal
Increase Development And Alumni Activities
Increase activities aimed at alumni and contributors to the College.
Objective
Active Relationship Between The College And The Alumni
The College will work with the Alumni Board to develop activities to involve the alumni with the college.
KPI
Fundraising
A "Next Steps Campaign" to raise funds for student scholarships and faculty/student enrichment activities will be conducted. Pledges and gifts from both faculty and staff and alumni and friends will be requested and tabulated. The campaign will be considered successful if $100,000 is raised.
Result
Fundraising Results
The "Next Steps Campaign" succeeded with pledges and contributions totalling just over $120,000.
KPI
Distinguished Alumni
Distinguished alumni and faculty will be selected by the alumni board and the college to be honored at a Wall of Honor event. Success will be indicated by the induction of four new inductees each year combined with a well-attended induction ceremony.
Result
Distinguished Alumni
The CHSS conducted the 2013 Wall of Honor ceremony in March, 2013. Two distinguished alumni and two distinguished former faculty members each received commemoration for contributions to the university.
Goal
Improve The Quality Of Teaching
Improve the quality of undergraduate and graduate teaching.
Objective
Reduce Courses Taught By Adjunct (pool) Faculty
Reduce the proportion of courses taught by adjunct (pool) faculty.
KPI
Additional Tenure-track Faculty FY 2013
The CHSS budget proposal for FY 2013 including 4 new Asst. Prof lines for ENGL, 1 for FOLG, 1 for POLS, and 3 for SOCI: 9 tenure-track positions total. Although CHSS requested only the actual number of positions needed for operations, 80% fulfillment will indicate the minimum standard of success.
Result
Tenure Track Hires 2012-2013
CHSS secured funding and successfully concluded 8 searches for new tenure track faculty: 1 in ENGL; 1 in FOLG; 1 in HIST; 2 in POLS; 2 in PSCY/PHIL; 1 in SOCI. This represented 90% fulfillment of the hiring plan.
KPI
Conversion Of Adjunct (pool) Positions To Lecturer Positions
Convert 4 Adjunct (pool) positions to full-time positions with rank (non tenure track).
Result
Actual Conversions Of Pool Faculty 2012-2013
The College converted the following adjunct/pool positions to full-time, ranked (non-tenure track) positions: COMS (0); ENGL (1); FACS (1); FOLG (2); HIST (1); SOCI (2). Total conversions equalled 7, exceeding the planned benchmark for this objective.
Action
Additional Tenure Track Faculty FY 2014
The College submitted in its 2014 budget proposals requests for 15 new tenure-track faculty positions: 2 in ENGL; 1 in FACS; 2 in FOLG; 2 in HIST; 2 in POLS; 3 in PSYC/PHIL; 3 in SOCI.
Objective
Hybrid Course Development
Develop and implement blended (hybrid) courses in the undergraduate and graduate curricula.
KPI
Developing Hybrid Courses
CHSS will offer hybrid course development training opportunities for interested faculty. At least one undergraduate and one graduate course will be developed during 2012-13 for delivery in 2013-14.
Result
Hybrid Course Cancellation
Changes in university budgetary planning precluded extending support for hybrid course development. No new hybrid courses were developed in 2012-13. None will be offered in 2013-2014.
Action
Hybrid Course Development Suspension
The CHSS does not at ths time foresee a return to hybrid course development.
Objective
Enhance The Quality Of The Ethnics Western Civilization American Traditions Program
Collect and analyze data that measures the quality of the Ethnics Western Civilization American Traditions (EWCAT) program, and use the results of the analysis to enhance and refine the program.
KPI
EWCAT Program Enhancement
The EWCAT Committee will present to the dean evidenced-based recommendations for enhancing the quality of the EWCAT program. Actions will be taken during 2012-13 to implement these recommendations in 2013-14.
Result
EWCAT Program Enhancement --Data Analysis
During the Fall and Spring semesters of the 2012 academic year, the College undertook multi-variable research on the quality and outcomes of EWCAT courses, principally in the Department of English. Students in EWCAT sections and in control sections were given two scaled surveys: Service Learning Benefits (SELEB) and Critical Thinking Motivation Scale (CTMS). Addititionally, the faculty evaluation forms (IDEA) for all ENGL 1301 and 1302 sections for that academic year were analyzed. Lastly, students in EWCAT sections and in control sections were given pre/post essay tests scored in a double-blind system by English faculty.
EWCAT classes and instructors tended to rank higher than the controls. These effects were marked in the fall semester, but mixed in the spring. IDEA form analysis from both semesters indicated that students acknowledged EWCAT sections as somewhat more difficult but significantly more rewarding in terms of their perceptions of their own learning and instructor quality.
Action
EWCAT Program Enhancement--Further Research
SELEB and CTMS survey data compared between Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 was inconclusive. However, rates of absenteeism, student evaluation of the course, and student evaluation of the instructor were all markedly higher for EWCAT than for non-EWCAT sections.
Therefore, the College will once again conduct SELEB and CTMS surveys on EWCAT and randomly selected control sections in order to determine detectible benefits or a lack of detectible benefits of EWCAT sectiions on student attitudes to learning and investigation.
Meanwhile, data on student course evaluation already justifies use of EWCAT techniques: peer-led team learning; use of whole texts as opposed to collected selections; enhanced use of class discussion. The College will promote the increased application of these techniques.