Program Review for Chemistry (M.S.)

2006-2007 Recommendations

I. Strengths

1. Outstanding knowledge of the graduate program’s needs.

2. Active professor-student mentoring program.

3. Full-time Graduate Coordinator.

4. Student-centric, dedicated, quality graduate faculty.

II. Weaknesses

1. No formal Graduate Committee in the College.

2. Limited physical resources and facilities.

3. Unfavorable balance between time for research and teaching/administrative duties.

III. Recommendations

1. Create a formal Graduate Committee to address, monitor and implement action plans to mitigate the factors negatively impacting the graduate program. Secondarily, the Graduate Committee should serve as a faculty resource for shaping and building the graduate program. Current tasks the committee could address are: a) issues regarding core course requirements, b) the need for greater formality and improved timing of student comprehensive exams and, c) other graduate program requirements and practices needing review and/or formalizing.

2. The resources and facilities available to the graduate program and faculty, especially the lack of funds for new professors (e.g., start-up funds), instructional facilities and equipment (including lab space), appears to be a lingering issue that needs to be formally addressed. It is recommended that a committee/task force be charged with quantifying and reporting (with comparable benchmarks) the extent of these shortcomings and their immediate and longer term impact on the program (e.g., impact on recruiting, faculty and student research, etc). This must be done with an eye toward the budgeting process.

3. The expectations for teaching, service and research should be reflected in teaching load reductions and the number of GTA positions for research faculty. With greater emphasis upon research across all colleges, the need for greater assistance will only increase. This may be a university-wide issue/weakness and probably deserves faculty senate attention. The recommendation is to bring this attention to the faculty senate.

Program Recommendation:

The Chemistry Master’s program is recommended for continuation.

Dean’s Comments:

1. Establish a formal Graduate Committee in the department.

2. Develop and implement a recruitment program that would set annual recruitment quotas sufficient to increase the annual graduate graduation rate.

3. Increase the publication record of the faculty.

4. Increase the number of laboratory teaching assistantships by noting this need in the department's strategic plan.

5. Provide for start-up funds for new faculty.

Outcome/Assessment Report

Master’s Program in Chemistry

Spring 2008

Dean’s Comments: (please comment on the progress that has been made on the recommendations)

Satisfactory progress is being made. However, a portion of the department’s indirect revenues need to be set aside for start-up costs, with the purpose of using those funds as leverage with the Deans’ Office.