This year, we made considerable
progress toward our enrollment, quality, and diversity goals in the
Graduate School. Several new student-oriented support programs were
established, and we continued efforts to upgrade service to students
and faculty.
This past year, more progress has been made to increase the size
and diversity of the graduate student body with the goal of 4500
students by 2010-11 and consistent production of >200 doctoral
degree recipients per year.
- Fall 2007 total enrollment
(Dec 2007) reached a record 4047. African-American enrollment
(now 11.8% of total grad student body) was also a record in Fall
2007.
- Applications for graduate
school also set new records in 2007-08, with nearly 6500
applications received (old record 6071 last year);
African-American and total minority application percentages
(15.6% and 25.3%) also set new records. International student
applications (ca. 1450) have risen almost to pre-9/11 levels.
- UA doctoral degree production
reached a record 190 in ACHE degree year 2008; old record 181 in
degree year 2006 and 160 in 2007.
New student support programs
were implemented and record levels of funding spent on key existing
programs.
- Created new McNair Graduate
Fellowship program; 8 offers made for Fall 2008 matriculation (6
accepted) In addition, held first annual McNair Scholars
Visitation Day and Diversity Day events to aid minority
recruiting. Graduate Ambassadors Program rejuvenated with ca. 40
current graduate students agreeing to serve as recruitment
facilitators for on-campus recruiting events.
- Partnering with departments
and divisions, funding for Travel and Research grants has almost
tripled versus 2005-06 ($216,000 and counting compared with
$74,000; number of students supported has risen to 377 (and
counting) in 2007-08 vs 168 in all of 2005-06. A new
International Enrichment component was added in spring 2008; 17
students were funded
- Started Graduate School
development campaign, focusing first on ca. 1000 winners of GS
fellowships and special awards.
Several service functions were
upgraded and/or simplified to better serve students and faculty.
- Created first on-line catalog
at UA, fully maintained and updated by the Graduate School
including real-time updates on Graduate Faculty appointments and
policy changes, with 300 hard copies distributed to UA offices
and embassies, etc.; savings of ca. $50,000 used to enhance
student support
- Hired new Assistant Registrar
(with Grad School funds) to address critical need in this part
of our operation = better service for current students and pre-
and post-graduation
- Became one of first US
institutions to develop Bologna Accord policy; Grad School
admits students from B.A.-certified institutions; control over
admission rests with department/program
- Changes instituted at
Commencement to announce Ph.D. degree earned (e.g., PhD in
Chemistry) and major professor(s) name read
- Changes made to Graduate
Faculty appointments: 1) with Chair/Dean approval, members of
non-grad degree departments can be appointed as Associate or
full members (replacing old policy of temp membership), 2)
worked with units to proactively appoint well-qualified
administrators and other professionals to appropriate Grad
Faculty appointments to easy regular faculty burden in impacted
departments (mainly Ed.D.s)
- Simplified last semester
Thesis/Dissertation research enrollment procedures to maximize
time student has to turn in final thesis/dissertation before
having to pay additional tuition.
- Completely revamped Graduate
School website for ease of use and utility; added new Student
Spotlight feature and fully implemented searchable on-line
services for departmental recruiting, including Graduate School
events, Apptrack and prospect management systems. Student
applicants (via myBama) and faculty/program directors can now
check application status on-line from any location.
- Began extending GTA training
opportunities to the full academic year instead of only at the
start of fall semester by providing digital videotapes of fall
semester student presenters and other GTA Workshop activities on
the Graduate School webpage.
A number of major initiatives
were completed and are being implemented in 2008-09.
- Created “White Paper on
Doctoral Study at UA” to highlight strengths, weaknesses, and
recommended changes (to Provost)
- “Re-Envisioning Doctoral
Residency at UA” White Paper to Provost was basis for Grad
Council vote (unanimous) to allow both traditional and
alternative residence tracks at UA, based on the Doctoral
Scholars model (work ratified in April 2008 by Grad Council,
implementation beginning in Fall 2008).
- New Banner-based graduate
application system is now live for summer and fall 2008
applications. The system permits easier tracking of applicants
by departments (Apptrack) and other enhancements; will save ca.
$60,000 per year over alternative software packages.
- New Graduate Record and Degree
systems expected to go live in summer 2008 will allow all
graduate students, faculty, departments and other users to
electronically manage and track various key Graduate School
forms.
- Worked with Graduate Council
via ad hoc committee and full membership to study electronic
thesis/dissertation option at UA. In April 2008, full Grad
Council approved (unanimous) resolution to implement on
voluntary basis for 2008-09, and, assuming good outcomes, to
consider mandatory ETD in 2009-10.
David A. Francko
Dean, Graduate School, and Assistant VP for Academic Affairs
28 May 2008
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