The Department of History will engage in scholarly activities to maintain a high-quality curriculum.
Objective
Faculty Scholarship
The Department of History will maintain a constant flow of 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 Research Publications
17 of 21 members of the History graduate faculty published in scholarly venues. The page total was 1,270, for an average of 60.5 per the 21 members. The publications included three monographs (one of which was reviewed in the New York Times), an edited collection, and thirty some scholarly articles and reviews. There was also considerable attention in the scholarly reviews this year of work done by department members in the previous year.
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
7 of the 21 graduate history faculty (33%) applied for grants. (In addition, a new graduate-faculty hire to begin fall 2014 won two grants after signing our contract and will receive these while our faculty member.) These 7 faculty won 9 grants. The percentage of grants per graduate faculty member is 43%.
In the previous three years, the percentage of faculty submitting grants was 35%, 50%, and 57%.
KPI
Faculty Research Presentations
At least 60% of the graduate faculty will present in scholarly venues each year.
Result
Faculty Research Presentations
15 of 21 graduate faculty (71%) made presentations in scholarly venues. The total number of presentations was 24.
In the previous three years, the percentage of graduate faculty making presentations was 50%, 50%, and 57%.
Action
Scholarly Endeavors
We shall compose a writing group that will review works-in-progress for publication, make a dedicated effort to secure faculty development leave for at least one professor with a major book project, and make speial allocations of research money for important scholarly work (especially in world history).
Goal
Advanced Education
The history department will promote matriculation of undergraduate students into advanced educational programs
Objective
Promoting Advanced Degree Work
History majors will demonstrate competency in knowledge and skills necessary 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
17 of 94, or 17%, of our BA/BS graduates were accepted into History graduate programs.
KPI
Advanced Degree Programs Outside Of History
Admission of history graduates to programs for other advanced other 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
Our data on JD admissions lags by one year. In 2012-13, three of our BA's were accepted into and matriculated in law school, one at the very highly rated University of Notre Dame, and another at the competitive University of Houston.
Two of our MA's enrolled in History PhD programs, both at the University of Arkansas.
Action
Advanced Education
We shall promote higher eductaion in our classes and in Phi Alpha Theta events. We shall also host recent PhD's in workshops for undergrads on how to navigate the world of higher academia. Two are scheduled for fall term.
Goal
Teaching Excellence
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 Class-rating Performance
Fall of 2013, 79% of History classes scored at or above the national average, in Spring 2014, 64%, for a total average of about 72%.
KPI
Students Taught By PhD Faculty
During any academic year the percentage of history students taught by tenured and tenure track faculty holding the PhD will exceed 85%.
Result
Students Taught By PhD Faculty
Following are the percentages of HIST students taught by tenured and tenure track PhD faculty by student type and term.
Undegraduate: Fall 2012 = 68.1 Spring 2013 = 61.6 Fall 2013 = 44.9 Spring 2014 = 56.8 Fall 2014 = 45.3
Graduate: Fall 2012 = 93.0 Spring 2013 = 92.0 Fall 2013 = 100.0 Spring 2014 = 91.9 Fall 2014 = 90.8
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 30% among teachers in the nation who use the IDEA instrument.
Result
IDEA Teacher-rating Performance
In Fall 2013, 76% of departmental History instructors scored at or above the national average, in Spring 2014, 56%, for a total average of about 66%.
Action
Teaching Excellence
We shall review the accumulated peer reviews of tenure-track faculty, suss further useful information from the IDEA reports, and explore new instruments such as made their debut with us in four classes last year.