TO: Alberto M. Olivares, Dean

College of Graduate Studies

FROM: Lee Clapp, Chair

Graduate Program Review Committee

DATE: March 25, 2008

SUBJECT: Master’s Graduate Program Review Report for 2007-2008

The Graduate Program Review Committee of the Graduate Council has completed its review of Master’s Degree programs in Agribusiness, Early Childhood Education, English as a Second Language, and Spanish. The chairs/directors of each of the reviewed programs completed Program Review instruments and submitted these reports to the College of Graduate Studies. Individual committee members then evaluated the documents of the graduate program to which they were assigned, and prepared a summary report based upon the evaluation. The respective department chair and college dean later read the completed summary report and provided comments. The program directors and committee reviewers for the 2007-2008 programs evaluated were as follows:

Graduate Program	Program Director	Program Reviewer	Department Chair
Agribusiness	William Kuvlesky	Kathleen Rees	Shad Nelson
Early Childhood Education	Ana Rodriguez	Carmen Tejeda-Delgado	Mike Desiderio
English as a Second Language	Alberto Ruiz	Ashley Bennington	Alberto Ruiz
Spanish	Michelle Johnson Vela	Manuel Flores	Susan Roberson

The Graduate Program Review Committee’s and Graduate Council’s final recommendations for the four reviewed programs are as follows:

Agribusiness: Probationary continuation with recommendation to: 1) fill the two currently vacant faculty positions as soon as possible; 2) aggressively recruit new students for the fall of 2008; 3) clearly state the program’s objectives in the University Graduate Catalog; 4) create a formal Graduate Committee to address, monitor, and facilitate action plans to overcome current program weaknesses; 5) the program is to report its student enrollment status each year for the next three years to ensure that it can meet the Coordinating Board’s requirements; and 6) eliminate the Agribusiness M.S. program if it does not graduate at least six students over the next three years. Finally, the Graduate Council notes that the Agribusiness program will only have two graduate faculty in the fall of 2008, whereas SACS requires a minimum of four. It is thus recommended that the TAMUK administration investigate and address this issue as soon as possible.

Early Childhood Education: Continuation with recommendation to: 1) hire an additional faculty member; 2) increase enrollment in the program; 3) increase the number of Early Childhood Education courses offered on-line; and 4) evaluate possible alternatives for achieving teaching-load reductions in the future as a means of stimulating a higher quality research program.

English as a Second Language: Probationary continuation with recommendation to: 1) fill current faculty vacancies as soon as possible; 2) significantly improve recruitment efforts such that there are at least 20 students in the program by fall of 2010; and 3) eliminate the ESL M.A. degree program if the previous recruitment goal is not met (however, sufficient courses should be kept to allow an ESL endorsement for currently certified teachers). Finally, the Graduate Council notes that the ESL program only has three graduate faculty, whereas SACS requires a minimum of four. It is thus recommended that the TAMUK administration investigate and address this issue.

Spanish: Probationary continuation with recommendation to: 1) increase the number of graduate majors to at least an average of three per year; 2) keep permanent records in the departmental office; 3) evaluate possible alternatives for achieving teaching-loading reductions in the future as a means of stimulating a higher quality research program; 4) develop a coordinated and well-planned recruiting effort for area high schools and community colleges to attract undergraduate and transfer students; 5) expand Sigma Delta Pi’s involvement in the program to include recruiting graduate students through a series of seminars and fund-raisers; 6) meet with CIS personnel and undertake a thorough review of the program’s technological and informational needs as soon as possible; and 7) eliminate the Spanish M.A. program if it does not graduate at least eight graduate students over the next three years. Finally, the Graduate Council notes that the Spanish program only has three graduate faculty, whereas SACS requires a minimum of four. It is thus recommended that the TAMUK administration investigate and address this issue as soon as possible.